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Many ideas and many suggestions. But the focus was how IT can be effectively used to spread the message of Islam”, says S.A.R Adil presenting his impressions on the recent Muslim IT professionals Meet

For a change, they put their mouse to rest for a day and put their heads together! The Muslim IT Professional Association (MITA) gathered in Bangalore recently to ponder and reflect on many aspects of life including how best IT could be used to convey the message of Islam.

MITA is a forum for Muslim IT professionals to network and contribute to the welfare of the Indian society, at the same time providing intellectual growth.
Mohammed Khuddus, Technical Manager, Lucent Technologies and one of the organisers of MITA presented the introductory address. He talked about the aims and objectives of MITA, which he said is essentially a non-political, service-driven association for the Muslims.

Mirza Yawar Baig, founder of Yawar Baig & Associates and Leadtrain. International Speaker, Coach, Trainer and Facilitator, specialising in enabling individuals and organisations to create Enduring Leadership has over 36 years experience in Leadership Development, Management and Training. He delivered the keynote address in English on the theme of “Burden of Standard Bearer”. During the brief interaction I had with him, I learnt that he belongs to an illustrious family from Hyderabad and finds a place in the higher rung of the socio- economic circle. However his garb or attire does not betray his social standing. He is simply dressed in a long Kurta and Pajama and has a long flowing beard. The true depth of his knowledge and his desire to serve the community was revealed to me when I heard his address.

The topic - Burden of a Standard Bearer sounded vague to begin with, but when he expanded the same I found that the topic was all encompassing and very pertinent to the problems facing the Muslims today. He began by contrasting the stressful times faced by the Muslims today directly with they having ceased to be the standard bearers of our great religion. The truly great period for the Muslims was during and up to 300 years after our Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) This was so because the Muslims then truly conducted themselves in a manner befitting a true Standard Bearer of Islam. In word, deed and appearance, they looked Muslims and that was the reason for their success. He stressed that it does not matter what you do and achieve in life but what matters is the legacy of what you leave behind after death. He made a point that today if Muslims or the institutions created by them ceased to exist, it will hardly matter and life will go on. Similarly in stark contrast if the same were to happen to the Christian world and their signs such as their technologically developed industry, schools and other charitable Institutions, then it will cause a crippling effect on this world.

Maulana Salman Hussaini Nadwi, Dean, Faculty of Shari'ah, Nadwatul Ulema, Lucknow threw open a thought-provoking question that evil people want to destroy the fabric of society and are working very hard for spreading evil. But what are good people in general and Muslim IT professionals in particular, doing to combat that?

“We have access to the technology but we don't use it for the sake of spreading good and combating evil. This is a crime which is punishable before Allah,” he said.
“Think of how you can use IT to fight this and to show the world the truth of what is going on. Show them what is happening to the Muslims. The Jews told the world about what Hitler did to them by setting up the Holocaust museums everywhere. Where is the Muslim holocaust museum? Why is the world kept in the dark about ongoing holocausts? It is your job to make the world aware”, he added.

If you only use your knowledge to write programs for billing and back-office processes, it is not enough. Your job is to spread the truth. If not we will always be the prey of these predators who are preying on the people of the world. Maulana Salman Nadwi presented 14 suggestions on how Muslim IT professionals could work for the benefit of Muslims which also included creating a 24- hours Help Desk - both virtual and real where anyone interested in Islam or with any question in their mind can come at any time of the day or night and get answer.