ISLAMABAD, Oct 15 (APP):Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Mohammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said on Friday that Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and its allies were in favor of making legislation against forcible conversion to Islam.
Talking to media after the Seerat conference, Tahir Ashrafi said it was not appropriate to slap restrictions on the aspirants who wanted to convert to Islam.
He said that Islam is the protector of women’s rights, not giving women the right to inheritance and depriving them of education is anti-Sharia.
He said that those who demand implementation of Nizam-e-Mustafa must start from their very homes, taking care of the rights of neighbours and orphans, keep one’s areas, neighborhoods clean, do not make land grabbing, and do not take bribe.
“It is the responsibility of Muslims to protect the rights of women and minorities,” Ashrafi said.
Meanwhile, speaking in Friday sermons on the topic titled “Rights of Women and Minorities in the light of ‘Seerat-e-Mustafa’ (PBUH),” Ulema, religious scholars and prayer leaders said the foremost and basic requirement of claiming to be a true follower of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was to refrain from indulging in social offences such as bribery, adulteration, lies and committing human right violations.
The religious scholars and prayer leaders said everyone should contribute in transforming the country in ‘Madinah-style state.’
They said Islam is the protector of the rights of non-Muslims and women and there is no concept of coercion in Islam, if anyone tries to make someone forcibly convert to Islam, he should be punished severely.
The clerics stressed not serving the foods among the mourners on the death of a person as it burden the heirs of the deceased.
Likewise, the family of a bridegroom must not demand dowry from bride’s parents. Treating non-Muslims with kindness and respect is part and parcel of the basic Islamic principles.
Islam did not seek to spread the faith through forced conversion. Allah, the Almighty says in the Quran “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path.”(Al-Baqarah:256).
The clerics said that daughter is a mercy not a nuisance adding that girls should be educated and practice of dowry should be stopped.
