In less than three decades, the Minhaj-ul-Quran International has made tremendous
achievements in various fields of work. Taking its work span, time span and geographical
work span, the results achieved so far are dazzlingly astonishing. Detailed information
in this regard requires volumes of written work. We can have only the synopsis of
the MQI performance in terms of solid results it has produced under the most dynamic
and galvanizing leadership of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.
In a short period of 28 years the MQI has established its educational, welfare
& organizational set-up outside Pakistan in 74 countries with 69 educational and
cultural centres while number of its membership network over the globe has risen
to 93.
The MQI Organizations at tehsil level and union council have been set up in
all the four provinces of the country and Azad Kahsmir.
It has millions of members and affiliates around the world.
Struggling hard against ignorance and pursuing the target of establishing
1000 schools and colleges in the country the Minhaj Education Society has by now
set up 572 schools including 42 colleges and IT Centres imparting education to 120,000
students through 5000 teachers all over Pakistan. Another hundreds are in the making.
It has established one chartered university as well, the Minhaj University
Lahore (MUL) which is placed in ‘W’ grade, the highest rank granted by the Higher
Education Commision of Pakistan. MQI has a well chalked out plan to raise one chartered
university in each of the provinces and one in Azad Kashmir in addition to one international
university.
There are 3000 libraries/CD exchanges and mass education centres being run
only in Pakistan under the auspices of MQI.
It has a huge organizational network in Pakistan, ever expanding and deepening
to the UCs level, its Da'wa Directorate has set up 250 monthly Irfan-ul-Qur’an gatherings
where renowned scholars of MQI deliver talks on the Qur’anic guidance in removing
difficulties and issues of the modern age. Similarly the Da'wa Directorate is also
running hundreds of Irfan-ul-Qur’an courses and Irfan-ul-Qur’an Circles at different
places.
The Minhaj-ul-Quran Women League closely following its laid down targets has
set up 150 Irfan-ul-Qur’an circles. They are also functioning to provide Qur’anic
guidance to the womenfolk.
Over 40,000 men and women attend the annual Collective Itikaf in the sacred
month of Ramadan at Township Lahore every year. They are imparted training in spiritual
elevation, character building, moderation and tolerance techniques directly by Shaykh-ul-Islam.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has, over the years, brought about
a culture of love for the Beloved Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon
him). Pursuing this objective he promoted hymnody (sessions of reciting Na‘at, the
poetic eulogies to glorify the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him]) and
Sama‛ gatherings in the holy month of Rabi-ul-Awwal (the month when the Prophet
Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him] was born). One of the salient features
of this culture is serving common man with Ziyafat-e-Milad (extended meals) within
the first 12 days of Rabi-ul-Awwal. The celebration consists of daily gatherings
at the MQI headquarters where recitations of the Qur’an take place along with the
Na‘at sessions followed by food served to every participant. An open invitation
is served to everybody rich or poor to attend the Ziyafat. When food is served everybody
sits and eats together, breaking barriers of wealth and poverty, removing all inhibitions
and uniting people under the supreme banner of mercy of the Prophet Muhammad (blessings
and peace be upon him).
The annual International Meelad Conference is held at Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore
on the 12th night of Rabi-ul-Awwal and lasts till the early morning of 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal
for the celebration of Milad-un-Nabi (blessings and peace be upon him). This event
has become a regular feature for last two decades. Hundreds of thousands of people
from all around the world attend the gathering. Rejoicing the occasion, all these
participants are served with Ziafat, the grand extended food. The night commences
with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, followed by Na‘at recitation upon the Prophet
Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him). Then Shaykh-ul-Islam delivers a lecture,
followed by invoking greetings and salutations upon the Beloved Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace be upon him). This is one of the largest gatherings of the
Muslim Umma around the world telecast live on satellite channels for the benefit
of all the Muslims around the world.
The most soothing feature of this culture of love for the Holy Prophet is
recitation of durood, blessings, and salutations, on the Messenger of Allah. For
this purpose, Gosha-e-Darood has been set up at MQI headquarters Lahore. More than
fifteen billion (15,00,00,00,000) times salutations have been recited on the Holy
Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) at this Gosha-e-Darood so far. Following
the line, Durood circles have come up in thousands in streets of the towns where
the salutations are invoked on the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give
him peace) and are deposited with the central directorate.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has authored 1000 books out of
which 406 have been published. His works are being translated into different languages
including English, Arabic, German, Danish, Korean, Norwegian etc.
5000 lectures by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri have been delivered
and are available on audio video cassettes and different CD formats. Over a 1000
lectures have been produced on CDs and DVDs and are available on all the Minhaj-ul-Quran
sale centres around the world. His lectures sold so far run in millions.
