Kashmir's chief Islamic cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday, 17 May called on mosques, khanqahs, and imambaras across the Valley to reclaim their historical role as centres of social reform, moral guidance, and communal unity. Addressing a religious function in Srinagar, he argued that these institutions must do far more than serve as spaces for prayer.

The Core Appeal

Mirwaiz Umar drew on Islamic history to make his case, stating that mosques, khanqahs, and imambaras have long functioned as hubs of learning, reform, and social transformation — not merely ritual observance. He said these institutions historically shaped moral consciousness and strengthened communal harmony in the face of ethical and social challenges.

'Our mosques, khanqahs and imambaras must become centres for initiating positive change and reform within society. They should guide the younger generation, spread awareness, strengthen moral values and help address the problems affecting our people,' he said.

Challenges Driving the Call

The Mirwaiz identified a cluster of contemporary pressures making this revival urgent: moral decline, domestic discord, rising materialism, and the erosion of family and community bonds. He said these issues demand collective introspection and sustained social engagement — not responses that religious institutions can afford to leave to the state or civil society alone.

Notably, the appeal comes at a time when Kashmir continues to navigate complex political, cultural, and social transitions, lending his remarks a resonance beyond the purely theological.

Preserving Identity and Heritage

Mirwaiz Umar also underscored the role these institutions must play in safeguarding Kashmiri identity. 'We have to strive to safeguard our religious identity, our culture, our language, our moral values, and our spiritual heritage. These institutions have always acted as centres of guidance and reform and must continue to play that role with renewed commitment,' he said.

He described Kashmir's religious and spiritual institutions as historically nurturing values of coexistence, tolerance, spirituality, and social responsibility — traditions he said must be actively preserved rather than allowed to fade.

The Prophet's Example as a Blueprint

Referring to the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet, Mirwaiz Umar said that commemoration through gatherings and speeches is insufficient. He called on Muslims to reflect the Prophet's principles — justice, compassion, honesty, accountability, and service to humanity — in individual conduct and collective social behaviour. He said the Prophet established a society built on these values, and contemporary Muslims must strive to embody them in daily life.

What This Signals

The address reflects a broader push by religious leadership in the Valley to reposition faith institutions as active agents of social change rather than passive spaces of worship. As Kashmir's younger generation faces mounting cultural and moral pressures, the Mirwaiz's call for structured guidance from within religious institutions points to a recognised gap that community leaders believe only these trusted spaces can fill.