IOS-Jamia Hamdard jointly organises Conference on the “Role of Religious Diversity in Harnessing Human Values”
IOS-Jamia Hamdard jointly organises Conference on the “Role of Religious Diversity in Harnessing Human Values”
New Delhi: A two-day national conference on the role of ‘Religious Diversity in Harnessing Human Values’ was organised by the Institute of Objective Studies in collaboration with the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard at its convention centre on September 12 and 13, 2023.
Inaugural Session
The Inaugural Session of the conference commenced with the recitation of a Quranic verse by Maulana Adnan Ahmad Nadwi of the Arabic section of the Institute. Prof. Haseena Hashia, Assistant Secretary General of the IOS briefly traced the history of Jamia Hamdard. She also highlighted the activities of the Institute of Objective Studies.
Dr. Mohammed Fazalur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard in his welcome address said that such initiatives and conferences were meant to promote interfaith ideologues, making India’s diverse culture of accommodation and co-existence a vehicle of peace, harmony and prosperity.
Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, Prof. M. Afshar Alam, in his inaugural speech said that India was unique because it was the land of diverse cultures & religions. He applauded the role of the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard and the founders of this fast-growing educational institution of eminence. Since its inception, the Jamia ensured inculcating human values in the student fraternity, which resultantly played a pivotal role in developing responsive and human societies in the country.
He further emphasised that the role of the department remained paramount to promote madarsa education & Sufi education, which were the two focal points. He said that human values always remained essential for universal brotherhood, which modern educational institutions, like Jamia Hamdard, brought to the fore for a sustainable society.
In his keynote address, Prof. M. Afzal Wani, Vice-Chairman, IOS, praised the important role of Hakim Abdul Hameed (1908-1999) in the establishment of Jamia Hamdard, starting from a library building and then over the decades gradually becoming one of the famous universities in the country imparting quality education in various specialisations, especially in Unani and conventional medicine to management, computer science, engineering, humanities and several other professional programmes.
Regarding the role of religious diversity in harnessing human values, he maintained that religion was a dress for humans. It always awakened people of the world. Nature and true faith spoke volumes about the objectivity factor, which was vital to understand and emphasise, he noted.
Prof. Wani held that to evaluate religions in the contexts of their followers, like Buddha’s faith reflected by its followers—how they dressed, how they treated humanity and what harmony meant for the followers of Buddhism. Likewise, Guru Nanak’s life reflected harmony and brotherhood. He would always show compassion towards fellow humans. Lord Ram did the same and always valued humans by keeping harmony paramount. All preachers of their respective faiths taught tolerance and kept humanity at par. That was one should dress himself in his chosen faith. One should not undress his faith by mingling it with wrong deeds. All prophets and religious figures became relevant in today’s age of technology, as with the technological boom, strengthening faiths could pave the way for a new dawn. Religion should not be made a hateful term. It should portray love and passion, he emphasised.
As the guest of honour former Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur, and Professor Emeritus of Islamic Studies, Prof. Akhtarul Wasey, held that true humanity would be sustained only if the believers of different religions adhered to their core values and at the same juncture they equally respected the faiths of others without hurting others’ religious sentiments. Ironically, the world lacked that spirit today. No religion, including Islam, allowed forced conversion. Almighty Allah created all and then divided them into different sects. India had been the birthplace of many religions; the world’s prevalent religions reached this region soon after their inception. Mahavir Jain, Buddha and other famous founders of religions were role models in India, he emphasised.
Dr. M.D. Thomas, Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace, New Delhi, highlighted that diversity was a vital and central factor for humanity and human values. Being distinct made one unique. Difference was not a negative factor but rather an idea of enrichment. Religious diversity was a significant area of human creation. It was always pivotal for social and cultural diversity. Another important aspect, which must be understood was that the religion was for human beings, and not the human beings were for religion. Hate, separation mindsets and all other conflicts based on faiths must disappear, while mercy should be inculcated in human lives. Amongst the religious leaders and clerics representing different faiths, scholars, prominent thinkers and intelligentsia advocating a resolution must take concrete steps to harness human values through religious diversity. They should bring to the fore the realities of current Indian societies plagued with communal disharmony, which could be overcome by initiating inter-faith dialogues, respecting each other’s religious sentiments and propagating human values as the core message of every religion, he stressed.
