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Thursday March 28, 2024

31 Ulema declare suicide attacks Haram

By our correspondents
May 28, 2017

Say armed struggle against State and use of force in name of enforcing Shariah is also Haram; sectarian hatred is against Shariah and Fasaad-fil-Arz a crime; Maulana Rafi Usmani, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Mufti Naeem,
Maulana Hamidul Haq and others sign edict

ISLAMABAD: As many as 31 Islamic scholars belonging to all schools of thought, including Wafaqul Madaris Pakistan, Wafaqul Madaris Al Arabia, Pakistan Ulema Council and Darul Uloom Karachi, have unanimously issued a verdict against terrorism and extremism.

The Ulema in a seminar organised here on Saturday rejected the use of force in the name of implementing Shariah, and terrorism in the name of Islam, and declared it as Haram. They said that there was no justification of an armed struggle against the government or the personnel of the army and security agencies and declared it as treason according to the teachings of Islam. The edict said that every kind of armed resistance against the State, Fasaad, terrorism, suicide attacks and destruction are Haram. The Ulema also declared that sectarian hatred is against the Shariah and Fasaad-fil-Arz is a crime.

The Research Institute (IRI) of Islamic International University, Islamabad (IIUI) organised the seminar 'Reconstruction of Pakistani society in the light of Mithaq-e-Madina (Madina Charter) and announcement of Paigham-e-Pakistan'. The seminar was attended by Rector IIU Professor Masoom Yasinzai, President IIU Ahmed Yousuf Darweish, Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, prominent religious scholars, including Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Allama Hanif Jalandhri, Mufti Naeem Ahmed, Mufti Rafi Usmani, Maulana Hamidul Haq, Allama Syed Riaz Hussain Najfi and others from different sects.

The unanimous declaration named as 'Paigham-e-Pakistan' (Message of Pakistan) signed by the 31 religious scholars from all schools of thought called for action against the forces fanning extremism, called for true implementation of the law dealing with blasphemy while discouraging mob justice in this regard.

Professor Masoom Yasinzai presented the unanimous declaration while Mufti Rafi Usmani read out the religious edict signed by all religious scholars which condemned terrorism and extremism, declared suicide attackers and their supporters as traitors, declared jihad a jurisdiction of Islamic state and disallowed use of force in name of enforcement of Islamic laws.

The religious scholars also supported the operations against terrorists such as Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fasaad, saying that they were standing with the government, its army and security agencies in the war against terror.

The 22-point declaration was presented to address the issue of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, Takfir and Jihad.

President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain attended the concluding session and addressed the conference. The consensus declaration was signed by more than 31 prominent Ulema and religious scholars of the country.

In his speech, President Mamnoon Hussain urged the religious scholars and intellectuals to promote the true 'message of humanity' given in Madina Charter for salvage of the people caught up in the clash of interests.

He said the association of humanity with the Madina Charter for resolution of the issues was because it guaranteed the fundamental rights of economy, justice and education.

Terming the declaration a historic step taken by scholars, President Mamnoon said he had also been trying to persuade Ulema to give the people a narrative against terrorism and extremism but the IRI took lead in this regard.

He said the consideration of developing the society in accordance with the Madina Charter despite the experiences and incidents of the previous century was satisfactory.

He also stated that being Muslims, we aspired for peace in the whole world and desired progress, prosperity and welfare for the entire humanity.

The president also emphasised that a counter narrative needs to be built to negate the narratives of extremism, hate and terrorism to promote peace, harmony and respect of others and impress upon contemporary world that the ideas they harbour about Pakistan and Muslim Ummah in this regard have nothing to do with reality.

Therefore, such seminars have great significance and importance in this respect, he added.

The president said that the Madina Charter was not created to protect communal interests, nor it related to Muslims only but it was a broad-based agreement aimed at the welfare and protection of whole humanity.

He said the treaty not only had the trust and confidence of followers of Islam but also of non-Muslims.

President Mamnoon said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) always granted due rights to the rightful, gave relief to the oppressed and always treated the marginalised generously irrespective of their religion, caste, color or creed. He also said that the founding fathers of Pakistan had also dreamt for such a society in which all citizens had equal rights.

Later, the Rector and President IIU along with chairman HEC, conferred on the president the highest award of the IRI in recognition of his services for the society and his efforts to develop Pakistan into a moderate state.