LAHORE (APP): Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman and Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, on Sunday strongly condemned the recent incident of Quran burning in Sweden.
Addressing a seminar, held here in Lahore Press Club in honor of the martyrdom of Hazrat Usman Ghani (RA), he emphasized the urgent need for interfaith dialogue and global legislation against blasphemy or desecration of any celestial religion or scripture. The event was attended by distinguished scholars including Allama Abdul Haq Mujahid, Maulana Muhammad Rafiq Jami, Maulana Asad Zakaria Qasmi, Maulana Nauman Hashir, Maulana Muhammad Shafi Qasmi, Maulana Assadullah Farooq, Allama Zubair Abid, Maulana Islam Siddiqui, Qari Abdul Hakeem Athar, Allama Tahir Hassan, Maulana Muhammad Ashfaq Pitafi, Maulana Aziz Akbar Qasmi, Mufti Falk Sher, Mufti Syed Naseem-ul-Islam, Mufti Rehmat Din, Qari Abdul Majid Haqqani, Qari Kifayatullah, Maulana Abdul Jabar, Qari Muhammad Islam Qadri, Maulana Qari Mubashir Rahimi, Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Farooqi, and Maulana Nasir Haqqani.
Ashrafi highlighted that the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) promote interfaith dialogue. He expressed gratitude towards Pope Francis, Christian leaders, and leaders of other non-Muslim faiths in Sweden for their condemnation of the Quran burning incidents. He further affirmed the Pakistan Ulema Council’s full support for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and its agreements under the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He urged the government to take immediate action against individuals involved in promoting campaigns against the armed forces and the nation. He demanded swift justice for the perpetrators of the May 9 incidents and the release of innocent individuals who have been detained without evidence.
He emphasized that extremist and foreign ideologies had caused the most damage to Islam and Muslims.
The seminar, chaired by Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, also deliberated on the necessity of global legislation to protect the sanctity of holy sites.
The scholars highlighted the exemplary rights granted to non-Muslims during the era of the Rashidun Caliphs. The non-Muslim community in Pakistan expressed strong condemnation of the events in Sweden, they added.
They said Hazrat Usman Ghani (RA), revered for his sacrifices for peace in the City of the Prophet (Madina), played a vital role in the compilation and preservation of the Quran, ensuring its safety until the Day of Judgment.
The scholars emphasized the responsibility of Muslims to follow in his footsteps and propagate the message of Islam and the teachings of the Quran, which promote peace, love, and righteousness.
The Pakistan Ulema Council, in collaboration with the International Interfaith Harmony Council, has announced the upcoming World Interfaith Conference scheduled to take place in Islamabad during the final week of November. The conference aims to gather global leaders of all faiths, including Pope Francis, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, and the Imam of
the Kaaba, along with other prominent Muslim and non-Muslim leaders. During the seminar, they called for immediate action against those propagating against the Pakistan Army and the Chief of Army Staff.
“It has been two months since the May 9 incidents, and the nation continues to mourn. The martyrs, who hold the highest status in Islam, are being targeted at their memorial sites across the country,” they lamented.
The scholars emphasized the urgency for the judiciary to expedite decisions on matters like the May 9 incidents, considering their impact on future cases.
The seminar concluded with a unanimous call for immediate action against elements involved in promoting campaigns against the Pakistan Army and the Chief of Army Staff, as well as justice for the innocent.
Ashrafi terms interfaith dialogue essential in current times
