Saturday, March 30, 2019

Empathy in the Time of Racist Terror


In a world riven by bigotry and hatred, the people of New Zealand shows what solidarity and love can accomplish even in a moment of national tragedy like the recent Christchurch mosque attacks. Muslims constitute just over one percent of the country's population, yet Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led the nation in reaching out to the stricken victims with spontaneous compassion. Religious leaders of different faiths- Christian, Jewish, Sikh, etc- came out in iridescent solidarity with the Muslim community, and attended joint prayers in mosques. Stu Cameron, Minister of New-life Church on the Gold Coast, said: "Good neighbours always weep when the other is weeping, and stand together in solidarity when the other feels threatened".  Attending a  prayer meeting at a mosque with her head covered with a black dupatta, New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern quoted Prophet Muhammad (sa). "According to Prophet Muhammad...the believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain" she said. "New Zealand mourns with you; we are one". Earlier too, when Ms. Ardern visited the mourning families to comfort them, she covered her head to show respect to the people's traditions. As she embraced them, her face mirrored their pain, making plain to those who had lost their dear ones in the shootings that she shared their suffering. 


In his Friday Sermon of 29 March 2019~ 21 Rajab 1440 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius pays profound tribute to this fine model of benevolent politics. Resisting hate violence and showing compassion and solidarity with victims is  what is expected of leaders in times of national tragedies. And yet, our times are such that despotic and scheming politicians divide people on basis of their identities- religion, ethnicity, caste, race, language, foreigner/immigrant, Asian/white and other binaries of "us" versus "them" and seek to draw their pound of flesh from the cauldron of competing interests and would even refuse to reach out to the victims of hate violence- for the reason that the victims are not one of "us", but the perpetrator of violence is. 

In his discourse, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) pointedly observes the need for social harmony, unity, peace and respect for all peoples everywhere. Without such unity and tolerance of different ways/ beliefs of people, nations cannot be at peace and social progress cannot be made. Drawing attention to the deadly politics over 'Jihad' as an abuse of religious symbolism for sectarian and material gains, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) warns Muslim groups who retain such notions for the profound harm they inflict upon the fair name and reputation of Islam as a religion of peace, as well for causing and leading other peoples to hate the presence of Muslims in their midst. Hadhrat Saheb (atba) further points out that saying 'NO' to hate violence- both terrorism and racism- is an obligation we owe to entire humanity and our common humanitarian responsibility includes the duty to care for all, regardless of their faith-identities and national origins. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:


Benevolent” and “Impious” Politics

In the capacity of Khalifatullah of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Jamaat, I thank the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, for her support of the Muslim Community, deeply upset by the attack of 15 March 2019. She gave a very good example as a Head of State to all the heads of state, especially the Muslim heads of state and most particularly the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

I must say that the attitude of the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, after the attack in Christchurch has earned the respect and admiration of the whole world, a well deserved respect and admiration! Her empathy and determination displayed also gives her a new aura. And it is this respect and determination to protect the innocent and support the families of the victims and act as a true head of state is what makes her great. She has been able to act as she should and unite the citizens (of her country) in times of misfortune.

This lady has been in power for just 18 months. She faces the aftermath of a bloody tragedy that will forever mark the history of New Zealand. But the Prime Minister is already being praised for her mix of determination and compassion in dealing with this harsh trial. A few hours after the attack on the two mosques in Christchurch by a white supremacist, which cost the lives of 50 Muslim faithful, Jacinda Ardern went to the southern town, wearing a veil (Hijab), showing her solidarity with the families of the victims.

The next day, in Willington, the 38-year-old Labour Party leader once again had her head covered with a veil, embracing members of the Muslim community in shock.

This testimony of solidarity and shared grief speaks to many New Zealanders who feel vulnerable today and represents a rejection of the ideas of hate disseminated by the Islamophobic terrorist.

But Jacinda Ardern has gone beyond this role of chief consoler to face the challenges posed by the Australian extremist who, unbeknownst to intelligence agencies, was able to come to her country, legally buy weapons of war and commit this massacre. Immediately after the carnage, the head of government tackled these problems, announcing a change in the arms legislation. In one of her many television interviews, she said in a calm and reassuring tone: “I know that there is, understandably, grief in New Zealand right now, but there is anger too, there are questions that need to be answered.”

When US President Donald Trump called to offer her help after the attack on the mosques, Jacinda Ardern made no secret of her hostility to some policies of the tenant of the White House and uses the lack of popularity of the US president in New Zealand to strengthen hers. She did not hesitate to make the conversation public. She advised him among other things to show “sympathy and love for all Muslim communities”.


