Islam is religion of peace: Durrani

Islamabad
In order to celebrate International Day of Peace, Universal Interfaith Peace Mission organised Freedom of Conscience Conference at Islamabad Hotel, says a press release.
Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani was the chief guest who while addressing the ceremony said that Islam is a religion of peace and we are in dire need of it. “There is no compulsion in religion. I appreciate Dr Allama Abul Fathe GR Chishti for organising this event at such an occasion and we shall support it,” he added.
All Pakistan Newspapers Hawkers Association General Secretary Tikka Khan, Sardar Khan Niazi, Dr Badar Munir, Pir Ali Raza Bukhari, Pastor Arif Sardar Masih and Hawks School Islamabad Principal Madam Zohra, also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, in his inaugural address, Universal Interfaith Peace Mission Chairman Dr Allama Abul Fateh GR Chishti said the basic objective of celebrating this day is to explain few points as to what is relation between Freedom of Conscience and what position Freedom of Conscience has in our Constitution. How much freedom of conscience does a state religion allows or whether the state religion has some sort of conflict with international and human rights laws. And in case of conflict whether there is a space for reconciliation.
He said United Nations has a role to resolve all conflicts around the world through dialogue. The UN in 1948 unanimously adopted Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in a world conference in 1993 all nations were asked to implement basic human rights in their states.
Allama Chishti said like other member states of UN it is Pakistan’s obligation to implement basic human rights in its territorial boundaries wherein all human rights including Freedom of Conscience are part of 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.
“We all know Islam is state religion of Pakistan. We should know as how much liberty does the state provides as far as freedom of conscience is concerned or whether there is any conflict between these two. In 1973 Constitution, it is stated that sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust; wherein adequate provision shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practice their religions and develop their cultures,” he added.
He said that in Islam there are many schools of jurisprudence including Hambli, Shafi, Jafari and Salafi. Although they do not agree with each other but they all agree at the punishment of apostasy except some exceptions from some modern scholars. “Although such interpretation of this law is against the international law and there is no chance of reconciliation between the two because according to Islamic teachings the person who changes his religion is entitled to be killed whereas this decree is against the International law, which allows everybody to change his religion and both of these are like two sides of sea which can never unite. But government and United Nations can help change the situation because we need to conduct a research on the punishment of apostate and find a solution of this conflict which is in the best interest of Muslim Ummah.
“I have contemplated upon this issue for long and have studied work of various prominent religious scholars and have reached a conclusion that they misunderstood the issue,” Allama Chishti said.
The research on freedom of conscience, he said has been completed but we need to carry out long term projects to formally compile it, which can be done with the help of government of Pakistan and UN. First of all we need to change the mindset of religious scholars around the world, which will yield positive results. And mindset of religious scholars and political leaders can only be changed by implementation of teachings of Common Word Movement and Amman Message and introducing them in the syllabus taught at our schools.
Allama Chishti also pointed out that Universal Interfaith Peace Mission has started Common Word Movement and can bring forth the reality of punishment of apostate before Muslims.