Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad
Tahir-ul-Qadri delivered a special lecture at the Peace Conference Sydney on
Saturday 16th July 2011. The conference was organized by Minhaj-ul-Quran
International Australia and was attended by hundreds of people coming from
various ethnical backgrounds and different parts of Australia including Sydney,
Brisbane, Melbourne, and other regional cities as well as from Fiji and New
Zealand. The conference was attended by Barbara Perry, Shadow Minister of NSW
for Family and Community Services and the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane, the member
of the NSW Legislative Council. The audience at the lecture comprised senior
citizens of various faiths, members of the parliaments, politicians, policy
makers, senior scholars and religious leaders. Shaykh-ul-Islam who is on a
significant peace promotion visit to Australia was also accompanied by Sahibzada
Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, the President of Federal Council of Minhaj-ul-Quran
International.
Speaking on Peace and Integration in the light of Holy Quran and sayings of Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him), Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri made it
very clear that Islam means peace and security for not only the followers of
Islam but for the whole humanity. He told the large gathering that terrorism
cannot be justified in any form under the teachings of Islam. He said that a
small minority of Muslim population, which is less than one percent of the whole
Muslim population in the world, wrongly interprets the teachings of the Holy
Quran. Unfortunately, the rest of the 99% peaceful and peace-loving Muslims
remain unheard, as they don’t make any news. On the other hand, that minority
people who create mischief and nuisance get huge coverage in the media
headlines, which gives a false impression to the people living in the West that
all Muslims are extremists, which is totally wrong.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri gave lot many examples from the
Quran and explained to people that innocent people regardless of their race and
faith must not be killed in any circumstances. He said that it is clearly
mentioned in the Quran that if anyone kills an innocent human being, he will be
punished, as he has killed the whole humanity. He quoted the sayings of Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) that even during war times, the non-combatants must
not be killed. He gave clear instances by Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to
his followers that during war time, if they have to cross the border and go to
enemy territory, the Muslim soldiers must not harm elderly people, women, and
children and also must not destroy farms and fruit trees as people may suffer
because of shortage of food. He explained from Quran the rights of women,
animals, birds, and even ants. He emphasized that if it is prohibited to harm
even the ants, how can Islam allow killing a human being. He explained that
Islam provides assurance to non-Muslim minority living in Muslim majority
countries and orders Muslim minority living in non-Muslim majority country to
abide by all laws and the rules of the country.
Before Dr. Qadri’s speech, the Peace Conference commenced with recitation from
the Holy Quran by Maulana Nazirul Hassan Thanvi and a Nasheed for Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) by Syed Riaz Hussain Shah. Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane, MLC,
introduced Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri to the audience. Mr.
Jeremy S. Johnson was the Master of the Ceremony. At the end of the speech by
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the audience stood up and presented
to him a huge round of applause. Dr. Qadri also presented a copy of his recently
launched popular 500-page decree ‘Fatwa on Terrorism & Suicide Bombings’ to
several guests and dignitaries. Minhaj-ul-Quran Australia also arranged a stall
of books and video lectures by Dr. Qadri at the conference venue. Hundreds of
attendees took interest in the books and dozens of them bought the English
version of his Fatwa book.