Addressing the Friday congregation at Jamy Shaykh-ul-Islam, Model Town, the Deputy Secretary General of Minhaj-ul-Quran, Allama Rana Muhammad Idrees, delivered a sermon on the topic of knowledge, stating:
"Knowledge is light, and ignorance is a journey through darkness."
He emphasized that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was granted the noble status of a teacher (Mu’allim). Minhaj-ul-Quran is striving to transform every home into a center of learning. In today’s era, worldly distractions have distanced people from knowledge, to the extent that even the understanding of basic religious duties has weakened.
Quoting Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) from his famous book Kashf al-Mahjub, he said:
“Without knowledge of religion, practicing it is not possible.”
He lamented that many people are unaware of essential matters such as prayer (salah), fasting (sawm), zakat, hajj, and even the proper method of ritual purification (ghusl). Acquiring basic religious knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.
Allama Rana Muhammad Idrees further explained that:
“A person who worships without knowledge is like a beast of burden—it walks but never reaches a destination.”
He cited the Prophetic saying:
“Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.”
He reminded the congregation that the first command in the Qur'an is “Iqra” — Read.
Rana Idrees stated that the most prominent identity of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri worldwide is knowledge. Even today, Dr. Qadri continues to learn like a student and introduces the world to the true essence of knowledge.
He added that Minhaj-ul-Quran’s distinctive identity is also its commitment to knowledge. To achieve the goal of “a center of knowledge in every home,” Shaykh-ul-Islam has designed a comprehensive curriculum so every individual in society can connect with knowledge.
Allama Idrees concluded by saying that a child’s first training begins in the mother’s lap, followed by the home, school, college, and university. However, these institutions are failing in their responsibilities today. By establishing centers of knowledge, future generations will be raised with proper guidance and quality education.
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