During the course of last week, Maulana Tariq Jamil came under criticism on social media for remarks made during the pre-Ramadan telethon on National TV (you can read a breakdown of his address here).
A few days later, a snippet of an old sermon of his floated online, leading to further debate on the political correctness of his sermon. Maulana Tariq Jamil is a very popular religious figure in Pakistan and the backlash against the scholar led to widespread polarisation on social media platforms, especially twitter, with supporters stating that his words had been taken out of context. However, on Tuesday morning, Maulana Tariq Jamil took to twitter and uploaded a series of tweets addressing the issue; many who were strong critics of the scholar also appreciated his honesty and humbleness in addressing the criticism levelled against him.
Recently I made some comments that I wish to clarify
My aim was to point out that WE are all to blame for our current state. It was meant to be a general remark not targeting any specific men, women, persons or gender, but as a reminder to get closer to what Allah teaches us.— Tariq Jamil (@TariqJamilOFCL) April 27, 2020
In a country like Pakistan, where religious clouts have amassed considerable importance and are able to strike fear due to their sheer numbers, critics are praising Maulana Tariq Jamil for staying open to dialogue and not responding with hate. Also read: Old video of Maulana Tariq Jameel surfaces, causing controversy for racist remarks