Islamabad, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said that the blessed life (Seerah) of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is a comprehensive, illuminating and practical model for all humanity. He said this while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day International Seerah Conference held at Allama Iqbal Open University.
The Minister further said that every aspect of the Prophet’s ﷺ life morality, justice, tolerance, compassion and wisdom—provides the best solutions to the challenges of the modern age.
The Federal Minister added that the Sufi saints not only described the Seerah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ but also presented a living model of it through their conduct and actions, guiding us in the process. Today, various institutions are continuing this mission within their respective domains.
The Minister said that the Ministry of Religious Affairs organizes a Seerah Conference every year, grants awards to authors writing on the Seerah and works to widely convey this message effectively. He stated that the successful arrangement of the Seerah Conference at Allama Iqbal Open University is an important link in this chain, and the university administration, the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies and the Vice Chancellor truly deserve congratulations.
Vice-Chancellor AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood said that no human better than the Prophet ﷺ has ever come, nor will ever come and his Seerah is a light for every era. The Sufis of the subcontinent did not merely learn this Seerah from books; they enlivened it through their actions. The Vice Chancellor said that equality, compassion, simplicity, self-purification and distance from worldly power were the practical teachings of the Sufis of the Indian subcontinent.
Dr. Nasir Mahmood further stated that the Sufis infused their deep love for the Holy Prophet ﷺ into every aspect of life in such a way that society continued to learn from their character. He expressed hope that today’s discussion would also help us understand this heritage and use it as a means to improve our lives.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Al-Arabi Bouazizi from Jamiat Ez-Zaytouna, Tunisia delivered his keynote address on the services of the Sufis of the Indian subcontinent in promoting the Seerah. The Dean of the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Professor Dr. Shah Mohyuddin Hashmi, also shed light on various aspects of the Seerah and the contributions of the Sufis in this regard. The Head of the Seerah Studies Department, Prof/ Dr. Shah Moeen-ud-Din Hashmi presented aim and objectives of the conference in detail.
On the first day of the conference, following the inaugural session, Academic Session (1), a parallel Academic Session (2), and a combined parallel academic session will be held. On the second day, Academic Session (1), parallel Academic Session (2), and the concluding ceremony will take place. A total of 50 research papers on the Seerah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ will be presented.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