Keshav Murari Das, President of ISKCON Temple, Delhi, emphasised that all humans had one spirit no matter which religious faith one followed. But there must be firm belief in one god. Thus there was nothing contradictory. Only religious teachings and affiliations would not do. What was needed was to prove principles of life through behavioural richness, moral robustness and appearance in the light of keeping human values paramount, he said. There might be people with different backgrounds or cultural values, but they had one ideology of humanity. So, how could one hate others? Diversity would always exist, and ultimately, all were one. Life’s values were identical in all religions. The core values of life indeed differentiated humans from animals, he noted.
Renowned Sikh preacher from New Delhi, Dr. Manpreet Singh, briefly explained the teachings of Guru Nanak. He said that Guru Nanak always propagated human values as religious etiquettes. The diversity in Guru Nanak’s ideals could be witnessed in this concept that weaker sections of society must be uplifted and scientific temper developed for overall growth. The teachings of Guru Nanak were based on such philosophies of life, especially his faith that God exists in all things. Thus, everybody deserved respect, recognition and esteem. That was why Guru Nanak was a guiding light for humanity. His advocacy was that man should use the best of his abilities. One must become a truthful being as a human being. Guru Nanak also believed that without meditation, one could not become spiritually robust. Universal brotherhood, love, and justice for all were the core messages of Guru Nanak and that must be spread for global peace.
Former Head, Department of Prakrit Language, Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapith, New Delhi, Prof. Sudeep Jain shed light on the concept of “humanity”. What was humanity, and if it was related to humans only? All prophets, irrespective of their preached faiths, taught the humanity to respect and love all. Medication and Education remained essential for human sustenance, and it was a matter of great appreciation that Jamia Hamdard promoted both of them. And thus, this learning site deserved applause for its objectives and mission.
He emphasised that one needed to introspect how humane he was today. The problems in the country today were not due to religion but religious communalism and bigotry. It was time one ascertained being humane, as it would turn one’s life to become successful. First and foremost, one had to be kind and merciful, he insisted.
Another guest of honour was Ven. Geshe Tenzin Damchoe, Lecturer and Coordinator, College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah, Dharamshala, who mentioned the unlimited human desires. He said that one should remain abreast of how to use and respect others’ religions, which was what moral values were all about. All human emotions were the same no matter which religious faith one followed. That was what humanity and moral values taught about. There was a need to develop mental peace, mental hygiene and spiritual purification. It was the right time to ignore jealousy and harmful emotions. He also expressed this philosophy of life that one mustn’t expect as expectations most often ruin one’s life. One must know how to use such matters besides respecting others’ religions. He called for always remembering to have faith in one’s religion, but equally or more important was respecting others’ beliefs as well. That was what humanity and moral values best described because everybody’s emotions were the same, but the religions were different, he noted.
In his special address Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, Convener, IOS Forum for Inter-Religious Understanding, laid stress the purpose of religion, which was to dignify human beings rather than demean them. People must develop human values for a dignified life and respect for others unconditionally. There might be specific aberrations, but religion always urged a passionate relationship between god and men. People had to coexist or co-respect but never had any scope for hatred. Therefore, the need was to cooperate. As religion created human values and spirituality, one should be loyal to his faith and always equally respect others’ faiths without hurting anyone’s sentiments. He said that there was the need for a dialogue and not the deadlock. All religious and spiritual leaders must come to a common platform and commit to saving humanity by considering it as an innate moral duty. Unless one knew others’ religions, he could not be just and humane in assessing religious sentiments.
In his presidential address Prof. Z.M. Khan, Secretary General, IOS viewed this seminar as essential in multiple ways. He said that history was full of data on religious excellence, but today’s situation was ironically disappointing. Religion touched on the basic sentiments of human nature. The Creator Allah created diversity—so who were others to cause hatred? There was need for love of faith and the love of courage. It would go a long way in sharing the message of humanity and human values, he concluded.
Dr. Arshad Hussain, Head of the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, extended a vote of thanks.
Business Session-I
The first business session focused on the theme, ‘Divergent Indian Society and Culture: Emergence of Conflicts and Patterns of Mitigation’. Dr. Safia Amir, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard was in the chair.
Dr. Vijay Kumar, Associate Professor of Education, Apeejay Satya University, Gurugram, was the first speaker who touched upon the topic, ‘Imperatives for 21st Century Citizens: Diversity, Human Values & Education’. He stressed that there was diversity everywhere in the caste, religion, culture, and social backgrounds. But the question was how to create diversity and what were the factors to give consideration. Human values were always important, and equally important was education. Transforming humans into humans with values was the actual worth and expression of diversity. One must ensure the holistic development of cultures and focus on lifelong learning, he added.
He was followed by Dr. A.K.M Mahdi Hasan, Lecturer, Department of Sunni Theology, Aliah University, Kolkata, who emphasised that the communities were recognised by their unique cultures and ethics. Cultures were found in the humankind irrespective of differences therein. India was a culturally divisive nation where there was unity in diversity and vice versa. Ironically, religions today were used for political gains, which was dangerous. His topic was ‘Hindustani Mazaheb aur Siyasat ki Nauiyat: Insani Aqdar ke Tanazur mein’.
Dr. Mohammed Fazlur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard was the third speaker who shed light on the relationships between cultures and religions. He raised questions about redefining human values and how they remained pivotal in human societies. He said that in Buddhism, non-violence and human values were remarkable traits. The most important hallmarks of the Buddhism were non-violence and prioritizing human values over everything, he noted.
The next speaker was Dr. Mohammad Ajmal, Assistant Professor, School of Language, Literature & Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He emphasised that the members of the societies must live peacefully and respectfully. To achieve social objectives, religious tolerance and compassion remained mandatory. Communal harmony played a pivotal role in uniting Indians. That was why ‘education on religion was more important than religious education’. He briefly presented a comparative analysis of two major religions.
He was followed by Sadia Parveen, senior research fellow, Department of Urdu, Delhi University spoke on ‘Accommodation of Religious Diversity in India: An Islamic Perspective of Tolerance’. She brought into fore her own experience of accommodation of religious diversity in the Indian educational institutions. Her research highlighted conditions and possibilities of religious diversity reflected in innumerable contexts. She concluded that tolerance meant acceptance and a way of life.
Dr. Syed Abdur Rasheed, Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Islamic Studies, Aliah University, Kolkata, highlighted the glimpses of the Indian history—that Muslim rulers, especially Mughals and various Islamic scholars, played a notable role in bringing peace, prosperity and religious tolerance in India for centuries. He dwelt on the cultural diversity for both Hindus and Muslims, especially during the Muslim rulers of India such as Mughals.
The seventh speaker was Dr. Mubashir V.P., research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia. He spoke on ‘Inter-Religious Diversity in India: Approach for Plural Existence’. He said that pluralism was constantly subjected to political factors, especially in the Indian contexts. Pluralism was interrelated with secularism. While secularism collapsed in the country in the current scenario, its worst impact on pluralism, too, could be ruled out.
The next speaker was Asharuddeen P., student, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI. He spoke on ‘Diversity and Harnessing Human Values: A Qur’anic Perspective with special reference to Malaysia and nearby regions’. He held that his research explored multiculturalism, which remained the paramount value of Malaysian societies. The study debated Sharia laws and conversion-related issues, besides other related religious aspects.
He was followed by Dr. Mohammed Ahmad Naeemi, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard who stressed that it was right time to highlight both Hindu and Islamic religious values to avoid all sorts of religious intolerance. According to Hindu scriptures, care for others was core to the basic values which Islam too stood for. Non-violence was the most significant truth, whereas forgiveness was the tallest of the facts that Hinduism and Islam propagated.
Dr. Mohammed Muslim, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, was the next speaker who explained the concept of ‘Tabyin al-Kalam: Foundation of Interfaith Studies for Harnessing Human Values in India’.
Connected through online mode was Ritash & Tashi Choedup, freelance writers from Bengaluru & Hyderabad, respectively. They threw light on the existence of human diversity and humanness. They stressed that mere acknowledgement of the diversity context would not suffice. Initiating diversity without practice would not prove fruitful at any stage, they noted.
Twelfth speaker of the session connected online mode was Dr. Mohd Osama, editor, Nukush-e-Rah, Islamic Youth Federation, Azamgarh, raised the question of why religious tolerance and human rights preserving was still a challenge, especially in the Indian context for minorities. Minorities’ facts were distortedly presented for vested interests. He expressed these caveats while speaking on the topic, ‘Mazhabi Rawadari aur Insani Aqdar Muhammad bin Qasim ke Daur-e-Hukumat ke Tanazur mein’.
The last speaker was Dr. Mohammad Teisir Bin Shah Goolfee, teacher, Islamic Cultural College, VDP, Mauritius, who spoke on ‘Religious Diversity and Human Values: A Study of Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud’. He said that to start a dialogue with others, Muslim nations should come forward to fix their internal problems and errors first. Calling for fighting radicalism, he asked the Muslim leaders to give space to harmony in order to ascertain peaceful coexistence and global prosperity.
The chairperson of the session, Prof. Obaidullah Fahad, former Head of the Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, shared his views on the different research papers presented in the session. He advised researchers to consider the points and the factors that should be ignored in their presentation. He said that if one did not know to differ, he was in no way a scholar. He also explained how a research paper should be drafted to ascertain that it focused on the research analysis and remains balanced.
Business Session-II
The second business session focused on ‘Responsibilities and Initiatives of Present Religious Leaders and Institutions in Promoting Inter-Religious Understanding and Spirit of Co-Existence’. While Prof. Sudeep Jain chaired the session, Dr. Waris Mazhari, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard was the co-chair.
The first speaker of the session was Prof. Obaidullah Fahad, who spoke on the attributes and benefits of the unity of religions. While presenting his views on ‘Religious Diversity for Harnessing Human Values in the Qur’an: A Study of Azad, Maududi and Islahi’, he emphasised that the foundations of all religions were the same to sustain human values, but their rituals differed. The explanations of Islam as a religion for humanity by Azad, Maududi and Islahi offered exclusive perspectives, besides a comparative assessment, he added.
Dr. Harpreet Kaur Jass, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Studies, JMI discussed ‘Punjabiyat: Harnessing Human Values in Contemporary Times’. She said that there was no fixed definition of ‘Punjabiyat’. It would remain incomplete without connecting with India and Pakistan, as ‘Punjabiyat’ did exist across the borders. Punjabi cultural values and traditions existed in both the countries.
The third speaker was Dr. Faheem Akhtar Nadwi, Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, MANUU, Hyderabad, who spoke on the ‘Role of Religious Leaders in Promoting Human Values’. He emphasised that all religions talked of humanity and none of them talked against human dignity or ill of the contemporary religions. Religious leaders were those who had an authentic taste of their respective faiths. Their followers, as masses, accepted them with reason and logic due to their genuine knowledge, he observed.
Dr. Manvinder Singh from the Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, spoke on ‘Sikh Religion’s Perspective about the Religious Diversity of the World’. He said that the followers of Guru Nanak have united India and Pakistan at Kartarpur. Therefore, unlike the political attempts that often failed, religious faith united all. He added that if one’s neighbour was good, society would become good. He said that Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism offered the message of compassion through various types of charities like Zakat, and Langar.
The fifth speaker was Md. Munawwar Kamal, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI. He explained the traits of coexistence and mutual tolerance. He said that accepting everyone’s best things and honouring others promoted coexistence in harmony.
The next speakers were Isa Hashmi and Dr. Arshad Hussain, from the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, who focused on ‘Human Values and Diversity in Religion’. Their research was based on human values, human ethics and human morality. Human values in Islam were paramount. They described ‘Communalism’ as a positive word till it became a negative factor in the current context.
The seventh speaker was Saba Anjum, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, who explained that diverse or diversified societies paved the way for a pluralistic approach. Islam preached religious diversity. The situation today was of religious conflict, which needed to be rectified, she added.
Dr. Parveen Qamar, Associate Professor, Department of Women Education, MANUU, who joined online shed light on the multiple factors associated with Sufism. She briefly explained the contextual factors.
The other online participant was Zeeshan Ahmad Sheikh, research scholar, Department of Religious Studies, Central University of Kashmir, Anantnag, who spoke on religious leaders’ role to smoothen the way for religious diversity. He opined that the implementation of various factors could pave the way for effective religious diversity in Indian societies.
At the end, the chairperson, Dr. Sudeep Jain suggested that religious leaders must project their lives as religious rather than merely focusing on sermons. He shared an example of how Punjab faced several bad phases. The region often ascertained valuing religious diversity and tolerance for decades and centuries and that the region was going truly religious by challenging all sorts of discriminations, thus encouraging diversity, he concluded.
Second Day: September 13, 2023
Business Session-III
Prof. M. Afzal Wani, chaired the third business session which focused on the ‘Role of Religious Diversity in Harnessing Human Values’. He held that the laws were introduced to create a spirit of cohesion and fraternity by helping to stop bigotry in the society. But ironically, little positive implementation was witnessed. Various schemes like, poverty alleviation schemes should be promoted for a just and sustainable society. He said that Islam introduced Sadqah as a spirit of philanthropy and sacrifice that helped boost this aspect. Even salah (prayer) and fasting portray that spirit, he added.
