As we are enthusiastically observing another month of Ramadan that enables us to become closer to God and show our unwavering love for Him, our brothers and sisters in faith who suffer oppression all across the world doubtlessly occupy our thoughts and prayers.
The aggrieved peoples of the Middle East are plagued with mischiefs and troubles under ruthless sieges and bombardments. Our brothers and sisters living in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma, Kashmir, East Turkestan, Patani, Philippines, Crimea and many other places around the world suffer oppressions, genocides, massacres and tortures that intend to destroy them. For the salvation of all Muslims, it is crucial that unity and solidarity is established among Muslims.
It is impossible to erase from our memories the images of the innocent people slaughtered by bombs and machine guns, and the bodies of children lined up next to each other. In the month of Ramadan we currently observe, our thoughts and prayers are once again with our impoverished brothers and sisters, and we reiterate our intention to do everything in our power and more to facilitate the establishment of the Islamic Unity that is essential for their salvation.
Unity, solidarity, cooperation, friendship, altruism, assistance and other similar behaviors are the foundations of the Qur'anic moral values. Playing a unifying role between believers and encouraging them to protect one another is a pillar of faith and a moral behavior prescribed by God. No bad moral qualities such as resentment, ill-will and dispute should be condoned between believers, and the Qur'anic moral values should be taken basis in all affairs. Striving to remedy such situations and adopting a unifying and conciliatory attitude is a form of prayer commanded by God. God informs believers about this commandment of His in a verse as follows:
"The believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers and have fear of God so that hopefully you will gain mercy." (Surah al-Hujurat, 10)
Moral, conscientious, honest and sincere believers are expected to always call each other to good, beauty, friendship and brotherhood and urge one another to unity and solidarity in accordance with the verses of the Quran. Furthermore, God informs Muslims about how He will grant mercy to those who follows His commandments and strive towards bringing about unity and solidarity among Muslims, and gives them the good news of a wonderful life in both this world and the hereafter. In another verse, God reminds believers how quarreling among themselves will cause Muslims to lose heart and become weak.
Obey God and His Messenger and do not quarrel among yourselves lest you lose heart and your momentum disappear. And be steadfast. God is with the steadfast. (Surah al-Anfal, 46)
When the people who practice the Islamic moral values stand united, it leads to a loving, peaceful, tolerant and tranquil environment in society. And the societies that possess these qualities are always powerful. Conducing towards the material and spiritual development of the society is an endeavor that will be definitely approved by God.
Believers are obliged under all circumstances to forbid people to do what is wrong, command them to do what is right, urge them to display nice behavior and make effort in these regards. Just as they are duty-bound to resolve any issues between other fellow Muslims in a friendly manner, they are also duty-bound to assume a consolidating role in the case of any issues between two Muslim communities and to commend them to unity, solidarity, love, peace and brotherhood. This reconciliatory behavior is a major requirement of guardianship. God commands those who believe thusly:
"The believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers and have fear of God so that hopefully you will gain mercy." (Surah al-Hujurat, 10)
And in his hadiths, our Prophet (saas) addresses this subject as follows:
"Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, God will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, God will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter."[1]
“He who alleviates the suffering of a brother out of the sufferings of the world, God would alleviate his suffering from the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection."[2]
He who conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, God would conceal his faults in the world and in the Hereafter. God is at the back of a servant so long as the servant is at the back of his brother."[3]
"No people gather together in one of the houses of God, reciting the Book of God and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and God makes mention of them amongst those who are in His presence.”[4]
"Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”[5]
May our Almighty Lord accept our prayers and grant tranquility and salvation to all our aggrieved brothers and sisters, whom we do not forget for a moment even when we observe and break our fast with a burning love of God in our hearts.
[1] M6578, Muslim, Birr; T1426, Tirmidhi, Hudud 3.
[2] Muslim, Zikr 38; Ibn Majah,, Muqaddimah 17.
[3] Muslim, Zikr 38; Ibn Majah,, Muqaddimah 17.
[4] Muslim, Zikr 38; Abu Dawood, Vitr 14; Tirmidhi, Qira'at 12; Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah 17.
[5] Abu Dawood, Adhab 58; Tirmidhi, Birr 16.
Adnan Oktar's piece in BERNAMA (Malaysia):
http://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1465059
