Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the founding-leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, addressed thousands of participants of Itikaf City, the City of Spiritual Retreat, in Lahore. He emphasized that the proliferation of unqualified religious scholars and their contentious opinions is spreading anarchy in society. He urged students of religion to comprehend the true essence of their faith in accordance with the demands of today. He highlighted that the educational and analytical capabilities of today's youth are technical and scientific, hence religious scholars must engage with them effectively in their discourse.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri stated that while education and experience are necessary in every field of life, unfortunately, religious knowledge has been misconstrued to the extent that anyone, at will, proclaims themselves as a religious scholar and begins issuing fatwas (religious decrees). He cautioned the youth against such self-proclaimed scholars and advised them not to entrust matters of their faith to them and the ignorant. He advised questioning anyone who claims association with religion regarding their education and qualifications.

Furthermore, Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri emphasized that just as a doctorate in engineering cannot provide expertise in heart surgery, similarly, those who exhibit horrible behavior in religious matters without any formal education in religious sciences only tarnish the image of religion. He warned that such behavior leads the youth away from religion and brings disrepute to it.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri urged the people from every walk of life to ensure that those who are not scholars of religion, whose knowledge is not comprehensive, should not be consulted for religious matters. He cautioned against the danger posed by half-baked individuals in religious matters and lamented that in today's world, the influence of such individuals in religious discourse is dominant. Therefore, he urged people to beware of them and align themselves with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

He clarified that the City of Spiritual Retreat is not merely a conventional place of retreat; rather, it encompasses both education and spiritual and moral training. He expressed his desire to protect and secure the faith and safety of the devotees from the intellectual upheavals and misconceptions prevalent in today's era.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri mentioned that special invitations were extended to the founders and members of MQI at Itikaf City, and their services were acknowledged. Special shields were also presented to them.

Former Advocate General Punjab Ahmad Owais, renowned lawyer Azhar Siddique Advocate, and prominent social leader from Britain Adeel Chaudhry, along with a large number of scholars and religious leaders, participated in the event.