Speech by H.E. Shaikh Ahmad bin Sa’ud al-Siyabi, Secretary General at the Office of H. Eminence the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate, at the reception commemorating the September 11 Events.
The commemorative function was held on Wednesday, September 11, 2002, at the Atrium, US Embassy, Muscat.
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In the name of Allah, Most Graceful Most Merciful, and Peace be upon our prophet Muhammad and all other Prophets and messengers of Allah.
Islam is a religion that adores peace and prohibits violence. It adopts this notion once a Muslim meets his brother when he takes the initiative greeting him “as-Salamu ‘Alaykum” (Peace be to you). Islam has stressed on this form of greeting and considered it one of its great principles. Moreover, it stressed on the response to that sort of greeting underlining that its should be up to the same value – “wa ‘Alaykum as-Salam” (peace be to you too) i.e. it established the rule of exchanging wishes of peace. That very meaning has been stipulated in the Holy Quran as Almighty says “If you have been greeted with a greeting respond with a better one, or just reciprocate.”
We find such precise and well-spoken expression in several Surahs of the Holy Quran. Let us recite verse 208 of the Cow Surah, where Almighty says “Oh Believers, in peace you all enter.” Many Scholars interpreted “peace” as being Islam, while others interpreted it as “peace” as an absolute term. This proves the concurrence of Islam and Peace as two terms with one meaning. The relationship between Islam and peace has been well established and that has been stipulated by the Holy Quran and here we refer to verse 61 of Surah “al-Anfal” which reads “If they tended to (adopt) peace, you tend to it” which means, You Muhammad if they desired to make peace, then you have the priority in taking the initiative.
When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated from Mecca to al-Madina he found there a heterogeneous mixture of races and faiths including Jews, Christians as well as atheists. There was then a need to conclude an agreement of coexistence – what was later known as the “al-Madina Document”, which approved race and religious multiplicity and considered as the first ever written constitution approving faith multiplicity in history. Prophet Muhammad and his followers and the signatories of that document complied with its contents and have been honored for long time thereafter until it was violated by the Jews “themselves.”
As such, Islam decreed that non-Muslims enjoy the same treatment enjoyed by Muslims, not only that, but non-Muslims should be offered the rights of Muslim brotherhood among themselves, i.e. the rights of a Muslim to his brother Muslim should be extended to include non-Muslims, in order to avoid discrimination among the humans and to promote human unity on this planet of earth.
Islam stipulates this notion in two valuable verses in the Surah of “al-Mumtahana” where Almighty says, “Allah does not forbid you from those who did not fight you in religion and did not drive you out of your homes that you do good to them and treat them fairly, as Allah likes those who do justice,” i.e. you should do good to them and treat them with justice.
The second verse reads, “However, Allah forbids you from those fought you in your faith, drove you out of your homes, and those who supported driving you out of your homes, that you follow and support them.” As such, there should be no cooperation with those who fight and those who drive you out of your homes. There should be no amicability between the Muslim and that who fights him.
Here I wish to recall a quote by an Omani Scholar, Muhammad bin Baraka al-Omani, who lived in the 14th century. He said, “It’s not a mishap, but is rather recommended attitude that a Muslim shakes hands with a non-Muslim, initiates greeting him, and extends to him all the rights of a Muslim to a Muslim as long as he is not fighting Muslims. The Muslim rights on a Muslim are six, namely 1- when you meet him greet him. 2- If he invites you respond to his invitation 3- If he seeks your consultation give your advice 4- If he sneezes and praised Allah tell him “Allah bless you” 5- If he falls sick you visit him 6- When he is dead you go in his funeral. This Scholar believes that all the rights of a Muslim should be extended to non-Muslims.
Since the beginning, Islam has adopted peace as a special motto. The issue of war is only a secondary issue in Islam. It is merely an issue of defense. Islamic history tells us that Islam has spread through “Da’wa” (Inviting) and by self-defense, rather than through launching assaults.
Finally, I thank H.E. the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Muscat and the Embassy staff for inviting me to take part in this reception, and Good bye “as-Salamu ‘Alaykum”
Thanks also to my colleague the Interpreter.
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