Appeal to HH The Agha Khan for establishing a character building NGO

Dear Sir,
Through your esteemed news and views website, I appeal to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, to consider establishing yet another NGO in Chitral and Northern Areas where the AKDN is already working. This time the NGO should be a different one. Nothing to do with funds or roads or hospitals or pipelines etc. It should have the singular task of scientifically and intelligently strengthening the moral and character fiber of the people.

The highest attribute (sunnat) of our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was his truthfulness and trustworthiness (sadiq and ameen). Allah Almighty bestowed this attribute upon him right from his birth, while prophethood was bestowed at the age of forty. One reason why people readily accepted his claim to prophethood was his record of being truthful and honest throughout his life.

Unfortunately the greatest sunnat of the Holy prophet (PBUH) has been ignored and instead cultural sunnats like keeping a beard or wearing a certain dress or using miswak for cleaning teeth etc have been preached throughout. The result is, we are grossly devoid of the attributes of being truthful and trustworthy.

HH The Aga Khan has done a marvelous job in promoting education in the area, especially his community. The beneficiaries are now harvesting the crop of good education. It is he who can best take upon himself to improve the Character and Morality of the people especially those under his direct influence which will further positively influence the other communities too. We pray he takes up this noble task also and if he does so, Allah Almighty will bless him with more honour. .. from Amiruddin, Chitral, 18 Aug 2021

 

5 thoughts on “Appeal to HH The Agha Khan for establishing a character building NGO

  1. Excellent suggestion, it is need of the day, all AKDN institution have started piloting from North and Chitral, gradually replicated to down country. Same practice can be adopted for this suggestion.
    Keeping in view the current situation happening around us, we doubt soon Pakistani will be at lower bottom for ethics therefore timely action is important.

  2. Very valid proposal. It doesn’t take dollars or Euros to set up this NGO. Volunteers can be engaged and an example of an NGO can be set up which does not need foreign funding, but can do a great service to heal the deteriorating society.

  3. In addition to the above suggestion, there are well known personalities in chitral, who have equal respect in both sects i.e suni & ismsili, they can take lead in this regard. Few of them are Fardad Ali Shah, Dr Mir Baiz Khan, Dr Inayatullah Faizi, Islamuddin, prof.Toufeeq Jan, Ali Akbar Qazi etc. They can add more individuals and start character building sessions at school, college and university level. Latest technology (zoom meeting that is very cheep and easily accessable) can be used where physical visit is not possible. Services of other persons at national and international level can be hired through zoom meeting. I would request to Fardad Ali Shah sb to take lead and start this activity.

  4. @ Shamsuddin sb, Thankyou for expressing trust in me and others mentioned in your comment with reference to the subject. A serious NGO cannot be composed of only volunteers. It needs infrastructure like offices, vehicles, monthly maintenance expenses etc, like other NGOs. Few lectures or teleconferences here and there may not be as effective as a concerted full time scientific approach through an established organisation, to change the mindset of people. I would propose such an NGO if set up should be a premier NGO, and it should include persons of impeccable character qualities who themselves should be examples first and then propagate character building and moral science to others. Few names you mentioned may all be Ok but there may be others too who may qualify as much or even better than those mentioned (including me). This is not the issue at this time. The issue is that the need for an effective and powerful NGO be acknowledged and worked towards. Your interest and concern about the issue is plausible and in all fairness qualifies you to be a pillar of any such NGO. After all, any reformative idea first comes in the mind of few people and then it spreads to the multitude.. cheers!

  5. All major religions of the world and particularly Islam has placed greatest emphasis on character-building in society. All fundamental tenets of Islam are geared ultimately towards character-building as without character societies cannot sustain in the long run. Our religious and secular education systems also lay great stress on character-building. Our religious preachers and teachers are there to teach us about the importance of good character. Islam’s emphasis on the issue of keeping balance between deen and dunya–spiritual and temporal— and between huququllah and huququl-ibaad are some other ways in teaching the importance of character- building. His Highness the Aga Khan and his institutional framework are already working on this important area. What is needed is receptive minds and proper grooming of minds in homes by parents and in diverse educational systems by educators. Comments from gs will provide further impetus to the topic.

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