Srinagar, Nov 14 (KNO): Mirwaiz Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has once again featured among the world’s 500 most influential Muslim personalities in the 2027 edition of ‘The Muslim 500’, marking his 13th consecutive inclusion in the annual publication.
According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the publication, brought out by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), Jordan, has featured Mirwaiz in the Political category, identifying him as the 14th Mirwaiz of Kashmir, who assumed religious leadership in 1990 at the age of 17 following his father’s assassination.
The publication acknowledges his longstanding advocacy of dialogue and peaceful engagement to address the Kashmir issue, noting that he has repeatedly called for dialogue between India and Pakistan as the only sustainable path to peace while advocating non-violent engagement on regional issues.
It also takes note of Mirwaiz's prolonged house detention from August 2019 to September 2023, observing that he continues to face sudden and intermittent detentions by authorities.
Referring to his religious and public role, the publication describes him as the chief cleric of Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid, who bridges traditional religious leadership with human rights advocacy.
For over three decades, Mirwaiz has maintained that dialogue, rather than confrontation, offers the most viable path towards resolving the Kashmir issue—(KNO)