Addressing the thousands of participants of Itikaf City in Township Lahore, MQI patron-in-chief Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that the youth are asset of any nation, society and an organization and hence matters related to their training and education should take priority. He said that turning to Allah Almighty during the youth is the practice of the prophets and a great blessing. He said that MQI has been busy in the mission of imparting moral and spiritual training to the youth including the women for last four decades.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that he was greatly pleased to see that the thousands of the people including the youth, women and children attended this year’s Itikaf. He said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that the youths are spending their time in exclusive worship of Allah and cultivating the love of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this day and age known for rate race and dominance of materialism. He said that out of the participants of Itikaf, 60% are youth including women. He said that children who will imbibe the culture of piety and understand the environment in which Durood-o-Salam is echoing and prayers are being offered five times a day, will end up becoming good Muslims, patriot and a useful professionals in life.

Dr Qadri said that Pakistan is the only country of the world that has 64% share of the youth in its overall population, which can be a great asset for its fast-paced progress but it is also unfortunate that despite being blessed with this abundant wealth, the youth are unable to put their act together and play their role in national progress because of lack of investment in their education and skill development. Resultantly, Pakistan continues to remain bogged down in unemployment, lawlessness and ignorance.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that Allah Almighty be thanked that MQI is expending all the available resources and energies for a grand objective of education and training of the youth and these efforts are bearing positive results. He said that graduates of Minhaj University are making important contributions to the national development as patriotic citizens and competent professionals in different fields of life.

The MQI leader said that though seeking repentance is obligatory on everyone every moment, the one sought during the youth is most prized. He said that during old age, all desires come to an end, and one is left with no energy to fulfill one’s legitimate and illegitimate desires at that stage of life. Contrary to that, youth is a period when one craves for fulfilment of all desires and their influence on the personality remains strong. If one turns to God and dedicates oneself to His worship, one’s heart becomes a personification of light and peace and even angels become envious of such a heart. He further said that the MQI has established the relationship of youth with education and training through speeches on informative topics and books.