Religious scholars who constitute the ulema can play a vital role in curbing terrorism, government officials and analysts say.
Since the ulema have roots in the society, they must play their role in preaching the true message of Islam, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said. “There is a significant decrease in terrorist activities due to their fatwas, but still there is a long way to restore harmony and tranquillity in the country,” he said.
The government has recently made announcements from all leading mosques in Islamabad and elsewhere seeking public help in curbing terrorist plots.
Ulema’s vital role
Religious harmony is the need of the hour and the ulema can play an effective role in creating awareness of terrorism and suicide bombings, Aslam Tareen, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Lahore, told Central Asia Online.
Tareen called upon citizens, religious leaders and mosques administrators to help police foil the aims of terrorists and depute guards from the local area at all places of worship so that they would be more likely to recognise strangers and suspicious persons.
“The ulema have the power of speech with which they could point out the righteous path to the people – whereas the media could make people aware of the poisonous impact of suicide attacks and terrorism,” he said.
Tareen urged religious scholars to order the formation of committees that would have responsibility for preventing outsiders from entering mosques and madrassas. Such committees could “compile data on teachers and students associated with madrasas.”
Maulana Raghib Naeemi, chief administrator of the Jamia Naeemia, Lahore, told Central Asia Online May 20 that terrorism and suicide attacks are prohibited by Islam. [Amna Nasir Jamal]
He also urged scholars and the ulema to give sermons denouncing militancy and terrorism. “The ulema and religious scholars always have used their prayer walls (mihrab) and pulpits (minbars) against the scourge of militancy and terrorism and will do so until the menace is eliminated,” he said.
Ulema’s assurance
Religious scholars have assured the CCPO that they support the elimination of terrorism. The scholars termed suicide attacks completely un-Islamic, said terrorists have no faith in Islamic teachings and suggested formation of a security plan for worship places.
Suicide attacks on security forces and hanging of victims’ corpses from trees violate sharia, said Shabibzada Fazal Karim, president of Markazi Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan. “Perpetrators of such acts are the enemy of humanity,” he said.
“Islam is a religion of peace, and it does not promote terrorism or the killing of innocent people. Terrorism and suicidal attacks are forbidden and un-Islamic acts,” Maulana Raghib Naeemi, chief administrator of Jamia Naeemia, Lahore said during an interview.
“The militant should never forget that when suicide is one of the worst acts any human can perform, how then can a suicide bombing be justified in Islam, especially if done in public areas?” he continued.
“The Taliban have tarnished the image of Islamic sharia across the world,” Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, a religious scholar, said. Denouncing the slaying of various scholars by militants, he said that the “assassination of scholars should be stopped and sacred places and shrines should be provided with adequate protection.”
The Sindh provincial government has decided to ask Sufi shrine administrators to help prevent extremism in the province, said Sindh Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq. Shrine administrators have influence over more than 85% of the population and could be key in helping the government handle the crisis, he added.
The provincial government will discuss forming a Sufi council with offices at local, district and provincial levels to promote Sufism to counter the wave of extremism, he said.
“From all over the globe, Sufi scholars would be invited to unite the people in Pakistan, who are being misguided by certain elements,” he said.
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