The MQI Forums

The MQI Forums

Under the umbrella of his nascent organisation, Minhaj-ul-Quran, Shaykh-ul-Islam established the Jamia Islamia Minhaj-ul-Quran in Lahore on 18th September 1986, now known as College of Sharia and Islamic Sciences (COSIS), an institute of Islamic Studies which would provide scientific, modern and progressive subjects alongside traditional, classical Islamic sciences, a blueprint for the mass educational system that was to follow. Thousands of students have graduated from this institution by now, hundreds of which are scholars engaged all over the world in spreading Shaykh-ul-Islam’s message of peace and modern scientific vision of Islam under his advice and continuous guidance. Various other wings of Minhaj-ul-Quran were established, including Minhaj-ul-Quran Youth League (MYL) on 30th November, 1988, Mustafavi Students Movement (MSM) on 6th October, 1994, Pakistan Awami Lawyers Movement (PALM) on 20th February 1997, and crucially, the Minhaj-ul-Quran Women League (MWL), the first of its kind associated with any religious organisation in Pakistan on 5th January 1988, promoting the rights and interests of women in a strongly male-dominated society with full participation of the womenfolk. The Minhaj-ul-Quran Ulama Council is another most dynamic forum of MQI that liaise with the religious scholars and authorities for coordination and organizing various programmes in order to work for greater harmony and unity among different religious sects of the society. This forum has proved instrumental in bringing about inter-sect harmony and cohesion and diluting and removing tensions if any.

In a country with a literacy rate of under 50%, Shaykh-ul-Islam considered education to be a priority and established the Minhaj University Lahore (MUL) chartered by the Government, to provide higher education that would be accessible to the poor also. A remarkable large-scale education project, the Minhaj Education Society (MES) then followed in the early 1990s which established hundreds of educational centres throughout Pakistan, accessible to both low income families and females. In the field of social welfare and disaster and poverty relief, Shaykh-ul-Islam formed a new sister organisation in 1989, later to be known as the Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF), which has benefited victims of natural disasters such as the Tsunami affecting Indonesia; the Bam earthquake, Iran; the South Asian earthquake in Pakistan, as well as various developments and educational projects in Pakistan and other underprivileged countries.

When the Minhaj-ul-Quran International started its operations across Pakistan for the revival of Islam, the Muslims living in the foreign countries in general and Pakistani expatriate community in particular got attracted due to its efforts for establishment of peace and inter-faith harmony. The Da‘wa work of Minhaj-ul-Quran International was started long before its organizational and administrative network was established. In order to communicate its message effectively across the five continents of the world, the Directorate of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was established in 1985 for better coordination. It is the result of untiring efforts of this Directorate that this network has spread across 90 countries of the world. This Directorate is ever busy strengthening and consolidating this network in foreign lands.

Farid-e-Millat Research Institute (FMRi) housing a huge reference library, a Research Hall, composing section and record room is a unique set-up that provides research assistance to Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in his multiple projects in progress simultaneously. This institute was established on 7th December, 1987. A team of twenty highly qualified and skilled research scholars work tirelessly on various projects under the most enlightening guidance of Shaykh-ul-Islam.

The Minhaj-ul-Quran Press and Publications Department is tasked with the publication of books of Shaykh-ul-Islam and works in close collaboration with FMRi. It has so far published about 360 voluminous books of Shaykh-ul-Islam and sold hundreds of thousands number of copies of each book through its sale system in country and abroad. Its responsibilities also include timely printing of calendars, diaries, posters, portraits and other material of any kind related to printing. All the books of Minhaj Education Society are also produced by MQI Printing Press. It is a self-sufficient set-up equipped with modern printing machines, folding and stitching machines and plate-making facility along with binding machines ensuring high quality products. The department also has its art and graphics section manned with most skilled designers. They produce designs of titles of the books, posters of Minhaj-ul-Quran for various programmes, titles of journals, advertisements, calendars, diaries, broachers and invitation cards.

Production Department: The main responsibilities of this department include recording of all the lectures delivered by Shaykh-ul-Islam, their editing and production on DVDs, VCDs, ACDs, video and audio cassettes, protection of master copy and their ordering in addition to fulfilling all demands of the MQI sale centres. The master copies of all his addresses have been saved in a specific order. The activities of the department include audio/video recording, editing, preparation of documentaries and liaison with cable TV and other TV channels. Special CDs and DVDs are prepared for and delivered to TV Channels and cable networks. The Art and Film branch of the department is dedicated to design advertisements and make documentaries of different departments of MQI besides making documentaries on Shaykh-ul-Islam.

Shaykh-ul-Islam has dedicated the entire income from the sale of his books and recorded lectures to Minhaj-ul-Quran International forever and does not charge even a penny in the form of royalty.

Minhaj-ul-Quran International is busy on strong footing in the spread of Islamic teachings and safeguarding the faith of youth. A vast network of computer systems has been put in place to interlink various offices and departments of the Central Secretariat of Minhaj-ul-Quran International. With a view to linking up various dispersed Islamic nationalities into one coherent whole and showing the true face of Islam, Minhaj Internet Bureau (MIB) has been established. The www.minhaj.org is the very first central website of Minhaj-ul-Quran International containing complete introduction of MQI, its organizational structure, branches and departments. News and information regarding various activities being performed at the Central Secretariat or inside or outside of Pakistan are regularly posted on this site.

