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By Rehan Khan
ISLAMABAD, June 26 (APP): The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Thursday hosted its annual National Ulema and Mashaikh Peace Conference in connection with the sacred month of Muharram reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and inter-sectarian harmony under the framework of the “Paigham-e-Pakistan” national narrative.
The conference was chaired by CII Chairman Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, with Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith, Dr. Syed Ata-ur-Rehman as the chief guest. It brought together leading religious scholars from all schools of thought, including Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Qari Hanif Jalandhri, Maulana Zahid Rashidi, Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi, Allama Arif Wahidi, Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar, Pir Naqeeb-ur-Rehman, Allama Shabbir Hassan Maisami, and others.
During the conference, the Ulema and Mashaikh unanimously endorsed a code of conduct emphasizing that every sect has the right to preach its beliefs, while hate speech, incitement, and taking the law into one’s own hands would not be tolerated. The scholars agreed that the authority to declare any individual an apostate (Takfir) lies solely with the courts.
Condemning all forms of terrorism, the participants collectively called for protecting the sanctity of the Prophets, especially the final Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the Mothers of the Believers, the Rashidun Caliphs, the Ahl al-Bayt, and the Companions of the Prophet. They recommended incorporating the ethics of respectful disagreement into educational curricula to promote tolerance. They also emphasized the rights of women, children, the elderly, and marginalized groups.
In a strong display of unity, the scholars vowed to play their role in preserving peace and curbing sectarianism throughout the holy month. Declaring Muharram as a month of sacrifice, patience, and unity, they appealed to all citizens to contribute to maintaining harmony across the nation.
They also issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s two-year-long aggression in Gaza and denounced recent Israeli attacks on Iran, labeling them a violation of Iranian sovereignty, human rights, and international law. The participants expressed full support for Pakistan’s national stance on these matters.
Furthermore, they praised the Pakistan Armed Forces and the nation for their unified response to India’s recent hostile actions. The success of Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos and Marka-e-Haq was attributed to divine support and national solidarity. Tributes were paid to the martyrs and veterans of the armed forces.
Reaffirming their unwavering commitment, the religious leaders assured full support to the Government of Pakistan, its security institutions, and the armed forces in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and defeating any hostile designs against the homeland.