Fighting poverty in the country Dr Qadri formed a new sister organisation
in 1989 for social welfare and disaster and poverty relief, later to be known as
the Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF), which has benefited victims of natural disasters
such as the Tsunami affecting Indonesia; the Bam earthquake, Iran; the South Asian
earthquake in Pakistan, as well as various developments and educational projects
in Pakistan and other underprivileged countries. Aid worth billions of rupees has
been distributed so far among the victims.
The construction of a huge four-storey orphanage known as Aghosh to house
500 orphans is underway at Township Lahore. Already commissioned, Aghosh is functional
providing children with the umbrella of love, care and education to foster them
into useful and balanced citizens.
Minhaj Welfare Foundation arranges scholarships for those poor and needy
students who are otherwise very intelligent and competent but due to lack of resources
cannot get education. Under Minhaj Welfare Foundation, Student Welfare Board was
established for this purpose. Scholarships are given to poor and needy students
for secondary and higher education. The students benefiting from this scheme are
in thousands studying at Minhaj schools and colleges. Millions of rupees have been
spent on thousands of students so far. A large number of donors are given direct
access to the schools to monitor progress of their respective donees.
Eid Gift and Ration Scheme was started by MWF to provide relief to the destitute.
Under this scheme, ration, sweet and food stuff are distributed among the poor on
the occasions of Eids including Meelad-un-Nabi (blessings and peace be upon him).
Millions of rupees have also been distributed among the sufferers of drought in
the province of Baluchistan. The plans for provision of ration on permanent basis
were also launched incurring huge budget.
The total number of Minhaj Free Clinics and Blood Banks throughout the country
is 102. The establishment of this network has cost Rs. 76, 62,546 and thousands
of people are benefiting from this.
There are around 6 million blind people in the world today. The number of
blind people in Pakistan is also increasing. Keeping this situation in view, Minhaj
Welfare Foundation (MWF) started holding free eye surgery camps in the backward
and far-flung areas of Pakistan. According to the prevalent concept of eye-camp
in Pakistan, it is getting oneself checked up by a doctor one day and getting a
prescription of medicine. Whereas annual free surgery eye camps are held under the
banner of Minhaj Welfare Foundation benefiting thousands of patients each year.
Arrangement of collective marriages by the Minhaj Welfare Foundation has
become a feather in its cap for last few years. Collective marriages are also arranged
not only in Lahore but also in other cities of the country. The branches of Minhaj
Welfare Foundation undertook this project with great zeal and determination. The
marriages of more than 300 girls have been arranged by Minhaj Welfare Foundation.
One marriage costs rupees one hundred and twenty five thousands. The cooperation
of local wealthy individuals extended to the Minhaj Welfare Foundation is a sign
of trust in the organization.
More than half of Pakistani population is deprived of clean drinking water
today. Unclean water is available for drinking at most of the places giving birth
to fatal diseases. Given this growing need of clean drinking water, Minhaj Welfare
Foundation has installed 1500 water pumps across the country costing Rs. 7 million.
The water pump installation campaign has covered numerous districts in all the four
provinces of the country.
The MWF has arranged Free Legal Assistance for the exploited/abused women.
This is to rehabilitate the women sent to prison for failing to pay the fines/penalties
or for other reasons and provide them Free Legal Assistance. The objective is also
to provide them legal cover at police stations for safe and fair proceedings of
their cases; develop a powerful, effective program to expose police atrocities and
restrict injustice at police stations. In addition, women in Dar-ul-Amaan (House
of Safety/Protection), Orphanage or Mental Hospitals are provided legal aid. The
MWF works for creating awareness about the significance of Legal Assistance through
seminars and presentations and struggles to remove social discrimination and ensure
restoration of women’s social status.
The MWF has launched sewing machine scheme as well to enable the poor women
earn their living through sewing clothes. It is a very flourishing job within the
Pakistani industry. A considerable number of people earn their living through this
skill. Therefore, MWF launched a Sewing Machine Scheme to provide the destitute
women with the machines. It facilitates them earn a respectable living and meet
their basic domestic needs.
But great achievement is the change that has taken place in peoples’ hearts
and minds towards promotion of peace and harmony in the society. The MQI has considerably
reduced sectarianism due to its dynamic struggle launched for this purpose. Inter-faith
dialogue too has brought people of two faiths closer. The MQI has definitely achieved
a degree of moderation, tolerance and promotion of human dignity and restoration
of human rights and women rights through its Da‘wa, Training and organizing programmes
in progress in country and abroad. This is heartening to see that people have started
understanding the message of MQI and very bright prospects can be visualized in
near future.