Event sees active participation from around nine hundred registrations from nearly ten countries
Srinagar, Sep 30: With only little over a month now, the Shah-i-Hamdhan Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir has successfully conducted yet another two-day International Webinar, this time on the theme “Tasawwuf (Sufism) and Inter-Religious Dialogue: Concept and the Contemporary Relevance.”
According to statement received by Kashmir Glory, around 900 participants had registered within and outside the country, including Bangladesh, Gambia, Maldives, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen to attend the event through Google Meet.
The Webinar, as per the statement, traditionally started with the recitation of the Glorious Qur’an by Hafiz Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmad Shah, Assistant Professor, Department of Persia University of Kashmir, followed by welcome address of Director of the Webinar Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, Head Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies.
In his welcome address, as per the statement, Prof. Bhat gave an overview on the theme of the Webinar and stressed its need, particularly when the world at large seems to be going more into the material pursuits at the cost of spiritual solace, maintaining that a balance needs to be striked for a better and inclusive view of the things.
Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir, the worthy Registrar of the University of Kashmir in his inaugural speech, as per the statement, congratulated the Department at the very outset for timely organizing of such an academic event with immense importance even as assuring every kind of assistance for the future events as well.
Dr. Nisar, as per the statement, deliberated upon the spritual aspect which a human by nature is always looking for consciously or unconsciously.
Dr. Nisar’s remarks were followed by the Keynote address delivered by His Eminence the Hon’ble President of Maulana Azad University Jodhpur Rajasthan, Padma Shri Prof. Akhtar-u-Wasey.
The Hon’ble President, as per the statement, eloquently discussed the role of ‘Tasawwuf’ and its importance in contemporary times focussing upon its inclusive character from within, while frequently quoting references from the Sufis of Indian Subcontinent in the medieval times.
His speech, as per the statement, won over the hearts of the participants, a good number of whom being non-Muslims.
The concluding speech, on Day 1, was delivered by the Director, Centre for Sheikh ul Alam Studies University of Kashmir, Prof. G. N. Khaki.
Prof. Khaki, as per the statement, extensively deliberated upon the Pluralistic heritage which Sufis carried along with them during early period, especifically from Central Asia.
Prof. Khaki’s paper was well crafted and provided deep insights and literally opened pandora box for revisiting the lost heritage viz-a-viz Sufic ethos, the statement reads.
The vote of thanks, as per the statement, was extended by Dr. Nasir Nabi, Assistant Professor, Shah-i-Hamdhan Institute of Islamic Studies and the whole session was co-ordinated by Dr. Burhan Rashid, Faculty member SHIIS, KU.
The Day 2 of Webinar, as usual, started with the recitation of the Glorious Qur’an by Hafiz Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmad Shah.
Dr. Nasir Nabi while welcoming participants and Resource Persons of the Day, assured of many such Webinars to be conducted on vibrant themes in near future as well, the statement reads.
Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, Head Department of Religious Studies, Central University of Kashmir, delivered Keynote address in which he, as per the statement, wonderfully stressed the need for inter-faith dialogue while connecting the dots with the precedents from Sufic traditions.
Prof. Marazi’s speech, as per the statement, was like putting ocean into droplet with his beautifully designed and structured discourse on the subject.
The next speaker in line was Dr. Alan Abd al-Haqq Godlas, Associate Professor, Department of Religions, University of Georgia Athens, who, as per the statement, primarily focused upon the Inter-Religious dialogue from Psychological perspective where in Godlas, discussed human behaviour as a prime factor in bringing peace and tranquility what he called as re-humanization viz-a-viz Sufism and Sufic practices like shukr, dhikr, infaq etc.
Dr. Godlas’ paper, as per the statement, was more like a case study within the gamut of psycho-sufic ethos.
The Valedictory address was delivered by Prof. G. Y. Anjum, Former Dean, School of Humanities, Jamia Hamdard.
“Prof. Anjum in his heart touching speech exclusively focussed upon the tolerance shown by the reputed Sufi Ulemas of the past in the Indian Subcontinent.”
“While maintaining that Shari’ah and ‘Ilm al-Suluk (tariqah) are indispensable for Muslims but given the circumstances in which whole world has been engulfed in contemporary times demand that we should revive the culture of inter and intra tolerance both within and outside”, Anjum as per the statement observed, while quoting the examples of Khanqas of the medieval times that can be taken as reference to combat challenges.
The Webinar concluded with the final remarks from the Director of the Webinar, Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat itself.
Prof. Bhat, as per the statement, impressed that since valley is known as ‘Peer Vaer’, the Department deemed it most appropriate to organize the Webinar on such crucial theme which will cover both Spiritual aspects of Islam and Inter-faith dialogue and pave way for peace and stability.
While paying rich tributes to the founder of the Department, Late Professor Mushir-ul-Haq, who was the then Hon’ble VC of University of Kashmir, Prof. Bhat, as per the statement, equally and in the same breath acknowledged and highly appreciated the people who structured the Department over the past 3 decades including Prof. S. M. Yunus Gilani, Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, Prof. Naseem Ahmad Shah and Prof. Abdul Rashid Bhat.
In the last portion, as per the statement, the Director himself proposed official ‘Vote of Thanks’ to all the dignitaries, resource persons, participants and colleagues from the Department.
The whole session was co-ordinated by Dr. Burhan Rashid, and technical support provided by Dr. Bilal Ahmad Wani – Faculty members, S.H. Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir.
Pertinent to mention here that the Shah-i-Hamdhan Institute of Islamic Studies had on 25-26 last month conducted a two-day International Webinar on the theme ‘Islamic Perspective on Contemporary Biomedical Issues.’
