Musharraf for 'ruthless Jihad' against extremism

President Pervez Musharraf has called for "ruthless Jihad" against extremism and fanaticism, urging the people to work for elimination of illiteracy and poverty. "Islam", he said, "does not stand for either attitudes in faith and is a religion of peace and tolerance". While addressing the Convocation of International Islamic University here on Saturday, he said that emancipation of the Muslim world lay in this course for which all, and especially the younger generation, must work to wrest Islam from those who had "hi-jacked it for personal gains".
The Convocation, third since the inception of the University, coincided with the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the alma mater which has students from 57 nations from across the globe.
He eulogised the role of the International Islamic University in this context and said that the acceptance of its honorary degrees by South African freedom fighter Nelson R Mandela, Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, and former Malaysian Prime Minister Dun Dato Mahathir bin Mohammad reflected its international acceptance.
In his capacity as Chancellor of the University, President Musharraf conferred on the three leaders the honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws (LL D) in recognition of their services to humanity and the Muslim world. He also gave them the ceremonial robes and the colourful headgear symbolising the honour.
While Prince Hassan and Dun Dato Mahathir received the degrees personally, the Degree for Nelson Rolihlahlah Mandela was accepted by his special emissary Ahmed Kathrada who was not only "personal friend and comrade" but also cell-mate of the African freedom fighter during his long imprisonment.
In a message to the University and also to its alumni, Mandela said he regretted that his advancing years forbade him taking long journeys, and his illness this time had forbidden him from appearing at the Convocation in person. However, he urged the fresh graduates to work for elimination of social inequality and injustice by using their knowledge and work for a better world free of conflict and violence.
Musharraf addressed special remarks to the three leaders, paying tributes to their services to humanity. Despite an unusually long tenure in jail, Mandela had shun vengeance and violence and worked for creation of multi-ethnic society, he remarked.
Similarly, he had special praise for the services of Prince Hassan of Jordan and Dun Dato Mahathir bin Mohammad not only for their own people but also to the Muslim world. He said these leaders represented modern, tolerant and enlightened face of Islam which fanatics had hidden from the world.
Addressing the future leaders who were received their degrees, President Musharraf said that his was the generation to "go out" while they represented the incoming leaders. He urged them to play their part in helping the Muslim nations to revive their spirits and work for acquisition of modern knowledge.
"You must emphasise upon your compatriots the Divine message of Iqra ('read') so they 'quench the thirst for knowledge' and thus work for elimination of many social evils and poverty in their societies."
He said that modern sciences and technology were not against Islam and should not be rejected outright as some people do that in Pakistan. He said that the success of this policy would not mean victory or defeat for a concept, and also he did not wish to force his ideas on people by use of power. This was the need of the hour and people should realise its necessity in their interest of the future of the country, he added.
Referring to his recent visit to Uzbekistan, President Musharraf said he had visited the seminaries there and found them teaching a very modern curriculum containing modern sciences and technology, along with religious knowledge. But, unfortunately, he added, "if we want to do the same here in Pakistan, it is resisted" by elements who want to keep people ignorant, and monopolise religion.
However, the government has increased allocations for higher education from Rs 800 million to Rs 9.1 billion and on science and technology from Rs 180 million to Rs 6 billion, the President told a cheering audience. Besides, he said, it was encouraging that more and more students would undertake research for Ph D degree and several thousand students had gone abroad in this connection.
Speaking earlier, Prince Hassan bin Talal al Hashemi of Jordan said he stood for the kind system that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had visualised for Pakistan where all ethnic groups or religious entities could live in harmony. He said he wanted the same type of society for the Muslim world which spanned from the Atlantic coast of Morocco to the strait of Malay, and from the Everest to the shores of Malabar.
He praised the role of President Musharraf in carrying on the mission of Quaid-e-Azam with courage and persistence.
He also spoke of the reforms Musharraf had initiated, like the "devolution of power, restructuring and revitalisation of the OIC and also alleviation of poverty", and said that he shared with the Pakistani leader and also Nelson Mandela their vision of enlightened and modern man.
Hassan urged the students to inculcate the habit of deeper studies, of 'Mujahida' (struggle) for new sources to satisfy their thirst for knowledge, work for pluralism and democracy. They should also look for ways to make state accountable and also how to make the "global financial markets democratic".
He also urged his audience not to get deterred by differences of approach and opinion or religious beliefs but to work for the betterment of the society they live in.
In a very concise speech, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dun Dato Mahathir bin Mohammad called upon the "leaders of the future" to work for rule of law and removal of inequalities and injustices in the society. "And that can best be done by implementation of Islamic laws and practices."
He said that Islam is not a static religion but is a way of life for all ages and times. It is a flexible faith and believes in 'Ijtihad' (innovative interpretation). He gave an example to illustrate his viewpoint by saying that in the early years of Islam, the making of images or carving of human figures was forbidden because of the fear that people might start worshipping like in pre-Islamic days, the images of Holy Prophet or likenesses attributed to God. But now, he said, he had seen the photographs of important religious leaders in print. The fear is no more there because the spread of knowledge and enlightenment, he added.
The Rector of the University, Justice Khalil-ur-Rahman, and former Federal Minister Dr Mahmood Ahmed Ghazi who is now President of the Institution, spoke of the role of the IIU and its future plans.