Background

We the Muslims around the world and our Faith Islam are being projected and portrayed as the source of extremism, militancy and terrorism. Though it is absolutely wrong to believe but somehow the perception has gone that way. In such a scenario we are left with the following option:

·   Subscribe to the conspiracy theory, take the escapist option, get into blame game and allow the status quo to maintain.

·   Accept the challenge, go in self introspection and take necessary corrective measures.

We have taken the second option and adopt the following strategy.

Highlights:

1.     Initiating interfaith dialogue with religious and spiritual leadership belonging to major world faiths.

2.     Organizing Seminars, Conferences and Conclaves at the local, Regional, National and International levels.

3.     Institution of State, National and International Peace, Tolerance and Harmony Awards.

4.     Establishing an International Institute of Studying World Religions.

5.     Building the first HARMONY COMPOUND in India.

Details of Implementation

(Item 1 & 2)

In the last three years of our establishment to initiate Interfaith Dialogue in between the Religious and Spiritual leadership  belonging to Baha’i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikh Religion and Zoroastrianism we have organized the following events;

1.     National Interfaith Harmony Conference in New Delhi on August 6, 2005

Subject

“Concept of Peace, Tolerance and Harmony in World Religions”

Inaugural address: Former President of India Late Shri K. R. Narayanan

Presidential address: Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Member Rajya Sabha

Keynote address: His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji

Participating Indian Religious leaders:

·     Baha’i  Faith                       Mrs. Farida Vahedi

·     Buddhism                           His Holiness the Dalai Lama

·     Christianity                         Dr. Anil Ceuto, Archibishop of Delhi

·     Hinduism                            Swami Dayananda Saraswati

·     Islam                                   Maulana Waheeduddin Khan

·     Jainism                               Acharya Shri Mahapraggya JI

·     Judaism                              Abraham Benjamin

·     Sikh Religion                     Jathedar Singh Sahib Gyani Manjit Singh

·     Zoroastrianism                   Dr. Mobed Rooyintan Peshotan Peer

Participating International Religious Leaders

·        Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Founder Museum of World Religionss

·        Rev. Bawa Jain, Secretary General, World Council of Religious Leaders

·        Father Felix Machado, VATICAN

2.     National Series of Interfaith Dialogue /A three conference series

Subject

“The concept of Peaceful Co-Existence in World religions”

First Conference was held on January 31 at India International Centre, Max Meuller Marg New Delhi. Representatives from Baha’i Faith, Sikh Religion and Christianity Mr. Shatrughun Jiwnani, Dr. M. D.Thomas and Sardar Tralochan Singh, Chairman, National Minorities Commission were the key speakers. Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of mines and fertilizers was the chief guest and Swami Agnivesh chaired the proceedings. Mr. Hamid Hussain, a senior civil servant was the guest speaker and he spoke on Islamic perspective of the subject.

Second Conference of the series was held on May 13 in New Delhi. This time representatives from Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism were invited to put forth their respective viewpoint on the subject. The conference was inaugurated by President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations Dr. Karan Singh and the Former Prime Minister of India Shri Inder Kumar Gujral chaired the proceedings and released the book, titled, “ I an Indian Muslim” authored by DR. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Founder President of IFHFI. The venue was India International Centre, Max Meuller Marg. New Delhi. Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj, chief, world Nirankari Mission and Hazrat Alhaj Syed Sultan Shah Baba Qadri Chishti, an internationally acclaimed practicing Sufi of the highest order blessed the audience.

Third and the final conference of the series was again held in India International Centre in which representatives from Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism were invited and they put forth their respective views on the subject. 

3.     South Asia Interfaith Harmony Conclave-2007 (April 21-22, 2007)

Subject

“Role of Religion and Spirituality in promoting universal human values”

          Inaugural address: Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India

          Keynote address:    Dr. Karan Singh, President ICCR

          Welcome address:   Shrimati Sheila Dikshit, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi

          Valedictory Address: Dr. Kamal Hossain, Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh

           Guest of Honour: His Excellency Halil Acunci, Ambassador of Turkey in India

Participating Religious Leaders from India

·        Baha’i Faith:          Mrs. Zena Sorabjee

·        Buddhism                       Lama Doboom Tulku

·        Christianity                      His Eminence DR. Cardinal Telesphore Toppo

·        Hinduism                        His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati

·        Islam                              Maulana Jamil Ahmed Ilyasi

·        Jainism                            Muni Sri Sumer Mal Ji

·        Judaism                          Rabbi Ezeikel Isaac Malekar

·        Sikh Religion                   Jathedar Singh Sahib Gyani Joginder Singh

