‘Volunteerism will free the youth from radicalisation’

Manama : Muslim youth need to be taught Islam through a ‘practical way’, said Sheikh Dr Tawfique Chowdhury yesterday.  

Rather than learning Islam from just books, the youth need to be encouraged to be part of volunteer groups to practice volunteerism and charity works as taught in Islam, said Dr Chowdhury. 

It will help the youth  to understand and appreciate the real meaning of Islam and thereby prevent radicalization, he said. 

Dr Chowdhury is one of the high profile Islamic clerics who received death threats from ISIS. He is currently in Bahrain on a 5-day lecture tour.  

He has founded many charity organisations, educational institutions and hospitals. He is also a graduate in medicine from the University of Bond, Australia, as well as a graduate from the College of Shar’iah at the Islamic University of Madinah.

“Rather than reading books, the youth need action. They want to see changes coming and want to be part of it, highlighted a recent survey,” he said.

“We need to create opportunities for them to involve in changing their communities, so that they can be part it. Let us take the example of Mother Theresa. She was not particularly eloquent but she changed the world through her actions. It shows the approach needs to be changed.

“I believe we should do more to encourage the youth to take up community services and activities that contribute to the growth of the society. Every school must take up programmes on the lines of Duke of Edinburgh programme. That way, we will take them away from radicalisation,” said Dr Chowdhury.

Dr Chowdhury will be speaking in a series of lectures in the future which will be organized by Discover Islam, reports said. First lecture titled “Tears of the Prophet” will be at Saar Mosque after Jummah prayers today. He will also speak at Elite Spa and Resort in Muharraq on Saturday at 7.30 pm on “Be Positive! You have a beautiful heart”.  

Admissions to the talks will be free and will be open to people of all faiths, said the reports.