Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said Islam was a religion of peace, harmony and brotherhood, which always rejected extremism in all its forms.
“Today, we must promote the true teachings of Islam and focus on building the character of Muslims, especially the youth through education, which played a vital role in spreading Islam’s message worldwide,” he said during his address at a seminar.
The event was organized by the National Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Wa Khatam an-Nabiyyin Authority in connection with the United Nations International Day to Combat Islamophobia, under the theme, “Combating Islamophobia Through Character Building.”
Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that Islam was not spread through force or warfare, but rather through the exemplary conduct and character of Muslim traders, whose actions attracted people from diverse cultures to the greatness of Islam.
Today, he said it was unfortunate that despite constituting approximately 2.5 billion people nearly a quarter of the world’s population, Muslims stood vulnerable in front of a population of 10 million people due to a failure to fully embody the true spirit of Islam.
The minister stressed the importance of instilling a lifelong pursuit of knowledge in the younger generation, aligning this pursuit with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the life of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The minister highlighted the importance of gaining power through contemporary education, promoting the culture of tolerance and ensuring rule of law and justice, so that no one could dare to cast an evil eye on them or commit any blasphemy against their religion and sacred personalities.
“Islam does not permit anyone to dictate the faith and beliefs of others, nor does it allow the taking of innocent lives,” he remarked, addressing the destructive tendencies of extremism and terrorism, which starkly contrast with the core teachings of Islam.
The minister urged the Chairman of the National Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Wa Khatam an-Nabiyyin Authority, as well as educational institutions and relevant stakeholders, to prioritize the character building of youth in line with the teachings Holy Qur’an and the Seerat of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), to ensure that they grew into morally upright individuals, practicing Islam both in letter and spirit.
