ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Friday emphasized the significance of following the teachings of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to succeed in this world and the Hereafter, urging a way out of the existing crisis of ‘knowledge and practice.’
He stressed the urgent need for greater unity among the Ummah to effectively address the challenges faced, particularly the killings of innocent Muslims in Palestine, Gaza and other regions.
“The unity of the Ummah is the need of the hour, as two billion Muslims in the world seem helpless in front of a country of 10 million that is shedding the blood of innocent people in Gaza, Palestine and Lebanon,” he said.
The minister was addressing the opening session of a three-day International Seerat Conference at the National Skills University.
Unfortunately, he said: “We (Muslims) are limited to only lip-service and are far behind in the practical world. Today’s Muslims are suffering from a crisis of both knowledge and practice.”
Ahsan Iqbal noted that Muslims were once ahead in multiple fields in Spain but now lagged behind, with no Muslim scientist close to winning a Nobel Prize.
He warned that some elements just wanted to fan hatred in society by misleading the public, especially the youth, in the name of religion and Namoos-e-Risalat (SAW) to achieve their nefarious designs.
The minister mentioned that he was the son of a mother who first got the Namoos-e-Risalat (SAW) law approved in Parliament but was targeted by such elements.
He said Islam was a religion of peace, harmony and brotherhood that never allowed taking the lives of innocent people based on their faith, quoting examples from Islamic history.
He asserted that no one had the right to doubt any Muslim’s faith or belief, as this would be determined by Allah Almighty on the Day of Judgment.
He stressed the importance of non-violent dialogue, particularly in the face of social media’s challenges, adding that today’s biggest challenge was social media, where truth could easily be turned into lies and lies into truth.
