Srinagar: In wake of the COVID lockdown to contain the spread of the fatal virus, Kashmir on Friday observed Al-Quds Day (Youm-e-Qudus) on social media ‘in solidarity with oppressed people of the world, especially Palestine and Kashmir’.
Every year Youm-e-Qudus, the last Friday of the month of Ramzan, is observed globally and people from different countries take to streets in the form of rallies to ‘express solidarity with oppressed people’.
However, due to the COVID pandemic, many religious scholars had appealed for observing this day ‘on social media’ instead.
In Kashmir as well, on May 3, various religious clerics and organizations including Majlis Ulema Imamia JK had asked Kashmiris to commemorate the Youm-e-Qudus in solidarity with the people of Palestine on social media using the hashtag #FromKashmirToPalestine.
Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, son of renowned Hurriyat leader, Abbas Ansari and currently the chairman of Itehad ul Musileem on Monday tweeted , “TWITTER STORM ON 7 TH MAY 10am to 5pm On the last Friday of Ramadan, let’s respond to the voice of Late Imam and create a storm on Social media in support of the oppressed Palestinians on social media. Use Hashtag: #FromKashmirToPalestine.”
Another prominent cleric from north Kashmir’s Budgam district, Syed Mohammad Hadi Moosavi also expressed his support for the social media storm. He took to twitter and asked people to create a twitter storm on May 7.
Aga Syed Abid Hussain Hussaini, who is part of the newly formed United Shia leadership front also supported the hashtag on twitter and asked people to support the hashtag.
Speaking to Free Press Kashmir, Hussaini said this day is been observed in many Muslim countries in the form of rallies, conferences, and debates in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine.
“Various religious organizations in Kashmir had meetings in the second week of Ramzan to discuss the conduct of various religious programs including Youm-e-Qudus. However, keeping in mind the situation arising from COVID the religious clerics decided to observe this day on social media. It is observed to give the people of Palestine and Kashmir a hope that we stand with them,” Hussaini noted.
Whether the day is observed through rallies or on social media, he said that the real motive behind this is to stand with the oppressed people of Palestine and raise voice for voiceless people.
“If in Palestine people are being murdered in the broad daylight and atrocities have crossed all limits in Palestine, Kashmir is no different than Palestine. Kashmir and Palestine are two sides of the same coin and both have been suffering since the 1940s. Our children have also seen brutalities since the Dogra rule. We just want to tell our youth that violence is not an option to raise voice against oppression but peace is,” he said.
“We stand with our people as well as with Palestine and just want to tell them they should express their feelings in a very peaceful way,” Hussaini said, adding that the hashtag trend has crossed over 80 thousand shares and they have received support from everywhere.
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