Telephonic conversation with Sunni Ulema Maulana Tanvirul Haque Thanvi, Maulana Asad Deobandi and Maulana Dr Jamil Rathore
Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the barbaric slaying of innocent Muslims and religious extremism were part of a vicious conspiracy against Islam and Pakistan. He urged upon the Ulema belonging to different schools of thought to play their full role against the conspiracy destabilize Pakistan. He also stressed upon the Ulema to issue a unanimous fatwa against the killings of innocent people because of sectarian differences.
Mr Hussain expressed these views while talking over the telephone to prominent Sunni Ulema Maulana Tanvirul Haque Thanvi, Maulana Asad Deobandi and Maulana Dr Jameel Rathore. The Ulema condemned the people belonging to the Shia community instigated by extremism and sectarianism. They praised Mr Hussain for raising the voice of truth against the barbaric killings and oppression and commended his undaunted stance for promoting unity among Muslims.
Talking to the Ulema Mr Hussain said that he had been emphasizing in the gatherings of religious scholars that there is no compulsion in the religion according to the teachings of the Holy Quran. Hence people should not strike off the heads of each other due to differences in understanding of the religion and thinking. If the religious beliefs of the people are called into question the religious creed followed by the founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali would also come under discussion.
Mr Hussain said that the Shia people were being killed for the past one year after being pulled off from buses and after being properly identified. It was because of these killings that he had to say that the Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah himself belonged to the Khoja Shia Twelver sect. He had adopted the Twelver sect by leaving the Ismaili sect in 1898 by submitting an affidavit before a magistrate in Bombay.
Mr Hussain said whatever may be the religious beliefs of the Quaid-i-Azam he was a staunch believer in “Do not leave your own belief and do not touch other’s faith." Addressing the Constituent Assembly on 11th August 1947, he had stated in unequivocal terms that Pakistan had become a free country and all the people living in it were Pakistanis. Everyone was free to practice and follow his own religion.
Mr Hussain said that there had been five great scholars in Islam, who not only taught their followers but also preached the religion. However, no one ever called into questions the beliefs of others. The elements that were calling each other as non-believers due to sectarian differences were, in fact, negating the teachings of those great scholars.
Mr Hussain urged upon the Ulema of all the schools of thoughts to come up with a unanimous fatwa against the killings of innocent people because of sectarian differences and foisting their own beliefs on others by way of force. The Ulema should issue the fatwa as there was no compulsion in the religion.
Mr Hussain said that baseless propaganda was done against him in order to make criticism of his statements. He said that his paternal grandfather was the mufti of Agra, and his fatwas were still a part of the record of the grand mosque in Agra. He also used to lead the Tarawih prayers regularly there. He said that his maternal grandfather was also a religious personality who had made the pilgrimage to Makkah on by travelling on foot twice. He said that his parents had always advised him to support the truth instead of going after the majority.
Mr Hussain asked the Ulema to come forward for eliminating extremism and play their role for raising the standard of Islam and making Pakistan stronger. He asked them to preach sectarian harmony, brotherhood and unity among Muslims in their sermons.
Maulana Tanvirul Haque Thanvi, Maulana Asad Deobandi and Maulana Dr Jamil Rathore fully agreed with the facts presented regarding the religious creed of the Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. They praised Mr Hussain for raising a voice against sectarian killings.
The Ulema gave assurances to Mr Hussain that he was not alone in the struggle for saving Pakistan from conspiracies, eliminating sectarian killings and hatred and forging unity among Muslims. He said that the true Ulema were also standing with him and they would play an active role in foiling conspiracies against Pakistan and bringing sectarian harmony. They also prayed for the good health of Mr Hussain in the end.