GOD IS KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWLEDGE IS GOD – Altaf HUSSAIN

London -- 20 November 2003
The MQM leader Mr. Altaf Hussain while addressing the APMSO students at Khursheed Begum Memorial Hall, Karachi, stated that the entire knowledge about universe is with God Almighty, it is therefore logical to say that God is knowledge and knowledge is God.

To deny acquisition of knowledge is tantamount to denial of God.  Those who create obstructions in the attainment of knowledge are not fit to be called human; they are actually denying the very existence of God.  There is no law in the world that put restrictions on acquiring knowledge, as knowledge transgresses all geographical, religious and ethnic boundaries.  He further stated that the very first word of the very first revelations upon prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is “IQRA”.  Regrettably real meanings of this word are not generally known because it is usually translated as “to read”.  Reading is only one of many hundreds of meanings and functions of the Quranic word “Iqra”.

Had “to read” been the only message of “Iqra”, only the people like newsreaders would have been scholars, philosophers, scientists and spiritual leaders.  The scholars like Newton, Archimedes, Einstein, Plato, Socretes and Galelio did not achieve their status by simply reading!  They thought, reflected and researched. The word “Iqra” is  a combination of all these functions.  It is far more important to reach the spirit of a word rather than its literal meanings.  For example the word “love” has so many different facets - for lovers, parents, children and in day-to-day conversation.  The spirit of the word “Iqra” is to be understood from Quranic verse that states, “we have created the earth and the skies, there are signs in it for those who have knowledge”.  The “signs” are for those who have “knowledge” and not those who merely “read”.  It is a cruel and barbaric act to restrict the attainment of knowledge.  Those who put restrictions by force in the name of religion, sect, ethnicity and sex are committing an inhuman act.  Mr. Altaf Hussain reminded the audience that the Muslim clerics pronounced a “Fatwa” that to study English is unIslamic and they also called the girls education in colleges and universities as unIslamic.  There are people of that mindset even today in our country.  They do not understand the spirit of prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) saying; “go educate yourselves even if you have to go to China for it”.  China was not offering any Islamic education at that time.  Mr Altaf Hussain that at presents Muslim Ummah is passing through a very precarious phase.  The Muslim clerics generally are responsible for the distorted image of Islam that is projected to the world today.  Also the feudal in Pakistan are so decadent and powerful that they do not permit schools to flourish in the region of their control.  Our intellectuals do not have the courage to expose such vagaries in our society.  They only pay lip service for the eradication of poverty, decease and ignorance but do not expose the culprits… feudal system in Pakistan is the key factor in restricting education in the country.  Feudal, clerics and Army Generals are hand in hand in keeping the country backward to serve their vested interests.  For the last 56 years the country has been as on dole and we have lost half of it already.  If the “troika” (feudal, generals and clerics) do not alter their selfish character very noon the reaming half is on live.  Finally, Mr Altaf Hussain asked the APMSO workers to take his message to very part of the country among the young students and educated people to come forward to save the country by removing the obstacles that have been placed in the path of knowledge and enlightened thought.  He also advised the students to think and acquire knowledge that would vitalise the brain cells.  Reform your character, abstain from cheating and other antisocial behaviour, and respect your parents and teachers whole-heartedly.  Uncivilised students in like an ass-carrying load of books on his back.