BSS, Dhaka :
Prime Minister’s Adviser on International Affairs Dr Gowher Rizvi has said that persuasion of Sufism in its true perspective could save mankind from chaos and confrontations among religions, castes and creeds. “The present-day world is besieged with wars, clashes and confrontations and although it is a religion of peace, sometimes blame goes to Islam and even in some cases Muslims are locked in fratricidal conflicts,” he said.
“We may get rid of such a situation though correct research and persuasion of philosophy of Sufism and reading more and more books and listening songs on this discipline,” he added. He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on “Inter-religious Harmony in Bangladesh & Banglar Rumi Syed Ahmadul Huq” held at Dhaka University Social Science Faculty Auditorium under the joint auspices of Allama Rumi Society and Center for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue of DU.
Presided over by Rumi Foundation President Sufi Mizanur Rahman, the seminar was also addressed, among others, by former adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, noted poet Asad Chowdhury, Vice- chancellor of University of Information and Technology Science Dr. K. M. Saiful Islam Khan, DU teacher Dr. Father Tapan De Rozario and Principal Skumar Barua while the keynote paper on the subject was presented by DU Asstant Professor Dr. Mohammad Bahauddin.
Two websites on “Banglar Rumi Syed Ahmadul Haq” and “Allama Rumi Society” were also inaugurated on this occasion. The websites are: www.banglarrumi.com and www.allahmarumisociety.com. Lauding the inauguration of these websites, Dr Rizvi said it would help the new generations to know about philosophy, books and music and songs of Sufism that would be very helpful for building a peaceful society.
Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said that the new generation should know much more about Sufism, so to say the philosophy of Allama Rumi. He also lauded the contribution of Syed Ahmadul Huq for his lifelong endeavors to project the contributions of Allama Rumi in Bangladesh. In our conflict-torn society, we need to know much about Sufism to shape our destiny, he added.
Poet Asad Chowdhury delivered a lively speech on Allama Rumi and Syed Ahmadul Huq quoting various verses and poems from Allama Rumi, Galib, Nazrul, Ibal and others that enthralled the jam-packed audience at the venue.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Bahauddin said that we have no alternative but to pursue Rumi’s philosophy and Sufism at a time when communal conflicts, mutual mistrust and ultra-fanatic feelings and extremism is out to engulf our total existence. In his presidential speech, Sufi Mizanur Rahman narrated how devotedly Syed Ahmadul Huq worked throughout his whole life in propagating Sufism, especially the philosophy of Rumi. He wrote many books on this subject, especially his translation of Rumi’s book would enrich our language, literature and culture, Mizan added.
