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Inter-Faith HarmonyPRESENTED TO:

MA’AM AMNA SHAHID

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Presented By

Fatima Tariq 13041519-004

Ghufran Qamar 13041519-011 Umair Arif 13041519-

013 Warda Iftikhar 13041519-014

Department of Computer Science

UNIVERSITY OF GUJRAT-LAHORE CAMPUS

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Sectarianism

Sectarianism, is bigotry, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching

importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a

political movement

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Sectarianism

Wherever people of different religions live in close proximity to each other, religious sectarianism can often be found in varying forms and degrees. In some areas, religious sectarians (for example Hindus and Muslims) now exist peacefully side-by-side for the most part, although these differences have resulted in violence, death, and outright warfare.

Within Islam, there has been conflict at various periods between Sunnis and Shias.

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Sectarianism Around Us

Sectarian violence in Pakistan refers to attacks against people and places in Pakistan motivated by antagonism toward the target's sect, usually a religious group. Targets in Pakistan include the Sunni, Shia,

and the small Ahmadi, Hindu and Christian religious groups.

4,000 people are estimated to have been killed in Shia-Sunni sectarian fighting in Pakistan between 1987–2007.

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Sectarianism Around Us

Those blamed for the sectarian violence in the country are mainly Sunni militant groups, such as the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (affiliates of Al-Qaeda).

 Lashkar-e-Jhangvi "has claimed responsibility for most attacks" on Shia according to Human Rights Watch.

Sunni militant groups are also blamed for attacks on fellow Sunnis, Barelvis and Sufis.

These attacks sometimes result in tit-for-tat reprisal attacks by the victims.

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Major Incidents

Ashoura Violence:

During the Shia procession for Ashoura in November 2013, violence took place in Rawalpindi leading to a curfew where when the Ashoura procession was passing in front of a Sunni mosque.

At least six Imambargahs and Shiaas mosques were burnt by the armed group of Ahle-Sunnat wal Jamaat on the night of Ashura. Imambargah Hifazat Ali Shah, Bohar Bazar, Rawalpindi was burnt and Zuljinnah (Horse) was killed.

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Major Incidents

Violence Against Christians:

A Christian church was bombed in Peshawar in October 2013 with many casualties.

A Christian church in Islamabad was attacked after 11 September 2001, and some Americans were among the dead.

In 2012, a Christian town near Lahore called Joseph Town was attacked by a Sunni mob and the police.

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Sectarianism in Other Parts of World

Over 1,000 Muslims and Christians were killed in the sectarian violence in the Central African Republic in 2013–2014. Nearly 1 million people, a quarter of the population, were displaced.

Sectarianism in Australia is a historical legacy from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, between Catholics and Protestants.

The conflicts between Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland (religious and class-divisions may play major roles as well).

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How can citizens of the world live in peace and harmony?

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“The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who behave gently and with humility on earth, and whenever the foolish quarrel with them, they reply with [words of] peace.”

(Al Quran, Al-Furqan 25: 63)

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“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.  Not all of us can do great things but we can do small things with great love.  Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

- Mother Teresa

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“Peace can not be kept by

force it can only be achieved by understanding.”

-Albert Einstein

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“We must work out destiny in our own way and present to the world an economic system based on true Islamic concept of equality of manhood and social justices. We will thereby be fulfilling our mission as Muslims and giving to humanity the message of peace which alone can save it and secure the welfare, happiness and prosperity of mankind.”

-Muhammad Ali Jinnah

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“The first day or so [In space shuttle

discovery] we all were pointing to our countries. The third or fourth day we were pointing to our continents. By the fifth day we were aware of only on earth.”

-Sultan Bin Salman al-Saud

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Need Of Harmony

Harmony is about co-

existence that means live and let live

A way forward towards peace and perhaps prosperity

Urgently required in a

world of growing

political and economic

dissonance

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Inter-Faith Harmony

Inter-faith harmony is a conceivable condition, signifying peaceful co-existence among practitioners of various religious beliefs, aimed at eliminating the possibility of discord, violent or non-violent.

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World Interfaith Harmony Week

First proposed at the UN General Assembly on

September 23, 2010 by H.M. King Abdullah II of

Jordan

Just under a month later, on October 20, 2010, it was

unanimously adopted by the UN and henceforth the first week of February will be

observed as a World Interfaith Harmony Week

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World Interfaith Harmony Week

The World Interfaith Harmony Week is based on the pioneering work of ’The Common Word’ initiative

This initiative, which started in 2007, called for Muslim and Christian leaders to

engage in a dialogue based on two common

fundamental religious Commandments.

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World Interfaith Harmony Week

Love of God, and Love of the Neighbor, without nevertheless compromising any of their own

religious tenets

The World Interfaith Harmony Week extends the Two

Commandments by adding ‘Love of the Good, and Love of

the Neighbor’

This formula includes all people of goodwill. It includes

those of other faiths, and those with no faith

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Aim Of This Initiative

To promote Mutual

Understanding among people

Society where every person

views and treats each other with

dignity

Respect and cooperation

among people of diverse faiths and cultures

People come around shared

values to promote the

common good of their

communities as well as the world

as a whole

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Aim Of This Initiative

To Protect from:

Society and Territories from

Violence

Extremism and Terrorism Clashes and Warfare

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Aim Of This Initiative

Identify causes of tension in Christian Muslim relations. These are often economic, social or political rather than religious

Build understanding and confidence to overcome or prevent tensions

Break down the barriers and stereotypes which lead to distrust, suspicion and bigotry

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Do Not Include…

About talking away or brushing aside differences. It does not aim at coming to a common belief

A way of converting the other. Each party remains true to their own faith

A space for arguing, attacking or disproving the beliefs of the other. It is about increasing mutual understanding and trust

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Inter-Faith Dialogue

The term Interfaith Dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive

interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e.,

"faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at

both the individual and institutional levels.

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Inter-Faith Dialogue

The history of Interfaith Dialogue is as ancient as religion itself.

Interfaith dialogue and action have taken place for many centuries. The Emperor Akbar the Great, for example, encouraged tolerance in Mughal India, a diverse nation with people of various faith backgrounds, including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity.

In the late 1960s interfaith groups such as the Clergy And Laity Concerned (CALC) joined around Civil Rights issues for African-Americans and later were often vocal in their opposition to the Vietnam War.

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Inter-Faith Dialogue

"There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions" was formulated by Dr Hans Küng, a Professor of Ecumenical Theology and President of the Global Ethic Foundation.

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Organizations Working Worldwide

Some of Organizations Working worldwide:

World Fellowship of Inter-Religious Councils (WFIRC)

Three Faiths Forum

North American Interfaith Network (NAIN)

International Movement for a Just World (JUST)

International Interfaith Centre (IIC)

Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)

And many more…

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Activities in Pakistan

Some of Organizations Working in Pakistan:

International Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony (IPCIH) 

Global Peace Pioneers (GPP)

Muslim Christian Dialogue Forum by Minhaj-ul-Quran

Christian Study Centre (CSC)

World Council of Religions (WCR)

Channan Development Association (CDA)

And many more…

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…THANK YOU……QUESTIONS…