ISLAMABAD, Aug 04 (APP):Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah on Tuesday said the timeless teachings of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi continue to offer guidance for addressing many of the moral and social challenges confronting the modern world, calling for greater compassion, tolerance and service to humanity. The minister expressed these views while delivering a keynote address at a panel discussion titled “Maulana Rumi: Sufism and …
Minister highlights Rumi’s enduring message of compassion at Turkish Festival in Chicago
ISLAMABAD, Aug 04 (APP):Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah on Tuesday said the timeless teachings of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi continue to offer guidance for addressing many of the moral and social challenges confronting the modern world, calling for greater compassion, tolerance and service to humanity.
The minister expressed these views while delivering a keynote address at a panel discussion titled “Maulana Rumi: Sufism and Pakistan’s Spiritual Heritage”, held on the second day of the Turkish Festival in Chicago, said a news release received here.
The session, commemorating Rumi’s enduring legacy and his influence on the contemporary Muslim world, brought together prominent scholars, religious leaders and members of the Pakistani and Turkish communities.
Speaking alongside distinguished scholars, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah said Rumi’s teachings transcend time, geography and culture by reminding humanity that love, humility and self-reform are the foundations of peaceful and inclusive societies.
Highlighting Pakistan’s rich Sufi heritage, the Minister said the teachings of saints such as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hujwiri (R.A.), Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar (R.A.), Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (R.A.), Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (R.A.) and Hazrat Sultan Bahoo (R.A.) embody the same values of compassion, tolerance and service that Maulana Rumi championed centuries ago.
He also underscored the deep spiritual and cultural ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, noting that Allama Muhammad Iqbal regarded Maulana Rumi as his spiritual mentor and that Rumi’s legacy continues to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries.
Drawing a link between spirituality and public service, the Minister said caring for the poor, empowering women, educating children, supporting persons with disabilities and protecting vulnerable segments of society are practical expressions of Islamic values and social responsibility.
He emphasized that true progress must be guided not only by economic growth and technological advancement but also by compassion, ethical values and human dignity.
The federal minister urged young people to draw inspiration from Rumi’s teachings by combining knowledge with humility, ambition with integrity and personal success with service to society.
On the sidelines of the festival, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah also met scholars, community representatives and members of the Pakistani and Turkish diaspora, and exchanged views on the shared spiritual heritage of Pakistan and Turkiye and the role of cultural engagement in promoting mutual understanding.
