Ulema of different schools of thought from Karachi endorsed on Thursday the plan for introducing Nizam-e-Salat, the fixed timings of Azaan and Namaz in all mosques to promote religious harmony.
They supported and appreciated the Nizam in a consultative meeting on “Nizam-e-Salat” held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf at Sindh Secretariat.
Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister on Religious Affairs Dr Abdul Qayoom Soomro and other officials from the department and ministry concerned were also present.
Federal Minister Muhammad Yousuf, on the occasion, said that the Nizam was first introduced in Islamabad after the consultations with around 30 to 35 Ulema belonging to various schools of thoughts from Islamabad.
He said on March 4, 2015, his ministry had invited Ulema and formed a committee having their representation to prepare a Nizam-e-Salat calendar with consensus.
The committee unanimously decided on a fixed time for the Azaan and Namaz in all mosques of the Capital and prepared a calendar of the timing of Nizam-e-Salat, he said.
“Nimaz-e-Salat was formally announced on May 1, 2015, from the Faisal Mosque of Islamabad,” he added. He said it was an effort to bring closer their brother Muslims to each other and promote solidarity in the country.
Yousuf said that all Ulema were also on the one page for the same cause. He said he had also talked to the chief ministers of to bring out the Nizam in their provinces. He hoped that Ulema would nominate their representative for forming a committee to fix the timings in Karachi and later for other cities. The minister said that the aforesaid Nizam already existed in different countries including Turkey, UAE, and Malaysia.
Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister, Dr Abdul Qayoom said that the committee regarding Nizam-e-Salat would be set up within a week. He said the committee would have two representatives each from every religious and political parties. “No man from proscribed religious outfit will be included in the committee,” he added.
He further said that his religious department was laying a plan for the sermon of Friday prayers as a code of conduct and the same would be passed from Sindh Assembly to make it a law. He also appreciated the measures of federal religious ministry for introducing the Salat Nizam.
