Role & Responsibility of Faith Leaders in Promoting Peace and Harmony: Countering Extremism and Radicalism in Jammu & Kashmir

By New Age Islam Staff Writer 12 September 2025 Side Event — 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva) 16 June – 8 July 2025 Date: 08 July 2025 from 17:30 to 20:00 Location: Room: Sausalito-N’vY Hotel 18 Rue Richemont, Geneva The event was followed by a grand dinner at Senegal Restaurant, Geneva Executive Summary This side event highlighted the transformative role of faith leaders in countering extremism and radicalism while promoting peace and human dignity — with Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) as a case study. The event explored how religious leaders can become credible peace actors, delivering alternative theological interpretations that delegitimize extremist ideologies, foster reconciliation, and rebuild trust across divided communities. Introductory Remarks: By Mr. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Indo-Islamic Scholar & Author of Ishq Sufiyana, Int’l Affairs Head of Voice for Peace & Justice In J&K, decades of faith-based militancy and cross-border terrorism have been compounded by the misuse of religion to justify violence. Radical Islamist groups and faith-based militant organisations have exploited grievances to recruit youth, marginalize minorities, and undermine centuries-old traditions of peaceful coexistence. Yet, faith leaders rooted in Rishi-Sufi traditions, Shavism, Kashmiri Pandit heritage, Sikh and Buddhist teachings offer powerful counter-narratives grounded in compassion, pluralism, and human dignity………... [Complete Speech & a Presentation attached with this report] Keynote Address: By Dr. Charles Graves, President & Founder of FICIR (Forum on Inter-cultural & Inter-religious Dialogue) The Instrumentalisation of religion—especially Islam—is a key element for extremist groups who take advantage of the social and economic vulnerabilities of young people in different regions including the Kashmir valley. Religious extremism and radicalism leading to violence and terrorism is an escalating threat to society and global security. Extremism is an ideology of certain movements, religious groups, individuals in denominations and organizations characterized by adherence to extreme interpretations of religious dogmas. The purpose of this inter-cultural & inter-religious dialogue is to counter religious extremism and promote interfaith harmony in the conflict zones which are prone to fundamentalist and radicalized religious narratives resulting into violent extremism and terrorism against civilians……. [Complete Speech Attached With This Report] Guest Speakers 1. High Highness Sheikh Esref Efendi er Rabbani, President of World Peace Institute of Sufism, Germany Global context. He said: Radical ideologies exploit religious narratives to justify violence. Faith leaders, when equipped with rights-based approaches, can dismantle these distortions. J&K Context: The global Sufi master has visited the valley of Kashmir as part of his “Sufi Peace Tour India 2022-2023” to promote peace and spirituality through Sufism & meditations (Zikr) emphasizing love and harmony. In this context, he said: Extremist groups have manipulated religious sentiments to fuel militancy. They portray militancy as a “religious duty”, undermining centuries of syncretic Kashmiri traditions such as Kashmiriyat and Sufi–Rishi heritage. Youth radicalisation remains a pressing challenge, driven by extremist interpretations of Islam which can be best countered by mystical and syncretic Sufism. The erosion of Kashmiriyat and Sufi traditions has weakened community resilience against violent ideologies. Conclusion: Faith leaders hold moral authority within local communities. They can reinterpret scripture in ways that reject violence and protect pluralism. They can mediate disputes, prevent communal flare-ups, and encourage reconciliation. 2. Sir Prof. Iftikhar Ahmad Ayaz, Honorary Consul for Tuvalu to the United Kingdom Key Takeaways:  Extremists deepen communal divides, particularly targeting minorities such as Kashmiri Pandits, thereby fracturing inter-community trust.  They suppress alternative narratives of peace, compassion, and coexistence traditionally taught by Kashmiri Sufi saints, Sikh Gurus, and Hindu–Buddhist philosophers. He demonstrated how faith leaders in J&K can counter extremist narratives through theological counter-discourse, showcasing examples of peace messaging — Khutbahs (sermons), interfaith prayers, and joint declarations that rejected violence. 3. Mr. Sultan Shahin, Founding Editor of New Age Islam Key Takeaways: Here Are 5 Main Points Distilled From Mr Sultan Shahin’s 15-Minute Speech: Proxy wars as a human rights threat: Pakistan’s decades-long proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir exemplifies how terrorism by non-state actors undermines human rights; the international community must urgently address such violations, especially as they risk escalating into nuclear conflict. Pakistan’s Systemic Intolerance: Despite being a UN Charter signatory, Pakistan continues to practice Islamophobia, Christianophobia, antisemitism, and Hinduphobia through discriminatory laws and actions, notably its harsh blasphemy laws. Religious Minorities Under Attack: Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis in Pakistan face rising persecution — including blasphemy charges, abductions, forced conversions, and forced marriages — as documented in recent human rights reports. Bizarre Misuse Of Quranic Terminology: Pakistan’s use of sacred Islamic terms like Bunyan al Marsoos to describe modern wars caused by its proxy terrorism is a distortion of Islam and an insult to its traditions. Historical Perspective On Jihad: Even Islamist ideologue Maulana Abul Ala Maududi rejected Pakistan’s proxy incursions in Kashmir as jihad, insisting that only a declared war could be legitimate, underscoring the misuse of religion in Pakistan’s actions. 