Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri visits Oslo

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri visits Oslo

The Founder and Patron-in-Chief of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, paid a visit to the MQI centre located in Oslo (capital of Norway), which proved to be quite historic in terms of its timing and importance. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri came to MQI centre Oslo at 6 p.m. on August 9, 2008. Before his arrival, workers belonging to different countries of Europe including France, Italy, Denmark, and Greece had reached the MQI centre. They stood out waiting for the arrival of their beloved leader to welcome him. The moment Shaykh-ul-Islam set his foot out of car; there was a roaring of Durood and greetings upon the Holy Prophet (saw) in the atmosphere. Sisters of Minhaj Women League received the Shaykh-ul-Islam by playing upon ‘Duff’, reciting Durood-o-Salam. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri went to mosque upstairs and shook hand with all people. After a brief stay at the centre, he left for participation in the marriage ceremony of the daughter of vice president of MQI Europe, Haji Afzal Ansari. Religious scholars who came from across Norway received the Shaykh-ul-Islam in the marriage ceremony. The way the youth and devotees present there showed their love for Shaykh-ul-Islam forms an unforgettable chapter in the history of the organization. Upon the insistence of people, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri threw light on the status of marriage in Islam, urging the young generation to respond to marriage-related challenges according to Islamic teachings. Repudiating the concept of the forced marriages, he dilated upon the Islamic idea of choosing ones partner out of ones free volition in English language, which Norwegian people attending the marriage function liked very much. On the next day, he presided over a meeting of all forums of MQI Oslo. Director MQI Allama Noor Ahmad Noor conducted the proceedings of the meeting. The representatives of various forums of MQI threw light on the structure, role and operations of their respective forums. The office-holders of MQI were introduced to Shaykh-ul-Islam. He appreciated the role of all forums and congratulated them for their efforts for the spread of message of peace and inter-faith harmony. He especially felicitated president of MQI Oslo, Haji Pervez Nisar, urging him to further encourage the youth, for it is the youth who are the identity and asset of MQI. Therefore, they need to be projected and promoted.

He came back to MQI centre Oslo again at 8 pm and had his dinner along with the office holders and workers of MQI. He kept narrating to the participants the various interesting incidents from his life. It was a combination of lighter part of his personality as well as the opportunity for the people to see his life from close quarters. He attended a special spiritual musical session, which was arranged by the central chapter of MQI Oslo. The secretary general of MQI France, Hafiz Iqbal Azam, conducted the proceedings of the entire event in a good manner. People kept expressing their love for the Holy Prophet (saw) and the holy saints in their own way. Whenever Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri threw light on certain matter, it would create spiritually spellbinding effect on the attendants, which is hard to describe in words.

On the next day, a special reformation session was arranged with all forums of MQI Oslo and workers of MQI who came all the way from Europe. Sahibzada Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri and Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi came to Norway to deliver their speeches straight from Denmark. A large number of people received the respectable guests with thundering slogans and applause. Sahibzada Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri appreciated the efforts of the affiliates and associates of MQI Europe and threw light on various objectives of MQI by giving examples from the day-to-day life. This meeting was still on when Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri arrived to a befitting welcome and standing ovation. At 10 pm, Shaykh-ul-Islam did ‘Dastar Bandi’ of workers, while Allama Noor Ahmad Noor kept reading out his poetic work. Shaykh-ul-Islam did parody of his poetry, which created quite a entertaining atmosphere. This speaks volumes of the lighter aspect of his personality. These memories are unforgettable. After doing farewell handshake, he left MQI Oslo.

This visit of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri was not only very successful but also quite historic as a result of which many differences among the religious scholars were resolved. He not only gave reformatory talks during his stay but also threw light on the decline of the Muslim Umma and civilization. These lectures benefited religious scholars of all sects. They vowed to reconcile their mutual differences and accelerate their efforts for the unity of the Umma in the light of his instructions and lectures.

Those who burned their midnight oil in the success of various programmes during the tour of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri included Khawar Hussain, Sahhid Tufail, Mian Aslam, Atif Rauf of Youth League, Muhammad Asim and their team, Baji Rafia and his team of Women League, Ijaz Warriach and his team, Shakeel Mushtaq, Irfan Ansari, Baber Nisar, Salma Zafar, Zafar Siyal, Muhammad Jameel, Rashid Ali Awan, Iftikhar Mahmood  and top it all Amir MQI of Europe Hassan Mir Qadri and the entire administration of MQI Oslo. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri appreciated their services.