The Central Secretariat of MQI

The Central Secretariat of MQI came up at 365-M Model Town Lahore in mid 1980s. Spread over more than 8264 square meters this is a state-of-the-art headquarter of MQI, a nucleus of all the organizational features and management functions of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling activities. It has offices for central leadership of MQI and for its various other directorates and forums like Planning, Construction, Administration, Research, Communication, Production, Event Management, Media, Membership, Public Relations, Human Resources, Press and Publications, Da’wa, Training, Education, Magazines and Periodicals, Audit and Accounts, Finance, Minhaj-ul-Quran Women League, Minhaj Youth League, Minhaj Ulama Council, Mustafwi Students Movement, Minhaj Welfare Foundation, Minhaj Education Society, Gosha-e-Durood, and the Directorate of Foreign Affairs through which the Secretariat is linked up with all the overseas MQI Organizations and Formations. Apart from these Directorates the Secretariat also provides administrative and financial support to its chartered Minhaj University Lahore (MUL), College of Sharia and Islamic Sciences (COSIS), the Minhaj College for Women and the Tehfeez-ul-Quran Institute. This grand administrative and organizational set-up runs the MQI affairs all over the world through a grand body of leadership and supervision rooted deeply into a foolproof decision making system that enables it to function smoothly and ensure productivity at all levels.

The MQI Supreme Council is the elite body governing the affairs of Minhaj-ul-Quran International all over the world. The ultimate authority is vested in the President Supreme Council. The Secretary Supreme Council coordinates functioning of the Supreme Council and enjoys the administrative authority of the Secretary General or the Nazim-e-Aala MQI assisted by five Deputy Secretaries General or the Naib Nazim Aala. Central Amir-e-Tehreek is the custodian of MQI Constitution and supervises monitoring and evaluation, audit, complaints and accountability departments along with Ulama and Mashaikh. He is assisted by Naib Amir-e-Tehreek in supervising these activities.

The Decision Making Phenomena

The MQI’s decision making phenomena are interlaced in a most refined hierarchy of the decision making bodies representing all levels of the MQI organizations existing around the world. The Supreme Council is the Final Authority of MQI headed by the President Supreme Council, Sahibzada Hasan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri responsible to the Patron-in-Chief MQI Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. The General Council MQI comprises all the Nazims or heads of the directorates and forums and the senior appointment holders of the organizations at Tehsil level. It is headed by the Patron-in-Chief MQI or President Supreme Council in his absence. The decisions of the General Council are carried by two-third majority vote. The 63 member upper house of consultation (Markzi Majlis Shura Khas) is the policy making body of MQI led by the Patron-in-Chief. Nazim-e-Aala MQI conducts its affairs as Secretary. It takes the decision by simple majority vote. The members of lower house of consultation (Markzi Majlis Shura Aam) include all the provincial, divisional, tehsil level umara, nazims and heads of forums. It is also headed by the Patron-in-Chief. All policies pertaining to field organizations and its workers are put up in Majlis Shura (Aam) for its sanction and approval. It has the accountability power to scrutinize and take disciplinary action against irregularities at all levels including Central Executive Council (CEC) and Central Working Council (CWC).

The Central Executive Council (CEC) is headed by Nazim-e-Aala and all Naib Nazims Aala, all Central Nazims, Umara and Nazims Provinces and Azad Kashmir, Heads and Secretaries of forums in the country are its members. It prepares proposals for Majlis Shura, Supreme Council and General Council and may recommend amendment in the MQI constitution. It has also the powers to approve annual budget of all forums and their projects. All Directorates of the Central Secretariat and field organizations in the country are responsible to CEC for their smooth functioning and productivity. The CEC meets quarterly. The Central Working Committee (CWC) comprises heads or nazims of all directorates in the centre besides editors of the Magazines and periodicals and presidents and secretaries of all in-country forums. It is headed by Nazim-e-Aala. It works on behalf of CEC and uses its powers and authority. Majlis-e-Muntazima is another decision making body that works as the representative of CWC in disposing off the day-to-day matters of the central secretariat. Still higher to Majlis-e-Muntazima is the Review Council enjoying the power to review and decide matters put up as appeal against decisions taken by Majlis-e-Muntazima.

This huge organizational set-up generate colossal amount of work in the form of periodical meetings of General Council, Majlis-e-Shura, CEC, and other bodies. These meetings and well stipulated programmes under various directorates require conference halls. To cater for this significant requirement the Central Secretariat has an air-conditioned Conference Hall that can accommodate about 200 participants. The lighter programmes including morning assemblies are generally conducted in this hall. For larger programmes, however, where number of participants exceeds 200, a newly constructed commodious Suffa Hall is used for the purpose. The Library Hall of the FMRi is another facility that is used for such programmes.