4. Dr Amen Jossy Howard, Senior Pastor & Founder of Sanctuary of Praise Int’l Churches. President & Founder of “Feed One to Feed a Family Initiative” Key Takeaways: Identify ways to engage youth through inclusive religious education and interfaith dialogue. Generate policy recommendations for the HRC, OHCHR, and Member States to integrate faith leaders into broader strategies for preventing radicalisation and promoting peace. Faith Leaders must act as Peacebuilders: Religious leaders hold moral authority in communities; they can reinterpret scripture, condemn violence, and mediate tensions to prevent radicalization. Youth and Education as Priorities: Reforms in religious education, inclusive sermons, and youth engagement initiatives are crucial to reduce vulnerability to extremist ideologies. Kashmir’s Legacy of Pluralism: The valley’s spiritual heritage, shaped by Sufi saints, Rishi traditions, Sikh and Hindu leaders, has historically promoted coexistence and can serve as a powerful counter-narrative. Online Speakers Ms. Tasleema Akhter, Human Rights Defender & Chairperson, Association for Terror Victims (ATVK) Summary of Speech: Role of Faith Leaders: Religious leaders must guide young people to reject violence, embrace humanity, and foster peace free from hatred and prejudice. Acknowledgment of Government Support: Gratitude expressed to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the Government of India for resolving decades-old pending SRO cases of terror victims, marking a milestone in justice delivery. Mission of ATVK: ATVK stands as a fearless voice advocating for human dignity, rehabilitation, justice, education, women empowerment, gender equality, fundamental rights, and nation-building. Commitment to Non-Violence and Humanity: ATVK (Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir) is dedicated to educating youth through examples of compassion, coexistence, and non-violence. Condemnation of Terrorism: The organization remains resolute in exposing Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in J&K, demanding justice for innocent civilians, and urging faith leaders to lead humanity toward peace and healing in a time of rising extremism. Mr. Farooq Ahmad Dar, Founder & President, Voice for Peace & Justice, Human Rights Defender, J&K Summary of Speech: Kashmir is an oasis of various faith traditions but we the Kashmiri people are suffering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for the last 35 years. The latest incident was the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack. Innocent civilians including 26 tourists were killed in this indiscriminate killing which led to the war between India and Pakistan. We need to call out faith leaders of the world to condemn this inhuman and merciless incident of terrorism. Such incidents bring shame and humiliation to the human fraternity. The entire world has condemned the Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack. But Pakistan did not heed to this. We the Kashmiris beg mercy and ask the international bodies to call a spade a spade. I congratulate the head of int’l affairs of Voice for Peace & Justice, Dr Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi to make this happen through this conference. Voice for Peace & Justice is working towards achieving peace & harmony for last 20 years and is committed to building a peaceful society with a focus on the development and education of youth and women of the valley. I thank and invite all the panelists and distinguished guests of this event to please come and see the reality with your own eyes. Q. & A Session Followed By A Dinner Discussion Other guests and participants from various Geneva-based interfaith and human rights organizations also took an active part in the discussions and reflections both in the Q.A session and a post-dinner discussion in Senegal Restaurant next to the venue of the event in Geneva. Their questions and observation mainly revolved around the following themes: The Sufi Counter-Narrative in J&K: Promoting peace through the legacy of Nund Rishi, Lal Ded, and the Chishti order — spirituality as an antidote to extremism. Community-Level Peace Interventions: How imams, priests, and Sikh granthis can de-escalate religious radicalisation. Religious Education & Youth: Reforming madrasa curricula and faith-based schools to emphasize tolerance, rights, and critical thinking. Gender and Counter-Radicalisation: The underutilized role of women faith leaders in shaping family and community resilience. Diaspora & Interfaith Partnerships: How Kashmiri diaspora and international faith networks can support de-radicalisation and reconciliation. Policy Recommendations (From Panellists & HR Activists) In the conclusion of the event, Mr Biro Diawara Secretary General of FICIR and the UN Representative for Interfaith International & Senior Adviser on Africa for the International Network for Human Rights (INHR), put forward policy recommendations some of which came from the conversations of the panelists and HR activists in the event, as follows: Equip faith leaders with rights-based training (OHCHR’s Faith for Rights framework) to strengthen their ability to counter extremist narratives. Support interfaith councils in J&K to issue joint statements against violence and extremism. Reform religious education to emphasize ethics, compassion, and coexistence while rejecting exclusivist interpretations. Empower women faith actors as educators and mediators to reduce vulnerability to radicalisation. Bring a localized yet globally relevant case study on how to prevent the misuse of religion. Advance the HRC mandate on freedom of religion, prevention, and peacebuilding. Contribute to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by leveraging faith and faith leaders for conflict prevention such as: Faith leaders from J&K (Muslim clerics) should work on Sufi counter-narrative. Kashmiri Pandits (minority) and Hindu priests should focus on coexistence and reconciliation with the majority Kashmiri Muslims. Sikh/Buddhist leaders may work actively on pluralism and peace education. UN and HRC may monitor and highlight good practices from Kashmir and replicate them in other conflict regions. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/faith-leaders-peace-harmony-extremism-radicalism-jk/d/136814 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism