Dr. Pirzada Qasim

IQRA’ Welcomes Vice Chancellor of

The University of Karachi

IQRA’ International Educational Foundation had the pleasure of hosting on April 26^th the honorable Professor Dr. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, world-renowned vice chancellor of the University of Karachi, and the celebrated satirist Syed Ijazuddin Shah (otherwise known as Popular Merathi).

In their hour-long visit to IQRA’ headquarters, Skokie, Dr. Pirzada Qasim held a stimulating meeting with our staff, during which he discussed the magnitude of the importance of IQRA’ International Educational Foundation as the pioneering institution world-wide in Islamic education. Dr. Pirzada Qasim also addressed the dire need for Pakistan (and the rest of the Muslim World) to adopt the IQRA’ concept of relevant and up-to-date Islamic education. “Young people have questions about their faith,” he stated, “and they have to be able to find the answers to these questions.”

Both Dr. Pirzada Qasim and Syed Ijazuddin Shah were presented with copies of IQRA’s latest textbooks, and upon viewing the high-quality graphics and presentation, the vice chancellor responded that such books will go a long way in providing Muslim children with the tools to address their questions about Islam in a timely manner.

IQRA’s Executive Director, Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, stressed the need for the foundation to rejuvenate its long-standing ties with the land of Pakistan, a point to which all present agreed needed to be done.

In addition, Dr. Tasneema Ghazi – director of IQRA’s Program Development Committee – encouraged Dr. Pirzada on the notion of working together in order to provide educational training courses to the imam’s of our communities, since many of them have the responsibility of teaching our children.  Dr. Tasneema pointed out the need to bridge the gap between yesterday’s educators and today’s students. Many at the meeting agreed that that the Muslim community has come to a point where the two classes of educators (traditional and secular) have stopped appreciating each other, and that it is up to parents and teachers to fill that void for the betterment of our children, and their futures.