By IANS
Lucknow : A leading Islamic cleric described Tuesday as “no mean achievement” a path-breaking decision of Darul Uloom Deoband, India’s best known and oldest seminary, condemning all forms of terror and violence.
“It is for the first time that representatives of more than 4,000 madrasas and all prominent Islamic institutions of the country have unanimously condemned acts of terror and all types of violence,” Maulana Khalid Rasheed, head of the Lucknow-based Firangi Mahal and a key member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board executive, told IANS.
Rasheed, who returned to Lucknow after attending the daylong meeting Monday organised by the Deoband based Rabita Madaris-e-Islami Arabia’ (Federation of Islamic Madrasas), said the government must not take the issues raised at the gathering lightly.
The Maulana hoped that the conference edict would also have its desired impact on neighbouring nations – a clear reference to Pakistan where suicide and terror bombings have left hundreds dead in recent times.
According to Rasheed, almost every known Islamic seminary in the country was represented at Deoband and in one voice they said: “All Muslims must strongly condemn the growing terrorism across the country; and we must also equally oppose the targeting of Muslims under the garb of anti-terrorist tirade.
“Similar meets would now be held in all districts across the country to spread the same message down to the grassroots level,” he said.
“The objective behind the meet is to not only highlight the injustice being meted out to innocent Muslims, invariably booked on pre-determined suspicions, but to also let everyone know that Islam is totally opposed to any kind of violence and terrorism.”
Reading out excerpts from the three-page resolution adopted at Deoband, the Maulana said: “Unleashing violence or spreading terror or killing people are not only serious sins but are also heinous crimes.
“That is why, all Islamic clerics attending this anti-terrorism conference not only condemn every type of violence in the severest of terms but also express their anger and disillusionment over this dangerous situation emerging at both the national and international levels.”
Condemning the role of Western nations in “oppressing” Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia, the resolution urged the Indian government not to get influenced by the West.
The resolution also demanded: “The central government must promptly bring an end to the character assassination of Muslims and madrasas; it must also direct its machinery not to pass the buck in every act of terror to Muslims; but of course it must award the severest punishment to the actual guilty.”