Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

2021-09-02T19:10:14Z

119.157.73.201:

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Mirwaiz]]
| name = Mohammad Umar Farooq
| native_name =
| image = Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.jpg
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1973|3|23}}
| birth_place = [[Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]
| occupation = Kashmiri Leader and Religious Cleric
| nationality = Indian
| children = 3
| title = 14th Mirwaiz of Kashmir
| term_start = 30 May 1990
}}
'''[[Mirwaiz]] Mohammad Umar Farooq''' (born 23 March 1973) is the [[Mirwaiz]] of Kashmir. He is the chairman of the Awami Action Committee, one of the two key factions of the [[All Parties Hurriyat Conference]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]].

In October 2014, Farooq was listed as one of [[The 500 Most Influential Muslims]] by the [[Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre]], Jordan. The report is issued annually in cooperation with Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding<ref>[http://Prince_Alwaleed_Center_for_Muslim%E2%80%93Christian_Understanding Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923150541/http://www.cmc.dk/ |date=2010-09-23 }}</ref> at [[Georgetown University]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://onlykashmir.in/mirwaiz-umar-farooq-among-500-most-influential-muslims-of-the-world/|title=Mirwaiz Umar Farooq among 500 most influential Muslims of the world|work=onlykashmir.in|access-date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035002/http://onlykashmir.in/mirwaiz-umar-farooq-among-500-most-influential-muslims-of-the-world/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As the Mirwaiz of Kashmir and chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Umar Farooq has an important religious as well as political role in the Kashmir Valley. He is seen as the spiritual leader of Kashmir's Muslims.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21636054-hindu-nationalist-prime-minister-campaigns-mostly-muslim-state-modis-northern-lights India’s Jammu and Kashmir: Modi’s northern lights], economist.com.</ref>

==Early life==
At the age of 17, following the assassination of his father by unknown gunmen, [[Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq]], the leader of Awami Action Committee, Farooq united 23 Kashmiri pro-freedom organizations into the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq's funeral procession on 21 May 1990, witnessed the bloodshed near the Islamia College, wherein 72 people, including four women were killed; his body being dropped in the middle of the road. This roused public sentiment, and gave leverage to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's political work in the valley.<ref>[http://jknn.net/may-21-1990-holi-played-with-blood/ 21 May 1990: Holi played with blood]</ref> He has constantly tried to raise awareness about the Kashmir issue internationally. He was also shown among the Asian Heroes by [[Time magazine|''Time'' magazine]].<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/heroes/farooq.html Time Magazine] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513222855/http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/heroes/farooq.html |date=13 May 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2002/apr/20time.htm|title=rediff.com: cricket channel – Tendulkar on cover page of Time|work=rediff.com}}</ref> He maintains that dialogue must take place with [[India]] and [[Pakistan]], so long as the Kashmiri aspirations are heard as well.

==Career==
He became the 14th [[Mirwaiz]] (Kashmiri term for traditional preacher of Muslims in Kashmir) on 30 May 1990.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/news/aug/26mirwai.htm Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Exclusive Interview]</ref>
Rediff On The NeT's Chindu Sreedharan interviewed him in 1997, in which he described the role of Mirwaiz in [[Kashmir]] politics :-

''"My family played a major role in evolving politics here. The first party, the Muslim Conference, was established in the valley in 1931. My great grandfather, the then Mirwaiz headed it. In fact, it was he who introduced [[Sheikh Abdullah]] to the people. Later, Abdullah formed the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] and my grandfather was exiled to [[Pakistan]] where he died.''

''My father then took over. In 1963, he formed another party -- the People's Action Committee -- which stood for giving people their basic rights. Till 1990 when he was assassinated, he was campaigning for that cause. So all along, the political role has been present in the institution of the Mirwaiz."''<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/drmirwaizumarfarooq/ Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Facebook]</ref>

==Education==
Before joining Kashmir politics, Farooq was an alumnus of [[Burn Hall School]] in Srinagar. He had interests in computers and wanted to become a [[software engineer]]. He holds a postgraduate degree in [[Islamic Studies]] called ‘Moulvi Fazil’, and a PhD in same from Kashmir University, on the topic "Politico-Islamic role of Shah-e-Hamdan", a 14th-century Islamic scholar who introduced Islam in the Valley.<ref>[http://shaffe.org/index.php?id=about-shh-hamdn Shah Hamdan History]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) {{!}} Frontpage {{!}} Separatist leader? Say Dr Mirwaiz|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101101/jsp/frontpage/story_13125397.jsp|website = www.telegraphindia.com|access-date = 2015-09-09}}</ref> {{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

==Personal life==
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is married to Kashmiri-American Sheeba Masoodi, youngest daughter of Sibtain Masoodi, a Kashmiri doctor of Barzulla locality of Kashmir, which is famous for its Bone and Joints Hospital,<ref>[http://www.gmcsrinagar.net/asstd_hosp/bone_and_joints.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060101060736/http://gmcsrinagar.net/asstd_hosp/bone_and_joints.htm |date=1 January 2006 }}[http://www.gmcsrinagar.net/asstd_hosp/images/x_plaq.jpg Bone and Joints Hospital] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304120448/http://www.gmcsrinagar.net/asstd_hosp/images/x_plaq.jpg |date=4 March 2017 }}</ref> settled in [[Buffalo, New York]], in the [[United States]], migrating in the early 70s.<ref>[http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives2001/kashmir20010226a.html][http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-moderate-hurriyat-leader-makes-mirwaiz-umar-farooq-it-to-world-s-500-most-influential-muslim-list-2027985 Kashmiri-American Sheeba Masoodi]</ref> Mirwaiz is father to two daughters, Maryam and Zainab; and a son born on 11 February 2017.<ref>Mirwaiz is proud father of son[http://kashmirlife.net/mirwaiz-proud-father-time-son-131994/][https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110217/kashmiri-separatist-mirwaiz-released-from-house-arrest-to-visit-wife-new-born-son.html][http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Mirwaiz-becomes-father-clan-gets-a-heir-apparent/article17289978.ece]</ref>

==See also==
* [[All Parties Hurriyat Conference]]
* [[Mirwaiz]]
* [[Mohammad Abbas Ansari]]
* [[Syed Ali Shah Geelani]]

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.asianage.com/columnists/spy-who-sold-his-cause-691 |title=Spy who sold his cause |work=asianage.com |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607014524/http://www.asianage.com/columnists/spy-who-sold-his-cause-691 |archive-date=2012-06-07 }}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.sananews.net/english/isi-supports-mirwaiz-claims-us-attorney/ |title=ISI Supports Mirwaiz Claims us Attorney |work=asianage.com |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505041149/http://www.sananews.net/english/isi-supports-mirwaiz-claims-us-attorney/ |archive-date=2012-05-05 }}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/51365-stripped-of-his-mask.html|title=The Pioneer|work=dailypioneer.com}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238306/mirwaiz-umer-farooq-controlled-isi.html|title=Mirwaiz Umer Farooq controlled by the ISI: US Attorney|work=Deccan Herald}}
*{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/jq_plaintalk/status/1247511983072690176?s=21|title= Mirwaiz Umar Farooq PhD thesis is written by a Retired Kashmir University professor|work=Twitter}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Jammu and Kashmir freedom movement}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farooq, Mirwaiz Umar}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:Kashmir separatist movement]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir politicians]]
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:People from Srinagar]]

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Mirwaiz Umar Farooq