Aligarh: "Cowards die many times but warriors die once for a noble cause", said Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen (Rtd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, while speaking at a seminar organized by the Sir Syed Awareness Forum. The seminar was organized to mark death anniversary of great ruler, Tipu Sultan.
[Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen (Rtd.) Zameer Uddin Shah addressing the seminar]
Delivering the presidential address on this occasion, the Vice Chancellor said that knowledge is the panacea for all ills and this was realised by the Jews who happen to be the most powerful in the world today.
He said that if we have knowledge and firm belief in God then we should not worry for anything.
"Usually illiterate and semi literate people face bias and discrimination. Learned people hardly fall victim to discrimination on any grounds", he said.
He urged the students not to waste their time and energy, and focus on acquiring knowledge through which they would also fulfil the dreams of Sir Syed and contribute in making AMU number one university of India.
Chief Guest, S.M.A Kazmi, former Advocate General, UP said that Tipu Sultan is the finest symbol of composite culture developed by Muslim rulers of India and he is the best example of communal harmony and tolerance.
"Tipu Sultan's concern for his people is still fresh in the minds of the people of Mysore who visit the grave of the great ruler of India and pay their respect and homage to him", he said.
Kazmi said that the contemporary political situation in India has generated an atmosphere of hatred that draws its sustenance from the distorted notion of partisan history.
He said there was urgent need to educate new generation of contributions of Muslim rulers. He said that the role of Sir Syed Awareness Forum is commendable.
He said that some damage can be done to the composite culture of India temporarily but no one can wipe it permanently.
In his keynote address, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Dean, Faculty of Theology and senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board said that good rulers run their government on the basis of compassion and justice and that government has no right to rule that cannot ensure justice to its people.
"Tipu Sultan was the saint of saints and was the abstemious of the highest degree . He was a crusader in the day light and an abstemious in the night", he said.
The Director of the Seminar and President, Sir Syed Awareness Forum, Dr. Shakeel Samdani said, "India is greatly indebted to Tipu Sultan who thwarted attempts to perpetuate colonial rule and to pay homage to him on his death anniversary is a sacred national duty which is hardly observed."
He said that the Sir Syed Awareness Forum has taken up this responsibility. He said that secularism has become a fashion now and leaders often talk about secularism but it was truly practiced by the lion of India, Tipu Sultan during his life time.
"The popularity of Tipu Sultan can be gauged by the fact that after the martyrdom of Tipu Sultan the entire population of Mysore, including more than 80% non-Muslims, requested the British to take the entire wealth but appoint any member of his family as the ruler of Mysore", he said.
Dr. Shakeel Samdani said that due to the treachery by Mir Sadiq and other ministers, he lost the battle. This gives us a lesson that we should be very careful with the hypocrites. He urged the Vice Chancellor to make the Tipu Sultan Strategic Studies Centre functional at the earliest.
Chairman, Mass Communication, Prof Shafey Kidwai drew a parallel between Sir Syed and Tipu Sultan and said both shared concern for the emancipation of Indians. He said that we desperately require their vision of India.
He said that the Sir Syed Awareness Forum is very much successful in spreading the message of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and for this the members of the forum deserve appreciation.
Prof. N.A.K. Durrani, senior faculty member of Department of Mass Communication who hails from Mysore, highlighted many aspects of the personality of Tipu Sultan.
He said that Tipu was not only a great warrior but he was a learned person and a complete personality in himself. He not only gave the silk industry a boost but also was the inventor of missile technology. He established indigenous factories for preparing arms and ammunitions and military equipments in his state and with the help of latest weapons he defeated English army many times.
Presenting a paper on this occasion, Ayesha Samdani said that he was a secular ruler and justice loving person. Miss Mina Mahmood also presented a paper on the views of non Muslims about Tipu Sultan. Sarah presented Ahadith which was appreciated by the audience.
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