By Mohammed Talha Siddi Bapa
From the grand halls of Bengaluru to the dusty streets of remote villages, a powerful wave of compassion and justice swept across Karnataka. Under the banner “Prophet Muhammad ﷺ – Messenger of Justice,” Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Karnataka launched its statewide Seerat Campaign 2025. What unfolded was not just a campaign, but a living movement: a heartfelt attempt to take the Prophet’s ﷺ timeless teachings into the heart of a plural society.
The campaign formally ran for 10 days, from 3 to 14 September 2025. In advance, on 1 September, press conferences were held simultaneously in cities and towns across Karnataka. Each local unit announced the campaign to the media, outlined the theme Messenger of Justice, and highlighted the programmes scheduled for the 10 days ahead. This coordinated beginning set the tone, creating visibility and anticipation before the campaign rolled into action.
Love Translated into Outreach
For Muslims, love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ runs deeper than life itself. That love is often expressed through processions, milad gatherings, or eloquent speeches that stretch late into the night. JIH Karnataka, however, chose a different path: to channel this love outward, to those who may not know who the Prophet ﷺ was, what he taught, or why he is so profoundly cherished.
Every year, JIH develops or translates a book into Kannada, highlighting one dimension of the Prophet’s ﷺ life. Each campaign is built around that theme – this year, justice. By distributing lakhs of folders, organising interfaith programmes, visiting schools, engaging with intellectuals, and leveraging modern media, cadres sought to educate their fellow citizens about the man who turned one of history’s most unjust societies into a justice-giving civilization.
Justice in Action – Honouring Everyday Heroes
In Navnagar, cadres began with an unusual question: “Where is justice alive in our midst?” Their search led them to the Government Hospital’s maternity ward, where doctors and nurses serve mothers day and night. The local chapter honoured the entire staff, declaring that “to appreciate the deserving is also an act of justice.”
In Shiralkoppa, the campaign broke new ground. Cadres approached the lady Seer of a local Math and invited her to release the book Prophet Muhammad ﷺ – Messenger of Justice. They also engaged college professors, asking them not just to accept the book but to publicly review it. Non-Muslims in the audience were astonished by this bold approach – turning book distribution into genuine intellectual dialogue.
In Bhatkal, the campaign began with sweetness: books and pamphlets distributed alongside packets of sweets, so that the Prophet’s ﷺ message would enter hearts with gentleness. Elsewhere, cadres visited hospitals with fruit baskets, reminding patients and staff that visiting the sick is part of the Prophet’s ﷺ teaching. Orphanages were visited with the same message: that caring for orphans is not charity but faith itself, for the Prophet ﷺ was an orphan.
The campaign also included blood donation camps and cleanliness drives. With sleeves rolled up, cadres demonstrated that saving lives and keeping the environment clean are not just civic duties but acts of belief – echoing the Prophet’s ﷺ words: “Cleanliness is part of faith.”
Interfaith & Institutional Outreach
One of the most striking features of the campaign was its ability to open doors of dialogue. In Hospet, a rare interfaith moment unfolded when a Swamiji released the campaign book and invited the JIH president to address the gathering – an extraordinary gesture of harmony.
In Mangaluru, cadres reached government institutions, visiting the DC office, police stations, and other administrative departments. Across towns like Basavakalyan, Hubli, and Sullia, outreach extended from Panchayat offices to schools, writers, and local Seers. Each place adapted the campaign to its own reality, but everywhere the goal was the same: to share the message of the Prophet ﷺ with the shapers of society.
A Memorable Interfaith Symposium – Bengaluru
One of the campaign’s highlights was a landmark interfaith symposium at Basava Samiti Auditorium in Bengaluru. Leaders from diverse traditions gathered to reflect on the Prophet’s ﷺ message of justice.
The audience listened to voices that command respect in public life: Justice V. Gopal Gowda (Retd.), Sikh scholar Prof. Harjinder Bhatia, Aravind Jatti (President, Basava Samiti), Dr. Channaswamy, L.N. Mukundaraj (President, Kannada Sahitya Parishad), and K.M. Ramchandrapa (Backward Classes Federation).
MLA Rizwan Arshad also addressed the gathering, declaring justice and equality the greatest needs of today’s India.
Dr. Chinnaswamy underlined inclusiveness as the bedrock of coexistence: “Religious wisdom must be shared if we are to remove misunderstandings and build a society of coexistence. Without inclusiveness, no religion can endure for long.”
Justice V. Gopal Gowda urged greater awareness: “There is a pressing need to let more people know about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Islam, for within his life and teachings lie humane, people-centred answers to the misinformation that has been spread in society.”
Concluding the session, Dr. Muhammad Saad Belgami, Ameer-e-Halqa, JIH Karnataka, called for renewed resolve: “The Seerat Campaign is our timely effort to present the values of the Prophet’s ﷺ life – justice, equality, and service – before the people of India, especially non-Muslims. It is only by joining hearts and minds that we can build a truly harmonious society.”
Community Engagement – Mangalore, Bidar, and Gulbarga
In Bidar, Raichur, and Gulbarga, the campaign was everywhere: dignitaries gathered for deliberations, mohalla meetings created a neighbourhood buzz, schools and colleges welcomed cadres with open doors, and citizens personally received the campaign message. In Mangalore and Humnabad, at the Jamiya Masjid visit, hundreds of fellow citizens engaged with the life of the Prophet ﷺ in a spirit of dialogue and curiosity.
Media & Public Outreach
The campaign’s resonance spread through local media. Kannada newspapers across Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Davanagere, Hassan, and Mysuru carried thoughtful articles on the campaign’s theme, reaching lakhs of readers. These reports projected the campaign as a force for communal harmony.
On the airwaves, the message found new life. In Mangalore, Radio Sarang broadcast a special Seerat programme. In Belagavi, the local JIH chapter recorded a dedicated campaign message and aired it on KLE Venudhawan 90.4 FM Radio, reaching ordinary listeners in their homes and workplaces.
Digital Explosion – When a Local Voice Went Global
If the streets carried the campaign’s presence, social media amplified its voice. Professionally designed posters, reels, and video clips were shared daily. One electrifying speech by Akbar Ali in Manvi went viral, spreading like sparks in dry grass, igniting conversations far beyond Karnataka’s borders. Comments flooded in from people inspired, moved, and eager to know more about the Prophet ﷺ. The campaign’s message of justice travelled far beyond Karnataka, proving that timeless truths can thrive on modern platforms.
A Beginning, Not an End
The Seerat Campaign 2025 may have concluded, but its echoes remain. Every booklet gifted, every handshake across faiths, every hospital visited, every orphan embraced, every speech delivered and every social media reel shared is part of a larger story: the story of carrying the Prophet’s ﷺ message into the heart of a plural society.
What has been described here are only glimpses – snapshots of a movement that stretched from Karnataka’s metros to its smallest villages. Behind every anecdote lies countless more: unsung cadres, unrecorded gestures of kindness, and quiet conversations that touched hearts.
This is not the end. It is the beginning of a renewed resolve to live by the legacy of the Messenger of Justice – to make justice, compassion, and harmony the cornerstones of our collective future.
