Muslims Should Not Change Appearance to Avoid Mob Violence, Says Mahmood Madani
Jamiat Ulama i Hind president says the focus should be on stopping hatred and ensuring law and order, not changing victims' identities.
Jamiat Ulama i Hind president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani has rejected suggestions that Muslims should change their appearance or give up traditional clothing to protect themselves from mob violence.
Responding to advice reportedly given by former IAS officer Niaz Khan, who suggested that Muslims could avoid attacks by altering their outward appearance, Madani said such suggestions ignore the actual causes behind mob violence.
In a statement issued in New Delhi, Madani said the issue is not related to a person’s beard, cap, kurta pajama, or women’s hijab. According to him, the real concern is the mindset of those who carry out violence and an environment where mobs feel they can act above the law.
Madani referred to research based on an analysis of 38 major mob violence cases reported in India over the past decade. He claimed that around 83 percent of the victims in these cases were wearing ordinary clothing and did not have any visible traditional Islamic identity. He said many victims were targeted due to rumours, names, or suspicion rather than their appearance.
He also mentioned several cases of mob violence, including the killings of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015, Rakbar Khan and Qasim Qureshi in 2018, Tabrez Ansari in 2019, Nasir and Junaid in 2023, and Sabir Malik in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri in 2024. He said these incidents showed that changing one’s appearance cannot guarantee safety.
Highlighting an international example, Madani referred to Bosnia and said Muslims there shared many cultural similarities with their Christian neighbours, including language and lifestyle, but still faced severe violence and persecution during the conflict. He argued that changing identity does not protect communities when hatred against a group is deliberately created.
Madani said the key question should be why and how a mob gets the confidence to question a person’s identity, chase vehicles, or take the law into its own hands.
He warned that shifting attention towards the clothing or appearance of victims could unintentionally place responsibility on those facing violence instead of those committing crimes. He stressed that a democratic society can only remain safe through the rule of law and equal enforcement of legal protections.
Madani called for strict implementation of Supreme Court guidelines issued in the Tehseen S Poonawalla versus Union of India case and effective enforcement of relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He also appealed to citizens to stand together against hatred and protect the country’s constitutional values.