By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Ahmedabad : At an extraordinary meeting organised jointly by some Shia and Sunni scholars under the banner of Hauza-e-Islamiah and Shah Wajihudin Academy at N K Zaveri Hall here an all-inclusive body was formed Sunday last to safeguard social and political interests of Indian Muslims.
Named as Gujarat Ekta Samiti, the committee has come up with the idea of Muslim unity as envisaged by Prophet Muhammad (peace be with him). A six-member ad hoc committee has been formed and a full fledged committee is to take shape later. The ad hoc committee consists of Usman Qureshi, Abdul Ahad Tarapuri, retired judge Shamsuddin Pirzada, Akhtar Rizvi, Ibrahim Shaikh and Maulana Tauqirul Hasan.
Husain Mehdi Husaini, who came from Mumbai, underlined that unity should not mean merger of beliefs but demonstrating total unity and still keep one's identity (Shia or Sunni) intact.
"Branches of a tree are nothing in themselves but if they remain together, they can provide shade for people," he said of the various sects of Islamic thought and need for unity among them.
Dr Zubair Qureshi, former head of Persian department in Gujarat University, said that remaining united was the mandate of God and deviating from it amounted to sacrilege.
"Differences on religious belief is secondary, now is the time to worry about our very
survival," he said terming political unity more important than religious unity.
Usman Qureshi, editor of Aamin monthly, floated the idea of setting up a representative body that could take up issues, concerning the community.
Congress leader and Tazia Committee president, J V Momin, felt that there was no deficiency in message of Islam but its followers failed the faith by their misdeeds.
"Circumstances are forcing us to become united. Let us embrace right message and then we will lead the word", he said while lamenting that Muslim across the world were being dubbed as terrorists.