Kashmir’s ‘halal radio’ seeks to promote Islamic teachings
Restive Kashmir now has a “halal” (permissible as per Islamic law) radio too. A group of musicians in the Valley has launched an online radio to make an impact on local Muslim youth, particularly those who they say are highly influenced by Western culture, Hollywood and Bollywood melodies, and movies.
“We wanted to create a better alternative that provides them good in this life and the hereafter,” said Muhammad Aamir, the founder of Radio ‘Saut ul Islam’ or ‘Voice of Islam’. “Radio Saut ul Islam is such an application that provides a platform for scholars to propagate the message of Islam based on Quran and Sahie (true) Sunnah.”
Sunnah or Hadith is the traditional portion of Muslim law based on its Prophet Muhammad’s words or acts accepted together with the holy book.
He added until now there was no such ‘Islamic Radio’ or FM that relayed its programmes 24x7 from the state, and that he thought to start it
Online radio taps into local Muslim youth population, particularly those influenced by Western culture, Hollywood and Bollywood melodies, and movies
was “need of the hour”.
He and other team members prefer to call it ‘Halal’ radio.
Mir Saqib Mushtaq, who would earlier replicate Bollywood songs and was involved in Western-oriented music and songs too, has also joined the team. He said he was highly impressed by Pakistani singer-songwriter Junaid Jamshed’s work and, in fact, it prompted him too to give up Western music and serve Islam through his talent. Jamshed, who died in an air crash in December in 2016, left both his engineering and music careers to focus on his religious activities for Islam and reciting nasheeds (chants) and na’at (poetry) in praise of Muhammad) on TV and releasing them in the form of CDs.
Mr Mushtaq said that Radio Saut ul Islam is “a humble effort to spread the true message of Islam by means of the latest possible ways”. Mr Aamir added the channel aims to broadcast lectures, interviews, learning sessions, Islamic songs, Muslim World news and much more in future. Presently, the broadcasts are mainly in Kashmiri and Urdu but Mr Aamir and his team plan to do it in English and other languages as well.
Mr Aamir said he recently received a phone call threatening him to close the channel or be ready to face consequences. He has no idea who the caller was and why he wanted him to shut ‘Radio Saut ul Islam’. Analyst Sheikh Abdul Qayyum said the radio will spread the message of Islam and that “Islam like all other religions stands for peace”. He asserted, “It will spread the message of peace. It would be but naive to think that this Internet-based radio will promote terrorism in or bring Talbinisation to Kashmir”. “In today’s world, when Internet and other means of information have made the world smaller, mainly through social media, such threats can’t stop anyone from reaching out to the people.”
Mr Aamir, who is founder and the president of Islamic Fraternity (Kashmir) and editor-inchief of The Islamic Revival’ magazine, besides heading an aid group called Centre for Humanitarian Aid, said that an Android application has also been developed for his ‘halal’ radio. He said that apart from programmes on teaching of Quran and Hadith, Radio Saur ul Islam will broadcast live Q&A sessions with Islamic scholars and discussions on late marriage, polygamy, and various women-related issues such as hijab (veil) and dowry.