Muslim community leaders address a news conference on Thursday on the attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Karnataka's prominent Muslim religious and community leaders came together on Thursday to condemn the attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
Addressing a news conference, the leaders said that they were "pained and outraged" by the horrifying attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22.
"This brutal and senseless act of violence claimed the lives of innocent civilians, mainly tourists who meant no harm... These killings are not only inhuman but also aim to provoke communal disharmony and disturb the peace of our country. Islam strictly prohibits the killing of innocents," the group said, quoting a verse from the Qur’an's Surah Al-Ma’idah.
"Those who commit such atrocities in the name of Islam are not followers of its true teachings. They are violators of everything Islam stands for. No cause, political or ideological, can ever justify the murder of innocents. We condemn this cowardly act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms. This is an assault not only on individuals but also on the values of humanity, pluralism and peaceful coexistence that India holds dear. We must not allow these dark forces to succeed. Their aim is to divide us, and our greatest strength as a nation lies in our unity," the group stated.
The group urged the government of India and the security forces to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to swift and exemplary justice. It also called for enhanced security and vigilance to prevent further such attacks on civilians, especially pilgrims and tourists.
The group appealed to all communities to not allow the seeds of hatred to grow from this tragedy. "The pain of the victims' families is our pain. The loss of innocent lives is a loss to the entire nation," it said. "This moment of mourning must also become a moment of moral clarity — for all of us to stand together, beyond religious or regional identities, and reject all forms of terror, extremism and hate. Let our collective voice be one of unity, empathy and peace."
The news conference was addressed by Moulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi, Khateeb-o-Imam, Jamia Masjid, Bengaluru City; Mufti Iftekhar Ahmed Qasmi, president, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Karnataka; Moulana Tanveer Hashmi, president, Jamaat Ahle Sunnat, Karnataka; Qari Zulfikhar Noori, Khateeb-o-Imam, Jamia Hazrath Bilal, Bengaluru; Dr Saad Belgami, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Karnataka; Moulana Syed Shabbir Hussain Nadwi, president, Naasih Foundation; Moulana Aijaz Ahmed Nadwi, Khateeb-o-Imam, Masjid Charminar, Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadees; Moulana Abdul Khader Shah Wajid, Khateeb-o-Imam, Jumma Masjid, Shivajinagar; Moulana Abdur Rahim Rashadi, president, JUH, Karnataka; Moulana Ghulam Mukhtar, Secretary, Sunni Ulema Council; Masood Abdul Khader, Convenor, KMMT; Afsar Baig, Secretary, Juloos-e-Mohammadi;
and Usman Sharieff, Secretary, Jumma Masjid Trust Board.