By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: “To solve social problems, everyone must change their thinking so that we can promote a peaceful and civilized society free from intellectual chaos”, said Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood on Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening session of three-day international conference on ‘Ijtehad Bilmaqasid’ Dr. Nasir said that the new problems are arising rapidly, and we have the way of Ijtihad for the solution in Islam, which explain the causes to the people with reason.
Vice Chancellor emphasized that in these three days, the participants and speakers will come up with recommendations on this topic for the guidance of institutions, scholars and researchers working on Ijtihad.
Dean, Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Prof. Dr. Mohyuddin Hashmi, highlighted the aims and objectives of the conference, stating that this is the first conference on this topic in Pakistan.
Over 100 articles were submitted for the conference, and approximately 50 foreign and local scholars and teachers are participating. Naib Mohtamim and Shaikh Al-Hadith, Jamia Imdadiya, Faisalabad, Maulana Mufti Muhammad Zahid, explained that Ijtihad Bilmaqasid is essentially Ijtihad that yields results, allowing us to understand the outcomes required by Sharia and the intentions of Allah and the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He congratulated VC, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Dean, Faculty of Arabic and the other organizers for this three-day international conference.
The speakers at the conference emphasized the importance of ijtihad in Islam and highlighted that the religion has kept the door of ijtihad open for addressing modern challenges. They urged scholars to engage in ijtihad based on the Qur’an and Sunnah to address contemporary issues facing the Ummah.
The conference was organized by the Department of Islamic Thought, History and Culture at AIOU in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Jamia Muhammadi Sharif, Chiniot.
Notable speakers included Prof. Dr. Saeedur Rehman from Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan, Retd. Judge from Maldives, Hasan Saeed, Dr. Hafiz Rao Farhan Ali, and Dr. Hafiz Saeed Rehman from AIOU.
