By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Thiruvananthapuram: The greatness of the Qur’an should be brought out to people, said Shashi Tharoor, former Minister of State for External Affairs. He was inaugurating the concluding session of the International Qur’an Seminar held at the Kerala University campus in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
The Qur’an is not against the discoveries of modern science and that makes it the wonder among the wonders, opined noted scholar Dr Zakir Naik, while delivering the key-note address on ‘Quran and Modern Science’.
The seminar which began on April 25 hosted several reputed scholars of national and international fame. More than 200 papers were presented in the seminar which would be published, according to media reports quoting Dr A Nisarudheen, head of the Arabic department in the university. Book fair, qur’an exhibition and cultural meet were also held as part of the international seminar in the University College.
The international seminar on Qur’an began on April 15 by the inauguration of Book Fair by Mr K Radhakrishnan, Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The official inauguration of the programme was carried out by Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Home Minister of Kerala on April 26. The cultural meet titled ‘Qur’an I Know’ was inaugurated by Mr NK Premachandran, state Minister of Water Resources. The international seminar was inaugurated by Uthradam Thirunal Marthandavarma Maharaja, of the royal family of Thiruvananthapuram, on April 29. Several scholars of the Holy Qur’an from the state were honoured at the function.
Moulana Sayyid Muhammed Rabi’ Nadvi (All India Muslim Personal Law Board Chairman), Syed Hamid Muhsin (Chairman, Salam Centre, Bangalore), E Ahmed (Minister of State for Railways) etc were some of the dignitaries who attended the programme besides ministers and Members of Legislative Assembly in the state. World famous scholar Dr Yusuful Qadawi was expected to attend the seminar but could not. Well-known personalities such as Dr Sukumar Azheekode, P Govindappilla, Prof MD Nalappat, Dr D Babu Paul, A Saeed, Kamarunnisa Anwar, KP Mohanan etc took part in the Cultural Meet. Leaders of Muslim organizations and political parties such as MM Akbar, Abdusamad Samadani, Rahmatullah Qasmi, O Abdurahman, Dr Hussain Madavoor, PMA Salam, etc also spoke in the different sessions of the seminar.
Thousands are reported to have attended the programme. The organizers gifted copies of Malayalam version of the Qur’an to all the non-Muslims who attended the Qur’an exhibition.