HYDERABAD:While the world still argues about the role, rights, positioning and status of women in society, Islam accords them incredibly high regard, albeit it stresses diverse yet complementary responsibilities for both men and women to perform.
These views were expressed by VC University of Sindh Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat in his presidential remarks at the opening session of a two-day National Conference on ‘The problems of women and their solution in the light of teachings of Islam’ organized by SU Department of comparative religion and Islamic culture at Shaikh Ayaz auditorium of the faculty of arts building.
Vice chancellor Dr. Burfat cited to the keenly interested audience in rapt attention, instances from the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa SAWW’s life in which the Prophet (PBUH) accorded highest honor to his beloved daughter Bibi Fatimat-u-Zehra Salamula-a Alaiha and to his esteemed spouse Bibi Khadijat-ul-Kubra Salamulah-a Alaiha.
“The nefarious social practices as regard women that we witness happening in society including honor-killing, barter marriages, pre-mature marriages, offering of women as penalty in tribal feuds, forced marriages, and preference of sons over daughters, when it comes to award of scores of privileges; were all against the spirit of teachings of Islam”. Dr. Burfat elucidated.
The vice chancellor, congratulating the organizing squad, expressed the hope that the deliberations of the moot will open further avenues leading to the development of consolidated inventory of problems faced by women; and will hopefully be formulating recommendations ushering sustainable resolution of the same.
Event chief guest and keynote speaker Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology Pakistan and former vice chancellor of University of Peshawar Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz, in his address entitled ‘Early-age marriages in the light of international law’ said that several Islamic states including Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Syria, Albania, Bangladesh, Algiers, Tunisia and Iraq – the average marriage age was around 18-21 years; adding that they had also joined those ranks by legislating 18 years as the minimum age for both men and women.
“The council had deliberated the issue of appropriate marriage age for women in greatest possible detail in its recent meetings and had come to the conclusion thereby to recommend to the government and the parliament to sensitize and educate public on this issue with a view to level ground for parliamentary legislation to this effect that, the forum thought, would prove effective through mass acceptance and practice”. Dr. Qibla Ayaz informed.
Dr. Qibla lamented the plight of women even in the ongoing ultra-modern times and attributed it to lack of education, social apathy and slow-paced implementation of relevant laws.
Guest of honor and head of Research and Development Foundation Ashfaq Ahmed Soomro bemoaned the fact that women were not treated at par in most countries around the globe despite all the proclamation to enlightenment and coming aloft of civil liberties.
He hailed the conference as a significant step forward in the given spectrum, articulating optimism for substantial good to emerge from the insights of the moot.
Dean, SU faculty of Islamic studies Prof Dr Hafiz Munir Ahmed Khan presented welcome note.
Chairman, SU Department of comparative religion and Islamic culture Prof Dr Bashir Ahmed Rind tendered vote of thanks.
Prof Dr MK Sangi of SU Institute of English Language and Literature moderated the proceedings of this inaugural session of the conference.