One week after the mosque attacks, the Prime Minister of New Zealand - who also became the target of criticism and cynicism from Islamophobes - and the citizens of this country gave a lesson of great solidarity to the world during the Friday prayer on 22 March 2019 (Jumu’ah). In Hagley Park, near the Al-Noor Mosque, where thousands of people gathered, the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern was also present, all dressed in black, surrounded by policewomen who also wore the veil like her.

The Friday prayer was relayed by television, radio and many websites. The country then observed two minutes of silence, including rallies in Auckland, Wellington and several other cities.

Imam Gamal Fouda, who escaped the shooting and led the prayer, denounced the hatred while noting the tremendous surge of solidarity that has emerged in New Zealand since the tragedy. Thousands of people have laid their bouquets on the sidewalk as a sign of respect and sympathy. People from all communities organized a solidarity march to attend Friday prayers. As a sign of solidarity with Muslim women, many women have worn the veil with great respect.

After these atrocious and ruthless attacks, the World Muslim Community, despite our deep sorrow, we must not let ourselves be defeated. These trials must consolidate us and not destroy us. Unity is strength. Muslims must come out of their torpor and become like one body and one soul to show the beauty of Islam and the perfection of humanity of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Without the unity of the Muslims, we will still witness carnage. Islam is in danger ...

So, before ending (this sermon), I must say that Islam has condemned and still condemns barbarism. 

All communities must remain united in all circumstances. Here in Mauritius, there are Mosques, Mandirs, Kovils, Churches and Pagodas that coexist in harmony. It must continue like this forever. There must be respect for all communities, cultures and faith. 

When we analyze the atrocities against Muslims, we see that they are perpetrated not only in New Zealand but also in other countries such as China, Burma, Syria, Kashmir etc.

Jihad or Holy War

The different reasons that can explain Islamophobia are mainly political so as to come to power. Despotic and impious politicians use people’s fear to gain power and subsequently monopolize all natural resources. Islamophobia gives them that power, and then they inject even more hatred into people’s hearts toward Muslims.

And this not only concerns non-Muslims towards Muslims, but also Muslims towards their own Muslim brothers and sisters. An aberration of the politician is that he knows full well that the Islamic system does not allow that conflicts and wars are all labelled as holy wars. Nevertheless, whenever a country, especially a Muslim country, faces a danger and a war is imminent, politicians join the Mullahs in urging the masses to support the so-called jihad. As a result, the world feels even more disgust at such a country and remains convinced that it can publicly claim that Islamic Jihad does not encourage anyone to use force to spread ideology, but when the need arises, he does not hesitate to use it. This is happening all the time nowadays and it was the same in the past.

A glance at the history of conflict allows us to see to our amazement that the Muslims wrongly labelled as holy war every battle fought. Not a single war fought against non-Muslims or against their own co-religionists - Sunnis against Sunnis, Shiites against Shiites, Shiites against Sunni or the entire Muslim Community against Ahmadis - which were not labelled as holy war. It is truly strange that such wars were referred to as “jihad” by Muslim clergy and politicians.

Conflicts - we see them all over the world but only Muslims give them the character of a holy war. Most of these so-called holy wars were delivered by Muslims against Muslims and they killed each other in the name of jihad. This farce has taken the dimension of a tragedy. A painful tragedy that must now be stopped. A real paradox and the biggest joke of our time and this is wrongly attributed to Islam. This is the most painful tragedy that we have not been able to get rid of during the last fourteen centuries. 

If you want to change your destiny, change your ideas, your trends and your behaviour. As long as Muslims do not revolutionize their way of thinking, they will never be able to make any change in the world.

There is nothing more wrong than to say that it is the time of the use of the sword and rifle to spread true religion and piety. The sword is far from revealing the beauties and excellences of the truth, on the contrary it makes them doubtful and sends them to oblivion.

Those who make such comments are not friends of Islam but its worst enemies. They have mournful agendas. They are mediocre in nature, have a small mind (narrow-minded), and are without intelligence. They are the ones who open the way to an objection against Islam, whose relevance cannot be challenged. They argue that Islam needs the sword for its propagation and so they question its purity and discredit its sacred name. This religion, which can easily establish its veracity by sound intellectual arguments and celestial signs, does not need the sword to frighten people and compel them to make an act of faith.

As servants of God, we all have a responsibility towards humanity. If there is no unity in a country, there will be no prosperity. Remember that blood is one same colour (i.e. every human being share the same blood). We cannot contain our tears when we see how this terrorist - who militates for the superiority of the white race and incites hatred against Muslims - massacred these people in a place of worship. It’s inhumane ! Terrorism, as I told you last week, has no religion. You cannot criticize a religion or a country because of a handful of terrorists. We say NO to terror and racism.

May Allah protect innocents and pure hearts against the evil of the vicious and criminals, and may Allah forgive those who reform their conduct and bring them closer to humanity, having a heart filled with mercy towards the entire human race. Ameen.