Muslim Leaders Involved in Idol Worship and Shirk Urged to Renew Their Iman by Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan
Mufti Sultan Mohiuddin, Central Organisational Secretary of the Bangladesh Khilafat Movement, urged Muslim political leaders and public representatives who attended Durga Puja rituals, praised Goddess Durga, or were associated with acts of shirk (polytheism) to sincerely repent and renew their faith. He made these remarks during his Friday sermon (Jum’ah khutbah) at the Rahmatia Jame Mosque in Kamrangirchar, Dhaka, emphasising that Tawheed, the absolute oneness of Allah, remains the fundamental doctrine of Islam.
Highlighting Islamic jurisprudence, Mufti Sultan Mohiuddin stated that idol worship is strictly prohibited in Islam and constitutes a major sin. He asserted, ‘If any Muslim knowingly accepts, supports, or participates in idol worship as a form of religious devotion, it directly contradicts Islamic belief and creed.’ He further clarified that a fundamental theological conflict exists between Islamic tenets and rituals centred around idols, making participation in such religious devotions strictly impermissible for believers.
Addressing state responsibility and religious boundaries, he affirmed that protecting minority communities, their lives, property, and places of worship is a duty of the state. However, he argued that Islam does not allow Muslims to participate in idol worship under the guise of courtesy or providing security. He advised those who showed reverence before idols or praised Goddess Durga’s power in public speeches to review their statements, seek forgiveness from Allah, and recite the kalima to renew their faith.
In his concluding address, Mufti Sultan Mohiuddin stressed that Muslims must not compromise on core matters of faith for political gain or under the pretext of communal harmony. He emphasised that genuine peaceful coexistence and mutual respect can easily be maintained while strictly adhering to one’s own religious boundaries, without participating in or validating the worship rituals of other faiths.
