National Seminar on “Perspective on the Crises in the Contemporary Muslim World”

Seminar Report

Prepared by:

Tauseef Ahmad Parray,
Doctoral Candidate, Islamic Studies,
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh , India.

tauseef.parray21@gmail.com>

National Seminar on

“Perspective on the Crises in the Contemporary Muslim World”

Organized by Department of Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, India, on 3-4 April 2012

A two-day national seminar on “Perspectives on the Crises in the Contemporary Muslim World” organized by Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, Aligarh, was inaugurated today in the Conference Hall of the Department of Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, India.

Beginning with the ‘Recitation from the holy Quran’ by Maulana Sadiq Akhtar Nadwi. Prof. Mahmudul Haq, Ex-Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, addressed the programme as Chief Guest. Highlighting the importance of the timely theme of the seminar, Ambassador Ishrat Aziz (I.F.S.; who has served as diplomat to Baghdad, Rabat, and San Francisco; and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Tunisia, and Brazil) while delivering the keynote address, made a detailed discussion on the “Challenges facing the Muslim World” internally – political, economic and intellectual. He emphasized that the “visionary leadership”, based on trust and freedom (Shura), along with “self-confidence” is lacked by Muslim world today, and what is needed is the right direction. He pointed out the internal causes that are responsible for the intellectual and ideological, social-political and economic “crises” in the Muslim world, and mentioned that “sectarianism” along with “political, economic, and intellectual”, are the important factors that are reasons for the “internal crises” faced by Muslims throughout the world in general and Arab countries in particular.

Earlier, Prof. Sayyid Ahsan, Director of the Seminar and Chairman, Department of Islamic Studies presented the ‘Welcome Address and Introductory Remarks’. He presented the outline of the importance of the timely theme of seminar as well as the genesis – in detail – of the “crises” that have occurred in the Muslim world in a historical perspective/context, (starting right from classical period of Islamic history, from Crusades to Ottoman period, from post-9/11 to post-Arab Spring eras). While laying emphasis on “geo-politics” of Middle Eastern countries, he especially referred to Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Iraq, etc. and those Arab countries where recent uprisings and revolutions have brought changes and transformations in the governmental systems, generally known as “Arab Spring”.

Presidential Address was delivered by Prof. M. Murtaza Khan, Ex-Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, while as Prof. Zafarul Islam (Ex-Chairman, Department of Islamic Studies) proposed the vote of thanks. The programme was conducted by Dr. Adam Malik Khan (Associate professor, Department of Islamic Studies), the Convener of the Seminar. The inaugural ceremony was attended by a good number of eminent personalities drawn from various fields of studies from the AMU as well as outside.

The inaugural ceremony was followed by three business sessions, attended well by the participants and delegates (hailing from Kashmir to Kerala). In the first day, there were 3 business sessions preceded by the Inaugural session. In the session I, presided over by Prof. Irfan Habib (renowned historian), and compered by Dr Abdul Majid Khan–03 papers were presented – two in English and one in Urdu – respectively by Dr Saleem Kidwai on “The Arab Spring: US and West`s Role”; Dr Afzal Misbahi on “The Arab Spring: The Role of Islamists, Media, the West, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey” (in Urdu); and the third paper was presented by Prof Habeebul Haq Ansari on “Lessons from some past and present developments for the Contemporary World of Muslims”.

In the session II, Prof A. Q. Jafri spoke on “Islamic Response to the Challenges of Terrorism in Contemporary Islamic World”; Dr Shaikh Ayaz Ahmad on “Fethulah Gülen Movement (Turkey) and its Worldwide Implications”; Dr Mohibul Haque on “Perspectives on Contemporary Issues in the Muslim World”; Prof Izhar Ahmad on “Impact of Culture in the Modern Muslim”; Shayh Manzoor Ahmad presented his paper on “Impact of Crises in the Islamic World”. Dr Ahsan Ullah Fahd on “America se Muslim Duniya ki Be-Itiminaani: Muslim Danishwaron ke Afkar ka Mutal`a” (in Urdu). The session was presided over by Prof. M. Murtaza Khan, Ex-Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, and Dr Ghazanfar Ali Khan was the compere.

In the session III, Dr Lateef Hussain S Kazmi presented his paper on “Iranian Revolution and Islamic Unity: The Role of Imam Khumayni”; Dr Kausar Fatima spoke on “Muslim Women: Time to Take Over”; Prof Ehtesham Ahmad Nadwi spoke on the “Ideological Foundations of Hizb-i-Islami in Malaysia” (in Urdu) while as Tauseef Ahmad Parray (PhD Research Scholar, Department of Islamic Studies) made his power point presentation on the “Reflections on Islam- Democracy Discourse and the Arab Spring”.

Each session was followed by debate and discussions by way of ‘Question-Answer’, in which students, research scholars, teachers and other delegates and personalities, present among the audience, participated and each session was followed by the ‘Presidential addresses’. All the business sessions witnessed discussions on the papers presented by the Scholars and research fellows. The sessions were well attended by delegates (including one Swiss researcher as well), research scholars, teachers, and by respective participants.