Speeches
SPEECH DELIVERED BY ASH-SHAIKH H. ABDUL NAZAR,
GENERAL SECRETARY OF ALL CEYLON JAMIYYATHUL ULAMA
AT THE MEETING ORGANIZED BY THE MINISTRY OF CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL
INTEGRATION
AT THE SRI LANKA FOUNDATION INSTITUTE ON 29.01.2005
Presiding Officer, the Clergy, Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have assembled here to discuss about the viable future peace process,
long before the tears of thousands of our fellow country men and women have
not dried out. We are here to discuss about the future peace process while
thousands of men, women and children are suffering in the refugee camps
and other form of temporary shelters, maintaining stoic silence, with a
big question about their future. The disaster that this war-torn nation
happened to encounter lately, is the worst tragedy in our living memory.
Before the tsunami hit this fragile nation, every community of this country
was at each other’s throats. Before the tidal wave, the nasty civil war
claimed thousands of lives and made thousands homeless. Now the tsunami
has followed suit. Then, the Tamil community blamed the Sinhala community
for undermining their rights and the Muslim community blamed the Tamil community
for uprooting them from their own soil. Now nobody knows who is to be blamed.
Now everyone wants to join hands with others to rebuild the country. Unity
is the theme that is spoken widely. Yet, the pandemonium rises every day
that the victims of North and East are overlooked for relief operation and
rehabilitation activities.
The profound question before us now is whether all the parties concerned
genuinely long to sit and talk without any pre-conditions and all the parties
concerned are ready to sit and talk with give and take approach. These are
the questions that could determine the fate of the viable future peace process.
When I mention about the give and take approach, my mind recalls the pact
that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) entered into with his
rivals.
Let me speak a few words about the Pact of Hudaibia, one of the world famous
pacts in the world’s history. For the first time after his expulsion from
his own soil, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) proceeded to
Mecca to perform the Umra, one of the significant obligations in Islam,
with his followers. His forward movement was blocked by his enemies at a
place called “Hudaibia”. Both parties agreed to a truce. Most of the articles
of the treaty entered into, were obviously against Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu
alaihi wasallam).
According to one article, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had to
go back to Medina without performing Umra rituals. Another depicted that
in case one from rivals’ side happens to go to Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi
wasallam), he must return him to his rivals, and if anyone from Muhammad
(Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)’s side happens to go to his rivals, he would
not be sent back to Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The most disadvantageous
situation was that Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was not allowed
to inscribe his title in the accord as Apostle of Allah. However, how humiliating
it was, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), by his own hand, erased the
title, as a gesture of goodwill. Despite his loyal comrades’ strong protest,
he returned to Mecca without performing Umra. Finally, he saw the treaty
he entered into with his rivals, worked well for him.
Now let us consider the peace move that every son and daughter of this
country long to see? For me, peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka is only
a lip-service. No one seems to reach a workable settlement with heart and
mind with dedication and commitment. We cannot bring down peace from heaven.
It has to come out from the bottom of the heart of each and every citizen
of this country. It is not a black hole, too, if all the warring parties
listen to each other and speak with open-mindedness. Everybody has to bear
in mind that achieving of lasting peace is totally impossible unless the
people have regard for the theories of equality of human beings, brotherhood
of human beings and freedom of faith.
It is now on everyone’s lip that the tsunami has paved the way for a fresh
start of the peace talk. The tsunami, of course, did not discriminate against
communities, political parties, social standings, religious and other institutions
and warring factions. We saw members of the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher
communities saving the lives of the members of each other’s communities,
helping to bury the dead of each other’s communities, feeding, clothing
and sheltering each other and converting religious institutions of all communities
as temporary shelters for the affected without any discrimination of religion,
cast or creed.
This catastrophe brought about the feeling of oneness, the feeling of
belonging to one nation of human beings and the feeling of international
fraternity. As a result of this calamity, we saw the opposition members
in Parliament pledging their absolute support for the relief and reconstruction
efforts of the Government, overflowing kindness to the affected without
any reservation and abundance of sympathy and help from the nations of the
world, monetary institutions and international and national non-governmental
organizations. We saw Her Excellency, the President extending her hand in
friendship to the female LTTE cadres.
From where to resume the peace talk is the pertinent question now and has
become the focal point. On this important occasion, let me suggest a peace
and reconciliation committee comprising representatives of all the parties
and communities. So that, changing of the governments will not sidetrack
the peace move. We have a good lesson in the recent history of South Africa’s
Nelson Mandela era. He appointed a peace and reconciliation commission under
the chairmanship of Archbishop Desmond too too. Representatives from all
communities were absorbed into the Too Too Commission. As a result, people
enjoy peace there. That country has 11 languages. All the 11 languages have
official status. We have only three. Official status for all three languages,
too, is a lip-service. As long as these shortcomings linger, this poor nation
will not reach its destination.
I am afraid the time will not permit me to deliver a long talk. Before
I return to my seat, I would like to make a humble appeal to all the parties
concerned to be transparent, honest and tolerant while they are talking
and all the parties that constitute the present Government to speak with
one voice rather than revealing their own feelings and views about the peace
talk until a final settlement is reached.
I cross my fingers that the peace talk will resume very soon and our blessed
motherland will enjoy durable peace.
May Allah, Almighty bless this beautiful Island with eternal peace, happiness
and prosperity.
Thank you.
Jumuah Khutbah
Weekly Fiqh Class for Adults
Special address At prize-giving
