Amid rising drug abuse in Kashmir, religious scholars have urged imams to speak against the drugs and spread awareness among people.
Mufti Abdul Rashid Qasmi, the head of Dar-ul-Uloom Bilaliya, said there is a need to create awareness and enhance the understanding of people on the issue of drug abuse.
“Fatwa is needed when things are not clear. In this case, it is clear that drug abuse is haram (forbidden), but there is a need to make people understand it,” Qasmi told The Kashmir Walla.
“There is also a role of parents and teachers … they should call ulema to schools so we can make students understand,” he said. “It is important to save those who are not yet involved in drug abuse,” Qasmi said.
Drug abuse has emerged as a major problem in the Kashmir region in recent years as fatal heroin addiction has increased and hundreds of youth are falling prey to the narcotic substance.
There has been no concerted push-back by religious organizations against the growing addiction cases even as they control networks of thousands of mosques in the region.
Religious scholar, Nasir-ul-Islam has also urged imams to use mosques to create awareness against the devastating tsunami of drug abuse in the region.
Nasir-ul-Islam told The Kashmir Walla on Tuesday that imams should use the pulpits to preach and create awareness against the drug menace.
“Masjid is a basic school where from moral education can be imparted and fight against the use of drugs can be fought primarily,” Nasir-ul-Islam said.
“The imams should talk about the current issues prevailing problems,” he said.
Nasir-ul-Islam said he will attempt to coordinate with imams in the region to fight the battle against drug abuse.
“The government should tell us where from these drugs come and identify the source of drugs and peddlers publicly,” Nasir-ul-Islam said.
Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees general secretary Abdul Lateef Kindi avoided talking about the issue and said he will contact back.
