ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) was going to establish four different centers of excellence with varying objectives ranging from countering the growing Islamophobia especially in the Western world. These objectives include raising analytical level of discourse in the Muslim scholarly community; to disseminate the philosophy and thought of Allama Muhammad; to produce oral histories and train oral historians; and to promote Sufi thought based on the principles of love, peace, and equality.

Executive Council, the supreme body of the university in its 120th meeting held here the other day under the chairmanship of Prof Dr Zia Ul Qayyum, Vice Chancellor AIOU gave formal approval for establishment of Centres of Excellence of Seerat Studies, Sufi Studies, Iqbal Chair of Muslim Thoughts, and Creating Achieves Intelligentsia of Pakistan.

While explaining objectives of the Centres of Excellence of Seerat Studies, Prof Dr Zia Ul-Qayyum said that the proposed Centre would help the Pakistani society as well as the Muslims around the world by forming research groups, and working as a think tank to provide logical response to those who are propagating negatively against Islam and the Muslims.

"The centre will also play a key role in countering the intellectual challenges faced by Pakistan society in the light of Seerat-un-Nabi. The center will engage eminent Muslim scholars across the globe in creation, and transfer of knowledge in the field of Seerat Studies," he added.