Discrimination between powerful and weak destroys societies: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday that discrimination between the powerful and weak segments had destroyed many previous nations, underscoring that justice and rule of law were the hallmarks of a civilised society.

The premier expressed these views during a virtual meeting with a number of eminent global Muslim scholars.

He said the major element that undergirded the flourishing and thriving societies was the consolidation of rule of law. "Only countries where rule of law is established can survive and flourish," he added. PM Imran explained that Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) developed society's ethical and moral values in order to transform Muslims into a great nation, adding that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) underscored the implementation of rule of law in Riyasat-e-Madina.

“Only those societies prosper who have a rule of law without any discrimination,” he said and noted that those who follow the teachings and footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) will be prosperous. The prime minister urged Islamic scholars to play their due role in instilling these values in the country’s youth and spread awareness about the holy steps of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Prominent Muslim scholars endorse PM's viewsSpeaking on the occasion, the scholars stressed upon the inculcation of core moral and ethical values in society as enunciated by the Holy Prophet (PBUH), which they stressed transformed the fate of lowly Arab people into world leaders.

Prominent scholars including Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Dr Timothy Winter/Abdal Hakim Murad, Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Dr Recep Senturk, Dr Osman Bakar and Dr Chandra Muzaffar, responded to questions about different aspects of the Sunnat of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and their need with respect to contemporary challenges posed to the Muslim youth and society.

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he dialogue was held by Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority.During the course of the conversation, the scholars endorsed PM Imran Khan’s observation that a society could not thrive and achieve prosperity without rule of law and justice, the basic principles which were strictly practised by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his companions in Riasat-e-Madina.Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, responding to the prime minister’s query, said that in the last century, Muslim Ummah faced certain changes.

He stressed that the Sunnat (practices) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) should be followed as Prophet’s (PBUH) traditions were the model for Riyasat-e-Madina and critical for the revival of Muslim society. Dr Nasr maintained that Islam through the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) spread the message which transformed the sturdy-hearted Arabs. "The Holy Prophet (PBUH) presented the message of Allah, to an audience that gave their whole thoughts to it and spend their lives to achieve them," he added.

“Madina was the first Islamic society and it was a golden period of Islam, the foundation of which was laid down by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). That period remained ideal for us and we have to learn from it,” he opined.American scholar Shaykh Hamza Yusuf said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) raised the values of ethics first, then justice and rule of law served as the basis for a culmination of civilised society. He said that ethics and morals did not come from a vacuum, these qualities included honesty, modesty and integrity etc.

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The Prophet (PBUH) was the physician of the hearts. The people around him were called (Ashabs) companions,” he added.He said the treatment of all ills in society had been identified in the Quranic teachings which provided solutions to these ills. He also stressed that people in power and authority must embody the key ethics which should be a part of their character.

Dr Yusuf said for the first time, the Quranic teachings gave the idea of brotherhood. He said there might be certain issues in an Islamic society, but the existence of strong values like family system and brotherhood should be focused on and emphasised as a guiding beacon for the youth.Scholar Dr Timothy Winter/Abdal Hakim Murad of the Cambridge UK shared his experience of visiting the Al-Quds and said that it was the spiritual alchemy that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) infused among his followers enabling them to build an ideal society and beautiful buildings around the world.

He said that it was too difficult to put into words the vast aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).Dr Murad highlighted that Muslims should not comply with the Sunnat robotically. Dr Chandra Muzaffar, a Malaysian intellectual, taking part in the dialogue, endorsed the prime minister’s viewpoint that there could be no two different sets of law for the powerful and the weak.He linked the viability of a society with its ability to implement the rule of law in which justice and human dignity were upheld.

He said the transformation of the soul was a must and an Islamic society must understand the depth of the message given by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) about social relations.Dr Muzaffar opined that structural transformation and changing of relations viz-a-viz availability of resources had been a difficult challenge.“Once the character became weak due to environment, the changes take place from generations to generations,” he said, underlining how the education could sustain such basic values, was a critical question.

Dr Osman Bakar, an emeritus professor of philosophy at the University of Malaya and Professor and Director of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Centre of Islamic Studies (SOASCIS) University Brunei Darussalam, said that due to the personality of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the characters of the people in Madina were raised."By imparting education to his companions, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) helped them to become the most excellent individuals and the world leaders," he added.

Relation of brotherhood between Mohajirs and Ansars was established. The human capital, in the modern term, was prepared in Makkah. That was the spirit of inclusiveness, he added. Dr Bakar said the future of the religion was laid down in Riasat-e-Madina, which secured victory after victory. The education system should not be concentrated on external aspects of Sunnah, but the inner spiritual and moral values must be presented to the younger generations, he stressed.

“A society should be based upon spiritual meritocracy. Unity of Eman (faith) and knowledge are challenges for us today,” he added.Dr Recep Senturk, a Turkish academic and scholar at Ibn Haldun University, said that the Prophet (PBUH) was living among the people and governing a city. "Social system must be based upon moral order and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had built those social and political systems." “We should not be pessimistic, we have a strong moral system,” he said, underlining the need for the younger generations to also study the Sunnah as history.

Dr Recep further regretted that they focused only on professional education and stressed building society through ‘Taleem’ and ‘Tazkiya’.He observed that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had offered a global future vision, which was yet to be realised.

He opined that Muslim youth lacked future vision like the other young people in other societies.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of Fatwa Council UAE, said that Islam as a religion had its sets of values reflected through Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He had established ‘Akhowwat’ (bond of brotherhood) between Mohajirs and Ansars, the values of faith and sincerity, in Madina which brought all people together.

His followers preserved those messages, he said, adding moral courage was the important message while its implementation rooted deeply in the obedience of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

(With Input From APP)