International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai said that Allama Iqbal was not only an intellectual but a great philosopher and an enthusiastic advocate of Islamic universalism.
He expressed these views at the concluding ceremony of a three-day workshop on ‘Towards Understanding Iqbal in 21st Century’ organised by Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IIIRD) of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).
IIIRD Acting President Dr Mumtaz Ahmed, IIIRD Director Coordination Dr Talib Hussain Sial and resource person of the workshop Khurram Ali Shafique also joined the concluding ceremony. Urdu language teachers of Islamabad model colleges participated in the three day workshop.
Chief Guest Dr Masoom Yasinzai while appreciating the role of IIIRD urged the organisers to hold another workshop of the same nature and also scholars and teachers from across the country. He stressed the teachers to be devoted to their profession and said that nations could not be built without good teachers. “Societies with racism and sectarianism are on the verge of declining. We have to ignore our personal differences and introduce to our students the true message of Iqbal” he said.
The rector added that teachers can give a new direction to the nation as they are the real builders. “They should study and understand the core message of Iqbal and disseminate it to their students and to the society at large,” he opined. He lauded the efforts of Dr Mumtaz Ahmed and Dr Talib Hussain Sial for conducting such an important and valuable workshop.
Dr Mumtaz Ahmed in his address announced that IIRD will provide full cooperation to Islamabad model colleges for organising such workshops in the future. “Educational institutions have a close link with the society and they help can pave the way to progress,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Talib Hussain Sial briefed the participants about the objectives of IIIRD and its ‘outreach’ programme. Representing the participants of the workshop Islamabad Model College for Girls Sector F-7/2 Lecturer Samina and Islamabad Model College for Boys Sector F-10/4 Lecturer Sher Ali shared their views about their experience of the workshop and termed it a ‘precious opportunity’ to understand the message of Iqbal.
Certificates were later distributed among the participants by the chief guest and the IIUI president.