Services of Muslim saints highlighted

Punjab University vice-chancellor Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran stated that the great Muslim spiritual leaders had rendered unparalleled services to spread the message of peace, mutual love and brotherhood in Islam which resulted in conversion of millions of non-Muslims into the fold of Islam, both in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent.
He was addressing the participants of Aalami Syed Hajver Tasawaf Seminar held through the mutual collaboration of Punjab University Provincial Auqaf Department in connection with 966th Urs of Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh on Tuesday. Provincial Secretary Auqaf Najam Saeed, renowned Ulema and Islamic scholars from brotherly Muslim countries Turkey, Iran and Egypt also addressed the audience.
Dr Mujahid Kamran observed that Islamic teachings of equality, justice and social harmony paved way for the miraculous birth of Pakistan. Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh occupied the most distinctive place amongst the Islamic saints who were effectively instrumental in the conversion of the non-believers.
The entire Muslim Ummah and particularly Pakistan had been facing challenges of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism, which had denigrated the image of Pakistan and Islam. In order to counter the propaganda unleashed by anti-Islam forces, we must promote the lofty Islamic values of peace, love and tolerance.
The Punjab University in collaboration with the Auqaf Department had been regularly organising the World Al-Hajver Seminar for the past five years to pay homage to Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh. Punjab University would also extend all possible co-operation for the publication of authentic translation of Kashf-ul-Mahjoob, he added.
While addressing the audience Principal Oriental College Dr Mazhar Moeen termed the regular holding of the Syed Hajver Seminar as a good tradition which was proving very helpful in widely promoting the teachings of religious saints, which were devoid of the scourge of terrorism and sectarianism. He also proposed that Islamic Sufism should be included as an elective subject in the BA syllabus to familiarise the younger generation with the message of Muslim Sufis.
Provincial Secretary Auqaf Najam Saeed said that millions of devotees paid their homage to the hundreds of Sufi saints whose shrines were being maintained by the Auqaf Department across the Punjab. Pro vice-chancellor Dr Jamil Anwar Chaudhry thanked the audience and the speakers both from within and outside the country who addressed the seminar.
Principal Pak-Turkish International Institution Adam Akagdek, in his address, remarked that they were all indebted to the services of Muslim religious leaders for their Islamic faith. He said Pakistan and Turkey mutually shared numerous religious, cultural and spiritual values.
Director General Iran Culture Centre Dr Abbas Famoori spoke at length about the salient virtues of Sufism as contained in the Kashf-ul-Mahjoob, penned by Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh. The Head of Urdu Department Egyptian Jamia Azhar Dr Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim remarked that Kashf-ul-Mahjoob provided necessary guidance in respect of all matters relating to the present day Muslim society. He said Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh laid equal emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge and implementing that knowledge into our practical lives in letter and spirit.
International Islamic University Director Dr Muhammad Tufail observed that there was no space for violence or militancy in spreading and popularising the message of Islam because the great Islamic saints had always conquered the minds and hearts of masses through their noble character and personal moral examples in all matters of life.