Id-ul-Fitr: Palayam Imam urges stand against religious discrimination, condemns war and flags moral decline in Id sermon

Palayam Imam V.P. Shuhaib Moulavi has strongly urged the citizens of the country to stand against religious discrimination and uphold secular values. The society must not allow people to be isolated or threatened on the basis of faith, he stressed.

While delivering the Idgah sermon at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on the occasion on Id-ul-Fitr on Friday, the Imam recounted the story of Deepak Kumar, a youth, who confronted Hindu vigilantes to protect an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Uttarakhand.

“When asked about his identity, the man responded, “My name if Muhammed Deepak.”. There are many kind-hearted people like Deepak Kumar in our country who refuse to stand by and watch such injustice. They live among us as members of our own communities.

These are the people in whom both divine hope rests, and are the true strength of the country and guardians of secularism. As long as such goodwill prevails, no form of communalism can destroy the harmony of the nation. At a time when Islamophobia is on the rise both nationally and globally, hatred should not be met with hatred, but that evil must be countered with goodness,” he said, while addressing the large gathering of devotees.

Global crisis

Referring to the global crisis created by the ongoing conflict between the Israel-American alliance and Iran, the Imam condemned the brutal actions the war has witnessed, including the bombing and killing of school children.

The war continues to impact countless people across countries. Besides affecting international trade and travel, shortages in cooking gas supply and the possibility of steep price hikes in the near future are likely to make life more difficult for ordinary people, he cautioned.

He also pointed out that families across Kerala are deeply worried about expatriates living in the Middle East and their relatives. “The global leadership must be willing to make compromises to reach a peace agreement and declare a complete ceasefire. Eid should inspire people to spread the message of hope and solidarity. I pray for the restoration of peace in the world,” the Imam asserted.

The sermon also delved into the ‘Epstein files’ that have exposed uncorroborated accusations against high-profile figures linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Today, there is a culture of moral decay being widely discussed across the world. Through these revelations, the criminal activities of powerful politicians, business people and celebrities around the world have come to light. This does not mean that all politicians, celebrities or artists are bad; there are many good and exemplary people among them. However, the files reveal the misconduct of certain influential figures.

Reports have also emerged about their involvement in child sexual abuse and even more horrific crimes. Such incidents point to deeper ethical failures among some powerful sections of society,” he said.