By Ibrahim Usman
Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi presented a paper at the Moral Training and Education workshop titled, “The Role of the Movement’s Representatives in Continuous Education and Moral Training”.
Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi commended the Forum for the seminar, which he said was the most important aspect of human and societal development.
He pointed out that knowledge alone, without corresponding action that will lead to positive impact and development is meaningless. According to him, the best among people is the one who acquires knowledge and disseminates the knowledge towards actualizing positive development. He cited the sayings of Imam Ali (AS) on the importance of knowledge: “The ultimate is acquisition of knowledge; the peak of all blessing is knowledge; People are distinguished (among others) based on knowledge; the best treasure is knowledge…”
Sheikh Turi described knowledge and moral training as roots of all positive action and development. He also cited hadith that signifies the high status of a person in pursuit of knowledge: “He who dies in the pursuit of knowledge dies a martyr; Paradise seeks he who engages in seeking knowledge; on the Day of Judgment, the ink of a scholar will be compared to the blood of a martyr…”
Commenting on the role of representatives of the Movement on the issue, Sheikh Turi said, additional responsibility is placed on Ameer in ensuring that, Fudiyyah schools and the issue of moral conduct takes priority. “He must ensure spiritually and physically, that all tools and structures necessary for the pursuit of education are in place and are functioning to meet standard”. He explained on the need for extra curriculum activities such as debates, quiz, educational endowment fund, etc to overcome the problems associated with education development. “Education is money consuming, but it pays”, he added.
Sheikh Turi also called for the utilization of the human resources the Movement has, such as professionals in all fields of knowledge, which he said his feasible. “There is a gap in what we are doing and what we can do. This should be addressed and redressed”. He further explained that, it is the responsibility of the Ameer, to muster all the human and material resources in order to actualize the desired objective.
The Islamic scholar observed that, apart from using the hardware approach (military power) by the enemies of Islam, software approach is now conveniently used to distort morality among the Muslims, and therefore called for caution. He said the rampant cases of misuse of the internet and social media by the youth calls for greater concern by both parents and those saddled with the responsibility of child upbringing. “Parents should determine at which age their children should start using the internet and other communication gadgets, and under strict supervision”.