Sufi teachings a clarion call to action: Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri speaks at a moot under Bazm-e-Qadriya

• Says Sufi teachings represent essence of Islam.
• Sufis are ‘Ambassador of Peace and Love’.
• Change can be brought about by acting up teaching of Sufis
• Middle class on the brink of poverty due to massive price hike
• Revolution is the only way forward to make improvement in people’s lives
• Sahibzada Hamid Raza regrets that terrorism being bracketed with Islam.
• Calls for eliminating mutual difference to carve out a joint course of action to save the country.

Chairman of Supreme Council (MQI), Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, has said that we have altogether put the teachings of the Sufis at the backburner and it explains why we have been getting astray from the right path. He said that the teachings of the Sufis could save us from degradation, misguidance and decay, adding that these were the very Sufi teachings that guided Muslims in every age and provided strength to them through difficult times. He said that the Sufis were paragon of virtue, and represented submission to the will of their Lord by setting a benchmark of dedication, patience, gratitude, resignation and service of the people. He said that the Sufis were ambassadors of peace and ruled the hearts of the people. He said that the terrorists not only deviated from the teachings of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gillani (RA) and other Sufis but were also staunch enemies of their teachings. He said that the Sufis ignited the candles of service and welfare of the humanity in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri expressed these views while addressing a prestigious seminar on the subject of “Syedna Abdul Qadir Gillani’s Teachings of Love and Peace” organized under the banner of Bazm-e-Qadriya in the central secretariat on April 2. Sayyid Farid-ul-Haq Gillani, Sajjada Nasheen of Golra Sharif’ presided over the seminar, whereas Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali, Sahibzada Mohib-un-Nabi Tahir, Pir Muhammad Ali Raza Bokhari, Pir Nafees-ul-Hassan Bokhari, Haseeb-ur-Rehman Shah, Muhammad Ataullah Shah Gillani, Wasim-ul-Haq Qadri, Sahibzada Makhdoom Nadim Ahmad Hashmi, Allama Ghazi Muhammad Kamal, Allama Abdul Hadi Qadri, Faiz-ur-Rehman Durrani, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Allama Farhat Hussain Shah, Allama Muhammad Hussain Azad, Shahzad Rasool Qadri, Dr Ghulam Murtaza Alvi and other distinguished religious scholars and Mashaykh were present at the occasion.

Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri said that it was demand of Islamic law and spiritualism that personalities like Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA), Hazrat Ali (RA), Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gillani (RA) should be followed as our role models and source of guidance and inspiration. He said that it was by eliminating all differences and forging unity in their ranks that Mashaykh and religious scholars could play a decisive role in restoring the smiles on the faces of the poor and downtrodden sections of society, adding that they needed to repeat the same role they played during the freedom struggle. He said that time to sit idle in monasteries had long been past and it was time to come out and act to uphold the banner of truth.

MQI leader said that MQI was an organization that cemented hearts instead of breaking them. He said that the teachings of the Sufis were nothing except the reflection of the Prophetic teachings. He further stated that the Sufis always waged practical struggle against the corrupt rulers. He said that teachings of the Sufis were the true essence of Islam. Underlining the need to strengthen our individual and collective bond with the Sufis for restoration of peace and promotion of love, he said that the fragrance of love would spread from the attitude of humility and submission. He said that a heart that was overwhelmed by love would be fountain of peace, security, stability and love in the society. Commenting on the issue of immense price hike, he said that scourge of inflation had brought the middle class to the brink of poverty, adding that the revolution was the only way forward to bequeath bright and prosperous future to the succeeding generations for which incumbent electoral system would have to be sent packing through a peaceful and democratic struggle.

Addressing the seminar, Chairman of Sunni Ittehad Council, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, said that those who were hatching conspiracies against the national stability and security would be wiped out from the face of earth. He said that providing young generation with intellectual guidance and striving to keep patriotism alive among them was the responsibility of the political and religious leadership. He, however, regretted the fact that a conscious negligence was being committed in the discharge of this responsibility. He said that those mandated with the responsibility to furnish guidance by leading from the front were busy in political gimmickry aimed at jockeying for power. He said that real follower of the Holy Prophet (SAW) was the one, who stayed steadfast in his struggle without being affected by the vagaries of time and circumstances.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza said that the terrorism was being bracketed with Islam due to a deep-rooted conspiracy, adding that mutual discord had driven a wedge in the unity of the Muslims with the result that the nation had been divided into factions. He said that those whose forefathers raised baseless allegations against the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal and opposed creation of Pakistan had become champions of the country. He said that children of those who rendered sacrifices for the establishment of a separate homeland were at the mercy of circumstances.

Paying rich tributes to the role of the Sufis, the leader of Sunni Ittehad Council said that they changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people through their personal conduct and example. He, however, regretted that their successors did not follow them in their footprints and consequently were unable to play leadership role. He said that our monastic system had fallen prey to differences, adding that the one who who was the lover of the Holy Prophet (SAW) rightly deserved to be follower of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gillani. He lamented the prevailing state of affairs and said that polio workers were being killed in the name of Islam while religious scholars were being murdered with abandon. The worship places of minorities were being attacked and shrines desecrated. He warned that if we did not move and continued to sit idle at our homes, we would be responsible for the catastrophe that has befallen the nation. He said that it was a point to ponder for the masses and elders of Ahle-Sunnat that the banned organizations were posing as if they were true patriots. He said that those who did not accept the Constitution of this country, and undermined its national security had become greatest claimants of patriotism.

Addressing the audience, Sahibzada Ahmad Ali Sultan, Chairman of Tanzeem-ul-Arifeen, said that Ghous-ul-Azam’s message is message of peace, love, human welfare and solidarity. He said that we should draw lessons from the lives of the great Sufi and play our role accordingly for the welfare of the humanity. He said that the people of spiritualism had no difference of opinion with Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal, further stating that Iqbal’s message of spiritualism needed to be spread in the world. He said that lip service would do us no good. He said that various chains of spiritualism would have to come forward and offer practical guidance to the people in this day and age marked by mischiefs.

Tahir Hameed Tanoli, Mohib-un-Nabi Tahir, Ali Raza Bokhari, and Pir Jalil Ahmad Sharqpuri also spoke on the occasion