The Required Sectarian Harmony!

While addressing a large gathering of religious scholars belonging to different schools of thought in Jinnah Ground, Azizabad, the MQM`s leader Mr. Altaf Hussain said,

“Sectarian harmony is the need of the hour. The Quran also speaks about holding fast the rope of Allah and be not divided.” Mr. Hussain appealed to the religious scholars to preach love and brotherhood. He said that a conspiracy was being hatched to ignite sectarian strife especially in Karachi. People should frustrate this conspiracy by remaining united and showing respect to each other.

In our society, there is always a gap between the common people and those of the ones who are called the religious minded people. As a result, there has always been an unannounced segregation of social responsibilities between the two classes. For the matters purely relating to the religion, only the religious scholars, priests, Molvis or Imam Sahiban are looked to for solutions. In contrast to it, the common people have been actively involving in the affairs belonging to the society, while the religious scholars have generally kept themselves away from these. But, whenever there emerged any dispute or dissent in a family or between any two groups of the society, people always sought help from the priests to resolve the same.

This is what that has been taking place for hundreds of years. But, the question is, if any difference of opinion arises between any two priests or religious sects, who would make them resolve it? Practically, we hardly came across a situation in which a common man played any role in helping the different priests, sects or religious parties in order to settle their disputes. Perhaps, this is one of the most important reasons why there are so many religious groups, parties or sects working in our society, despite that fact that all of them preach the same way of Islam which will take Muslims to the same common destination.

However, this common and long undone act took place when a political leader organized a large gathering of religious scholars belonging to different schools of thought in Jinnah Ground, Karachi in order to promote sectarian harmony. We know very well that due to the killings on sectarian basis in Baluchistan and Sindh, sectarian tension was rising and, thus, it was the need of the time to bride a gap between them. The meeting organized by MQM was to serve the same purpose. Moreover, it was not the first meeting of its nature; rather, MQM leadership had been holding this type of regular meetings for decades in Muharram-ul-Haram, Rabii-ul-Awwal and Ramadan-ul-Mubarak. Urgent meetings in case of need were also in addition to these.

To tell the truth, this is the kind of role that all the politicians as well as the civil society need to play for the sake of maintaining not only sectarian harmony, but also the religious, ethnic and political harmony. That is exactly what that Pakistan has been lacking in for decades.  

Honestly speaking, it would be unfair not to praise the efforts being made by MQM and its leadership for the sake of restoring the sectarian harmony in the country, especially in Karachi. Not only that, we would have to acknowledge the positive response of the religious scholars as well who not only sat together by putting their differences aside, but also agreed to work together. This was a very pleasant message that went across Pakistan through this meeting.

Taking into account the increasing attacks for targeting a specific sect, it seems to be a conspiracy afoot to spark sectarian violence in the country. Therefore, the government and the security forces will have to stop the killings of innocent people because if it continued ceaselessly it might cause irreparable damage to the country.

The political leadership of MQM as well as the religious scholars from all the school of thoughts have done their job; they cannot militarily take any action against the evil forces at all. Now it is the responsibility of the law-enforcement agencies to counter all the conspiracies and the planners so that no one can dare to create a misunderstanding among the different communities living here. May Allah enable all of us to sincerely and actively for harmony in Pakistan…..Aameen!