A two-day national “Sirah” seminar on “Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Social Justice” was organized here at Kashmir University. The seminar was organized by Shah-I-Hamadan Institute Islamic Studies in collaboration with J&K Muslim Waqf Board. The inaugural session was presided by Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University Professor Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi.In his address, Prof Andrabi said that justice propounded in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is of the divine sort and not of materialistic nature. He said Islam is a system of beliefs as well as social matters and what is required by it is to surrender to the will of Allah in social matters that characterizes its social justice.Prof. Ishtiyaq Danish, former Director, Institute of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard University Delhi, delivered the keynote address. While making a brief survey of the modern developments of the western civilization, from Industrial Revolution to Globalization, he highlighted their economic and political strife and explained their failure to deliver social justice in a holistic way. The speaker made it clear that the Prophet (pbuh) from the early days of his life represented the character of honesty and kindness and soon after his prophethood, he brought a deep transformation in terms of social equality, brotherhood and economic security that characterizes nature of the just social order of Islam.
Prof. Zafar Ahmad Reshi, Dean Research also spoke on the occasion and in his brief address, he mentioned that equality is being sought in social justice yet the issue of inequalities is to be also addressed. He said sometimes there are biological inequalities and we cannot force equality there and social and economic inequalities are redressed through mutual help and institutions of “Zakah” and “Waqf” in Islam.Prof. S.M Tayyib Kamili, Principal Jamia Madinatul Ulum, Hazratbal and Fayaz Ahmad Lone, Chief Executive, J & K Muslim Waqf Board, also spoke about the importance of the theme.Earlier Prof. Abdul Rashid Bhat, Director of the seminar, welcomed the guests and presented a brief profile of the institute. Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, the coordinator of the seminar conducted the proceedings and Dr. Nasir Nabi presented the vote of thanks.On the first day six parallel sessions were held which were chaired by Prof. Mohammed Ashraf Wani (former Dean Academic Affairs, KU), Prof. Salah-ud-Din Tak (HOD Arabic department, KU), Prof. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi (HOD Religious Studies, CUK), Dr Shad Hussain (Arabic Department, KU), Prof. Naseem Ahmad Shah (former Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, KU) and Prof. Obaidullah Fahad (Chairman Institute of Islamic Studies, AMU). In these sessions, about 48 papers were presented.
Three business sessions were held in the seminar where 24 papers were presented. The sessions were chaired by Prof. Ishtiyaq Danish, Prof. G.N. Khaki and Prof. Naseem Ahmad Shah. The paper presenters were the scholars and faculty members from the various universities, colleges and Darul Ulums across the country and the speakers highlighted the various significant aspects of the theme including the Prophet’s (pbuh) treatment with the weaker sections, non-Muslims, women education, women’s rights, peace, basic human freedoms, international relations, ideal society, establishment of justice, value system, maqasid al-Shariah, religious tolerance and social change.The valedictory session was chaired by Prof. Musdiq Amin Sahaf (Dean Academics Affairs, KU) who in his address highlighted the significance of the theme of the seminar. He also explained the causes of this decline and described education and research backwardness as one of these causes.Prof. Obaidullah Fahad, Chairman, Institute of Islamic Studies AMU, was the key speaker, while Rafi Ahmad, Secretary Waqf Board was the Guest of Honour. Almost all the speakers on the occasion emphasized upon the fact that the issues which the society faces must be treated with much seriousness and dedication by the scholars and experts associated with academic institutions.