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Monday, January 03, 2000
Eminent Ulemas, Honourable Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, On such a blessed night every year, the hearts and feelings of Muslims around the world unite in prayers to Allah Almighty to accept their prayers, fasting and all their deeds. This is the night when the Holy Qura'n was revealed as a guidance to humanity, a night that was described by Allah Almighty as "better than one thousand months, where peace reigns until the rise of dawn". This year, our celebration, together with all Muslims, of this blessed night, coincides with the lapse of twenty centuries since the birth of God’s Messenger Jesus Christ and the beginning of a new millennium. We beseach Allah Almighty that the new millennium may bring to humanity all such prosperity that the nations of the earth have failed to accomplish during the outgoing century. All in all, that was a century of tremendous scientific achievements that made availabe to man unprecedented control of nature, harnessing of its forces and more thorough knowledge of its laws and hidden secrets. Besides, it was a century of wars, conflicts, political and social grievances and unprecedented violence. Cities were ruined, peoples afflicted, lives of tens of millions of men, women and children wasted away. During this century, weapons of mass devastation were used for the first time in the history of humanity, bringing about huge political and military impact. As we celebrate this blessed night on this crucial juncture of human history our celebration should be not confined to the customary acts of worship and supplication, but we should, as individuals and nations, face up our own conscience. We should recall the teaching of the Prophet (may peace be upon him) that supplications and prayers are subject to certain conditions and rules of conduct that should be observed. Foremost of those are that each of us should exert his utmost in performing his duty, observing full honesty and faith. One should also take up ways and means for his livelihood before begging Allah Almighty for help. Esteemed Ulemas, Today, we are no longer in a position to slacken our pace or back away from exertion, then raise up our hand in supplication in anticipation of response or victory. This is altogether an unacceptable supplication, but rather a sort of wishful thinking , described by the Prophet (may peace be upon him) by saying: "some people, who were enticed by wishful thinking for forgiveness, say we do have good faith in Allah. By so saying, they do lie, because should they really have good faith, they should improve their work". Our Pprophet (may peace be upon him) taught us that charity and benevolence in Islam are not merely forms void of content, but rather embody sustained contribution based on appropriate resources and profuse production for all people whose good fruits will remain as surviving evidence. In this connection God Says in the Holy Qura'n "Thus Allah coineth (the similitude of) the true and the false. Then, as for the foam, it passeth away as scum upon the banks, while, as for that which is of use to mankind , it remainth in the earth". Brothers, let me in this great blessed night remind you and the nation in the five continents of the world that we shoulder in this age grave responsibilities towards ourselves, our countries and all people. Our first responsibility is to be armed, as individuals and groups, with factors of success and excellence. This has even become an inevitable task to stand firmly against cut-throat competition where survival will be for the strongest and fittest and the most capable of making accomplishments and new contributions every day to human civilization, as well as contributing to the reconstruction of the universe and fulfilling man's mission on this planet. No doubt that the first of these factors is to acquire useful science whereby the most up to date knowledge, secrets of life unveiled can be absorbed and all resources of earth and space can be harnessed to the benefit of humanity. Thus, modern sciences open up to the facts, challenges and requirements of our age, aims at progress based on everyone's belief that his share of knowledg is but limited and all of us have a long way to go in order to aquire more knowledge. We Muslims should take the precedence in delving through the depths of science. Pursuit of science was the first obligation Allah called on His gracious Prophet and all believers to abide by as saying: "Read and thy lord is the Most Bounteous, who teaches by the pen, teaches man that which he knew not". He says in another verse: "Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed". Thus, pursuit of science is a clear-cut Islamic duty imposed by Allah on the nation, being the firm foundation of the power of faith, social cohesion and the ability of the Islamic masses to stand in the of face challenges and achieve progess in every age. We should always bear in mind that the value of science has earned a great importance in this age. This importance will continue to rise over the coming centuries. Science, together with concomitant creative and innovative capabilities, has now become the base of the wealth of nations; a factor that has an overriding rule over physical, land and sea resources. Thus, he who is an expert in science and its methodology is the one capable of survival, progress and glory. Therefore, Muslems all over the world are required to focus on the future, avoiding being captive to the past with its burdens, narrow founds, and exigencies that have been overtaken by the modern time in all fields. To think of the future is the only way that leads man to move forward. On the other hand, should Muslems be bent down or obsessed with the past with its battles and pitfalls, their attention will be diverted from availabe vistas of development. This