Tarar urges youth to follow Prophet’s teachings in digital age

ISLAMABAD, Sep 03 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Thursday urged young people to draw guidance from the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), particularly the principles of truthfulness, trustworthiness, tolerance, respect for parents and responsible use of social media.

Addressing a one-day seminar titled “Seerat ka Paigham, Nojawanon ke Naam” at Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/2, organised by the National Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Wa Khatam-un-Nabiyeen Authority in connection with Rabi-ul-Awwal activities, the minister said the teachings of the Prophet offered guidance for people of all ages and all sections of society.

Atta Tarar said young people could find important lessons in the Prophet’s treatment of parents, his patience and forgiveness, his leadership and his dealings with people of different backgrounds.

Referring to the migration from Makkah to Madina, he highlighted the relationship between the Muhajireen and Ansar as an example of tolerance, solidarity and social cohesion.

He also cited the Prophet’s conduct after the conquest of Makkah and the incident of Taif as examples of forgiveness, patience and restraint.

The minister said the Prophet’s emphasis on “sidq” (truthfulness) and “amanah” (trustworthiness) was particularly relevant in the present era of social media, misinformation and rapidly circulating information.

“If we adopt these two qualities, I believe many of the problems confronting us today can be addressed,” he said.

Atta Tarar also stressed the importance of giving young people meaningful responsibilities.

Citing the examples of Hazrat Zaid bin Sabit, Hazrat Usama bin Zaid and Hazrat Musab bin Umair, he said the early Muslim community entrusted young people with important responsibilities and demonstrated confidence in their abilities.

He said empowering young people could help bring fresh ideas into society while enabling them to make a positive contribution.

Speaking about women’s empowerment, the minister said the life of Hazrat Khadija (RA), particularly her role in trade, offered an important historical example of women’s economic participation.

He said the teachings of Islam had accorded women an important status long before the modern discourse on women’s empowerment emerged.

Atta Tarar said there was a need to bridge the communication gap between religious teachings and younger generations, particularly Generation Z and Generation Alpha, through contemporary means of communication.

He proposed greater cooperation between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the National Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Wa Khatam-un-Nabiyeen Authority to promote responsible social media use and develop content highlighting the Prophet’s teachings for younger audiences.

“The positive use of social media can help introduce Generation Z and Generation Alpha to the personality and teachings of the Prophet,” he said.

The minister assured the authority of the federal government’s support for initiatives aimed at promoting the message of the Prophet among young people.

He also proposed the formation of a committee to develop a way forward for responsible social media use and the promotion of the Prophet’s teachings through digital platforms.

Atta Tarar said the Prophet’s message was relevant for all humanity and emphasised the importance of putting his noble qualities into practice in everyday life.

The minister thanked Authority Chairman Prof Dr Khurshid Nadeem and other organisers, including Javed Iqbal, Hassan, and Dr Fozia Tanveer, for organising the seminar.