By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: To ensure peaceful life in South Asia it is necessary that dialogues are initiated between Islam and oriental religions. For India to emerge strong global power, such dialogues are must, said scholars and leaders of different religions today in New Delhi while informing the media about the “International Dialogue Between Islam & Oriental Religions” going to be held here on February 20-21.
“This will be the first big event on the subject. It is effort to find out common points among these religions to promote peaceful life in South Asia,” said Dr Zafrul Islam Khan, Editor, The Milli Gazette fortnightly, and chief co-ordinator of the international conference.
L-R: Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan (Editor, The Milli Gazette), Mujtaba Farooq (Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind), Dr J K Jain (owner, Jain TV), Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani (Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-e Hind), Pandit NK Sharma (former advisor to the Prime Minister of India) and Sardar Mukhtar Singh Assal (Chairman, International Sikh Council)
“The 99% content of these religions can unite use. Only one percent can divide us. So there are vast opportunities to coexist, and in fact these communities have coexisted for about 1300 years. Our Hindu kings had Muslim prime minister and Muslim rulers had Hindu army chief. For the last 20-25 years, a small group, for its political purposes, has tried to divide the communities. That’s why there is a need to initiate dialogue among these religions to promote and strengthen good relations between these communities,” said Dr Khan.
He gave details about the program and said that besides religious leaders and scholars of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism from within India, leaders of these religions will also come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Japan.
The program to be inaugurated by Vice President of India Hamid Ansari and presided over by All India Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Muhammad Rabey Hasani Nadwi will be held at Ansari Auditorium of Jamia Millia Islamia. The conference is being jointly organized by top Muslim organizations in India including All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ahle Hadees and All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat.
It was interesting that at the press conference religious leaders and scholars were echoing the feeling of common people – Muslims and Hindus – regarding the role of communal amity for a strong future India. TwoCircles.net had captured the feeling of common masses on this Republic Day.
Addressing the media Hindu religious scholar Pandit N K Sharma said: Unity between Hindu and Muslim is must for India to emerge stronger nation in the world. According to Sanatan Dharma, he said, all human being on earth are members of a family. So there is no point of clash. He lashed out the communal political groups for spoiling the relations between religious communities in the country. “On December 6, 1992 and afterward, they had tried to divide the communities but could not succeed,” Sharma said.
Dr J K Jain, owner Jain TV news channel, appreciated the move saying it is very important initiative for existence and development of India.
Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani, Secretary, Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind termed it as a tragedy that these religious communities are living here for centuries, yet do not know about each other. While supporting the initiative he said this will help in removing misunderstandings about religions and pave way for unity on common points.
Mujtaba Farooq, political affairs secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind urged the media to promote this constructive initiative for the welfare of the society.
Sardar Mukhtar Singh Assal, Chairman, International Sikh Council, also attended the press conference.