A special ceremony was held at the Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam (AFI) Centre, Faizabad, on Tuesday to commemorate the 786th annual Urs of the great Sufi saint of the Subcontinent, Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, with speakers highlighting economic self-reliance, moral integrity and character as the enduring essence of his teachings.
Speakers urge revival of Bahauddin Zakariya’s teachings on self-reliance
RAWALPINDI, Jul 28 (APP):A special ceremony was held at the Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam (AFI) Centre, Faizabad, on Tuesday to commemorate the 786th annual Urs of the great Sufi saint of the Subcontinent, Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, with speakers highlighting economic self-reliance, moral integrity and character as the enduring essence of his teachings.
Dr Mehdi Al-Taheri, Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of Iran, attended the event as chief guest. Among those present were the spiritual successor to the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya and Member of the National Assembly, Zain Qureshi, renowned religious scholar Syed Ghazanfar Mehdi, historian and President of Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad, Kaukab Iqbal Kaukab, Lt Col (Retd) Mian Jameel Athar, Group Captain (Retd) Pervez Akhtar, Naeem Akram Qureshi, members of the academic community and a large number of citizens.
Addressing the gathering, Zain Qureshi said Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya had not only spread the message of Islam but had also emphasised economic self-reliance, moral integrity and strength of character throughout his life.
He said no individual or nation could exercise genuine independence without economic self-reliance, adding that the teachings of the great Sufi saints remained as relevant today as they were centuries ago.
Highlighting the saint’s contributions, he said Hazrat Bahauddin travelled from Baghdad and inspired people across Indonesia and other regions to embrace Islamic values while promoting trade and commerce to achieve economic prosperity alongside spiritual enlightenment.
He said Pakistan could attain self-reliance and national sovereignty by reviving and implementing the principles taught by its great spiritual leaders.
Zain Qureshi further said Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya had established the first residential madrassa in the Subcontinent, equipped with boarding and lodging facilities, reflecting his visionary commitment to education and public welfare.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mehdi Al-Taheri said Pakistan and Iran enjoyed deep-rooted religious, cultural and brotherly ties, reaffirming his country’s commitment to further strengthening these historic relations.
He said the people of Iran held Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya in the highest esteem and shared profound devotion to the revered saint.
Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad said the great Sufi saints had played a pivotal role in spreading Islam across the Subcontinent and paid tribute to Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya for his invaluable services to religion, education and society.
He said the teachings promoted by such revered personalities through their exemplary conduct and noble character deserved to be better understood, preserved and implemented in contemporary society.
Other speakers also stressed that Pakistan’s path towards economic freedom, self-reliance and sustainable national development lay in following the timeless teachings of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya and other great Sufi saints. They urged people to emulate their honesty, character and public conduct to build a prosperous, morally upright and self-reliant society founded on Islamic values.
