Eid Speech to South Africans in Britain
by Arshad Gamiet 23rd December 2001
A-oothu
billaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem Bismillahhir Rahmanir Raheem.
Mr
Deputy High-Commissioner, Ladies
and Gentlemen, dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,
As-salámu 'alaykum wa rahma tulláh! May the Peace and Mercy
of Allah be with you.
It
really is a privilege for me to welcome you here today, to celebrate ‘Eidul
Fitr. This gathering of South Africans, ex-South Africans, and their families
and friends, is something I’ve been looking forward to. It’s chance to renew
old acquaintances, and also to make new friends. I’ve been asked to say a few
words, and I’ll try to keep it short. Today is after all, a day of
celebration, a day to enjoy congenial company and the goodies on the table.
It’s not a day for listening to long boring speeches. Yet, this would be a
wasted opportunity, if I did not share some thoughts with you, about matters
that concern us all.
You
know, Muslim South Africans have some very special qualities and now more than
ever, our talents are needed urgently. In the unfolding drama between Islám and
the West, we can play an important role. If this sounds a little pretentious, I
can assure you it’s not. There’s a desperate need for knowledge,
understanding and wisdom to counteract the malicious negative propaganda, which
is discrediting the good name of Islám, and which is demonising the Muslims as
fanatics and terrorists. The most suitable people to effectively promote a
better understanding of Islám, would be practising Muslims who also understand
the ways of the West. And it’s here that our help is so valuable.
Muslim
South Africans are no strangers to Western society. Three centuries ago, our
ancestors came as political exiles from Java and Sumatra, and later as traders
and plantation workers from British India. As a small minority, we not only
survived, but we thrived and prospered during 300 years of isolation,
exploitation and oppression. We are now highly regarded around the world.
Although we number less than 5% of the population, our presence in business, in
professional life, in politics and in the government of South Africa, appears to
be much higher. We are punching well above our weight, and
by the Grace of Alláh, we’re doing a fine job.
This is because we are the inheritors of all that collective wisdom and
experience of 10 generations of Islám in the West. Surely, for those of us who
have now made Britain our home, we do have something of substance, something
useful to contribute to the current debate about Islám and its role in the
modern world.
We
are indeed living in interesting times, according to the Chinese curse; very
interesting times. Since 11th September, Islám is on everyone’s
lips. For better or worse, whether we like it or not, we Muslims are under the
world’s spotlight. What we do and what we say, indeed, how we do it and say
it, will be scrutinised and analysed in detail.
But
there’s no need for paranoia. We have nothing to hide, and we have no hidden
agenda. In fact, we welcome any genuine interest in Islám. We Muslims only have
to live Islam correctly, then we will have a lot to offer our host community,
and to the wider Western world. Already, we hear that the rate of conversions to
Islám in the USA has increased fourfold since 11th September. We
also hear that many bookshops in Britain and USA have sold out copies of The
Holy Qur'án. Even so, we must have no illusions that the road ahead is going to
be a rough one. It will be some time before the latest tide of Islamophobia has
receded. But it’s not all doom and gloom. These hardships and setbacks should
come as no surprise to us. Alláh promised us in the Qur'án, that we will all
be tested in our faith. No one, not even the beloved prophets and the Awliyaa,
the Friends of Alláh, had an easy ride through life: Quite the opposite. The
higher their spiritual status, the greater was the physical, emotional and
psychological effort to get there.
Dear
friends, brothers and sisters, much of our modern world is going through an
identity crisis. In the post-Communist era, from Belgrade to Birmingham and from
Sarajevo to San Francisco, there has been a desperate search for new identities
at every level. From the individual to the community to the nation and to the
international alliances, if you listen carefully and you read between the lines,
you will find an unspoken but clearly evident question that’s being asked with
growing anxiety: Who am I, where do I belong, and what is my destiny? Time does
not allow me to elaborate on this subject. Suffice to say that the debates about
who joins the European Union, and why Turkey should be excluded, the debate
about proving our British-ness, our patriotism in a multicultural society, all
of these are symptoms of an identity crisis at many levels.
We
Muslims should have no such crisis. We are living proof that a diversity of many
nations and cultures can flourish within the unity of Islám. Our identity is
not based on nation, language, tribe or colour. It is based very simply on an
idea: the profound and irresistible idea that God is one, mankind is one, and
that the destiny of all God’s creatures is to serve him and return to Him. It
is an idea eloquently summed up in Súra Al Baqara, Inna lillaahi wa inna
ilayhir raaji-oon. From Alláh have we come, and to Him is our return.
It is this idea, that today stands up as the only viable alternative to the idea
that might-is-right, and that greed-is-good.
Let’s
not forget that, sadly, on the subject of identity, there are still Muslims who
think that in order to fit in, and to feel a sense of belonging, they should
simply dissolve into the cultural melting pot. They think they have to become
little brown Englishmen or little brown Europeans, indistinguishable from the
host community, joining the beer and football crowd, or enjoying champagne with
their cucumber sandwiches at the golf club. This is a big mistake. There is no
need to be ashamed of your Muslim identity, no need to hide your cultural roots.
Indeed, the world respects a man who can be himself, and walk tall.
