By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Bhatkal: "The need for representation of Muslims in the media is extensively increasing now more than ever before, because these days the media is involved in defaming Muslims. The independence of the heart, the brain and the pen has been snatched away today." Speakers expressed these feelings in Bhatkal, an ancient town of Karnataka, while addressing a seminar organized by Maulana Abul Hasan Nadwi Islamic Academy on the topic of 'imagination of journalism in Islam' and 'responsibility of Muslim journalists in present scenario.'
Islamic thinker and head of the department of Hadith at Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow, Syed Salman Hussaini Nadvi said by expressing doubt on journalism in his presiding speech that now newspapers are not a part of any mission but have became a market selling thing. He said that the present media is representing the situation by crushing.
He said to the writers not to break people’s trust in them and to not ignore the God who will ask of them that ‘haven't you lost my gifts?’ He said, especially addressing journalists, that revolutionary thinking is needed these days by which ignorance in education can change.
The editor of a Kannar daily 'Wartha Bharti,' published in Karnataka, Abdus Salam Patki, lamented that Muslims have long ignored the media which has now started ignoring Muslims, and this is the reason that we are getting these results.
Abdus Salam Patki further stated that there is only one Muslim newspaper out of 750 English newspapers and only 5 are owned by Muslims out of 3000 Hindi dailies. The owner of only 5 news papers are Muslims among 225 major news papers in Kerala which is considered the most literate state of India.
He said that we should not hinder ourselves by only sitting and complaining and discussing, because the enemy of Islam has completed his role but the friends of Islam did not render their duty.
Faraz Arzoo, editor of an Urdu daily 'Hindustan,' published in Mumbai, said by expressing his feelings that newspapers are marketed professionally not for a mission. Those news papers are successful which are sold on one fourth less than their capital invested but this loss is compensated through other ways by their owners.
He suggested that it is necessary to continue our efforts on any level.
The use of the internet to send our messages to brothers of our nation has become comparatively easy.
Describing the internet service of Mumbai launched by some Muslim journalists and devotees of community, he said that these people are engaged in this to present the correct figure before the newspapers which publish reports against Muslims and Islam. He said that this arrangement should be in all parts of the country.
Eminent journalist and editor of 'Inqualab' Shahid Latif showed his happiness over the growing representation of Muslim youths in media and said that some time ago Muslim journalists were rarely seen in national newspapers but through the interest of our youth in Urdu, a door has been opened for them in media.
He said that the spiritual strength of the Muslims is in a symbol of their distinction and a model for others to follow.
Maulana Iliyas Nadvi Bhatki, convener of the program and General Secretary of the Academy, welcomed the journalists who came from many different regions, and suggested that they use the pen fully to face the power against the Muslims which is a religious duty.