‘Invite other sects to your Muharram gatherings’

PUC urges religious scholars to promote harmony during the month

LAHORE: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) on Monday urged religious and sectarian organisations to invite people from other religions and sects to their gatherings during Muharram. In a code of conduct issued after consultation with representatives of major Islamic sects in the country, the council said that such gatherings would help promote religious and sectarian harmony.

The code stated that maintenance of peace during the month was not just the responsibility of the government. It said all segments of the society should work towards the goal.

The code stated that terrorism and killing of human lives in the name of religion were against the teachings of Islam. It said that in speeches and sermons religious scholars should be respectful towards all prophets and their family members, companions and wives of the holy prophet (peace be upon him), the four caliphs and the imams including Imam Mehdi. It said anyone found to have insulted these figures should be condemned by scholars.  The code further said that no one could declare another person who professes to be a Muslim or an Islamic sect as non-Muslim.

It urged religious scholars to use loud speakers only for the Arabic sermon and the call for prayer.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2015.