JUI-F chief says Islamic seminaries are preserving the sciences of the Quran and Hadith
RAWALPINDI:
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said religious seminaries are the guardians of Islam, protectors of the teachings of the Quran and Hadith, and custodians of the blessing of faith, adding that they will not be handed over to the government under any circumstances.
Addressing a turban-tying ceremony at Jamia Taleem-ul-Quran in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, Fazl said although global power today rests largely in the hands of the United States, it does not possess the power of faith.
He added that religious seminaries are fulfilling the responsibility of safeguarding faith across the world, adding that Islamic seminaries are preserving the sciences of the Quran and Hadith.
He criticized what he termed a dual approach, saying that on one hand the PIA is being handed over to private companies, while on the other there is a desire to take control of madrassassomething he said would not be accepted under any circumstances.
Referring to Allama Shabbir Usmani, he said even the British had once dismissed him as uneducated, and the same mindset still prevails today, where religious knowledge is not recognized as legitimate knowledge.
“There is no trust in state institutions, therefore seminaries will not be handed over to them. Scholars from all schools of thought are united on the protection of madrassas,” he said.
While affirming belief in dialogue and respect for laws formed through consultation, he warned that no form of deception would be tolerated.
Responding to chanting students during the ceremony, he remarked that had they focused on work instead of slogans, they would have won the highest number of seats in Punjab.
He concluded by saying that people should be told that the politics of religious seminaries is the legacy of the prophets, and that they are rightful claimants to this tradition.
