Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu
We thank Allah Almighty for enabling us to spend these three days in each other’s company in a spiritual atmosphere and environment. Indeed many meaningful speeches and activities were held over the period and we should all try our level best to put these into practice.
As the theme of this year’s Ijtema is Peace and Reconciliation: The Islamic Perspective, I would like to elaborate on this theme further more.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
Surely believers are brothers. So make peace between one another, and fear Allah that you may be shown mercy.(Chap 49:11)
In this verse of the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty tells us that we are all brothers and for that reason, we should always be ready to make peace between each other. As the name Islam means Peace, so it is fitting that the Holy Quran teaches about peace and that Muslims adhere to these beautiful teachings. As youth, you have a very great role to play with respect to this verse of the Holy Quran and many others that talk about peace. You should always spread peace, preach peace, observe peace and always promote peaceful coexistence.
Where there is a difference, be it with regards to our political affiliations, our beliefs, our tribe and the like, we should always remember that what really matter is that we are brothers and that we belong to this great nation called the Gambia. Our differences and our diversity should be a sense of pride for us, a sense of unity and a sense of brotherhood. This diversity is what we should all embrace as mentioned in our National Anthem
And join our diverse peoplesTo prove man’s brotherhood.
We should embrace that diversity and embrace each other as well. In the world we may belong to different races, different tribes or ethnicity, different nations and societies, but we should all realise and remember that we are all created equal and no race is better that the other, no tribe better than another tribe, nohuman being is better than his fellow human being no matter the status or ranks. On the reason for creating us different Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
O mankind We have created you from male and female; and We have made you into clans and tribes that you may recognise one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All Knowing, All-Aware. (Chap 49:14)
Commenting on this verse in his Friday Sermon of June 22nd, 2007the Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim, His Holiness Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V(May Allah be his helper) said:
“This is the Islamic teaching of brotherhood. A righteous believer is enjoined to adhere to this teaching and indeed to propagate it. This alone can foster love, affection and equality. Peace and security can only be guaranteed in the world when the false and oppressive notion of supremacy for some nations is eradicated.
Peace and security cannot be established until people of each race and each nation are able to ascertain that they are the children of Adam and are created by a male and female and are indeed equal.
Islam says that all mankind is like a family and it can only look after the peace and security of each other only if it lives like a close-knit family. The apparent differences in mankind are only for identification…we are all the same…Peace and security can only prevail when each other’s sentiments are cared for. These are the measures for durable peace and security that Islam presents…”
He went further to say that:
“This teaching did not just remain theoretical; the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) put it all in practice. He loved the poor and the disadvantaged, freed the slaves, assigned the deprived their rights…At his farewell sermon, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) openly declared, all of you are equal. All men, whatever nation or tribe they belong to, and whatever station in life they may hold, are equal, an Arab possesses no superiority over the non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab.”So for these reasons, as Muslims, we should always be peaceful and always be ready to reconcile and promote reconciliation wherever and whenever the needs arise. You should all be exemplary and be good ambassadors of peace and reconciliation.
Whatever we learnt during these three days, from the love, the brotherhood, the peaceful coexistence and the mutual respect, we should take with us and spread it in our societies and communities. People should tell that we have come back with a renewed positive energy of love, peace, and love for our nation.
At the end I am conveying His Holiness Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih’s V(May Allah be his Helper) salam and special prayers to you all and the entire country and His Holiness is continuously praying for our dear and beloved country The Gambia.
May Allah Almighty bless all of us to heed to the advices and guidance of the Khalifa of the time and bless us to fulfill our obligations as Muslims. We should continue to pray for the Khalifa of the time, the Jama’at, our beloved country and the whole world at large and may Allah Almighty always establish and maintain peace, security, tranquillity, harmony, success and progress in our great country and be with us at all times. May we all return home safely. Ameen.
Wassalam
Address by the Amir Baba F. Trawally
