Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Kashmiri separatist leader and chairman of the Hurriyat (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has figured in the list of 500 most influential Muslim personalities across the globe by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan for the year 2024. According to the list released by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan, Mirwaiz has been listed among the world’s 500 most influential Muslims and is categorized in the political group for the 10th consecutive year by RISSC, Jordon.
On Mirwaiz, RISSC Jordan said, “He has been advocating dialogue with both India and Pakistan so that the aspirations of the Kashmiri people may be realised.” Specifically mentioning Mirwaiz’s four-year-long house arrest, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan stated that his release in September and his attendance at Jama Masjid “elicited an emotional response”.
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The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre is an independent research entity affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, an international Islamic non-governmental, institute headquartered in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Significantly, the list came on a day when the authoritiesin Jammu and Kashmir once again disallowed Friday prayers at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar and barred Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq from leading the Friday prayers.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar in a statement expressed “deep regret and surprise” over the administration’s action and said that the authorities closed all the doors of the central mosque since morning and informed the Auqaf administration that Friday prayers will not be offered today. At the same time, the Auqaf condemned the administration’s action of placing Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest once again after releasing him from detention only recently after more than four years.
