By RINA,
New Delhi: Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari yesterday released Urdu translation of a pioneering work in Fiqh, Fiqh Encyclopedia, in a solemn ceremony organized at India Islamic Cultural Centre under auspices of Islamic Fiqh Academy (India) (IFA).
Addressing the audience, V-P Hamid Ansari, “India’s relations with Kuwait are very old and friendly. A new link got added in it today because Urdu translation of the seminal work on Fiqh originating in Kuwait is delivered today to Indians. This is a great achievement that will benefit Madrasa and university students.”
Mr. Hamid Ansari further said, “Fiqh has great relevance in a Muslim’s life. ‘Alim and Faqeeh jointly accomplish the task of solving the problems of life.” He added, “In as much as it is a religious requirement to be a good Muslim, being a good citizen of country where one lives is also necessary because we cannot remain aloof of the society.”
“Today’s world has seen many changes and Muslims are now present in all parts of the world”, Mr. Hamid continued, “Now the big question is how to retrieve from Fiqh some answer to newer queries raised by this age of technology. This assigns greater responsibilities on today’s Faqeeh.” The vice president hoped that the encyclopedia will help further improve our relations with Kuwait.
Earlier, IFA general secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani introduced the work to the audience. He told that three volumes of the translation have been published while 12 volumes are in press. A DVD of all 15 volumes was also released in today’s ceremony.
The idea to compile a Fiqh Encyclopedia comprising the opinions of all four Sunni schools of Fiqh on each issue germinated in Egypt and Syria. Egyptian and Syrian governments even initiated the work but could mature the task. Finally, the ministry of Awkaf of Kuwait started the project in 1968 under supervision of eminent Syrian scholar Dr. Mustafa Zarqa.
The work spread over 17,000 pages in 45 volumes was completed a few years ago. IFA started Urdu translation in 1998 under patronage of late Maulana Mujahidul Islam Qasimi and was completed in one and a half years’ time under supervision of IFA’s Dr. Fahim Akhtar Nadvi and Maulana Safdar Zubair Nadvi.
Commenting on the encyclopedia, president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Jalaluddin Umri said, “Various opinions have been arranged in it at one place. This will facilitate the common man as well as students and scholars in reaching at appropriate conclusion. ” All topics are arranged alphabetically in this encyclopedia.