DOHA: Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently held a lecture under the title “Gilani’s model of the study of religions.”
The public talk was held in the Muhammad bin Hamad Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilization, a research center of HBKU.
The talk was presented by
Dr Muhammad Modassir Ali who works as research coordinator at the centre.
Dr Modassir started by introducing Sheikh Manazir Ahsan Gilani’s life and academic career and went on to talk about his model for the study of religions.
He said that Gilani emphasised the universality of revelation, the brotherhood of humanity through the brotherhood of prophets, and the eternity of basic religious truths as the three basic principles which ought to guide a Muslim’s study of other religions.
Dr Modassir also pointed out that Gilani’s starting point was the simple Qur’anic testimony that the religion in the eyes of Allah is Islam (the religion of all prophets).
He elaborated on how Islam, as the last and final religion revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), merely acknowledged and authenticated the truths of the previous religions and called its followers to seek the original message of truth, realising that it was essentially one and the same based on the Oneness of God.
Dr Modassir then went on to show through Gilani’s writings how he brings out this aspect by comparing Islam to Hinduism with respect to their commonalities. The talk was followed by a question and answer session in which several students and faculty members participated with their comments and critique.
The Peninsula
