A grand launching programme of the eagerly awaited state-wide Dawah Campaign – ‘Islam For All’ (9 -18 January 2015) by the Maharashtra chapter of Jamaat-e Islami Hind (JIH) was held on 3 January in the presence of a galaxy of Islamic scholars, intellectuals and an audience of thousands of men and women at Jalsa Hall, Jogeshwari, Mumbai.
The programme started with the recitation of a passage from Surah Bani Israil of the Holy Qur’ān, after which the convenor of this campaign, Abdus Sami, Secretary, Department of Dawah, JIH Maharashtra, inaugurated the function, giving a brief introduction of the campaign through which three crore fellow countrymen would be reached.
The compére, Mateen then invited the state President of JIH, Mr. Taufiq Aslam Khan to address the audience. Mr. Khan spoke on the scope and activities of JIH and averred that the purpose of this campaign is to change the hearts of our fellow countrymen rather than changing their religion, and that we would strive to clear all the misconceptions they harbour about Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) through this endeavour.
Next, a series of video presentations on Female Foeticide, Corruption and Sexual Harassment vis-à-vis Islam were shown which, true to the proverb, spoke more than a thousand words.
Keeping pace with the times, three free android mobile applications in multiple vernacular languages – Qur’an For All, Islam For All and Muhammad For All were also launched on the occasion to acquaint our fellow countrymen with the beautiful message of Islam.
A view of the audience at the Dawah campaign launching programme
Mr. Arun Gadve Patil was then requested to share his thoughts on women’s status in Islam. Mr. Patil, former President of Maratha Seva Sangh, said he was deeply inspired with the holistic guidance offered in the Qur’ān for a morally upright life and earnestly appealed to the Muslims to spread its message to one and all. He emphasised that just as Islam was successful in purging the Arab society from all its social evils over 1400 years ago, so also Islam is the only solution to all our problems today, provided it is implemented in letter and spirit.
Similarly, Prof. B. M. Herdekar from Shivaji University, Kolhapur was all praise for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and his anti-apartheid policies. He said that the rights Islam has enshrined in favour of all human beings and women in particular need to be conveyed to the world so that plausible solutions to our social concerns can be delivered.
What a spectacular and awe-inspiring sight it was when religious scholars from all major Islamic schools of thought – Shia, Sunni and Ahle Hadees – shared not only the stage but were also unanimous in their support for JIH’s noble campaign!
Maulana Khaleelur Rahman Sajjad Nomani, Hafiz Jameel Ahmad (Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Malegaon), Shia scholar Syed Zaheer Abbas Rizvi (Zainabiyah Trust), Maulana Mahmud Ahmad Daryabadi (General Secretary, All India Ulema Council) and Maulana Abdul Hameed Azhari (Kul Jamati Tanzeem, Malegaon) spoke at length about the campaign being the need of the hour. In one voice, they said that it is the primary responsibility of all Muslims to propagate the universal message of Islam among all human beings since it is Islam alone which guarantees peace and prosperity to each and every person – both in this life and in the hereafter as well.
The Presidential address was delivered by the Vice-President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Muhammad Jafar, who expounded upon the various social vices we face today and the solutions Islam offers for each one of them. He encouraged all Muslims to make the mission of Dawah the mission of their lives.
After the vote of thanks, extended by Afzal Baig, Organiser of JIH, Mumbai, the programme reached its conclusion with a supplication beseeching Allah for his help, forgiveness and mercy.