A Muslim worshipper was beaten by a group of Hindu men in the Indian state of Bihar for objecting to loud music being played outside a mosque during prayer time.
The incident took place on September 18 in the district of Madhubani when Hafiz Ibrahim went to offer the isha prayer at the Sunni Noori Jamia Masjid.
Worshippers said loud music from a Hindu religious procession celebrating “Vishwakarma Puja” had been blaring outside the mosque for many hours, drowning out the call to prayer.
When prayers became impossible, Ibrahim volunteered to ask those blasting the music to stop. Instead, he was dragged out of the mosque and assaulted by more than 10 Hindu men. Witnesses said his skullcap was ripped off and thrown to the ground in an act of humiliation.
“He was bleeding heavily from the head. We thought we had lost him,” his sister Shaziya told 5Pillars. “My elderly parents could not stop crying. He only went to ask politely for the music to stop so people could pray.”
Ibrahim, who memorised the Quran at a young age and is now pursuing Islamic studies, remains in a critical condition in hospital. His family describe him as a quiet and hardworking young man who had just returned home after his exams.
Local residents eventually pulled him away from the mob and rushed him to hospital. Police confirmed that three people have been arrested, though many of the attackers remain at large.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
Shaziya said the family fears for their safety, stating that, “We hope the police deliver justice and ensure Muslims in our locality live without fear.”
The attack comes amid growing concerns over rising intolerance and mob violence against Muslims in India. Rights groups have documented repeated incidents where worshippers, imams and scholars have been harassed during prayers, particularly when Hindu festivals overlap with Muslim congregational prayer times.
Since the Hindu nationalist BJP came to power in 2014, India has witnessed a sharp rise in sectarian violence and anti-Muslim hate crimes. Critics say such attacks are often fuelled by the climate of impunity created by the ruling party’s Hindutva ideology, which views India as a Hindu nation.
