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RAWALPINDI, Dec 08 (APP):“The company of experienced and refined individuals is a valuable asset for a person,” said Allama Syed Riaz Hussain Shah, Patron-in-Chief of Idara Taleemat-e-Islamia Pakistan.
Addressing a special Quranic lecture, he said, “The psychology of knowledge is such that the lesser a person’s greed, the more knowledge enlightens the inner self. Greed turns the treasure of knowledge into ashes.”
He said frequent recitation of the Holy Quran was a source of salvation for the Muslim Ummah and stressed the need to seek knowledge at every stage of life.
The session held on Sunday was attended by noted scholars and hosted by Deputy Director Sheikh Muhammad Qasim.
Allama Riaz said benefiting from the experiences of elders, keeping the company of pious people and remaining steadfast on the path of knowledge till the last breath were the foundations of a successful life. He said respecting elders and showing kindness to the young were among the manners taught by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and described this as the true spirit of Sufism.
He said time spent in the company of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was pivotal in the training of the Companions, citing Hazrat Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) as an example of spiritual enrichment through the Prophet’s blessed companionship.
He warned that in the age of social media, believing information without verification was dangerous and said history bore witness that after the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, the Ummah gradually lost the softness of character taught by the Prophet (PBUH).
He said freedom of expression held an important place in Islam, yet people hesitated to call an oppressor an oppressor and the oppressed an oppressed, adding that when the system of knowledge became weak, society lost its values.
He said the company of elders was a treasure of knowledge and that the character of those trained by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) shone brightly, adding that society could only be illuminated when knowledge and experience were valued.
Concluding his address, he said “knowledge is charity,” therefore learning and conveying knowledge was the responsibility of every Muslim. He stressed choosing good company, as it influenced character.
The gathering concluded with special prayers for the prosperity of the country and the Muslim Ummah.