Remember Muhammad Ali? Who can ever forget him! He knew how to walk tall, and
Islám gave him a sense of dignity and honour that no one could destroy. And how
the world loves him for his courage! No-one will respect you, if you have no self-respect.
No-one will love you, if you hate yourself. You must first know who you are, and
you must like who you are. This does not mean that you should indulge in
the vanity and conceit that breeds arrogance. There is a fine line that
separates righteousness from self-righteousness.
Muslim
identity goes much deeper than headscarves and beards, or lack of them. Being a
good Muslim is about exuding good character. It’s about being a good parent, a
good neighbour, a good citizen. It’s about good business ethics, honesty, and
trustworthiness; it’s about having a sense of integrity in our dealings with
one another; paying our taxes and we’re driving a car, being considerate to
other drivers. It’s about consistency in our public and private affairs. Being
a good Muslim is about being a good human being. It’s about quietly going
through your life in a way that people of other faiths can admire and want to
emulate. The greatest compliment anyone can pay you is when they embrace Islám,
because of the excellent personal example that you have set for them.
To
illustrate this point, I must tell you a story. There is a Muslim family in
Johannesburg, who own a block of flats near the University. The top floors
provide rented accommodation, and the ground floor is used as a space for
prayers and as a free soup kitchen on Fridays. One day, a black teenager
approached the family, saying that he needed a place to stay, as he was going to
study dentistry and he had no accommodation. He said, he was willing to wash
dishes, clean rooms, do gardening, in fact, do anything, to pay his way. The
lady of the house asked to see his academic record, and when she saw that it was
littered with A’s and distinctions, she said,
“I’ll give you a room, free of charge, for as long as you continue
this kind of performance. As soon as I see you slipping back, you’ll have to
start paying for your rent”. The young man stayed for several years,
until he finally graduated as a dentist. In all that time, he studied so hard
that he didn’t have to pay a single penny for his rent. Then he thanked the
family and went away. Years later, he returned for a visit, and the family were
delighted to see him. “How are you, John?” they asked. His reply came as a
complete surprise, “I’m very well, thank you. Now I have a big and busy
dental practice. And, by the way, my name isn’t John any more. It’s
Muhammad. I was so impressed by your kindness and generosity over the years,
that I wanted to be like you. I wanted to know who you are and what you believe
in, so Alhamdulillah, I was guided to become a Muslim, and now I also want to
help others, like you helped me.”
My
dear friends, brothers and sisters, I’m sure you all have heard similar truly
inspiring stories. Setting a good personal example. The Holy Qur'án tells us
that “Truly in the Messenger of Alláh, you have the finest of examples.”
Also, his example was not intended for Muslims only. It was, and still is, a
mission for all mankind. The Qur'án says:
“Wa
maa arsalnaaka illaa rahmatal lil aalameen”…. We have not sent
you [O Muhammad] but as a mercy unto all the mankind.
…………
Three
centuries ago, our noble ancestors were exiled from Java and Sumatra, banished
to the lonely, windswept tip of Africa. They arrived in chains, but their faith
and endurance made them Awliyaa, true Friends of Alláh. Their followers must
have grieved when they left. But Alláh had other plans. Little did the Dutch
know that, by banishing Sheikh Yusuf to the Cape, they were simply moving a
potent seed of Islám, and planting it in fertile soil. Indonesia’s loss was
Africa’s gain. That wonderful seed has flowered into the talented and vibrant
community we know today.
None
of us came to
Britain in chains. Those who were not born here, chose to come here. Some
came as political exiles, others came to further education or to advance
professional careers. At least we could all make that choice freely, and by the
Grace of Alláh, we’ve made progress in life. Now it’s payback time. The
Muslim community in South Africa, needs us. British Muslims need us. The Ummah
needs us. The whole of mankind needs us. How do we respond?
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Islam, let us take a sincere decision today, to respond
to this call for help in the hour of need. By the grace of Alláh, we who live
in Britain are among the most privileged Muslims anywhere on the planet. Apart
from a very favourable exchange rate for the pound, we are relatively safe from
the hardship and danger that fellow Muslims must accept as part of their daily
life, elsewhere. We enjoy more religious, political and personal freedom here
than in most Muslim countries. Surely all these blessings carry with them a big
responsibility?
We
can start right here, by getting to know each other, sharing ideas, improving
our knowledge of Islám, committing our resources of time, money and expertise
to the needs of others. Let’s network ourselves, send emails and develope a
culture of teamwork. Let’s join weekly study groups to teach or be taught.
Lets keep the spirit of Ramadhan alive throughout the year. Let’s enrich
ourselves with togetherness, rather than impoverish ourselves with loneliness.
The choice is ours. Most importantly, let’s do all this with just one clear
purpose in mind; to seek the good pleasure of Alláh. And if we persevere
patiently seeking His pleasure, with absolute sincerity and purity of heart,
then surely, Alláh will respond to our call. O Alláh, help us constantly to
strive to become better Muslims. Help us to become be worthy successors of those
noble ancestors who brought the light of Islám to South Africa so many years
ago. O Alláh, guide us all and protect us all,
Ameen.
As salaamu 'alaykum
Your feedback will help us to improve our khutbahs. Please let us have your comments and suggestions., by writing to : magamiet@netcomuk.co.uk Jazakallah Khairan!
Back to articles, lectures All Khutbahs A to Z Khutbahbank Homepage