Towards tolerance: Moderation key to peaceful society, say speakers

Scholars stress on tolerance, peace at a three-day conference.

ISLAMABAD:

The utmost importance of tolerance in creating a peaceful society was underscored by speakers at a conference here on Tuesday. 

A three-day international moot on moderation was organised by the IIUI Shariah Academy in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the International Forum for Moderation, Jordan.

The conference commenced at Allama Iqbal Auditorium at the Faisal Masjid campus.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnat Shah commented that Muslim countries need to discourage the pervasive attitude of extremism and get together to fight this collective challenge.

He added that if Muslim societies take up moderation and dialogue, Muslims would never face hurdles in practicing their religion.

“Mutual understanding among Muslim states and tolerance are the keys to success for the Muslim world,” he added.

IIUI Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai said Islam did not allow the use of force and coercion to convert people to Islam.

He added that Islam believes in logic, peaceful dissemination of its message and had not allowed any particular community to enforce its ideas and views on others.

“There is no room for fanaticism, extremism and intolerance in the Muslim community. No one has the right to be despotic and authoritarian in his opinion,” added Yasinzai.

International Forum for Moderation Secretary General Marwan Faouri said the Jordanian people see a message of tolerance in Iqbal’s poetry.

He elaborated on the efforts being made by the International Forum for Moderation for the cause of Muslims worldwide.

Faouri further emphasised the need to organise similar conferences as “it is necessary to stick with unity and moderation to fight the negative propaganda against Islam.”

The Assistant Grand Mufti of Oman Dr Kahlan bin Nabhan al-Kharusi said that moderation and tolerance were the basic and salient features of Islam, and both pose an ultimate solution to the problems in Muslim societies.

He stressed the governments of Muslim countries to devise strategies for introducing comprehensive plans and implementing policies to this end.

Former Jordanian Awqaf minister Dr Abdul Rahim Akour and Dr Tahir Mehmood from Federal Urdu University also addressed the session, while Riphah International University Vice Chancellor Dr Anees Ahmed, Dr Riaz Ahmed from Hazara University, Dr Muhammad Arshad from Punjab University and Dr Shahzad Iqbal Shams presented their papers on the first day.

The topics under debate at the conference were: “The pre-requisites of Stability in Society,” “Universal Concept of Fiqh”, “The Tradition of Tolerance in Sub-Continent”, The Differences in Fiqh and Moderation in Sects” and “Unity Among Sects.” The conference will continue for the next two days.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2014.