Author and broadcaster Karen Armstrong said that in Pakistan the students of madrassa's should be given modern education along with the religious education so that they could be able to work in all the fields. She urged the need of dialogue between eastern and western countries because both were suffering the same predicament.
"If something happens in Afghanistan and Iraq, its reaction could also be seen in London or any city of America. She made these observations while delivering a lecture on "Intellectual Traditions in Islam," organised by Ismaili Council for Pakistan in connection with the anniversary celebrations of the accession of His Highness, the Agha Khan, the spiritual leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims.
In her lecture, she focused not only on the concepts of theology and spirituality, but on the political implications of faith in the modern world. She said that destroying your ego and helping others is the real Jihad and it is the time that Islam should be understood by combining spiritualism and intellectualism. She said it is the time to promote Sufism in Islam but unfortunately majority of the Muslim rulers in the past tried to enforce Shariah rather than promoting Sufism.
She said that Quran is a great masterpiece of poetry and its verses have a beautiful imagery which give a clear message for respecting others and doing justice.