By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: The All India Imams Council (AIIC), Manipur State, organized a One-Day Leadership Training Programme for Imams on November 26, 2013 at Popular Front of India (PFI) building, at Lilong, in Manipur.
The training programme was inaugurated by the National President of AIIC, Moulana Usman Baig. The programme was attended by President of AIIC, Manipur State, Maulana Aslam Jan, President of PFI, Manipur State, Moulana Khalid Rashadi, Assistant Professor of Lilong Haoreibi College Dr. Syed Ahmed (author of this report), President of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Moulana Wahidur Rahman, Advocate Ramijuddin Ajaz, and Imams from various parts of the State.
Addressing the gathering, Moulana Usman Baig highlighted the visions and activities of AIIC. He said, “The Imam Council is organizing the leadership training for Imams in different parts of the country with an aim to empower and instill confidence by equipping them with knowledge and information on legal, human rights and political issues. Such training program will expand and enhance the knowledge of Imams and would further help in guiding the fellow Muslims. It would also help in the greater participation of the religious leaders of the community in the development process. We hope that by empowering the Imams we would be able to empower the Muslim community.”
Moulana Khalid Rashadi spoke on the role of Imams in bringing social change.” He said that the Muslim community is at present confronting numerous issues on the social, economic and political fronts. The Imams should be able to understand and analyze these issues and guide the community. They should play pro-active role in bringing social change in the Muslim society, Rashadi added.
Dr. Syed Ahmed spoke on the development of global human rights movement, the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations in 1948, the fundamental rights outlined in the Indian Constitution and institutions that protect and uphold the human rights in India, the laws that abuses human rights (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2008, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, etc.) and instances of human rights violations. The delegates were informed on the procedures for filing complaints of violations of human rights to the human rights institutions.
Mufti Arshad Hussain spoke on leadership skills, Moulana Wahidur Rahman on political issues and Ramijuddin Ajaz on legal matters.
The Manipur chapter of AIIC was opened in 2009.