The society is facing comprehensive decline owing to the erosion of the social, and intellectual values as well as those of knowledge. The skyrocketing inflation has taken a heavy toll on the life of citizens as they find it nearly impossible to afford Hajj, make their both ends meet and dedicate the last ten days of Ramadan for spiritual retreat. The heads of the Islamic states cannot absolve themselves of their role in the living tragedy that is afflicting our lives.

MQI founding-leader Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri made these remarks while delivering his inaugural address to a gathering of thousands of the faithful at Itikaf City being held under the banner of Minhaj-ul-Quran International in Township, Lahore.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that facilitating the people and enabling them to perform the Islamic rituals free of worry is the responsibility of the heads of states and governments. He said that if anyone commits suicide or is tempted to resort to crime owing to poverty and unemployment, Allah Almighty will hold the rulers responsible for such incidents. He said that the idea about the acceptance of public authority and the government position is to take up the responsibility of protecting the life, dignity and property of the citizens according to the teachings of Islam.

Shaykh-ul-Islam congratulated the thousands of the residents of Itikaf City on making time despite inflation and dearness and coming all the way to Lahore to spend ten days in worship and prayer. He said that spending ten days in remembrance of Allah with a vow to change the course of life despite the difficult social and economic conditions is a matter of great blessing.

In his address on the subject of dying social values and the Quranic commandments, Shaykh-ul-Islam said that when the values of knowledge are challenged, society becomes deprived of collective wisdom, understanding and direction. He said that such a society becomes the hub of oppression, extremism, intolerance, and injustice.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said when the Holy Prophet (PBUH) described Hazrat Ali (RA) as the door of the City of Knowledge and Wisdom, he (PBUH) actually highlighted the loftiness and high status of knowledge. He said that Hazrat Ali (RA), the lion of God, was given many beautiful titles in the Islamic history, however, his status was elevated till the Day of Judgment when he was described as the door of the City of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that knowledge is light, and ignorance is darkness, adding that the former enables the people to speak softly by carefully choosing the words; and knowledge teaches man to live as humans do in a civilized society. He said that our social values are dying because of the erosion that scholarly tradition has suffered in our midst. He said that all people enjoy equality in the light of the Islamic teachings and no one has any superiority owing to their association with any particular caste, creed, color and tribe. He added in the same breath that the Holy Quran did not equate the knowledgeable with the ignorant, stating that the scholar has been given preference over an ignorant and uneducated man. He said that this reflects the importance and place knowledge has in the Islamic teachings.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said when a person or a group of people are deprived of knowledge, they are capable of uttering anything and acting in any manner. He said if we want to revive moderation and tolerance in society, regain contentment and happiness and make our society a hub of peace and prosperity, then we would have to work hard to restore the dying values.

Chairman MQI Supreme Council Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, President MQI Prof Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and other leaders were also present on the occasion. The proceedings of the ceremony were conducted by internationally known anchor Tasleem Ahmad Sabri; whereas Muhammad Afzal Noshahi, Shahzad Brothers, and Zaheer Bilali had the honour to recite Naat in the court of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).