“Give us fifteen years, and we will produce a generation capable of overcoming the deprivations of the past eighty years.”
WHEN Dr Khurshid Ahmad Nadeem made this statement at the third annual Seerat Festival of the National Rahmatul-lil-Aalameenwa Khatam-un-Nabiyyin Authority, the past fifteen years flashed before my eyes. A generation has emerged detached from reason and reflection, consumed by hatred. Those its members dislike are denied even their humanity, let alone their rights. Abuse extends to their opponents’ mothers, sisters and daughters. For them, faith, justice and law matter only when they serve their egos; an even-handed balance of justice is treated as an affront. Recently, I met a young man who had left Pakistan for Britain but claimed immense “love” for his country. He lectured me on the rule of law. I described how I had lost my university job and had my bank accounts frozen without prior notice. How, I asked, could such treatment be justified? He replied without hesitation: “You must have done something; otherwise, why would they have done it?” Due process and the rights even of an accused person meant nothing to him. My supposed fault was simply that I had served as an adviser to the late President Mamnoon Hussain.
This is one example of what such a mindset can produce. Differences do not automatically become hatred; hatred is cultivated. In our society, an idol was created, and minds were conditioned for a decade or more to accept it. The result is a generation that gives little importance to morality, character or national interest. I raised this at the Seerat Festival and shortly earlier at Islamabad International University’s Seerat Conference. We express great devotion to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Yet some people illuminate celebrations by making illegal connections to the electricity supply, without shame. Keeping promises, too, seems optional. Under the Doha process, the Taliban promised that Afghan soil would not be used against any country, particularly Pakistan. Yet it continues to be used for this purpose.
A recent breach of agreement has aggravated the security crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiated on terrorism, reached consensus and prepared an agreed draft. One side then withdrew, bringing emergency measures and the possibility of Governor’s Rule into discussion. This reflects a political culture in which cult-like loyalty outweighs integrity and national interest, exposing the gap between professed love for the Prophet (PBUH) and practice. The Seerah is too often reduced to selected incidents and mechanical details—dates and years—while its life-giving message is neglected. This helps explain why cult-like loyalties flourish in Muslim societies. Dr Nadeem’s fifteen-year proposal is a call to nurture Pakistan’s younger generation through a practical understanding of the Prophet’s example. The Authority’s history has been difficult. It was first announced without legislation and ceased to exist after four months. Following the vote of no confidence, it was re-established by an Act of Parliament and became permanent. Dr Nadeem was appointed chairman thereafter. His approach emphasizes the practical application of religious teachings and the Seerah, particularly in character-building.
The Authority’s director, Sohail bin Aziz, has developed animated video clips to educate young children, though limited funding restricts their potential. With the National Book Foundation, the Authority has also produced important textbooks. On 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the curriculum had been introduced in federally administered educational institutions; implementation in the provinces is expected soon. The books connect religious learning with inquiry, research, economic activity and character formation, rather than confining it to one Islamic Studies period. The Authority has also addressed wider social and professional needs. This year, it published Dr Muhammad Riaz Mahmood’s The Holy Prophet’s Approach to Urban Planning, which received the National Seerat Award. Last year, his The Holy Prophet’s Approach to Disaster Management received the first Seerat Award, promoting the use of the Prophet’s example in responding to natural disasters. The book has been welcomed in Turkiye and other Muslim countries; editions in additional languages are expected.
A book on professional ethics, co-authored by Dr Riaz Mahmood and Dr Mohiuddin Hashmi, is accompanied by training for government employees and professional institutions. Seerat Clubs also engage young people, women, lawyers and religious minorities through year-round activities that nurture character without a preachy approach. These initiatives explain Dr Nadeem’s confidence that fifteen years of sustained work can help a new generation overcome inherited problems and put Pakistan on the path to success. Recognising the Authority’s work, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a revolving fund and promised an immediate government contribution of Rs100 million. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addressed the festival’s opening session. Moved while discussing the Authority’s mission, he prayed that Allah would grant its leadership success in nurturing the younger generation in the light of the Holy Prophet’s example. Fifteen years is a long time, but not too long for meaningful reform. The real test is whether we can move beyond declarations of love and translate the Prophet’s teachings into justice, integrity, compassion and responsible citizenship.
—This writer is former advisor to President, author & mass media theorist.
(farooq.adilbhuta@gmail,com)