ISLAMABAD, JAN 8: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has warned against attempts to take over religious madrasas and criticized the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), asserting that faith cannot be controlled by worldly powers.

Speaking at a turban-tying ceremony at Madrasa Taalim-ul-Quran in Raja Bazar, Rehman said, “America may currently hold the rule of the world in its hands, but it does not have the power of faith.”

He emphasized that if religious institutions and students are tested, they will become a test for those who try to challenge them.

Defense of madrasas

The JUI-F leader highlighted the role of madrasas in protecting Quranic and Hadith sciences. He recalled that Allama Shabbir Usmani was labeled illiterate by the British, stressing that similar attitudes persist today, where religious knowledge is often undervalued.

Rehman underlined that scholars across schools of thought are united in defending madrasas. He said, “We believe in dialogue and will abide by the law made through consultation, but no kind of cheating will be tolerated.”

Addressing the madrasa students, Rehman added that if they had focused more on working than raising slogans, they could have won the most seats in Punjab, highlighting the importance of dedication alongside faith-based learning.