Musawir Qureshi
A few days ago, I had written an article about Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees, in which I had expressed deep sorrow over the negative campaigns being run against him on social media. Unfortunately, those very concerns have now turned into reality, and a great personality engaged in the service of knowledge and Hadith has been subjected to oppression and has been martyred.
According to reports, on Tuesday morning in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, unknown individuals martyred Maulana Muhammad Idrees. What was his crime? So far, how many of those scholars who were martyred have their killers been arrested? Will the killers of Maulana Sahib be caught? His martyrdom is not merely the killing of a scholar; rather, it is an attack on humanity, Pakistan, the Islamic ideology, and intellectual moderation. Those deniers who hate scholars and spread hatred—and who want to turn this country into a place of hostility—will perhaps be very happy today because one “thorn in their eyes” has been removed. And in this way, the path is being paved for (God forbid) further killings. Those hands are also involved in Maulana Sahib’s killing which previously mocked him and used abusive language against him on social media. But the truth is that such people later try to clean their image. These people are neither friends of Islam nor of Pakistan; rather, they fuel hatred. In recent days, Maulana Sahib had praised Pakistan’s role in which efforts of mediation between Iran and America were mentioned, and this very thing seemed unacceptable to some extremist elements.
On social media, a systematic campaign against Maulana Sahib was already ongoing, in which insulting language, false accusations, and character assassination tactics were being used. Unfortunately, such a hateful environment often becomes the starting point of real-world violence, and today we have witnessed another tragic outcome of it.
This is not the first time that a religious scholar has been targeted. Pakistan, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been facing such tragedies for several decades. Religious scholars have always been a source of intellectual, spiritual, and moral guidance for society, but unfortunately, this same group has also remained a target of terrorism and extremism.
If we look at the past, many distinguished scholars have sacrificed their lives in this path. Mufti Nizam-ud-Din Shamzai, a renowned scholar in Karachi, was martyred in 2004. Similarly, Maulana Hassan Jan, a well-known scholar from Peshawar, was martyred in 2007 in a terrorist attack. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, many other scholars, mosque preachers, and teachers have been targeted at different times, whose only “crime” was teaching religion and working for the reform of society.
In the same sequence, in recent years, many more scholars from different schools of thought have also been targeted. This clearly shows that terrorism is not limited to any one group or ideology; rather, it is a war against the peace and stability of the entire society.
The status of religious scholars is higher than ordinary people. They not only acquire knowledge but also pass it on, educate the new generation, and provide intellectual foundations to society. The martyrdom of a scholar is like the extinguishing of a lamp of knowledge, whose light benefits countless people.
It is also necessary to reflect on why such an environment is created in which scholars are targeted. One major reason is intolerance, sectarianism, and hate campaigns spread on social media. When poison is continuously spread against a personality, some less aware individuals get influenced and move towards extremism.
State institutions have the responsibility to fully investigate such incidents and bring the involved people to justice. Along with this, effective action is also needed against those spreading hatred on social media so that such tragedies can be prevented in the future.
Every member of society must also realize their responsibility. We must learn to tolerate differences of opinion and avoid becoming part of negative campaigns against any personality without proper investigation. Respect for scholars and their protection is a shared responsibility of all of us.
The martyrdom of Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees is a great tragedy. His scholarly services, his teaching style, and his religious dedication will always be remembered. His martyrdom gives us the message that the lamp of knowledge cannot be extinguished; rather, it is passed from one hand to another.
May Allah Almighty grant the highest place in Jannah to the martyred Maulana Muhammad Idrees, elevate his ranks, and keep all religious scholars under His protection and safety. Ameen.
Leave a Reply