Religious scholars to launch a comprehensive programme to promote peace and religious harmony

By PIPS Published On Aug 1, 2011

Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) and a team of prominent religious scholars (Ulama), representing all Islamic sects in Pakistan will launch a comprehensive programme to promote peace and religious harmony in the society. Starting from August 2011, the programme will include a range of activities in three main categories of intellectual and academic discourse, advocacy campaign, and capacity building/awareness. This was decided in a roundtable of an Ulama Advisory Board in Islamabad on July 27, 2011. Noted religious scholar and former chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology
Dr. Khalid Masood presided over the session. The Ulama Advisory Board was established after a PIPS seminar on “The Role of Religious Scholars in Promotion of Peace and Harmony in Society,” on 21-23 June in Islamabad. In this first roundtable meeting, the Board members reaffirmed that they will ardently propagate and implement ‘agreed-upon set of recommendations’ that emerged during the PIPS seminar in June.

After day-long deliberations the Board members and the PIPS decided that the program to promote peace and religious harmony will include below mentioned activities:

Academic and Intellectual Level Activities

A discussion of Ulama on issues of Takfeer and Khurooj.
A seminar on national education system.

Advocacy Campaigns

Recommendations for Madrassas and government.
Publication of a booklet comprising of essays highlighting dangers and harms of sectarian differences.
A discussion between Ulama and Human Right Activists on meaning and concept of freedom.

Capacity Building/Awareness

A prize distribution event for position holder students of different madrasa boards (Wafaqul Madaaris) and a training workshop for them.
Promotion of links and contacts between Pakistani madrassas and other national and international educational institutions and universities.
An introduction to modern statecraft of nation-state system and its various institutions through a training workshop with madrasa students and religious scholars.
Issuance of pamphlets from madrasa boards for mosque committees and prayer leaders.
Publication and dissemination of a Newsletter combining models and sets of best shared practices in other Muslim and non-Muslim countries for promotion of peace and tolerance in society.
A training workshop for moderate religious scholars to increase and enhance their intellectual capacity.