ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) would be establishing a Hajvery Sufism Chair at one of its universities.
This was stated by Dr Javaid Laghari, Chairperson HEC at a recent event of the Inter University Consortium for Promotion of Social Sciences (IUCPSS), an alliance of 16 universities across the country.
The main purpose of the chair would be to undertake various academic activities for the promotion of the values of peace, tolerance, and interfaith harmony and towards the understanding and propogation of sufism.
Dr Laghari asked Prof. Dr Hussain Mubashir Malik Senior Fellow HEC and Member Governing Board University of Health Sciences Lahore to prepare a working paper for the consideration of the HEC to establish the chair.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nizamuddin Chairperson IUCPSS termed the announcement of establishment of Sufism chair by Chairperson HEC as a positive step and need of the hour.
He extended thanks on behalf of the IUCPSS for accepting the proposal of the consortium members, and over collaborative efforts for the promotion of social sciences in the country.
Renowned columnist and writer Atta ul Haq Qasim has appreciated the HEC initiative.
He said that it is need of hour to promote the true message of Islam which is based upon affection, mutual respect, peace and as peached by all Muslim saints in the sub-continent.
Prof. Dr Hussain Mubashir Malik hoped that this Sufism chair would open a new chapter in Pakistan and it would lead to the formation of a role model institution followed by inculcation of peace, tolerance and brotherhood among the people of Pakistan.
The Chair has been dedicated to Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh who was great Muslim Saint and devoted his life for preaching the message of Islam.
He was a great author of his time and wrote many books, including Diwan-e-She’r; Minhajuddin; Al-Bayan Lahal- Al-Ayan; Israrul Kharq Wal-Mauniyat; Behrul Quloob; Kitab Fana Wa Baqa; Birri’ayat Be-Huqooq-Ullah; Kashful Israr; Sharah-e-Kalam; and Kashful Mahjub.
Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh had a great and brilliant knowledge of Quran, tradition, history, jurisprudence and logic etc. that is testified by the treasure trove in the classic ‘Kashful Mahjub’.
He lived in Lahore for 21 years and died at the age of 65 in 465 A.H., in Lahore
The supreme mission of the Saint was to make the people understand true Islam. He had great skill in discourses, debates and profoundness of thought. Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, as referred to in Kashful Mahjub had written seven other books.
He also travelled extensively throughout the world including Amul in Tabaristan, Farghana, Azerbayjan, Tabrez, Baghdad, Balkh, Merv, Baward in Turkman, Damascus, Samarkand, Eygpt, Heart, Nishapur, Hijaz, Isphahan, Khurasan and Kirman.