No Islamic sect should be declared non-Muslim: President Arif Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi said on Monday terrorism, extremism, sectarian violence, killings, and vandalism in the name of religion were against Islam, as he stressed on the need for religious harmony across the country.

Addressing the Wahdat-e-Ummat conference held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Alvi said that all schools of thought and religious leaders have declared their non-allegiance with terrorism in the name of religion. "No speaker, preacher, or zakir will insult the prophets, Ahl-al-Bait in their speech," he said, adding: "If someone makes blasphemous remarks then all schools of thought will declare their disassociation with that preacher."

The president said that blasphemy should be dealt with according to the law and that no Islamic sect should be declared non-Muslim. No Muslim or non-Muslim should be killed extra-judicially, he said, adding that the publication and distribution of provocative material should also be prohibited.

Only the fatwas issued in the light of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah will be considered valid, the president said. "No one will insult Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) companions, the righteous caliphs, the wives of the Prophet (PBUH)," he said. The government should crackdown on those who insult the places of worship of minorities and their lives and property, the president stressed.

Leadership of all religious schools of thought and religious sects announced to disassociate from sectarian organisations and banned outfits making sacrilegious comments and fanning sectarian propaganda in the country about holy places and on holy personalities of Islam. The clerics from different religious organisations and religious sects while addressing Unity of Ummah Conference underlined that they have no linkage with banned outfits fanning sectarian propaganda and sectarian violence in the country and also demanded of the government to take strict action against elements making sacrilegious propaganda in the country through social media.

The clerics underlined that government should take action against banned outfits responsible for fanning sectarian violence and making sacrilegious comments about Ashab-e-Rasool, Ahl-e-Bait, caliphs and wives of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) at social media to make religious anarchy in the country.

The Ulema and Mashaykh, while addressing the conference, stated that Kashmir and Palestine are burning issues of Muslim Ummah and to resolve these issues, OIC, UNO and world bodies should play their effective and proactive role.

The entire Muslim Ummah is united to ensure protection of Harmain Al-Sharifain Council and other holy places of Muslims. The clerics also condemned desecration of the Holy Quran in European countries and termed publication of caricatures of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) as deplorable incidents stating that these incidents will undermine all endeavours to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony.

200 leading Ulema, Mashaykh, religious scholars of different religious sects, ambassadors of different Arab and European countries and federal ministers attended the conference at Aiwan-e-Sadr. President Azad Kashmir Sardar Masood, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, Pir Naqeebur Rehman, Sahibzada Hassan Hasibur Rehman, Allama Arif Wahidi, Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Dr Qibla Ayyaz and others also addressed with the conference.

While issuing joint declaration of the conference, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council stated that Islam is a religion of peace and security and all the heavenly religions and heavenly scripture are holy and respectable. He said that Ulema and religious scholars had assured the government to keep check against elements issuing Anti-Shariah decrees (Fatwa). In this regard, all religious sects unanimously issued 10-pointed joint declaration for religious harmony in the country.

1-Terrorism, extremism, sectarian violence and killings one another at the name of religion is against Islam and Islamic Shariah. Leadership of all religious sects and religious schools of thought should announce unanimously to disassociate themselves from all elements accomplice and involved in the menaces of sectarian violence, terrorism and extremism.

2-Any scholar, orator or cleric in their public sermons will not use sacrilegious remarks for prophets, Ahl-e-Bait, wives of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW), caliphs, Imams and about Imam Mehdi and any religious sect will not support or endorse any blasphemer.

If anyone commits this blasphemy, leadership of all religious sects will take proper legal action against that individual.

3-Any Islamic sect should not be declare ‘infidel’. Any Muslim or non-Muslim should not be declared ‘worthy of killing’ and people of Pakistan and believers of all religious sects will live their lives as per rights defined in the Constitution of Pakistan.

4-There should be complete ban on publication of violent hateful religious content, hate-speeches, outrageous literature and books based on hateful content, CDs, websites carrying seditious content should be banned. Similarly there should be complete ban on biased and outrageous religious slogans and no sacrilegious remarks will be made about Imams, Mujtahids and Islamic Jurisprudents.

5-Joint religious congregations will be held at respective public level to demonstrate religious solidarity and harmony within all religious sects.

6-Non-Muslims also reside in Pakistan along with majority of Muslim population; therefore it is responsibility of the government to ensure protection of the sacred places and worship places of the minorities living in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan should handle strictly all the elements accomplice in posing threats to the minorities, worship places of the minorities and their properties in the country.

7-Government of Pakistan should ensure implementation on ‘National Action Plan’ without any discrimination. Strict action should be ensured against elements involved in desecration of holy places in recent weeks.

8-Paigham-e-Pakistan is an unanimously approved draft and to ensure proper legislation on this document, consultation process should be ensured on priority.

9-In Islamic Shariah, Religious Decree (Fatwa) is of core importance and decrees issued in accordance with the teachings of Quran-o-Sunnah should be exalted. Strict action should be ensured against all those issuing decrees against the teachings of Quran-o-Sunnah.

10-Legal action should be taken against all elements involved in making sacrilegious remarks about holy places and leading figures of Islamic history during holy days of Muharramul Haram and all elements involved in this sacrilegious propaganda should be taken to task.