Speeches
SPEECH PREPARED BY ASH-SHAIKH H. ABDUL NAZAR
TO BE DELIVERED
ON THE OCCASION OF INTER-FAITH GET-TOGETHER
ORGANIZED BY
PEACE SECRETARIAT FOR MUSLIMS – PUTTALAM OFFICE
AT PUTTALAM TOWN HALL ON 10.01.2008
It is with pleasure and honour that I associate myself
with you in this gathering on the invitation extended to me by the Peace
Secretariat for Muslims – Puttalam Office. The organizers of this significant
event insisted that I also share my views and thoughts with the distinguished
invitees especially on “Social Harmony”.
At present social harmony is one of the much talked about subjects not only
in Sri Lanka but also the world over. What makes it so important? One needs
to ponder over this.
Mankind is a blend of people with diversified beliefs. A set of beliefs
adopted by a group of people may be contrary to that of another group. When
more than one belief is found in a society, it is a multiethnic and multireligious
society. Ethnic groups living in a country practice different ways of worship,
adopt various lifestyles and may even differ in languages they speak. Yet
prevail there the characteristics of mankind which make everyone of them
have fellow-feeling.
Once you accept the fact of multiethnic and multireligious society, it
is natural that you accept the fact of existing of more than one belief,
more than one way of worship and life pattern and more than one language.
When this established fact is forgotten or refused, then the social order
collapses. This is evident in nations where this fact is forgotten or refused.
As this situation has led to nasty social discord, everyone concerned has
started talking and writing about social harmony.
In a multiethnic society each ethnic group irrespective of its size or
quantity, has its own rights; right to worship in a way that wants, right
to practice the teachings of its faith, right to express its views, right
to live, right to work, right to buy and sell, right to own property, right
to vote, right to elect the candidate of its choice, right to speak its
mother tongue, right to voice against injustice, oppression, violence, cruelty,
etc. and right to fight for the said rights in case of infringement.
All the members of humankind hail from one family; family of Almighty
Allah. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) proclaimed this:
“The entire creation is the family of Allah.” (Tabaraani)
The above prophetic saying establishes well the brotherhood of human beings
in Islam. Islam really places lot of emphasis on fraternity of mankind and
it wants every member of the human kingdom to look at each other and treat
one another with mercy and love. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
said:
“Show mercy to those who are on earth so that the one in heaven would show
mercy to you.” (Sunanu Abee Daawood)
In the eyes of Islam, all human beings are equal. Islam looks at them as
children of one father and mother. This is where differences of colour,
race, ethnicity, language, country, etc. are buried. Every man has a soul
and feeling that in another way naturally prove equality of human beings.
On this ground our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
stood up for a corpse of a Jew. When he was inquired about this, he replied:
“Is it not a soul?”
Almighty Allah has bestowed on each and every one the power of reasoning
through which he / she can well distinguish between right and wrong, good
and bad and pure and impure. The Almighty has also shown the right path
and the wrong path and wanted mankind to choose the right path for their
own good here and the hereafter. So they are at liberty to decide on the
way of their choice. This fact is confirmed in the following verse of the
Holy Qur’an:
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily the right path has become distinct
from the wrong path.” (02 : 256)
Freedom of faith is ensured in Islam as the above verse clearly shows it.
If you really want to see social harmony in a pluralistic society, you
must have regard for the theories of equality of human beings, brotherhood
of human beings and freedom of religion and all the communities should respect
each other in all aspects, understand the feelings of each other and preserve
the rights of one another.
Now the reality is that every community of this country is at each other’s
throats. The Tamil Community is blaming the Sinhala Community for undermining
their rights and the Muslim Community is blaming the Tamil Community for
uprooting them from their own soil. Can one boldly and proudly say that
the communities living in this beautiful Island live together in perfect
harmony? If this situation continues, can lasting peace be achieved?
How many attempts to establish eternal peace in our blessed motherland?
How many meetings? How many talks? How many conferences? How many seminars?
How many workshops? How many legislations? How many agreements? Did any
of these actually bear fruit? If not, why? You did not try to eliminate
the elements that caused the social friction, but you rather tried to treat
the effects. Can you wipe out the effects while allowing the causes to exist?
Therefore, let us be honest; honest in what we intend, honest in what we
say, honest in what we do and honest in what we preach. Let us make honest
efforts to eradicate the causes of social discord so that social harmony
will bloom again and durable peace will blossom again.
Thank you.