Sindh University hosts Interfaith Dialogue

The event was organized at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro

By Sumaiya Khanzada

On April 29, the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Sindh hosted a panel discussion event on Interfaith Dialogue, focusing on interfaith harmony, tolerance, and inter-religious understanding. The event under the support of Shaoor Foundation, an Islamabad based organization, was attended by more than seventy students from various departments across the University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

This event was based on a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Rafique Wassan, faculty member and focal person for the PACE (Peace Advocacy Through Community Engagement) project of Shaoor Foundation at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Sindh. Dr. Wassan formally initiated the session by introducing the concept and objectives of the event, stating that this event is supported by the Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness in collaboration with its international and national partners that include the European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), federal Government of Pakistan. He explained that the Shaoor foundation works to cultivate tolerance and build peace in society through empowering youth, and building peace societies at universities in Pakistan. The main purpose, he said, is to counter extremist violence and establish a peaceful society which is essential for the development and progress of Pakistan.

Following this, the Chairperson of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Dr. Haneef Laghari, welcomed all the panelists. In the event, the panelists were invited to share their views on the concept, practices, challenges, way forward to  interfaith harmony, tolerance and peace building. The panelists included Dr. Anaas Rajpar, scholar of Comparative Religion and Islamic Studies, Pushpa Kumari, human rights and minority activist, and Dr. Prof Ishrat Abbasi, the chairperson of the Department of International Relations at University of Sindh, Dr. Muhabbat Shah, faculty member at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Sindh, and Ms. Rukhsar Khaskheli, a young researcher and anthropologist who has worked on Hindu-Muslim shared and interfaith harmonious heritage in Sindh.

Dr. Wassan, the moderator of the Interfaith Dialogue event, introduced the panelists and started the discussion with Dr Anas Rajpar’s views on interfaith harmony and peace. In his views, Dr. Anaas explained that every religion—Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity—promotes peace and harmony. All religions teach us to contribute to a peaceful society. He said that there are different ways of understanding and practices in the religions of the world, highlighting the diversity of and in religion but all religions follow the same truth with different cultural ways. His views highlighted the views of appreciating the religious diversity which is needed for the promotion of tolerance and interfaith harmony.

The young panelist Rukhsar Khaskheli, who has recently completed her ethnographic research on the Hindu shrine of Jhuley Lal in Tando Adam discussed that at Udero Lal Shrine, the Hindu temple and Muslim mosque are situated closely. As a Muslim researcher she conducted anthropological research on this Hindu temple and community and participated in various rituals, music festivals and social service activities. She said that her anthropological research in itself promoted trust relationship and helped to build the concept of tolerance and interfaith harmony because she as an ethnographer was participating in their religious festivals and welfare activities, including medical camps which the Udero Lal Welfare organization organized the community irrespective of religious identities. In her views, Rukhsar explained that the Udero Lal Welfare organization has an annual humanitarian event of the free distribution of dowry for the poor communities of all religions in which majority couples represent the Muslim community. So, according to her, this also shows how community service under religious welfare activities promotes interfaith harmony.

Pushpa Kumari, a civil society and human rights activist shared her perspective that she closely works with the faith leaders of different religions which is essential to work for the peace promotion. The way forward is to work together for harmony.

Based on her activist engagement, she said that in times of personal challenges, she always received support from people regardless of their religion. Bringing communities together will bring peace she said. Pushpa Kumari also highlighted a teaching from the Quran ‘Your religion is for you, and their religion is for them’— highlighting the religious pluralism in the teachings of Islam. She said that Islam promotes respect and harmony among people of different faiths.”

Dr. Ishrat Abbasi, professor of International Relations discussed that the issue of intra-faith vs. interfaith conflict. She said the in our society, we often focus on intra-faith tensions, such as those between Shia and Sunni groups, whereas globally, the emphasis is on interfaith harmony. We must shift our focus toward building bridges across religions, not just within them. She discussed her PhD research work on faith based organization in transnational contexts which she conducted in a university in Germany. She discussed various approaches to transnational faith based humanitarian work but also highlighted that their limitations in terms of community service.

Finally, Dr. Muhbat Ali Shah, an anthropologist who also conducted research on the Odero Lal Shrine, shared his views that Jhulelal is a shared spiritual figure, and the shrine is a shared space where people of different religions unite. Muslims visit the temple, and Hindus visit the mosque. He highlighted the concept of shared religious space and place that show interfaith relations. He emphasized how this shared religious space fosters community bonding.

In the concluding remarks, Dr. Rafique Wassan highlighted the ethnographic evidence of interfaith harmonious relations in the Sufi culture of Islam, particularly drew attention to the ways Sufis in the history of Sindh and Punjab and other areas of the world have promoted interfaith harmony by accepting and inspiring the people of other faiths, and have fostered culture which could be helpful for building interfaith harmony and peace building. He said that it’s the need of hour that our young students of the universities actively take part and work for the interfaith harmony and peace building in Pakistan, develop their leadership roles for peace promotion in Pakistan, and counter the extremist violence.

Read: The city in Sindh where church, mosque and temple stand side by side

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Sumaiya Khanzada is a BS final year student of anthropology at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro in Pakistan