The first speaker of the session, Mohammed Hussain, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, emphasised that today one should come forward to develop religious harmony, especially when the current hatred was plaguing the social fabric. The government should take measures to sustain human values, thus ensuring all communities to prosper, he said.
Dr. Tanjeel Ahmad, independent researcher at AMU spoke on ‘UCC (Uniform Civil Code) as a Barrier of Religious Diversity Human Values in India: A Discussion within the Framework of the Indian Constitution’. He highlighted that this discussion was continuing since 1947. But, it remained to be a political rhetoric. The recently proposed bill instead disrupted the religious practices of various communities in the country. Their personal laws would face specific challenges if UCC was implemented. There was an ardent need to make a committee representing all religious scholars to discuss UCC in detail to arrive at a common place.
The third speaker was Bibi Fatima, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI. She spoke on ‘Impeding Religious Diversity: An Analysis of the Role of Religion and the State in Promoting Human Values’. She said that there were numerous factors related to religion. Religion, in fact, brought cohesion in societies through shared traditional ethics. It was a force and power to empower communities. But, clashes were witnessed today due to religious bigotries. No religion sanctioned violence and hatred. Historically, religion had always been used as a conflicting force, unlike its message of peace and harmony. The role of the state should come in to play because religious disharmony also affected societies economically, she noted.
Dr. Mohammad Shafi Bhat, Assistant Professor, Higher Education Department, Government Degree College, Pulwama, connected online as the fourth speaker. He spoke on ‘Indian Constitution, Religious Diversity and Human Values’. He explained the basic features of the Indian Constitution in the context of purpose and diversities. He said that, like other third world countries, India worked extensively on the legal factors. India was a diverse society where the constitution offered rights to all due to being the world’s most diverse society with a robust constitution, he insisted.
Fifth and the last speaker of the session, Dr. Hassan Shareef, Assistant Professor, SAFI Institute of Advanced Study, Malappuram, Kerala, who connected online to speak on the topic, ‘Importance of Studies in Religious Diversity in University Education in India’. He stressed that religious pluralism and brotherhood for universal unity should be involved in the UG and PG curricula. He felt that there was an ardent need to highlight such ideas in the education system for the betterment and prosperity of all communities.
The chairperson applauded the researchers for their outstanding presentations. He said that all researchers who presented papers in the session wonderfully carried the theme in their respective research. He also suggested that the best research was comparative research and that all researchers should continue writing.
Business Session-IV
The fourth business session centered on the ‘Role of Judiciary and Religious Texts in Social/ Communal Conflict Resolution’. Dean, School of Law, Jamia Hamdard, Dr. Saleena K. Basheer chaired the session. Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Naeemi, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard was the co-chair.
Dr. Mohammed Ayoob Akram, Assistant Professor, K.A Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies, AMU was the first speaker. He spoke on ‘Quran-e-Majeed mein Mazhabi Tanawoh ka Tasawwur’. He underlined an ardent need for understanding such factors broadly. The Quran says every community was sent a prophet. It was high time the communities understood such factors in the context of the Quran and followed religious harmony for human sustenance, he said.
The second speaker was Dr. Kamal Ashraf Qasmi, Assistant Professor, Department of Sunni Theology, Aliah University. He spoke on ‘Hindu-Muslim Mushtaraka Tahzeeb ki Talash Barae Insaani Aqdar’ (Search for Hindu-Muslim shared cultural traditions for human values). He explained the concept of the prophet in Islam and analysed the concept in the context of the two religions. He explained how Hindus and Muslims coexisted in India as part of Indo-Islamic culture. This needed to be researched further.
He further said that the concept of ‘Wahi’ (Revelation) existed in both Hinduism and Islam but had different perspectives. Likewise, the ‘Afterlife’ concept was there in the both. There was no conflict in religions as such as they talk of gods. It was for the followers to see how they practised their religions, he pointed out.
Saeeduddin Hamid, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard was the third speaker who mentioned that diversity defined a society with different thoughts and practices living together. Islam’s concept of human rights was based on dignity and human values. Islam had always been a religion of peace, he said.