would bar them from viewing the past in its proper perspective, that allows the nation to learn lessons and avoid errors and weaknesses associated with remote and near past alike. If we admit the necessity of concentrating on the future, we should also pay due attention to young generations, being the makers of the future. Thus, we should give them the opportunity and knowledge and experience necessary to prepare them to face and embark onto the future with steady steps and broad open minds capable of distinguishing between content and form, right and wrong, good and bad. Without the ability to breakthrough the future, the nation's steps forward would be shackled, obstructed and limited within the bounds of the past and its narrow horizons. In our pursuit, we should open up to other peoples, refrain from viewing with fear or suspicion any scientific progress achieved by others, as long as, it does not contradict with the rules of our Islam, the true religion. Therefore, we can provide our communities and individuals with larger opportunities and wider capabilities for harnessing science to improve our lives and compete with other communities in agricultural and industrial production and services. This would lead to a rise in the standard of living for all individuals and groups, and enable Muslims to occupy a remarkable position among nations on this juncture through which the world is passing in this critical stage. Dear Ulemas, In this age, it is no longer a secret to any one that the most difficult for small entities is to ensure their rights and reach aspired revival. This is because this decade has witnessed the rise of huge blocs that united their human and natural resources. These blocs also have made great achievements and gained tangible, worldwide weight to the extent that chances of cooperating or competing, on equal footing, with these blocs has become virtually impossible. Thus, it is inevitable for developing countries, to which all the Islamic nations belong without exception, to join their ranks and coordinate their steps and moves. Moreover, they should employ their natural and human resources for purposes of sustainable comprehensive development. They should exchange mutual benefit and experience in all walks of life. These tasks rest on a basic premise that whatever happens to a Muslim, good or evil, affect all his fellow believers everywhere. This is ratified by the saying of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him), "A believer to his fellow believers is like a closely interwined self-supported structure". The honourable tradition of the Prophet (Hadith) says: "In their dealings based on mutual cordiality, mercy and sympathy, believers are like a living body; if any member complains, all others will share and relieve his pain". As Muslims close their ranks to face those challenges, they do not do so through involving in hostile confrontation with others nor disputes and conflicts with all countries and blocs. We believe not in isolationism nor accept the concept of clash between civilizations. Nor do we harbour animosity to those who are not hostile to us. But we seek to deal on equal footing with other states and blocs through rational and objective dialogue and exchange benefits where common interests are available. In addition, we show our readiness and determination to interact with others not only with our nations and kinsmen as the Holy Qura'n tells us: "We have created you male and female and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another". Reverend Ulemas, We must always remember our Prophet Muhammad's words, "Of people, the best is the most beneficial". This requires us to transcend over our narrow individual interests and direct the greatest part of our attention and potentialities to serve all people, as this will lead to welfare of the individual and the community alike. Concomitantly, we have to realize that we are living a critical and sophisticated era, where all people, especially youth, shoulder all its burdens and consequences of the huge and rapid transformation in life style and conditions of communities. Therefore, our youth need on your part a tender word, an open heart, a compassionate hand and a guiding word. They are also in a dire need to be groomed, since childhood, on correct bases, sublime morals, sound Islamic principles and concepts of tolerance and moderation, discarding fanaticism and extremism. These are the teachings of our great religion as well as our weapon to face a new century. Hence, these challenges can only be faced by those who are highly motivated, open- minded and self-reassured. In order for this good spirit to embrace the whole world, let us call for it, extending our hands through your goodselves to it with genuine cordiality. Let us offer to the whole world, with modesty and sincerity, whatever good or rational contributions our great humane civilization could make, based on its true belief in the diversity of civilization and the multiplicity of culture that Allah has enshrised as a Devine Law for all His creatures, as well as a mean of exchanging expertise, knowledge and benefit and vieing for charity and good-doing. In this respect, Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qura'n: "Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that may try you by that which He hath given you. So vie one with another in good works". Let us pray to Allah in this blessed night to support us and strengthen our will for rationality. Diligently, we seek to close our ranks and launch a new comprehensive revival whereby our conditions may be changed, our people may enjoy its fruits and all humanity may benefit from our sincere call for cooperation for the common good, peace and justice as well for avoiding oppression and aggression. Many happy returns of the day. May peace be upon you. |
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