Speakers at a seminar on 'Islamic World at Cross Road-Challenges and Response' here on Sunday, called for unity among the Muslims and urged upon the ummah to concentrate on education, gaining strength in military and economic fields so as to meet the present day challenges.
They also emphasised the need for making investment in fields of education and media. Senator SM Zafar, who chaired the seminar, which was organised by Pakistan Institute of National Affairs (PINA), said he was not disappointed by the present state of affairs in the Muslim countries and seeing a change in every domain there.
According to him, after 9/11, the concept of Muslim Ummah had emerged even more prominently before the world, which was indicative of the fact that the process of change had started.
He said in his view education and non-participation of people in the government affairs were two main weaknesses of all the Muslim countries, which needed to be overcome.
"When we overcome these two weaknesses, we will emerge as an organised and effective force on map of the world." There was an urgent need to establish educational institutions and universities to impart knowledge to youth. Similarly, participation of people in the government affairs was also equally important, he viewed.
Air Marshal Khurshid Anwar Mirza (Retd) said that 57 out of nearly 200 countries were predominantly Muslim states having 3/4 of gas and oil reservoirs of the world, but in spite of that they were in bad conditions. They were victims of state terrorism and had been labelled as 'extremists and terrorists' by the world, especially the western world, he added.
Once they dominated the world, but today unfortunately they were downtrodden and disunited. According to him, lack of fundamental spirit of brotherhood was main cause of disunity within the Muslims while lack of spirit of gaining knowledge and education was the basic reason for their lagging behind in every field.
"Therefore, under such a situation, we also need to overcome our weaknesses militarily and organise our toothless organisations."
Mowahid Hussain Shah said that lust for wealth, disappointment and fear, especially amongst the elite class, were the root causes of downfall of the Muslims. These are very serious weaknesses, which need to be checked, he added. He also proposed for setting up an 'Islamic Fund' to finance intellectuals and formation of a think-tank of the Muslim world.
Zaki Uddin Sharfi, Chairman International Islamic Research Institute, USA, in his keynote address said that media war against the Muslims was the greatest challenge the Muslim Ummah facing today.
He said that invitation Quranic education to people was the best way to undo the propaganda being spread by media against the Muslims. He also mentioned about educational, military, social and economic challenges.
Mujib ur Rehman Shami, Oriaya Maqbool Jan, Ibtesam Elahi Zaheer and Altaf Hassan Qureshi also spoke on the occasion.
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