·        Zoroastrinism                  Dastur Dr. Jamasp Asa

Participating South Asian Religious Leaders and Intellectuals

1.     Alia Nazeer, Revolutionery Association of Women in Afghanistan

2.     Major General (R) S. M. Ibrahim, Former Director General, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies

3.     Professor Dr. Syed Anwar Hussain, Department of History, Dhaka University

4.      Sardar Asef Ali Daula, Former Foreign Mimister of Pakistan

5.     Mr. Imran Khan, President, Tehreek-e-Insaf Party of Pakistan

6.     Maulana Syed Mohammad Abdul Khabir Azad, Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid, Lahore

7.     Dr. Enver Sajjad, An eminent Intellectual of Pakistan

8.     Mr. Farrukh Sohail Goindi, President, Founder for Democracy, Pakistan

9.     Mr. Farooq Tariq, Secretary General Labour Party of Pakistan

10. Rev. DR. Jehan Perera, Executive Director, National Peace Council of Sri Lanka

11. Venerable Professor Bellanwilla Wimalaratana, Chancellor, Sri Jayaverdenapura University, Sri Lanka

12. Rev, Dr. Father Cammilus Nihal Fernando, National Executive Director, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka

13. Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, United States of America

14. DR. Abidullah Ghazi, Executive Director, Iqra International Educational Foundation, Chicago, United States of America

15. Dr. Mrs. Tasnima Khatoon, Director, Iqra International Educational Foundation, Chicago, USA

16. Chief Rabbi David Rosen, President, Yje International Committee for Interreligious Consultations, Jerusalem, Israel

17. Ms. Priya Tandon, Representative Asia, American Jewish Committee

Sponsors

1.     Indian Council for Cultural Relations

2.     The Government of Delhi

3.     The Temple of Understanding (India)

4.     National Spiritual Assembly of Baha’is

5.     Buddhist United Church / Ahimsa Trust

6.     Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India

7.     Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha

8.     All India Organization of Imams of Mosques

9.     Acharya Shri Mahapraggya Pravas Samiti

10.  Judah Hyam Synagogue

11.  Sri Akal Takhat Sahib

12.  Zarathusta Cultural Foundation/Delhi Parsi Anjuman/Parzor UNESCO Foundation

13.  Sikh Dharma International, Mexico, USA

14.  H. S. Manchanda Foundation Trust, Los Angeles, USA

15.  Iqra International Educational Foundation, Chicago, USA

16.  Indus Setu Global Foundation, Mumbai

17.  Anjuman Moiniya Fakhriya Chishtiya, Ajmer

18.   World Nirankari Mission

Item 3: Institution of Awards

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

·        Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi International Award for Universal Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Mahatama Gandhi International Award for Global Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru International Award for Inter Continental Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Baba Farid International Award for South Asia Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

NATIONAL AWARDS

·        H. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti National Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Mother Teresa National Award for Peace

·        Bahadur Shah Zafar National Award for Tolerance

·        Rajiv Gandhi National Award for Harmony

STATE AWARDS

·        H. Amir Khusro State Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Dara Shikoh State Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Maulana Abul Kalam Azad State Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar State Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony

·        Felicitations for special contribution in Global Interfaith movement

South Asia Interfaith Harmony Conclave 2007 was held on April 21-22 in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Jawahar Bhawan New Delhi. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Conclave. Inter Faith Harmony Foundation of India (IFHFI) A forum for Interfaith and Inter civilization dialogue floated by Indian Muslims was the Organizer and DR. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Founder President IFHFI the Convener.

While addressing the galaxy of religious and spiritual leaders, people of eminence in public life, diplomats, academicians and distinguished delegates from South Asian region Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Convener of the Conclave formally launched the following two projects:

·        Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi International Institute of Studying World Religions.

·        Harmony Compound, First Common Place of Worship on Earth

Item 4: Establishing International Institute of Studying World Religions

·     The Institute will be named after great Sufi and Philosopher Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi. Its major highlights are:

·      Initially it will be raised as a deemed university but gradually it will be developed as a full-fledged International university.

·      It will be evolved as a Global Centre of Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding.

·      It will promote interfaith dialogue among the Religious, Spiritual and Intellectual leadership of all the religious communities.

·      It will promote spiritualism as a unifying link amongst humanity.

·      It will provide ample opportunity, facilities and infra structure for comparative studies/research in religion and spirituality.

·      It will offer diploma, undergraduate, graduate, post graduate and other advanced courses on individual religions, comparative study disciplines and specialization in identified fields.

·      It will develop a universal course on spirituality and to work for its introduction in School curriculum in all countries of the world.

·      The Institute will house a separate section for the study of Rumi’s thought and philosophy.

·      The Institute will be fully residential and Student population will be drawn from all over the world and all efforts will be made to have adequate representation of all faiths.

·      The Institute shall closely coordinate its total programming with United Nations and other nationally and internationally reputed centers of comparative religion and dialogue centers.

·      The Institute will set up chairs after the names of prominent world personalities and institutions whose contribution in any walk of public life shall be found extraordinary.

·      It will be developed as a joint venture of the global family.

·     The Institute will be set up in an area of 500 acres of land.

·     The funds for the project will be welcome from all over the world.