Human development indices among the Muslim community in the world over, are very low, the rector of the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Dr Ahmad Kawesa Ssengendo, has said.
He said most Muslims live below the poverty line with an income of less than a dollar a day.
Ssengendo was speaking at the official opening of IUIU's Annual Ramadan Convention [ARC] on Thursday at the university main campus in Mbale. The theme of the convention was "The Muslim youth between idealism and realism."
"The Majority of Muslims live in the fourth world and are characterized by high illiteracy rates," Ssengendo said. He said politically, the Muslim world was weak andlargely divided because of internal fights which is not ideal for the community.
"We want to go forward and correct our past mistakes. We are in the same planet with other people who we have to share with the world," he said.
Ssengendo said it was the role of IUIU to produce a critical mass of people with skills appropriate enough to help them cope with challenges of the real world.
He said the skills would help them compete with others favorably and be able to emerge winners.
The Dawah Patron of IUIU, sheikh Mikdad Iga, said the youth of this age are faced with several challenges that directly affect their conscience and opinons on the world and life in general.
"It's unfortunate that the youth these days look at theworld from an inverted position," he said. Iga referred to the youth as power that needs to be preserved and protected. He advised the youth to work very hard to lift their standards of life.