Muslim Cleric Backs Navratri Meat Shop Closure, Lauds Saugat-e-Modi Outreach
In a gesture of interfaith solidarity, Chaudhary Ifraheem Husain, a Muslim cleric from Aligarh, has endorsed the closure of meat shops during the upcoming Chaitra Navratri festival, a move that has garnered attention on March 26, 2025. While advocating for respect toward Hindu traditions, Husain also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Saugat-e-Modi' initiative for its outreach to underprivileged Muslim families during Ramzan, highlighting a rare moment of communal harmony amidst ongoing debates over religious practices in India.
Navratri 2025: Muslim cleric Choudhary Ifrahim Hussain expressed his support for keeping meat shops closed during Navratri and said that the Muslim community would have no objection to the move as it respects the sentiments of the Hindu community. Choudhary Ifrahim Hussain said that every religion has its own sentiments and beliefs and stressed the importance of inter-religious respect.
Navratri is starting from 30th March
Chowdhary Ifrahim Hussain said that Muslims have no objection to this move as it respects the sentiments of the Hindu community. It is a matter of administration. The Muslim community will not have any objection to this as every religion has its own sentiments and faith attached to it and we all should respect it. He said that just as special care is taken of worship during the days of Navratri, Muslims are also taught to respect the festivals of their Hindu brothers. The nine-day Hindu festival Chaitra Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga will begin on March 30 and end on April 7. The festival marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and ends with Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, on the last day.
Interfaith Harmony
The Muslim cleric expressed his gratitude and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP's nationwide outreach programme for economically weaker Muslim families ahead of Eid. Choudhary Ifrahim Hussain lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative of distributing 'Saugat-e-Modi' Eid kits to lakhs of underprivileged Muslims. He highlighted how the Prime Minister assessed the conditions of the marginalised Muslim community during the holy month of Ramzan and reached out to those who were unable to celebrate Eid joyously.
