Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A visiting scholar from India Wednesday emphasized the need to promote Quranic teachings as it provided a complete guide for people of all the ages.

“Holy Quran gives very much importance to human dignity. The whole Islamic culture is based on Holy Quran,” Chairman Department of Islamic Studies Aligarh Muslim University India Prof Dr Obaidullah Fahad told a two-day international conference on ‘Tradition of Adoption, Innovation and Transmission in Islamic Culture and Civilisation’.

The Indian Muslim scholar said that respect for women, order and discipline, peace and harmony and equality were the basic teachings of Holy Quran. “We should maintain order and discipline not only in our physical appearance but the same spirit should also reflect in our thinking and actions also. No civilization can be promoted on the basis of negativity … so we should stay positive as positivity is of vital importance in our lives,” he said.

Islamic Research Institute, Islamic International University Islamabad, Director General Prof Dr Zia ul Haq highlighted Allama Iqbal’s vision of revival of Islamic traditions and culture in true spirit. He stated that the Muslim World had ignored its real culture. “The survival of the Muslim World is only possible if it relives focus on the pure Islamic culture,” he said, and urged the youth to play an effective role for progress and prosperity of the country. About the recently launched national counter-terror narrative, he remarked that it was a positive effort that reflected unity and religious responsibility of the eminent scholars of all schools of thoughts in the country. “It confirms their love, affection and loyalty with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is an effort to end the menace of terrorism from the country,” he added.

Bahauddin Zakariya University Vice Chancellor Dr Tahir Ameen stressed the need to make institutions stronger in order to resolve problems faced by the Muslim World. “West maintains its hegemony via strong institutions. Muslim countries should also improve their institutions to compete the West,” he said.

The VC maintained that revival of Islamic traditions and culture was need of the hour. “Muslims are faced with numerous challenges across the world. Some organisations including ISIS and Boko Haram are killing Muslims in the name of Islam which is totally wrong,” he said, and observed that conspiracies were being hatched to isolate Pakistan.

“Recently, Pakistan was put on the grey-list of Financial Action Task Force which could lead to economic crises in the country. We can counter such conspiracies only by making our institutions strong,” he said, and urged the scholars to help produce quality researches in all fields of life to make Pakistan a powerful and progressive country.

Prof Dr Al-Ghazali, Prof Dr Abu Sufyan Islahi, Dr Shafatullah, Dr Abdul Quddus Suhaib and other scholars also attended the event.

Different sessions to impart awareness to students about beauty of Islamic traditions, culture and services rendered by great Muslim personalities were arranged.

Published in Daily Times, March 29^th 2018.