The Muslim Community Potential Resource Institute
The Almighty Allah states: “ O ye who believe! Persevere in Patience and Constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other ; and Fear(love and revere) Allah ; that ye may prosper.”
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اصبروا و صابروا و رابطوا و اتقواالله لعلكم تفلحون ( آل عمران 200)
In order to attain our wishes , happiness and prosperity in our mundane affairs as well as in spiritual progress we need Patience , perseverance , constancy , self-restraint, refusing to be cowed down. These virtues we are to exercise for ourselves and in relation to others; we are to set an example , so that others may vie with us , and we are to vie with them , lest we fall short ; we should strengthen each other and bind our mutual relations closer, in our common service to Allah.
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.) comments on this verse as follows: “ Be constant in doing your divine duties and strengthen each other against your Enemy (Evil) and his followers and get ready for appearance of your waited Imam.”
(اصبروا علي أداء الفرائض و صابروا عدوكم و رابطوا إمامكم المنتظر (غيبة النعماني -27 ينابيع المودة 421
Certainly the human resources always play the first role in realizing the strategy of Islam. Therefore the most important prerequisite for making a success of that strategy is to absorb , to find , to revive , to train , to develop and to organize the Muslim actual and potential resources. It seems that the establishment of the Muslim Potential Resource Institute is a reasonable solution to our problem during the Imam Mahdi’s concealment (A.S.) and thereafter his appearance. The first project of the Institute had better mind the humanistic , Islamic and transpersonal education in the World. The project should offer a wide range of personal , familial , professional , organizational , local and international development opportunities to the Islamic services and to the Muslims who wish to develop their personal and/or professional effectiveness and to serve the Lord with the most of their potential. The aims of the project should be as follows:
To provide practical resources for the research and development of Muslim capacities and potential.
To promote values and educational practice which empower Muslims and encourage creative interdependence between the Muslim Community in familial organizational and social settings.
To encourage rounded or holistic development of the Muslim personal , familial and professional development.
The personal effectiveness program should include short courses which provide:
A wide range of methods for Muslim personal development and self-management. An opportunity to explore Muslim capacities which are often not addressed in mainstream education.
A balance to traditional personal , familial , professional and social development (Hekmat) by emphasizing in internal well-being and linking the social , mental , physical , spiritual and emotional dimensions of living and learning.
A variety of methods which promote more productive and satisfying relationships in diverse settings.
The professional development program should offer courses covering:
A wide range of methods for enhancing the participant Muslim’s capacity to learn from experience.
Interpersonal and counseling skills training.
Training for preachers , practitioners , educators and trainers in holistic methods of Muslim and Community facilitation.
Practical methods for the design and management of in-service education and training programs.
The project should also provide in-service staff training and organizational development program ranging from one day course to long-term program spanning years. It should have at its disposal the facilitation and consultancy skills of the project staff and an international network of associate faciliators. In addition, the project should draw upon the computer and distance learning expertise , audio-visual material and other resources available within the Islamic centers.