E-Paper
AYODHYA VERDICT: After Friday prayers, clerics urge Muslims to maintain peace
Imams in Aligarh, Agra, Meerut, Azamgarh, Kanpur and some other districts gave the ‘message of peace’ to Muslims after Friday prayers.
After Friday prayers, clerics across the city appealed to Muslims to maintain peace and communal harmony after the Supreme Court delivers its verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi –Babri Masjid title suit.
Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, chairman of Islamic Centre of India and Imam-e-Eidgah, had requested clerics of all mosques to make the appeal.
According to an IANS report quoting sources, imams in Aligarh, Agra, Meerut, Azamgarh, Kanpur and some other districts gave the ‘message of peace’ to Muslims after Friday prayers.
A similar appeal was issued by clerics in Bareilly.
On Saturday last in Bareilly, top clerics and Muslim scholars from India and abroad had urged Muslims to observe restraint and not to publicly express their emotions on Ayodhya verdict, irrespective of the fact whether the Supreme Court’s decision was in their favour or against them.
“The Supreme Court is due to pronounce its verdict soon. Thank God if the decision is in your favour, and keep patience and maintain peace if the verdict goes against you,” said Maulana Najeeb Miyan of the Dargah Aala Hazrat, the famous shrine in Bareilly.
Addressing Muslims at Eidgah in Lucknow, Khalid Rashid said: “The country’s top most court is likely to deliver its verdict in the Babri case (Ram Janmabhoomi) soon. Decision will be closely observed not only in India but by the international community also.”
“Therefore, all residents of this country must accept the judgment,” he added.
Offering a note of caution, Rashid said: “After the verdict, there must be no celebrations, no protest and no effort must be made to hurt sentiments to the other community.”
Instead, efforts must be made to maintain communal harmony and national integrity, he asserted.
The chairman of the Islamic Centre also stressed that it was a collective responsibility to maintain peace and harmony.
“There is no need to fear anything and have faith on country’s Constitution and court,” Khalid Rashid emphasized. He added that “we must respect religious sentiments of others also.”
Rashid requested people not to misuse social media and issue statements on any social media platform to vitiate communal harmony.
He also requested Muslim youths to dispel misconceptions about Islam by using social media.
Following Rashid’s appeal, clerics across the city issued an appeal to Muslims assembled for Friday prayer in mosques to maintain peace and communal harmony after the Ayodhya verdict.
Rashid is also a member of the AIMPLB, which is party in the Ayodhya title suit in the Supreme Court.
The apex court completed hearing in the decades-old Ayodhya tile dispute on October 16 and is likely to deliver its verdict anytime between November 8 and November 16 before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi retires on November 17.
