‘Islam is protector of women’s rights

LAHORE: Religious scholars and leadership of different religious schools of thought said that Islam is protector of women's rights and advocated stern action against all those elements responsible for underage marriages and depriving girls from their rights of education.

Addressing at 'Pakistan Stability Ulema-Mashayakh Convention,' which held here on Monday under the aegis of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), the clerics said that Islam and teachings of Quran-o-Sunnah commands for girls education and there is no space for underage marriages in Islamic Shariah. Islam does not allow forceful conversions, said clerics.

The clerics and religious scholars also pledged to support and endorse Prime Minister Imran Khan to make Pakistan a state on the pattern of Medina Munawara. Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Special Aide to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East chaired the Pakistan Stability Ulema-Mashayakh Convention. The religious scholars, while addressing to the convention, said that registration process of seminaries will be completed ahead of new academic year for seminaries. They said that establishment of new examination boards for seminaries will strengthen the madaris. They also demanded of chief election commissioner to get stopped the use of money in elections.

Among keynote religious scholars present at Ulema-Mashayakh convention include Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Siddiqui, Qari Aqeel-ur-Rehman Zubair, Maulana Tanveer Chauhan, Qari Mohabbat Ali Qasmi, Maulana Abdul Rauf Dogar, Rao Muhammad Tufail, Qari Mubashir Rahimi, Maulana Nigah Mustafa Chishti, Maulana Abdullah Saeed Hashmi Maulana Muhammad Saleem, Maulana Abbas Elahi Zaheer, Father Pervez Shali, Pir Abdul Waheed Dogar, Qari Ahmad Ali Nadeem, Qari Waqar Usmani and others also addressed the convention.

The clerics said that anti-Pakistan forces wanted to create chaos in Pakistan. Ulema-Mashayakh with unity will foil all such conspiracies and would thwart all such bids for stability of the country. Among the purposes of the arrival of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), one was to give honour and dignity to women, said clerics, adding that Islam is protector of the rights of women. The clerics said that the strict punishments should be imposed on all those who obstruct the education of girls and hold underage marriages of girls.

Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, while addressing the convention, said that the dream of making Pakistan a state on the pattern of Medina belongs to Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam, which will be fulfilled. He called upon the opposition to work together for the eradication of usury, corruption, ignorance, extremism and terrorism. He said that if Syedna Umar bin Khattab (RA) could be questioned then why today's politicians and scholars could not be questioned by any other person. He said that registration process of madaris will be completed ahead of new academic year of seminaries. He said that 3000 seminaries have so far registered with Ministry of Education, adding that any change in curriculum of madaris is not being made.

He said that the rights of minorities would be protected in all circumstances and no one would be allowed to make discrimination in the country. He said that anyone should not be allowed in the country to insult the creed, faith and sanctity of others by following their own creed and belief.

Following the convention, while talking to media, Ashrafi said that Imran Khan had the confidence of the people, and premier had become stronger with the vote of confidence. He said that leadership of all the religious schools of thought will be approached to address their issues without any discrimination.