A 10-day conference (Apr 27 to May 6) of Ulama and madrasa graduates was organised by Department of Islamic Society, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind at the JIH headquarters in New Delhi. About two hundred Ulama from all States in the country and belonging to different schools of thought, who had graduated from the various madrasas and are rendering their services in maktabs and madrasas as teachers or in mosques as imams and khateebs, participated in the conference. On the last day of the conference the participants unanimously issued this Declaration:
- There are two strong foundations of unity among the Muslim Ummah in the form of the Book of God and the Sunnah of the Holy Messenger. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said: “I am leaving behind two things among you: one, the Book of Allah and the other, my Sunnah. As long as you hold fast these two, you won’t go astray.” So the Muslims ought to get united and be in agreement on the basis of the Book and the Sunnah.
- This message of Allah the Exalted and His teachings and guidance are there in the form of the Holy Qur’ān. This teaches human beings the way to lead life. But it is a pity that there is no trend of reading the Qur’ān with understanding. It is the duty of Ulama to make the teachings of the Qur’ān public and create among Muslims a trend to read it with understanding.
- Ulama and imams are religious leaders of Muslim masses. They hold their respect, honour and confidence. Therefore, it is their duty to undertake the task of providing religious guidance for them through Friday sermons and discourses on other occasions.
- Islam is the True Deen Allah has revealed for the guidance of all human beings. To convey it to the servants of God and to prove its truthfulness in the face of false beliefs and ideologies is the duty of Muslim Ummah and in particular of Ulama.
- It is a fact that Muslim masses have fallen victim to many unjustifiable customs. These customs have nothing to do with the Deen rather they are the outcome of the influence of un-Islamic culture and civilization. It is the duty of Ulama and Imams to present the real teachings of Islam before Muslim masses and make them aware of the ill consequences of these customs.
- To make arrangement of religious education and tarbiyah for the new generation of Muslims is the most important need of the time. Hence it is the duty of Ulama and Imams to establish maktabs, centres for adult education, night maktabs and other institutions in their respective vicinities and mosques so that the children receiving modern education and other illiterate persons as well might get necessary religious education.
- The Muslim Ummah is divided in different sects. There had been a lot of differences and conflicts among the followers of these sects. It is the duty of Ulama and Imams to behave broadmindedly and raise themselves above sectarian differences. They should teach the masses that all jurisprudential sects are true; so it is not proper to air differences on the basis of these differences.
- Different madrasas, federations, organisations and institutions are working in the country. An environment of cooperation among them should be established. Allah the Exalted says: “Cooperate with each other in matters noble and pious.”
- The enemies of Islam and Muslims, under various pretexts, want to create difference and division among them and Muslim masses very easily fall victim to them. It is the duty of Ulama to see through these conspiracies and save the masses from falling prey to them, and defeat these conspiracies with their wisdom and prudence.
- It is necessary that the Ulama related to the various madrasas, sects and organisations exhibit their sense of unity and conformity. It would send a good message to the masses, and bridge the gulf found in their midst.
- Such conferences should be organised at regional and state levels in other parts of the country as well. It would bring into light unity among the Ulama and remind them about their responsibilities.
- It is also the responsibility of Ulama and Imams that they do not remain confined to imparting religious guidance to the Muslim masses rather undertake Dawah work among the countrymen. This is their Islamic obligation. Further, it would remove their misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims, and create an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood in the country.
- This representative conference of Ulama and Imams sees with grave concern the arresting of Muslim youth on terror charges. It feels this is a deep conspiracy to implicate Muslim youth and defame them. This conference demands from the Government of India to reach out to the real perpetrators, bring them to book, and redress the excesses done to Muslim youth, keeping in view the requirements of equity and justice.