By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Kazakhstan has conferred its national award upon Dr Hathal Homoud Alotiabi, President, of International Islamic University (IIU), in recognition of his services.
The award was conferred by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin, and Dr. Bulat Sarsenbayev, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Kazakhstan’s Institute for Development of Inter-civilizational Dialogue, on behalf of the President of Kazakhstan, in the concluding ceremony of a conference on the Sirah of the Prophet (PBUH) held at the Faisal Masjid campus of the university.
The two-day international conference titled Sirah, Civic Sense, and Tolerance was organized with a joint venture of Pak-Saudi governments by the International Centre of Excellence for Sirah Studies, the Islamic Research Institute, and the IRI of the International Islamic University.
The concluding ceremony of the conference was chaired by the Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, H.E. Aneeq Ahmed. The Minister of Religious Affairs said that the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) teach us peaceful coexistence, mercy, and good behavior. Anees Ahmad said that the Quran and Sunnah are the only ways that tell the rules of how to build a society and to live a life.
Addressing the youth, he said that the life of the Prophet (PBUH) is the best role model for them; they should connect with religion because it shows the way to the betterment of this world and the hereafter.
He further said that the youth of Pakistan are an omen of the country’s bright future. On this occasion, he also visited the Sirat-un-Nabi exhibition organized in connection with the conference and took a special interest in the rare books and manuscripts there. The Federal Minister of Religious Affairs said that International Islamic University is serving society by organizing conferences on important topics like Sirat-un-Nabi.
Speakers of national and international repute presented more than 100 research papers at this two-day conference. On the occasion, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Kazakhstan’s Institute for Development of Inter-civilizational Dialogue, Dr. Bulat Sarsenbayev, shed light on the social aspects of Islam, Islam’s message of love for humanity, and various aspects of the Prophet’s (PBUH) biography.
Addressing the conference, President of the International Islamic University, Dr. Hathal Homoud Alotaibi, said that the life of the Prophet (PBUH) teaches the establishment of a peaceful society, while tolerance, mercy, and kindness are its prominent features.
He said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) forbade the loss of innocent human lives and damage to houses and crops even in the conditions of war and proved that he has been truly sent as a mercy for all the world.
He said that today there is a need to build societies in light of the holy life of the Prophet (PBUH). He said the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, religious and personal freedom, and forgiveness are the core values of Islam.
On this occasion, the chief organizer of the conference and DG Research Institute, Dr. Zia-ul-Haq, informed the guests about the objectives, goals, and recommendations of the conference and thanked them.
The participants of the conference recommended a sustained organization of conferences, seminars, training workshops, research projects, and similar academic activities focusing on civic sense and tolerance about the Sirah of the Prophet (PBUH).
They also recommended redesigning Sirah studies syllabi across all educational levels to instill values and principles derived from the Sirah of the Prophet (PBUH) into educational curricula, thereby contributing to the reconstruction of society in alignment with these ethical standards.
