Faith expression turns flashpoint during Prophet’s 1500th birth anniversary
As Muslims around the world celebrated the 1500th birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on September 6, India — home to the world’s third-largest Muslim population — witnessed a series of religious tensions, FIRs, arrests, and protests across multiple states.
The unrest began in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after local residents displayed a lightboard reading “I Love Muhammad” to mark Eid-i-Miladun Nabi, the 12th of Rabiul Awwal.
The Kanpur incident: from celebration to confrontation
According to Indian media outlet Frontline, a lane in Syed Nagar, Kanpur, was decorated on September 4, with banners and lights for the Prophet’s birth anniversary. The “I Love Muhammad” lightboard, however, drew objections from some Hindu residents, who called it a “new tradition”.
I LOVE MOHAMMAD ﷺ @adgzonekanpur ये जुर्म नहीं है। अगर है तो इसकी हर सज़ा मंज़ूर है।
तुम पर मैं लाख जान से क़ुर्बान या-रसूल
बर आएँ मेरे दिल के भी अरमान या-रसूलक्यों दिल से मैं फ़िदा न करूँ जान या-रसूल
रहते हैं इस में आप के अरमान या-रसूल https://t.co/8kKWY22zHC— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) September 15, 2025
Police were deployed to prevent escalation and eventually removed the signboard. Officials later alleged that some youths tore down Hindu posters along the route of a Muslim procession, though the event ended peacefully.
Days later, on September 9, the Kanpur police registered FIRs against 24 individuals for “disturbing communal harmony.” Police claimed CCTV footage confirmed deliberate attempts to disrupt peace by placing banners and tents on a route typically used for Ram Navami processions.
Several local residents denied the allegations, saying no damage occurred and calling the cases “baseless.” One accused told The Wire, “Last year, the same message was displayed on cloth. This year, it was on a lightboard — and suddenly it became an issue.”
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“I Love Muhammad” slogan spreads nationwide
The issue gained national attention when AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X (formerly Twitter) on September 15, writing “I Love Muhammad” and tagging Kanpur police directly.
His post, according to Free Press Kashmir, amplified the slogan across India, leading to similar displays and subsequent police actions in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) documented at least 21 FIRs nationwide by September 23, naming 1,324 people and resulting in 38 arrests.
21 FIRs. 1,324 accused. 38 arrests.
These figures, updated as of 23 September 2025, highlight a concerning trend of criminalisation of peaceful protest. pic.twitter.com/PXiDHivCnV
— APCR-Association for Protection of Civil Rights (@apcrofindia) September 24, 2025
Most cases were in Uttar Pradesh, including Kaushambi, Shahjahanpur, Baghpat, and Varanasi, while others were reported in Godhra (Gujarat), Kashipur (Uttarakhand), and Byculla (Maharashtra).
Bareilly becomes the next flashpoint
Tensions escalated further in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, when a protest led by Ittehad-i-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan turned violent on September 26.
Although the IMC had withdrawn its protest call due to lack of official permission, hundreds gathered after Friday prayers, resulting in clashes with police, stone-pelting, tear gas shelling, and arrests.
#WATCH | Protestors gathered outside Ala Hazrat Dargah & IMC chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan’s house holding ‘I Love Mohammad’ placards after the Friday prayers in Bareily, UP. Heavy security is deployed at both spots. pic.twitter.com/rcZSAQyH8S
— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2025
By the next day, internet services were suspended, and police filed ten cases across multiple stations. Eight people were sent to judicial custody, and 39 detained.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath later condemned the unrest, calling it a “well-orchestrated attempt to disrupt social harmony.”
He controversially remarked that some people “need denting and painting” to be “cooled down” before Hindu festivals — comments that drew widespread criticism.
Political backlash and calls for restraint
The crackdown and the chief minister’s statements sparked criticism across party lines. BJP leader Jahanzaib Sirwal, from Indian-administered Kashmir, demanded an impartial probe, calling Adityanath’s remarks “divisive” and an “affront to India’s constitutional right to religious freedom.” He also threatened to resign from the party in protest.
Opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party condemned the government’s actions, saying, “Governments run not through baton charges but through harmony and goodwill.”
Community leaders urge peace
Religious and civil society leaders appealed for calm. Jamaat-e-Islami Vice President Prof. Salim Engineer accused authorities of targeting Muslims and using police force to “send a message of intimidation.”
In contrast, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, called for peace and restraint: “The only way to love the Prophet is to not hurt anyone — through words or actions. Islam’s message is peace. I urge all Muslims to maintain law and order.”