By Manzar Imam
New Delhi: Results of the “Infinite Light Contest’ started in different cities of India on an objective question type written competition based on the book by the same name by M. Fethullah Gulen were announced here on Friday 15 March at the Stein Auditorium at India Habitat Centre. The winners were handed over cheques. Mohammad Saleh Khan of Kashmir and S.M. Raquib Iqbal of West Bengal won the two first prizes in the junior and senior category respectively. Out of 20 winners Fariha Afreen of Hyderabad was the only female winner of a prize. Participants of Kashmir took a lead as maximum number of prizes was won by them.
It should be noted that The Infinite Light, the book on which the contest was organized, was originally written in Turkish as “Sonsuz Nur”. The book by a leading influential Muslim educational activist, and opinion maker, Fethullah Gulen, is an analytical biography of Prophet Muhammad. It has been translated in over thirty languages of the world. The contest was organized to introduce the life of Prophet Muhammad to the young generation irrespective of religion.
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Speaking on this occasion, Minority Affairs Minister, K Rahman Khan shed light on the life and message of Prophet Muhammad. He said that the messenger of Allah brought a light and guidance for the entire humanity. If we have problems today, it is because we have forgotten those teachings. He said, “There are some people with a sick mentality who keep propagating wrong things about the Prophet”. He said that the contest was a better means to spread the message of the Prophet. He said that Muslims’ responsibility did not end at a particular point. If certain misguided people take a wrong path, Muslims need to think why they have taken that route.
While offering his supplication to the Messenger of Allah, Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani said, “We are ashamed oh Prophet of Allah that we have forgotten most of what you taught us.” You taught us that our God is one, all human beings were sons and daughters of one person and that the message sent by God for humanity’s success was one. We engage ourselves in things which are impure. Islam did not begin with Muhammad, it was completed by Muhammad, he added.
Maulana Salman Hasani Nadwi said that there was no place on earth where no one was sent with the message of guidance. Man forgets who his guide is, and that’s where the problem begins. He said, “It is grave mistake to think that Muhammad (SAWS) was sent only for the guidance of Muslims”. He came for all humanity. And the Quran, revealed to him, is the book for everyone. He also appreciated the work of Fethullah Gulen.
Maulana Sufyan Qasmi of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband said that there was restlessness in the world and Muslims being the followers of Prophet Muhammad needed to introspect. They need to think where they have gone wrong and they have to make sure which direction they need to look for.
Activist and Arya Samaj scholar, Swami Agnivesh said that a question often rose in my mind why Muslims did not get angry with what they should be angry. Muslims today do not stop and think for a moment whether the Prophet would have been angry the way they get angry.
Muhammad never placed himself as God. Similarly, neither Rama nor Krishna called themselves god. It is therefore wrong to start worshipping the message-bearers of God. He asked people to follow the true message of Prophet Muhammad. He further said that the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, are all Allah’s trust and gift for us. Then why aren’t Muslims getting angry when in the name of development governments are polluting these gifts of Allah?, he questioned.
Turkish Ambassador to India Burak Akcapar talked about the old linkages between India and Turkey and asked to revive and strengthen those bonds. We go back a long way and Turkish India relationships have very very deep roots. We are victims of television cultures and we don’t read much. Despite all new technological advancement we are not closure to our roots, he said.
People are united across borders by certain common threads. We need interfaith dialogue; we need to respect each other across faith. Violence is a big issue that has encountered the world. Violence is a method which cannot be allowed to advance in our society, said he. The Ambassador also congratulated the winners.
Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi of Darul Uloom Deoband (Waqf), Dr. Iftikharuddin Mohammad of MESCO (Modern Educational Social & Cultural Organization), Hyderabad, Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati, regional head of Chinmaya Mission, Delhi and other prominent figures were present. Mustafa Ozcan, Rector of Fatih University, Istanbul, presided over the award programme and Kamal Faruqui, national secretary of Samajwadi Party coordinated it.
[Manzar Imam, a Delhi-based Journalist, is Special Correspondent of IndianMuslimObserver.com. He can be reached at manzarkhalil@gmail.com]
New Delhi: Results of the “Infinite Light Contest’ started in different cities of India on an objective question type written competition based on the book by the same name by M. Fethullah Gulen were announced here on Friday 15 March at the Stein Auditorium at India Habitat Centre. The winners were handed over cheques. Mohammad Saleh Khan of Kashmir and S.M. Raquib Iqbal of West Bengal won the two first prizes in the junior and senior category respectively. Out of 20 winners Fariha Afreen of Hyderabad was the only female winner of a prize. Participants of Kashmir took a lead as maximum number of prizes was won by them.
It should be noted that The Infinite Light, the book on which the contest was organized, was originally written in Turkish as “Sonsuz Nur”. The book by a leading influential Muslim educational activist, and opinion maker, Fethullah Gulen, is an analytical biography of Prophet Muhammad. It has been translated in over thirty languages of the world. The contest was organized to introduce the life of Prophet Muhammad to the young generation irrespective of religion.
While offering his supplication to the Messenger of Allah, Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani said, “We are ashamed oh Prophet of Allah that we have forgotten most of what you taught us.” You taught us that our God is one, all human beings were sons and daughters of one person and that the message sent by God for humanity’s success was one. We engage ourselves in things which are impure. Islam did not begin with Muhammad, it was completed by Muhammad, he added.
Maulana Salman Hasani Nadwi said that there was no place on earth where no one was sent with the message of guidance. Man forgets who his guide is, and that’s where the problem begins. He said, “It is grave mistake to think that Muhammad (SAWS) was sent only for the guidance of Muslims”. He came for all humanity. And the Quran, revealed to him, is the book for everyone. He also appreciated the work of Fethullah Gulen.
Maulana Sufyan Qasmi of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband said that there was restlessness in the world and Muslims being the followers of Prophet Muhammad needed to introspect. They need to think where they have gone wrong and they have to make sure which direction they need to look for.
Activist and Arya Samaj scholar, Swami Agnivesh said that a question often rose in my mind why Muslims did not get angry with what they should be angry. Muslims today do not stop and think for a moment whether the Prophet would have been angry the way they get angry.
Muhammad never placed himself as God. Similarly, neither Rama nor Krishna called themselves god. It is therefore wrong to start worshipping the message-bearers of God. He asked people to follow the true message of Prophet Muhammad. He further said that the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, are all Allah’s trust and gift for us. Then why aren’t Muslims getting angry when in the name of development governments are polluting these gifts of Allah?, he questioned.
Turkish Ambassador to India Burak Akcapar talked about the old linkages between India and Turkey and asked to revive and strengthen those bonds. We go back a long way and Turkish India relationships have very very deep roots. We are victims of television cultures and we don’t read much. Despite all new technological advancement we are not closure to our roots, he said.
People are united across borders by certain common threads. We need interfaith dialogue; we need to respect each other across faith. Violence is a big issue that has encountered the world. Violence is a method which cannot be allowed to advance in our society, said he. The Ambassador also congratulated the winners.
Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi of Darul Uloom Deoband (Waqf), Dr. Iftikharuddin Mohammad of MESCO (Modern Educational Social & Cultural Organization), Hyderabad, Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati, regional head of Chinmaya Mission, Delhi and other prominent figures were present. Mustafa Ozcan, Rector of Fatih University, Istanbul, presided over the award programme and Kamal Faruqui, national secretary of Samajwadi Party coordinated it.
[Manzar Imam, a Delhi-based Journalist, is Special Correspondent of IndianMuslimObserver.com. He can be reached at manzarkhalil@gmail.com]