Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH  — Twin-Cities Youth Welfare association and Global Islamic Circle of Peace and Unity jointly organized an Islamic convention at a local restaurant here to discuss ways and means to revive traditional Islamic education system among the youths who are often exploited by unlawful Islamic teachings. 

 

The conventional meeting also featured a felicitation function in honor of renowned Indian journalist Dr. Syed Fazil Hussain Parvez, who was here to perform Umrah.

 

The chief-guest of the convention, Parvez, in his extempore speech, applauded the community members for the wonderful function to honor him and expressed gratitude to the Almighty for bestowing him with His mercies and showering him what he pleaded and what he did not.

 

He said: "The revelation of the Holy Qur’an begins with the term of medical sciences like the creation of mankind and proportioned with destined and guidance, almost 700 verses links with the study of the physical and natural world and phenomena." 

 

He reminded the audience, as to why our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked his companion to go far-off distances like China to acquire knowledge; it is because in those days China was the leader in astronomy, the natural science of celestial objects coupled with physics, chemistry and evolution of objects. He said it is due to the true understanding of the Holy Qur’an that Muslims became the first architects and science and numerologies. Take the example of Algebra, the Arabic terminology of reunion of broken parts and is also the broad fraction of mathematics and geometry. 

 

Explaining the importance of Qur’an and the modern world, Parvez said the ascending of Prophet Muhammad to Miraj and the mentioning of "Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz" in the Qur'an are all well understood with the advancement of science, the smallest memory chip or the nanotechnology of today’s world — all explained in the idea of the Mighty Book that preserves infinity of data without any defect of whatsoever. 

 

Dr. Syed Ali Mahmood, head of the Islamic Circle, welcomed the visiting dignitary Dr. Parvez. 

 

Mahmood said: "The glowing face of Dr. Parvez represents the sincerity of his works and his unbiased journalistic craftsmanship earned him a good name in the legacy of the Indian journalistic field."

 

Cautioning the youth against exploitation due to ignorance and lack of basic Islamic knowledge, he said: “Islam is the complete way of life, encompassing spiritual, social and economic aspects of human life, but the sorry state of Muslim is that they are backward, despite possessing treasures of rich knowledge that endeavors the community to regain a prominent place among the nations and tribes."

 

Mahmood underscored the importance of traditional Islamic education that promotes moral, spiritual and intellectual development of learners through the intensive study of the Holy Qur’an, and the dissemination of knowledge would help the learners to live in conformity with the basic values and to brace ones Islamic faith. 

 

For this, he proposed a number of innovative concepts to propagate Islamic knowledge, among them were to (at least) memorize the last volume of the Holy Qur'an with its meaning and translation both in English and Urdu for a better understanding. 

 

He further advised members to shun themselves from the curse of social networking websites like; WhatsApp, Skype and the other modes of messaging by least 11 in the night so that one can spare his precious time to devote and enrich from the teachings of Qur’an and Hadith.

 

Aijaz Ahmed Khan, KTT Trustee and the member of the advisory board of ‘Gawah’ weekly news tabloid, expressed his happiness for raising the issue of traditional Islamic education at a time when the community is being blacklisted. 

 

According to Khan, there is a general feeling among the varied class of men that only Qur’an education would lead us to a less and rational livelihoods. 

 

"I strongly oppose to this notion that is being originated from opponents of Islam. The teachings of Qur’an would certainly ‘herald the true Islamic principles’ among the youth," he said. 

 

He recalled the past glory of the Muslim world and said: “The so-called advanced nations of today, like the US, Japan and others, have benefited themselves from the teachings of Qur’an and have inherited its true essence in their routine lives, but  we also ought to emulate them as these principles were first revealed upon us – it’s ridiculous and mockery of Islam that we portray before our rivals."  

 

The program was anchored by the President of Twin-Cities Syed Khaja Viqaruddin, who also echoed similar sentiments of the speakers.  Earlier the Twin-Cities Events Director, Azmath Ali Emran, highlighted the activities of the forum that came into existence for the overall development of the youth’s personality. 

 

He said: "Twin-Cities plays a vital role either on its own or sometimes in association with other social outfits in arranging lectures or felicitation functions of the visiting dignitaries and intellectuals from the Indian subcontinent."

 

The other speakers who shared their views  were Mirza Qudrath Baig, executive member of the Global Islamic Circle; Mahtab Qadr from the Urdu-Gulban.com and a prominent journalist of a leading English language news broadsheet. 

 

The program commenced with the recitation of a few verses from the Holy Qur’an by Syed Jamalullah Qadri followed by Naat presented by Yousufuddin Riyaz. 

 

Souvenirs and mementos were also offered to the chief guest by the core committee members and flower bouquets by Aleem Khan Falaki, a social reformist.