The youth are the hope of Islam and Muslims. Let history witness and record their determination to change the backwardness and miserable situation in which Muslims are living nowadays. There is a great role for Muslim youth to play and they have to emulate the good examples of their great predecessors. Our focus on the youth does not release the old from sharing the responsibility, for with concerted and systematic efforts between the young and the old high hopes will be achieved.
Dr. Sano KoutoubMoustapha, professor of fiqh and its principles, International Islamic University, Malaysia, states: Surely, the youth nowadays need a lot of things. This is due to the challenges and opportunities of this century. I do deeply believe that the most important and urgent thing is the education of the youth. Muslim youth have no choice but to be educated and to master all branches of the knowledge if they really wish to protect themselves and to protect Islam at large. Their success and development merely depend on their ability and command of knowledge. Certainly, I do mean by knowledge all branches of science and technology. In this regard, I call upon all Muslim youth in the world to dedicate all their time for education. They have to excel in their studies. They have to be excellent in any branch of knowledge they choose as an area of specialization.
In addition to their education, I call upon them to get to know each other and to have better understanding of the situations of Muslims in the world. They have to cooperate and communicate among themselves. They have to close all areas of difference for the sake of unity and cooperation. They should bear in mind that there will be no change in Muslim status nowadays if they don’t work hard and cooperate among themselves.
Islam stands for mutual love and respect among its followers. Muslim youth have to change all wrong images and misconceptions of Islam in the media. They have to correct the image of violence and barbaric attitude. They have to demonstrate the peaceful and cooperative face of their great religion, which condemns all types of violence and killing innocents and helpless people.
all in all, the youth are the hope of Islam and Muslims. Let history witness and record their determination to change the backwardness and miserable situation in which Muslims are living nowadays. I am full of hope that with educated and skilful youth, Islam will prevail one day, in sha’ Allah.