The Message of Sufis and Saints and Our Younger Generation

In our modern days life, parents are finding it difficult to teach and transfer religious and family norms to their children. It has happened in the last decade when the life became too fast and a speedy race to improve life style and status by the people which has made them lost focus on the good up bringing of their kids. In my opinion children living with their grand parents do know a lot about religious norms and family values than the children living away from them. Secondly, modern technology has brough in its own evils, we have seen a great decline in book reading trends in kids than what was there in our school days cause now the kids are more keen on play stations, Nintendos etc and spend more time on internet. parents have decided that their role is to get them in to good schools, feed them well, give them all luxuries of life and their responsibility is over. It does not end here, we are responsible and answerable to alot more than that.

I still remember my parents and grand parents in my childhood were very keen and concious to have me read the good books especially on Islamic History and life stories of our Sufis and Saints. Kids at my age those days used to enjoy reading "Saif Ul Malook" Dastaan e Ameer hamza" Dastaan Eeeman Faroshoon ki by Dr. Anayat Ullah, Books of Nasim Hijazi, Life History of Hazarat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani rehmatulla Elaeh, at little younger age magazines like Taleem o Tarbeeyat, Nonayhaal etc. The reason of making us read these books at that time was to have us thorough knowledge about basic manners, how to behave in public and in front of guests at home, basic know how of Islamic idealogy, respect of elders and love to juniors, how to maintain hygeine around us, offering of prayers on timely basis, a disciplined life by following a daily activity chart set by parents, table manners and a lot more.

The messages in the books and the stories told by our parents and grand parents about the Sufis and Saints were how to be a good Muslim, how to serve parents and elders, respect for others, minding self respect by doing nothing wrong, work and study hard, emphasis on out door games to develop physical fitness and team spirit, performing religious duties, how to interact with elders and friends and many more guide lines for us to be a good human being.

I have read alot of books that are being taught at school these days till fith grade, these are also good for character building but in absence of parents effort on kids to make them realise that the messages given in the books are useful for their life ahead, kids take these books a mere reading to get a good score in exams and very few of the kids realise whats the real message in these books.

In the past in an era when Hinduism was touching its peaks, Mohammad Bin Qasim changed the very face of the outlook of the Sub-continent by exposing people to the teachings of Islam. He was quite successful in attracting the struggling and crushed class of Hindus towards acceptance and embracing of Islam. After Mohammad Bin Qasim we see a series of Sufis and Saints who were spread across the sub continent busy in preaching Islam through lectures on Islamic Principles, Poetry and books to give out a message of hope based on euality, justice, no gender descrimination and peace and harmony in life. The biggest motivator was rights of women clearly defined in our religion where as women were having toughest of times in those days being a Hindu, traditions like Satti were common at that time and there was no charm for women in life but these Sufis and Saints of various schools of thoughts highlited as Silsilla e Naqhbandia, Silsilla e Qadria etc did a marvelluos effort to bring people close to Islam and eventually getting huge success in turning a lot of non-Muslims to Islam.

I would strongly stress that there is a need to develop short stories in an intersting format both in English and Urdu about the life stories of these Saints and these should be included in our curriculm and should be taught to kids before they reach the fifth grade and in senior grades they should be offered in depth studies on the life styles of the people who have made it possible for us today to be Muslims first and then having an idependent Islamic state in the heart of the land which was dominated by Hinduism.

The basic personality of a child completes with in first few years of education and these years are very critical, a special attention has to be given to them by the parents at home and teachers at school. Our kids should know who are we, what were our roots, how difficult it was to have this home land, how following Islam can bring positive changes in our lives, how good is for them to study and read life stories of Saints and Sufis to develop tolerance, forgiveness, discipline and humble attitude in their lives to be good Muslims and very good citizens of Pakistan.

The real fortune that we would leave for our kids in future is to make them straight forward inn dealings, fair in relationships, hard working by nature, caring for parents and elders, loving to juniors, a good and solid education, make them a practising Muslim, broaden their horizon of understanding through teachings of Islam and the Holy Prophet Mohammad may peace be upon him, His companions, Muslim Scholars and saints and above all make them a good human being in terms of day to day dealings with people around them.

Unfortunately we as parents of this generation have lost our focus to maintain a balance of providing good education and luxuries of life. On birthdays we give them play stations, computers, expensive toys, branded shoes and clothing but a very few of them would present a good book to them to read and learn good lessons. When I was a teenager, my grand father would always give me good books as presents/gifts and once I used to finish reading these books, then my grand father will have an open discussion session with me to describe the lessons I got from reading of it. Reading enhances analytical skills, gives fresh ideas, develops good parts of personality traits and above all develops a clean and constructive thinking all these develops good personality traits.

Its very important for us to let our children know who are we? who are our heroes, what should we follow, what should be read and what does it take to become a good person. In my humble opinion it will be far better than getting involved in cat n mouse chase of gathering wealth and thinking that tonnes of money, houses, plots, plazas, gold and diamonds can make their future secure. Our foremost duty is to give them the best possible modern education backed up by religious education as well and we should stress on our kids to read the translation of the Holy Book Quran so that there should be no ambiguities and confusions in their minds in terms of knowing whats the guide line given in our religion in coping certain issues and problems. We need to make them tolerant and practical Muslims who would run this country by taking pride in their religion, The Holy Prophet's may peace be up on him teachings and the good lessons they learnt from study of life styles and books of renowned Muslim Scholars, Sufis and Saints.

I dedicate above effort to my Grand father Mian Karim Baksh who guided me a lot from childhood to what to read and write and enlightened my horizon of understanding the basics of Islam and helped and guided me get success in life. May his soul rest in peace. Amin!