‘Ulema can help counter extremist ideologies’

ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a series of seminars have urged the ulema to come forward and play their role in countering the extremist ideologies which encourage violence and terrorism in the society in the name of Islam.

A number of conferences and seminars were arranged by the Markazi Ulema Council during the last week in several cities as part of a mass contact campaign to raise awareness about the negative propaganda unleashed by anti-Pakistan forces who want to weaken the country by creating divisions and hatred.

In this regard, a programme titled ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference’ was held at Badshahi Mosque Lahore, followed by ‘Ishq-e-Rasool (SAW) & Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference’ at Faiz-e-Madina Masjid Gujranwala, ‘Milli Naghma’ at Jamia Qasmia Faisalabad, ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan Seminar’ at Jamia Darul Uloom Hanfia Lahore, and ‘Azmat-e-Quran and Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference’ at Jamia Masjid Noor Sahiwal. The series of events will continue until Friday, with ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan Seminar’ scheduled to be held at Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Islamic Research Centre Faisalabad on January 17 and Friday sermons by noted clerics all over the country on January 18 to highlight the Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative.

Markazi Ulema Council Chairman Sahibzada Zahid Mehmood Qasmi and a number of other religious scholars and intellectuals addressed the events. In their speeches, they maintained that some anti-state elements wanted to weaken the country by promoting extremism, sectarianism and hatred, and stressed the need to educate people according to the teachings of Islam, which preaches peace, religious tolerance and equality and has nothing to do with the menaces of terrorism and extremism.

The speakers stated that Islamic culture was based on Holy Quran, and emphasized the need to promote Quranic teachings to build a peaceful society. They said the role of ulema was most important in promoting love and fraternity and resolving disputes in a society. Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in his last sermon preached the lesson of basic human rights, they said, and called for reviewing the curricula to include human rights, which will help counter the trends of violence, extremism and sectarianism in the society.

The speakers stressed the need to follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) whose life is a complete guidance and a source of inspiration for every human being irrespective of his age, creed or geographical background. They stressed the need for strengthening religious seminaries in the country by equipping those with state-of-the-art technology and modern education system with a view to make madaris a place to spread the message of equality, justice, peace and harmony.

The events, organized under the banner of Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative of the government of Pakistan launched last year also sensitized the ulema, madrassah students and civil society about the dangers and risks associated with the wave of terrorism and extremism and briefed them vis-à-vis strategies to safeguard themselves as well as the community from these threats.