Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Jeddah Keralite Goodwill Forum (Sauhruda Vichara Vedi) will organize a seminar on Haj at the Jaliyat auditorium in the Old Airport area on Sept. 27.



Prominent Indian scholars and preachers will present papers on various aspects of Haj, organizers said at a press conference on Friday.



The speakers include T.H. Darimi (History of Haj), Abdul Shukur Ali (Spirituality of Haj) and Ahmed Kutty Madani (Universal Message of Unity in Haj). Ismail Maritheri of King Abdulaziz University will moderate the event. Mullaveettil Salim (Lahore Gardens) will be in chair while Mustafa Saadi will deliver the concluding speech.



Addressing the press conference, Salim, who is also the forum chairman, said the seminar will be a groundbreaking event for the organization, which was founded on Dec. 12, 2012, as an umbrella body of various Keralite Muslim groups based in Jeddah.



“The forum has been successful in bringing together all Muslim groups under one platform to discuss issues of common interest without delving into controversial topics,” he said.



Maritheri, general convener of the forum and one of its architects, said the forum sees Haj as the main unifying force for Muslims.



“The forum gives community members a platform to discuss pressing issues concerning the Ummah. We strive to represent the true image of Islam and remove misgivings about the divine religion among the followers of other faiths,” he said, adding that the forum will also be in the forefront to fight social evils.



Salah Karadan, Abdul Shukoor Ali, V.P. Abubakar and Ibrahim Shamnad also attended the press conference.