Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Fourteen centuries ago, in the darkness of unbelief, oppression and moral collapse, human life had lost its value. The strong crushed the weak, women were belittled and the poor were ignored. Power prevailed over truth and self-interest over justice. Family disputes never ended and blood disputes lasted for generations. In short, humanity was like a caravan that had lost its way, searching for direction. In such a time, Allah (swt), as a manifestation of His mercy, sent a messenger who would show humanity the path of salvation both in this world and in the Hereafter. He said to him: “O Prophet! Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, a warner, one who invites to Allah by His permission, and as an illuminating lamp.”[1] With this, Allah made him a mercy to all creation and a guide for humanity. This verse confirms that our Prophet (saw) bore witness with his life to the truth of revelation. On the Day of Judgment, he will also testify to the faith of his Ummah. He gave glad tidings of peace in this world and Paradise in the Hereafter to those who believed in Allah. He warned of the consequences of disbelief, oppression and sin in both this world and the next. By Allah’s permission, he called people to tawhid, justice and the straight path. Through his words, character and way of life, he turned darkness into light.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was the living embodiment of the Qur’an, the finest expert of divine commands and the living interpretation of revelation. To avoid sending a guest away empty-handed, he would even borrow food from his neighbors and would say: “He who sleeps full while his neighbor goes hungry is not one of us.” At a young age, he earned the title al-Amīn (the Trustworthy) for his care in safeguarding trusts. He honored women by declaring: “Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.”

He would play with children and embrace them when meeting them on the street. He forgave those who wronged him. He emphasised honesty by saying: “Whoever cheats us is not one of us.” Love for him should not remain as mere words; it must take root in the heart as true devotion. Indeed, our Rasulullah (saw) said: “None of you will have truly believed until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father, and all mankind.”[2] Without following his example, we are like a ship in a storm without a compass, lost and drifting. We become like a traveler without a map, our destination becomes uncertain and we risk straying onto the wrong roads. But if we follow his example, we will find peace in our families, trust in society, blessings in trade and loyalty in friendship. Holding firmly to his Sunnah is like being handed a lantern in the darkness, we find our way and never lose our way. However, to follow the Sunnah, we must first know it; we cannot walk a path we do not know. Knowing the Sunnah means learning his words, actions, and choices, and bringing them into our own time. For this reason, what we must do for ourselves and our families is to introduce our children to him properly, teach them about his life, character and struggle. Following him means reflecting his honesty, mercy and patience in our daily actions; it means being an example to those around us through his beautiful manners. In our homes, the language of love should prevail; in our work, honesty; in our neighborhood, loyalty; and in our families, compassion, so that all aspects of our lives are filled with the character of the Prophet (saw).

Dear Jama’ah!
The night connecting Wednesday to Thursday (September 3), the blessed night of Mawlid al-Nabi, the anniversary of our Beloved Prophet’s birth, is a unique opportunity to once again remember and put into practice all these responsibilities. On this night, our mosques will be filled with salawat, recitations of the Qur’an and supplications; our hearts will unite in mercy, love and brotherhood. Let us, on this night, reshape our lives under his guidance. Let us make knowing him, learning his Sunnah and living by it our greatest goal. Let us adorn our hearts with salawat and our homes with the recitation of the Qur’an. May we beautify every deed with his character and spread mercy to those around us. On this blessed night, let our hearts beat together with our oppressed brothers and sisters suffering under tyranny in Gaza, Syria and across the world. May our prayers rise to the heavens for their freedom, peace and safety. May Allah (swt) make us among those who never part from his path, who share in the pains of the ummah. Ameen.

STATEMENT:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you know, for more than two years our brothers and sisters in Gaza have been subjected to the harshest oppression. They have been starved, their water cut off, children orphaned, women widowed, and countless homes destroyed. Cities have been besieged, refugee camps turned into ruins and death has been rained down upon the innocent.

As if all this were not enough, the Netanyahu government has now launched a full-scale invasion of Gaza, once again trampling on human dignity and international law. The silence of the international community in the face of the suffering of a people left with no place to live is as troubling as the attacks themselves. We strongly condemn this brutality and call on the whole world to act to end the oppression and establish justice and peace.

O Allah! You hear the cries of our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Grant them Your help and victory. Grant the Ummah and all humanity the will, courage and determination to act to end oppression. Ameen.

[1] Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:45-46

[2] Buhârî, Îmân, 8

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