Grand Imam of al-Azhar,
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. |
