Reyaz Rashid
Sheeri, September 12: Calling upon Muslims to strengthen brotherhood, preserve unity and carefully balance religious obligations with contemporary educational and professional needs, Islamic scholars on Saturday urged the community to draw guidance from the Holy Quran and the teachings of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) while confronting the challenges of the modern era.The call was made during the annual congregation of Dar-ul-uloom Qureshia Sheeri, which witnessed the Dastar Bandi and honouring of eight Huffaz-e-Quran and two Molvi students who completed their respective religious courses.
A large gathering of people from Sheeri, Narwav and adjoining areas attended the day-long religious and educational congregation, where eminent Islamic scholars and religious personalities delivered addresses on faith, education, character building, social harmony and the responsibilities of Muslims in contemporary society.Among the prominent scholars who addressed or attended the congregation were Moulana Abdul Rashid Dawoodi, Peer Abdul Hamid Haqani, Moulana Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Naqeeb, Mufti Qamar-ud-din Owasi, Mufti Shakeel Ahmad Sakafi, Moulana Ishaq Ahmad Nizami and Moulana Tariq Ahmad Mishbahi, Mohtamim of Dar-ul-Uloom Qureshia Sheeri, besides other scholars and religious orators.
The gathering also marked the successful completion of Quranic memorisation and religious studies by the students. The Huffaz were honoured with certificates and traditional turbans were tied during the Dastar Bandi ceremony amid prayers for their successful future and the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Addressing the gathering, Moulana Abdul Rashid Dawoodi stressed the need for Muslims to remain attached to the Quran and Sunnah while promoting peace, harmony and welfare in society.His publicly available statements and religious addresses have repeatedly emphasised peace and the importance of religious understanding. His organisation describes him as the founder and chief patron of Tehreek Sout-ul-Awliya Jammu and Kashmir, while earlier reports from the Dar-ul-Uloom Qureshia Sheeri congregation also record his participation as one of the principal speakers.
The scholars said that Islam does not sanction violence against innocent people and that Muslims must demonstrate through their conduct the values of compassion, tolerance, peace and social responsibility.They also cautioned against internal divisions and urged people to rise above sectarian differences and work collectively for the betterment of society. Speakers emphasised that religious education should go hand in hand with contemporary knowledge, particularly for young people.
Moulana Tariq Ahmad Mishbahi stressed that Muslim youth should pursue professional and contemporary courses alongside religious education so that they can compete for opportunities in different sectors and contribute meaningfully to society.The speakers maintained that education without character building could not achieve its true purpose, stressing the need to cultivate honesty, discipline, respect for parents and compassion for fellow human beings.
They said parents occupy a position of great respect in Islam and called upon the younger generation to uphold family values and treat parents with dignity in accordance with the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Mohammad (SAW).The scholars said Muslims were facing challenges on several fronts and needed to reassess their priorities rather than allowing internal disagreements to weaken the community.
They urged the people to invest in education, character development and the upbringing of children while remaining committed to religious values.“Muslims need to strengthen themselves with both religious and contemporary knowledge. At a time when communities across the world are facing complex challenges, our priorities must be clear and balanced,” the speakers said.
They further called for unity and peaceful coexistence, saying that progress and development could only be achieved when people worked together irrespective of caste, creed, community or religious differences.The congregation concluded with special prayers for peace, prosperity and harmony in Jammu and Kashmir and across the world.Dar-ul-Uloom Qureshia Sheeri has previously hosted similar annual religious and Dastar Bandi congregations, with the institution serving as an important centre of Quranic and religious education in the Sheeri-Narwav area. Earlier coverage of its congregation recorded the participation of several of the same prominent scholars and highlighted education, character building, brotherhood, peace and unity as central themes.