Viral Trend on Social Media: “I Love Muhammad” Controversy Following FIR Against 25 Muslims

KANPUR – On September 4, 2025, during Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations in Syed Nagar, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, members of the Muslim community erected a signboard reading “I Love Muhammad” as part of their religious procession decorations. The banner was placed on a public road near a gate traditionally used for Ram Navami processions, sparking immediate objections from local Hindutva organizations.

Also Read: Unrest in Rajasthan: Tonk Tense After Viral Post Sparks Protests, Attempted Factory Vandalism

Mohit Bajpayee, identified as a leader associated with Hindu nationalist groups and described as a “serial offender known to create communal tensions,” led protests against the signboard, calling it an “objectionable new tradition”. Eyewitnesses reported that Hindutva activists openly vandalized and broke the signboard while raising slogans against Muslims.

Police File FIR Against 25 Muslims

Instead of acting against the vandals, the Kanpur Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on September 9, 2025, against 25 individuals from the Muslim community. The charges were filed under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The named accused include Sharafat Hussain, Sabnoor Alam, Babu Ali, and several others, with 15 individuals listed as unidentified.

The legal charges include:

• Section 196 BNS: Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion. This is a non-bailable, cognizable offence.
• Section 299 BNS: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

The police justification, as stated by an official, was that “no new trend on public roads can be permitted” and that the action was a pre-emptive measure against a threat to communal peace.

#ILoveMuhammad Goes Viral | Explosive Social Media Response

Hashtag Movement Goes Viral

The FIR triggered an unprecedented social media phenomenon, with **#ILovuhammad (along with variations like **#ILovohammad and **#IVEMOHAMMADﷺ) exploding across platforms since September 16, 2025. The hashtag has generated millions of posts across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.[8]

Scale and Reach

• Users from India, Pakistan, Middle East, and globally joined the trend[8]
• Viral calls for “1,000 comments” or “10,000 mentions” flooded timelines[8]
• Posts range from poetic praises to defiant declarations of faith[8]
• White backgrounds with elegant Arabic script for “Muhammad” (محمد), bold red hearts, and the English phrase “I Love Muhammad – Peace Be Upon Him” became signature imagery[8]

Interfaith Solidarity

Remarkably, the trend has seen cross-religious participation. Videos emerged of Hindu individuals declaring “I Love Muhammad,” with one self-proclaimed “Sanatani girl” saying: “We are proud Hindus and we say #ILoveMuhammad—arrest us if you must”.[9][10][8]

Religious and Political Leadership Response

AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the FIR by sharing Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s poetic verse on X:

“तुम पर मैं लाख जान से क़ुर्बान या-रसूलबर आएँ मेरे दिल के भी अरमान या-रसूलक्यों दिल से मैं फ़िदा न करूँ जान या-रसूलरहते हैं इस में आप के अरमान या-रसूल”

Translation: “O Messenger, I would gladly lay down my life a hundred thousand times for you. May the wishes of my heart be fulfilled, O Messenger. How could I not give my life from the heart, O Messenger, when it lives only with longing for you, O Messenger”

Constitutional Rights Advocates

Mufti Muhammad Yunus Raza, Shahar-e-Qazi of Kanpur, strongly condemned the police action, calling it:

• A “misuse of legal powers”
• An “attack on Muslims’ constitutional rights” under Article 25 (freedom of religion)
• “Erosion of public trust” in law enforcement

World Sufi Forum Leadership

Hazrat Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhouchhvi, Chairman of the World Sufi Forum, labeled the action “unlawful” and warned against “rising hate conspiracies,” urging vigilance in what he called a “fragile economic climate”.

Sunni Barelvi Response

Farman Miya, National General Secretary of Jamaat Raza-e-Mustafa (associated with Dargah Ala Hazrat), called the FIR action “unfortunate” and a violation of “fundamental constitutional rights”, demanding immediate withdrawal of cases against “innocent youths”.

Legal and Constitutional Implications

Article 25 Protections

Critics argue the FIR violates Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to “profess, propagate and practice” religion. Legal experts note expressing love for Prophet Muhammad constitutes personal faith expression rather than criminal activity.

Selective Enforcement Allegations

Advocate Mohammad Imran Khan, a local resident, highlighted the disparity in police response: “Our complaint was not registered by the police. Those who were the victims are booked, and those who created the ruckus and communal tensions are roaming freely with impunity”.

Digital Resistance and Message Amplification

User-Generated Content

Social media users created powerful content declaring: “If expressing love is a sin, we’ll do it millions of times—love is the path to truth and humanity”. Posts often invoke Prophet Muhammad as “mercy to all worlds” (Quran 21:107).

Nationwide Protests and Ongoing Impact

Maharashtra Rally

In Parbhani, Maharashtra, Muslims organized a peaceful foot rally in solidarity with the Kanpur victims, displaying “I Love Muhammad” banners while maintaining “complete harmony” and demonstrating “spectacular proof of mutual unity”.

Nationwide Solidarity

Protests and support demonstrations were reported across multiple Indian cities, with participants carrying “I Love Muhammad” posters and demanding justice for those charged in Kanpur.

Government and Administrative Response

Police Justification

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dinesh Tripathi defended the action: “No new trend on public roads can be permitted. This was a threat to communal peace, and nobody involved will be spared”.

Pattern of Enforcement

The incident fits within a broader pattern in Uttar Pradesh where critics allege disproportionate targeting of Muslim religious expressions while Hindu nationalist activities face less scrutiny.

Historical and Religious Context

Prophet Muhammad’s Universal Appeal

The trend highlights Prophet Muhammad’s status as a figure of peace and compassion recognized beyond Islamic communities. Google searches for “the best human in the world” still yield his name, demonstrating his enduring global legacy.

Sufi Tradition in India

The controversy occurs against the backdrop of India’s rich Sufi tradition, where interfaith harmony and shrines like Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti attract devotees from multiple religions. Sufi leaders emphasize that such expressions of love represent Islam’s peaceful essence.

The incident has evolved into a broader conversation about religious freedom, constitutional rights, and the space for faith expression in India’s diverse democracy. The overwhelming response demonstrates how local incidents can rapidly transform into global movements through social media amplification.

The “I Love Muhammad” trend represents more than just digital activism—it has become a powerful statement about religious devotion, constitutional rights, and the resilience of faith communities in the face of legal challenges. Whether this leads to policy changes, legal precedents, or continued tensions remains to be seen as the movement continues to gain momentum worldwide.