The fourth speaker was Mohd. Asif, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard. He stressed that societies were incomplete without human dignity. It was time to study the life of the Prophet of Islam, especially his treatment of the people of Makkah post-victory of Islam, which spoke volumes of justice system in Islam. That was why justice must prevail in all sections of human lives, irrespective of faiths, religions and affiliations. One of the primary educations of Islam was human rights and equality, which the legal system must understand and follow for universal human rights sustenance, he stressed.
Amir Fahad, research scholar, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI, dwelt on ‘Samaji Tanazat ka Hal Insani Aqdar ke Tahaffuz mein Adlia ki Ahmiyat aur uska Kirdar’. He held that a society was a collection of humans irrespective of their religious practices or values. Indian culture was diverse. Thus conflicts were bound to happen but not at the cost of diversity. Cultural conflicts might occur in diverse communities, but that was also a way of life for a pluralistic social approach in a diverse society.
The next speakers were Joshua Solomon and Shoyeb Khan, research scholars, Department of Educational Studies, JMI. They presented their research paper on ‘Religious Diversity and Social Media Trolling: Women’s Experiences and Its Impact on Mental Health’. They highlighted how social media transformed the world today, especially its misuse, like trolling, which was causing concern. Trolling of minority community women was witnessing phenomenal growth. This was an issue that needed to be handled carefully as it might bring the worst effects on the victims’ mental health. Their research found that most participants trolled and harassed for their religious faith encountered depression afterwards. The judiciary must note it and initiate laws that mitigate, regulate, and curb social media trolling, their paper emphasised.
Dr. Javed Akhtar, guest faculty, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI, was the last speaker of the session, who connected himself in the online mode. He emphasised that human values were always crucial and of paramount importance. But in order to make it possible, equal importance should be given to religious diversity. It was sine qua non for a sustainable society, he added.
In her presidential remarks, Dr. Saleena K. Basheer insisted that all religions advocated brotherhood. The need of the hour was to value all faiths, including Hinduism and Islam as both of them respected the ethos of humanity. The Indian constitution and religious texts of all religions left ample scope for conflict resolution. It was high time to focus on them and learn lessons from them to transform modern societies into one that coexisted with the peace and fraternity, she held.
Business Session-V
Chaired by Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, co-chaired and moderated by Dr. Najmus Sahar, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, the fifth business session centred on ‘Need for Promoting India as a Global Destination with Peaceful Social Environment and Religious Diversity’.
Prof. Syed Jamaluddin, Director, IOS Centre for Historical and Civilisational Studies, Aligarh, spoke on ‘Promoting Inter-Religious Understanding and Spirit of Co-existence–How to Proceed’ as the first speaker of the session. He thoroughly described how the Sufi institutions paved the way for communal harmony in the country for centuries. He said that India was diverse with its rich culture, traditions and religions. He cited the example of Syed Nizamuddin Aulia of Delhi who was an embodiment of communal harmony, love, peace and fraternity.
Dr. Sheikh Rahim Mondal, Professor and Founder Head, Department of Anthropology, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, was the second speaker who spoke on ‘Towards Understanding and Comprehending Cultural and Religious Diversities for Harnessing Human Values of Living Together for Creating a Sustainable Society’. He said that both atheists and religionists needed to remain humanist. He regretted that the traditional culture was vanishing gradually. Identity politics was other essential factor in this context. Diversities were cultural, linguistic, religious and much more, but the living in diversity united humans, he observed.
Dr. Bakhteyar Ahmad, Assistant Professor, MANUU College of Teacher Education, Asansol, West Bengal, focused on ‘Religious Diversity, Modern Schooling and Harnessing of Human Values in Global Context’. He shared several exceptionally well-researched data on education, especially schooling globally and associated factors that portrayed the global imbalance in multiple educational aspects that hampered diversity in international contexts and questioned modern schooling system.
The fourth speaker was Dr. Abroo Aman Andrabi, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, who spoke on ‘The Need for Promoting India as a Global Destination with Peaceful Social Environment and Religious Diversity’. India has unique potential for overall growth in all aspects. This country could emerge as a beacon of hope by further propagating religious coexistence and mutual respect and giving interfaith relations more importance, the speaker added.
The Director, Sadbhavana Institute, Catholic Archdiocese, Delhi, Fr. Babu Joseph SVD., mentioned that the world was facing many challenges today. Religious diversity was critical in Indian societies, where all religions must be respected and valued equally. Beliefs and religious institutions had a vital role to play in this. In the current socio-political situations, religions were used for social polarisation, which was a bad sign. He called for distinguishing between genuine and bogus religious organisations.
