Forced marriage and forced conversion of religion are not allowed in Islam and forced marriage does not happen. Allama Tahir Ashrafi
Islamabad: Advisor to Prime Minister and Chair of the Pakistan Ulema Council Allama Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has said that forced marriage and forced conversion of religion are not allowed in Islam and forced marriage does not happen.
He added that India has become a living hell for the minorities due to the inhuman and cruel treatment of the Muslims and Christian minorities in India.
The advisor to the Prime Minister expressed these views while he was addressing the National Dialogue organised by the Center for Research and Dialogue in Islamabad. Vice President of Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, Seerat Chair of Allama Iqbal Open University, Professor Dr. Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman, Director of Peace and Development Foundation Rumana Bashir, leader of the Hindu Community Rohit Kumar Advocate and the Digital Media Alliance for Pakistan attended the event. The President of the Digital Media Alliance Sabukh Syed addressed on the occasion.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said that Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan give equal rights to all citizens. He said that no one will be allowed to spread religious hatred. He said that there had been a change in the extremist tendencies in the country to a large extent, but it will take time to completely eradicate them.
He added that every year, with the help of fake accounts on social media on behalf of neighboring India, fires are set in Pakistan by putting communal content, but this time the government and the army blocked these accounts.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Asharki said that when the enemy failed to spread sectarianism in Muharram, it started conspiracies to disrupt the relationship of trust between the Pakistan Army and the citizens of the country.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said that the recent attempts of insulting holy figures in India are a well thought out conspiracy. The Modi government is destroying the peaceful environment by creating a provocative atmosphere in the region with such actions.
Hafiz Ashrafi noted that this time this unholy courage of India was strongly disapproved by the Muslim countries, Arab countries, and European countries. He asserted that the Modi government is strengthening extremist groups by insulting religions so that they can strengthen their extremist narrative.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi also said in his address that in the Constitution of Pakistan, the law gives complete rights to the minority community, all schools of thought and religions have always recognised the fact of the rights of the minority community but also stood by them. That there is no happy situation for minorities including Muslims in India. Muslims are prevented from offering their Friday congregational prayer, and the Christian community from their ceremonies.
Hafiz Ashrafi highlighted that no religious ritual was allowed in the month of Muharram in India in memory of Imam Hussain (A.S.).
He tried to clarify that there is no room for forced religious conversion in Pakistan, if someone tries to do such acts to extinguish the fire of their lust, we have to stand in front of them.
He further tried to clarify that a few people exploit religion for their own interests, which needs to be stopped.
“Last year, I came to know about the blasphemy case against six Christians, and we ended this false case. Now, to a large extent, it has become clear to foreign ambassadors including the international world that Pakistan is a safe country with regard to the minority community, but it will still take time to end the disease of extremism because it is a forty year old disease. The signatures of thousands of scholars are for humanity to live and let live,” Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi elaborated.
Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi said that in order to keep the nation united, it is necessary to move towards dialogue. “The Holy Qur’an has a clear command not to fight among yourselves, otherwise, you will be divided. There are various conspiracies against Pakistan at this time. Pakistanis have the sacred Constitution. And this is a consensus Constitution, anyone who harms inter-religious harmony and inter-ethnic harmony in this country will commit anti-nationalism, such think tanks are necessary for such discussions, dialogue, and national unity,” he reiterated.
Allama Wahidi said that In Pakistan, all schools of thought and social segments were targeted by terrorism. The current situation of the country is based on negative thinking. “When the rulers and the opposition will continue the negative thinking, where will the people go?” He lamented.
Professor Dr. Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman, Head of Seerat Chair in Allama Iqbal University, said that in Pakistan we have to play the role of responsible citizens and there is a need to keep a close eye on such elements that lead the society towards chaos from any side. He too seconded thw opnioj of Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi and adding another dimension, “forced marriage cannot happen in Islam, but if someone accepts Islam of their own free will, they should not be stopped.”
Rumana Bashir noted, “There’re debates in our society, but there’s no dialogues.”
She observed, “We may win viewpoints in the debates, but humanity wins in dialogue.”
Rumana noted that there is no problem in religions, there are many commonalities in religions, and we have to unite on this.
Rohit Kumar Advocate said that the father of the nation had said on August 11, 1947, that you are free to go to your places of worship. We have always played our part in the development of Pakistan, and we have no quarrel with the majority community of our country. The few evil or extremist elements in our society need to be nabbed and brought to justice. “Extremism weakens the society and needs to be rooted out,” he concluded.
