His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri delivered an intimate yet spiritually invigorating address to members, affiliates, and supporters of Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) in Dundee. The gathering was part of an ongoing series of spiritual sittings across the UK and brought together dedicated members of the MQI family in Scotland for heartfelt nasiha and reflection.

His Eminence was accompanied by Professor Dr Hassan Mohiuddin Qadri, Chairman of the Supreme Council of MQI. Representing the national leadership, Syed Ali Abbas Bukhari (President MQI UK), Moazzam Raza (General Secretary MQI UK), Dr Khalid Mahmood (President Scotland Zone), Qaiser Habib (General Secretary Scotland Zone), Adnan Sohail (Director Operations, MWF), Baji Tasneem Babar (representing MWL UK team), and Baji Yasmin Ahmed (MWL Scotland President) were also present. Distinguished guests included Faiz Alam Qadri (Norway), Haji Abdul Wahid, Riza Akhtar, Rehan Raza and Itsham Khan from Glasgow.

The host team was led by the full local executive committee of MQI Dundee, including Haji Muhammad Saleem and Mujahid Islam, supported by senior founding members Haji Mahmud Sarwar Rathore and Haji Muhammad Hayyat.

In his address, Shaykh-ul-Islam outlined the profound purpose of human life: to worship Allah ﷻ and remain ever-conscious of personal accountability. Citing the Qur’anic verse, “He is the One who created death and life to test which of you is best in deeds,” he reminded attendees that life is a test, and death is the inevitable doorway to divine judgment. Once a person dies, the opportunity to perform good deeds ends, and what remains is reward or punishment. However, there are three exceptions where reward continues after death; the foremost being when a person’s children perform good deeds that benefit them.

A central theme of the sitting was the critical importance of early childhood development. Shaykh-ul-Islam drew on both Islamic tradition and modern neuroscience to emphasise that the first five years of life are the most formative. During this window, over a million neural connections form every second, laying the foundations for personality, perception, and spiritual receptivity. By the age of twelve, a child’s character is largely shaped. By thirteen, their personality is deeply ingrained. Hence, parental focus on tarbiyah must begin from the earliest stages; even from the womb.

He explained that a child in the womb recognises familiar voices and environments. This subconscious imprint carries through to life and becomes part of the child’s spiritual compass. Parents must fill the home with the remembrance of Allah ﷻ, the sound of Qur’anic recitation, the adhan, and good speech. Even before speech begins, the mind is absorbing. These early impressions influence the child’s preferences, identity, and relationship with Allah and His Messengerﷺ.

Addressing the role of parents, Shaykh-ul-Islam echoed the prophetic wisdom: “الجنة تحت أقدام الأمهات” — “Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers.” He explained that while the father is often seen as the door to paradise, the mother is the foundation upon which the entire structure rests. Without a foundation, there can be no walls, and without walls, no door. Thus, the spiritual architecture of the home depends first on the mother’s active and guiding presence. He further cautioned that when parents become passive, allowing media, peer pressure, or secular culture to shape their children’s values, they risk forfeiting their most sacred trust. The pain and confusion of teenage years often trace back to missed opportunities in the early years.

Shaykh-ul-Islam then turned to the vital concept of Jama’at (community). Drawing from the hadith “Yadullāh maʿa al-jamāʿah” — “The hand of Allah is over the collective” — he explained that collective belonging is a form of spiritual protection. Just as waves in the ocean have power but lose their strength when separated, a believer must remain within the safety of community. Faith in isolation is vulnerable. Collective identity strengthens individual resilience.

He taught that the “I” becomes weak alone, but the “We” brings the strength of divine support. He encouraged all members to take life membership seriously — not merely as a symbolic act, but as a daily, practical commitment to the mission of Islam through Minhaj-ul-Quran. Being part of the Jama’at ensures that our own faith, and the faith of our children and descendants, is nurtured and protected.

Shaykh-ul-Islam powerfully stated that while the chapter of deeds closes at death, those who help build institutions where the name of Allah is echoed and children learn the Qur’an and Islamic character continue to receive reward for generations. Even centuries later, they remain beneficiaries of every good deed performed in those centres. To that end, he encouraged attendees to establish or support centres for children’s education; not necessarily with grand buildings, but through sincere efforts, collective support, and environments filled with love for the Qur’an, character-building, and prophetic teachings. Every action now contributes to securing the iman (faith) of future generations.

This sitting in Dundee reinvigorated a sense of duty and collective resolve. The message was clear: the time to act is now. To serve, to protect, to educate, and to build. Through early tarbiyah, strong community ties, and sustained institutional work, the next generations can inherit faith as a living legacy, not a forgotten relic.