The sixth speaker of the session was Suraqua Fahad, research scholar at Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi University. He spoke on ‘Trauma-Informed Approaches: Nurturing Resilience in Conflict-Affected Populations’. He highlighted how India experienced several communal riots despite rich cultural diversity. The ardent need was to create harmony between different religious ideologies. Peer support and collaboration, etc., were also crucial, besides empowerment. Without those and gender equality sustainability was not possible, he held.
Farheen Naaz, research scholar, Islamic Studies, JMI, touched upon ‘Role of Diverse Religious Traditions in Promoting Human Values and Global Peace’. She critically explained what religion was all about. She examined the critical objectives of religion and how people perceived it. Religion was a holy connection to a spiritual realm. It promoted humane and ethical values. Religion and culture were not barriers but bridges to unite people as humans, she added.
The next speaker was Iffat Khatoon, an independent researcher, JMI, who spoke on ‘Relevance of Inter-Religious Diversity to Foster India as Global Destination’. She highlighted how diversity was well-defined as the beauty of India. It was the right time to once again assess the importance of secularism besides rectifying the challenges of multiculturalism and religious diversities. The judiciary needed to remain focused on these crucial factors, she said.
Darakshan Ishrat was the ninth speaker who discussed cultural coexistence in India. Cultural diversity in India, she said, could also be evaluated in the Quranic perspective of pluralism. Diversity in India was manifold, and could be witnessed in the light that several institutions had been established in the country to protect the rights of minority communities. That was why India’s diverse culture provided a unique environment, she noted.
Dr. Pooja Sharma, Assistant Professor, Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, connected online as the tenth speaker to focus on the ‘Role of Religious Perspective in Fostering Human Values in the Fine Arts’. She described how this innovative idea equally united the communities on multiple levels.
The next speaker was Muskan Dixit, research scholar, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Rajpura, Punjab, who spoke on ‘Unveiling the Power of Religious Diversity in Shaping Computer Science Values’. She highlighted how technology, especially Information Technology (IT) boom directly impacted the social fabric. Social diversity in all contexts, whether religious or other, could not be ruled by its connections with technology tools, she observed.
Jamaliah Jamil, consultant, LSA Academic House, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, focused on ‘The Quran’s Universal Values and Harnessing Humanity in India with 700 Years of Al-Andalus Legacy’. Joined online as the twelfth speaker of the session, she based her premise on religious intolerance cases in India and Malaysia, causing divisions. Political balance was a must in the global sphere to help sustain humanity. She hoped that Indian Muslims could make a significant impact with their religious practices and maintain religious and political coexistence of values inculcated for harmony and peace.
As the last speaker of the session, Rukhsar Parveen, Assistant Professor, Mats University, Raipur, dilated on ‘A Study on the Role of Media Persons in Mitigating Divergences and Peacemaking (with special reference to Tweets of Sudhir Chowdhary and Ravish Kumar)’. She said that the media, as a fourth pillar of democracy, had been constantly losing its credibility due to the irresponsive approach of a select few journalists. But she was still hopeful that media persons could bring transformation if they honestly discharged their duties as responsible members of society, she added.
In his presidential remarks, Prof. Hamidullah Marazi appreciated the impactful and highly research-based research works and their meticulous presentation by both online and offline participants. He concluded with the example that when Vivekananda went to the Parliament of Religions and explained religious coexistence, a new chapter in history was written. That was why dialogues were more important than focusing on the deadlock.
There was a need to initiate dialogue with the problematic people to develop solutions that should prove worthwhile for human sustenance. It should be noted that all civilisations depended on religious values. Unfortunately, often, religion was used for non-religious purposes, which was a sign of disaster. There was no alternative to dialogue, and the intelligentsia and social thinkers must come forward to find a way to bring all communities on the path of human values and social enrichment.
Valedictory Session
Moderated by Dr. Sumayyah Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI, the valedictory session began with the address of the guest of honour Prof. Rajeev Ranjan Sinha, former Head, Department of Sanskrit Vidya, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. He observed that all religions were equal. There had always been a need to study comparative religions, but in no way one should treat others’ religions as less in value. It was the right time to ‘clean the mirror well instead of cleaning the face’. As religion had several contextual meanings, one must assess them very minutely. Religion should be interpreted in terms of conscience to uplift humanity. Responsible persons with faith in religions could take societies forward for the betterment of humankind, he concluded.
