By Hamid Khan Wazir
ISLAMABAD: The two-day International Quran Conference (online) began at Alla Iqbal Open University (AIOU) in Islamabad on Thursday.
The conference was organized by the Department of Quran and Tafseer at the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies.
The inaugural session of the conference was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor AIOU Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum while the Dean at the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Peshawar University Professor Dr. Muhammad Hammad Likhvi was invited as the Chief Guest.
The Ex Dean at the Faculty of Principles of Religion in Egypt’s Al-Azhar University Muhammad Ur- Rasakhikh Almisri Alazhari conducted the plenary session on Contemporary Trends in Quranic Exegeses: Principles & Rules.
During his keynote address, he highlighted that Quran has the unique privilege to be a source of guidance for humanity till doomsday.
Muhammad Ur-Rasakhikh Almisri Alazhari further added that divine Quranic guidance is practically enlightening in its essence with respect to rationality and spirituality. Quran provides a complete code of life and the solution of various contemporary issues is embedded in the teachings of the Quran.
Other speakers also elaborated contemporary trends in Quranic exegeses and revealed that the translation and interpretation tradition of the Holy Quran is centuries old in its nature. The Quranic scholars have presented contemporary trends in translation and interpretation. Prof. Hafiz Sana Ullah Hussain was the Coordinator of the Conference.
The speakers congratulated AIOU on organizing this conference in the context of a contemporary dynamic scenario.
They, further, added that other Pakistani universities should follow AIOU traditions to promote Quranic teachings.
In his address, Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum said that Quranic teachings are everlasting and immortal in their nature. He congratulated the speakers and organizers of the conference and highlighted that contemporary trends in Quranic exegeses will not only benefit the Muslims but also the followers of other religions with respect to the rationality and spirituality of Quranic teachings.
The speakers also concluded that the majority of the issues faced by Muslim Ummah today are grounded in the ignorance of the true Quranic message.
More than 200 research scholars were interested to participate in the conference but only 60 were selected for presentations.
During the first day of the conference, various scholars shed light on the modern, thematic, scientific, and philosophical perspectives of contemporary trends of Quranic exegeses.
