TAMPARULI: Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Jahid Jahim wants young people to be primary catalysts for societal transformation by embracing the spirit of hijrah as the foundation for self-improvement and community development.
He said youths need to be shaped with strong moral values, solid competitiveness and awareness of social responsibility to ensure the ummah’s excellence can be achieved sustainably.
“Hijrah is not just history but a guide for building identity and strengthening our role in shaping society’s future,” he said at the opening of the Tamparuli District-level Maal Hijrah celebration at Kampung Damat Mosque, last Sunday.
“Young people are the nation’s most important resource who need guidance to become leaders of change,” Jahid added.
Referencing renowned scholar Prof. Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s perspective, Jahid noted that a young person’s value far exceeds material wealth because the nation’s future depends on today’s youths.
“If we fail to guide them with knowledge, morals and leadership, we are jeopardising the country’s future,” he said, calling on all levels of society, including mosque institutions, to work together in human development.
The ceremony also witnessed the presentation of Maal Hijrah Awards to outstanding students as symbolic recognition of their academic achievements and character development.
Jahid also expressed appreciation for efforts to upgrade Kampung Damat Surau into a mosque, which has now become a centre for Islamic development in the area.