Prof. Akbar Hussain, Former Head, Department of Psychology, AMU also spoke as guest of honour. He held that believing in the sacredness of religion, the interreligious understanding of Swami Vivekananda, Maulana Maududi and Sri Aurobindo was necessary as these thinkers and philosophers indeed believed in the faith of humanity. Even Maulana Maududi encouraged that Islamic leadership for human uplift was possible through the teachings of Islam. He felt the need for establishing a Centre for Interfaith Dialogue to suppress religious fanaticism. Since the human spirit made a person humane and spiritual, such centres would pave the way for human integrity, he stressed.
The Secretary of Inter-Faith Commission, Catholic Archdiocese, Delhi, Fr. Norbert Herman, held that the ideals of Mother Teresa for human sustainability were a message acceptable globally to enrich human societies, irrespective of people’s religious faiths. He focused on making religion a uniting force rather than using it as a political tool. Thus efforts should be made to ascertain that humanity prospered and the world became a beautiful place for everybody. God was nothing but a combination of three components—Truth, Love and Service. There was a need for inclusive thoughts to avail of the messages of all religions that treated humanity at par, he said.
In his valedictory address, former Judge of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Zaki Ullah Khan stressed that all cultures in India maintained harmony for centuries. Religious diversity existed here and must remain in future as well. Thus the need of the hour was that adequate plans were made and procedures adopted to maintain such diversity in Indian societies. He concluded with these sentences: ‘Respect all without considering their specific religious faiths’. Whatever one did or the steps took, humanity should always be in consideration. That was bound to develop a human society where there would ever be co-existence, he commented.
Dr. M.A. Sikandar, Registrar, Jamia Hamdard read out the 9-point resolution, unanimously adopted at the conclusion of the conference.
The resolution read as —
- All the people of the world should appreciate significance of the freedom of religion and diversity for every individual and make effort to allow its profession and practice harness human values; without hurting the sentiments of the people of other religions.
- No individual, group, community or State should attempt to impose any particular religion on any other individual, group or community using any kind of tactics, influence of power or by creating any kind of difficulties for them in following their own faith.
- People of all religions must understand the standard human values propounded by their religions and bring them manifestly into their practice to fulfill the purpose of good behaviour for which the religions have come into existence.
- Effort should be made by the responsible members of all religions and the respective States to prevent emergence of violent communal feelings and undesirable happenings through legislation and executive action without discrimination.
- The judiciaries, all over the world, must take up the task of establishing the best of the standards of preventing communal violence and promoting harmonic approaches and performance.
- Academicians should take up the task of highlighting the best human values of all religions and produce better compassionate generations to developing a humane future world.
- The United Nations should take proactive measures, through its various agencies, for the cause of harnessing human values and for incentivising respect for diversity.
- Important pillars of democracy like media and protecting agency–police should work to uphold the principles of justice without any discrimination of class, caste, ethnicity etc. These should uphold the standards of preventing communal violence and individual harassment.
- NGOs and other civil society organisations should adopt different suitable strategies to develop the values of co-existence, tolerance and social harmony.
In his presidential address, Prof. M. Afzal Wani asked how worthwhile dialogue was for humanity in the current context would be when such efforts had been made in the past as well. None could deny the proven fact that sharp differences among religions earlier brought many holocausts. It was time to understand such contextual factors while discussing religious diversity. Now was the time to yearn for peace. Thus concrete and collective efforts be made to ascertain global peace. He called for coming forward to accept the reality and find solutions accordingly.
He recalled the towering role of the late Hakim Abdul Hameed in the field of Unani medicine besides establishing Jamia Hamdard, an institute of eminence. Likewise, another visionary, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, established the Institute of Objective Studies to offer a platform for scholars and intelligentsia to debate and find rational & objective solutions to many issues faced by Indians in general and the minorities in particular.
Institute of Objective Studies strategically debated the Indian Constitution, social issues of the country and religious diversities. It was appropriate for the people following different faiths to read between the lines and understand the broader goals of their respective religions by assuring an inclusive social order that accommodated unity in diversity for human sustenance and growth. IOS propagated honest and objective resolutions to adopt true faith. It was time for harmony, uniformity and diversity, he concluded.
Prof. Haseena Hashia proposed a vote of thanks to all dignitaries, guests and audiences whose collective efforts for making the two-day conference a success.
A view of audience
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