‘Youth must help salvage humanity’

Islamabad:Muslim youth need to navigate a path toward the collective well-being of humanity by reconnecting to their roots and exploring their rich intellectual and spiritual legacy, said renowned scholar, social scientist and Riphah International University Vice Chancellor Dr Anis Ahmad on Monday.

"Only a generation driven by a sense of purpose, commitment, and responsibility can help introduce an alternative framework to salvage humanity," Dr Anis said during a lecture at the Institute of Policy Studies here.

The event, titled “What Ails Human Civilization Today?,” was held in collaboration with the Markfield Institute of Higher Education, UK, and the International Institute of Muslim Unity at the International Islamic University, Malaysia. Dr Anis noted that the dualistic approach, which evolved from the European experience with the Church, altered the entire concept of what it meant to be human.

He said the mechanised life stripped individuals and society of the higher objectives of life, while self-centred individualism distorted the natural social fabric by damaging family structures.

"Modern civilisation is plagued by moral decay, excessive individualism, and a loss of direction, all symptoms of a deeper spiritual and societal crisis. The rise of mechanical living and artificial constructs of identity reflects a troubling departure from natural and divine principles,” he observed.

The scholar said Islam, as a complete and timeless way of life, offers a comprehensive framework through the Qur’an and Sunnah to confront these challenges. "Islam offers not only doctrinal beliefs but comprehensive solutions rooted in ethical principles and the higher objectives of Islamic law. Muslims must reclaim intellectual and moral leadership through self-reform, diligent effort, and the practical application of divine guidance." Dr Anis called on youth to move beyond dependency and passive consumption and, instead, embrace faith-guided purposeful engagement in all spheres of life.