In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the commemorative events marking the 36th martyrdom anniversary of the eminent religious and political leader and founder of Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq (RA), commenced at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar with a grand and spiritually uplifting Husn-i-Qira’at programme. According to Kashmir Media Service, students from dozens of Islamic seminaries and educational institutions across Kashmir participated enthusiastically and showcased remarkable excellence in the recitation of the Holy Qur’an.  

The participating institutions included Dar-ul-Uloom Bilalia, Dar-ul-Uloom Dawoodia, Dar-ul-Uloom Qasmia, Jamia Saadat-ul-Quran, Islamia Oriental College, Dar-ul-Uloom Naqshbandia, Bab-ul-Uloom, Jamia Amir-e-Kabeer, Jamia Imam Azam, Dar-ul-Uloom Furqania, Maktaba Abu Bakr Siddiq, Dar-ul-Uloom Kausaria, Jamia Shams-ul-Uloom, Madrasa Sabeel-ul-Huda, Madrasa Siraj-ul-Uloom, and Dar-ul-Uloom Dawood Batmaloo Srinagar, among others. 

The top five positions were secured respectively by Qari Athar Manzoor of Jamia Imam Azam Sarnal Anantnag, Qari Yasir Rashid of Siraj-ul-Uloom Srinagar, Qari Muhammad Usman of Dar-ul-Uloom Qasmia, Qari Ubaid-ur-Rehman of Dar-ul-Uloom Bilalia, and Qari Muhammad Abu Bakr of Bab-ul-Uloom Natipora Srinagar.  The winners were awarded trophies and cash prizes by the Anjuman Auqaf, while several well-wishers also appreciated and encouraged the young participants. 

Presiding over the function, senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq highlighted the significance of the Holy Qur’an and the importance of organizing such programmes. He emphasized that the central aim of these gatherings is to strengthen the younger generation’s connection with the teachings, message, and understanding of the Qur’an. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also appreciated the valuable role played by religious seminaries and Islamic institutions across Jammu and Kashmir in promoting Qur’anic learning and preserving religious education. 

The competition was adjudged by Qari Saddam Hussain, Qari Ashiq Hussain, and Qari Atiq-ur-Rehman. Senior religious scholars and dignitaries present on the dais included Maulana Shaukat Hussain Keng, Mufti Ejaz-ul-Hasan Qasmi Bandy, Mufti Nizamuddin Nadwi, Maulana Qari Muhammad Aslam Rahimi, Maulana Fayaz Ahmad Qasmi, Maulana Ghulam Rasool, Mufti Ghulam Rasool Samoon, Qari Naseer Ahmad Rahimi, Haji Altaf Ahmad, Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi, and Maulana M.S.

Rehman Shams.  The gathering was attended by a large number of prominent citizens and women participants. The programme concluded with collective Fateha prayers for Shaheed-e-Millat (RA) and all the martyrs of Kashmir. Earlier in the day, Qur’an Khwani was also organized for the Isaal-e-Sawab and elevation of ranks of the martyr leader and other martyrs. 

Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq was martyred on May 21, 1990, at his residence in Srinagar. His martyrdom and the subsequent Hawal massacre, in which scores of mourners were killed, remain deeply etched in the collective memory of the Kashmiri people. The annual commemorations pay rich tributes to his legacy as a towering religious scholar, passionate advocate for the rights of the Kashmiri people, and a unifying figure.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)