Download Speech in Synagogue

(text of the speech made for the Rosh Chodesh Group at the Synagogue on 9 th November-1999)
In the name of God, The Merciful and Beneficient
With the same words that Prophet Moses used, when he faced the Egyptian Pharaoh for the first time after
he came back to free his people: Rabbishrah li sadri, wa yassir li amri, wahlul uqdatam millisani, yaf qahu
quali meaning : "O My Lord! give me the courage to speak, ease my task for me, make my speech
eloquent so that I can express myself clearly for the listeners to understand what I wish to convey"
Quran Chapter 20-verse 25 to 28. This is the prayer that we all say whenever we are making a speech,
invoking the Lord to help the people understand what we want to convey.
The basics of Islam cannot be termed as a religion because it is a whole code of conduct as designed by
God for human beings, explained in the Quran (the Holy book) and practised by Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) to lead the way for us to follow.
The main doctrines of Islam are *Faith in God, *Unity of God, *Belief in the day of Judgement & the
Hereafter, *in Angels, *in the Holy Books, *in God's Messengers, *Predestination, *Rational Evidence of the
Truth of Mohammed's Prophethood.
Islam rests on five pillars:
1. Declaring the Unity of God and accepting Mohammed as His Apostle.
2. Five daily prayers,
3. Zakaat, charity tax for the poor,
4. Fasting in the month of Ramadhan,
and finally 5. Hajj the big pilgrimage (at least once in a lifetime).
The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word Salima and the lexical meaning of the term is ‘peace &
security' ‘obedience & surrender' ‘a release & exemption from inner and outer evils'. The legal meaning, or
should it be said, religious meaning is the assertion of the Unity of God and the yielding, submission &
deliverance of conscience to Him.
When God thought that humanity had reached the stage of maturity, He sent Muhammad (the last of the
long line of Prophets), to teach the world His Code of life taken from His Book (the last updated version of
the other books, that were given to the Prophets before him). These books bear the proof of Prophet
Muhammad’s coming (in the then ‘future'). ONE of them being in the ‘Book of Deuteronomy' chapter
18 - verse 18. Moses had said, "One like me will come after me". People say Jesus is that one, though
there is no similarity between him and Moses. First of all, Jesus was born without a father whereas Moses
and Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Them) had natural births. God's Message through Muhammad was for
all of mankind.
After declaring the Unity of God and accepting Muhammad as His Prophet and Apostle, Muslims (as the
adherents are called) are required to ‘pray' ‘remember' Him 5 times a day. Linguistically, prayer is an
appeal we perform, to gain God's Favour and guidance, entreat forgiveness for a misdeed we have
committed, express gratitude for a grace bestowed upon us, ward off a possible calamity, and perform a
religious duty. God enjoined prayer on His worshippers to remind them of His Commandments and to
lessen the hardships and misfortunes they face in everyday life. It is prayer that provides the human
community with the long needed spiritual powers for the welfare of society. Psychologically, if man does not
communicate with the Originator, he manifests symptoms of loneliness, grief and dissatisfaction with every
thing. Prayer allows him to implore all his wishes from God, releasing his innermost feelings and it creates
a desire of submission to His Commandments. Prayer is a way of communication between the human spirit
and it's Creator. For performing these prayers, there are certain conditions, like the ritual ablution, washing
certain visible parts of the body (the basic theme being that God wants you to be clean). It is necessary
that the person's body, clothing and place of prayer be clean from filth and dirt, the person should turn
his/her face towards the Ka'aba in the City of Makka and cover that part of the body as is necessary for
decency.
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Islam meant to free the duty of charity from the whims of the person who might pay it or refrain from doing
so according to his personal likes and desires, making it compulsory. Charity is the recognized right of the
poor in the wealth that God bestows upon the rich. Charity is almsgiving and God has ordered Muslims to
give charity because it purifies the spirit from sins and the evils of greed, meanness, harshness, selfishness
and other evils that lead to envy, enmity, aggression, intrigue and wars. It augments the spirit with
blessings.
The principles of fasting are set in the Quran as follows: ‘O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed unto you
as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self restraint' (Chapter 2, verse 183). God
explains that fasting is not new among the Holy Laws; it was ordained to previous peoples as well. It
teaches you self restraint, it makes you sympathize with the hungry who cannot eat because of their
poverty, it develops your will power (a German professor once wrote that fasting is an effective means to
establish the control of the spirit over the body, where man lives with a full control over himself, without
being a slave to his physical inclinations or needs). The month of fasting is the month in which the Quran
was revealed, for guidance and judgement between right and wrong. Fasting is described in the Quran as
abstaining from food, drink and all worldly distractions, from sunrise to sunset.
Pilgrimage, in religious terms, is the journey made to the Sacred House of God in Makkah for the purpose
of performing a religious observance during a certain period of time, at least once in a lifetime, if your means
permit it, by those who are capable of undertaking the journey. It is like a huge conference, a gathering of
different cultures, a combination of believers from all over the globe. Everyone visiting there is engulfed in
an air of obedience to God and is wrapped in virtue, bliss and peace. The big pilgrimage ‘Hajj'
commemorates the story of Abraham and Ismail and the tenets revolve around that story.
After having touched on the main points of Islam, I come now to "The Role of Women in Islam". When
Islam was revealed, it set out to liberate women of the ill treatments they had been subjected to before it's
advent. In pre-Islamic society, women were treated as a commodity and even marketed as one. Society
was harsh on females to the extent that new born girls were buried alive, so Islam forbade that and made
the genders equal. In Islam, men and women are EQUAL in the sight of God. In Chapter 3:verse 195 it is
explained as thus: "I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours in My way, be it man or
woman. Each of you is equal to the other". References to men and women (in the Quran) are through
attributes and deeds by which they will be judged. On the day of judgement, each of us will be responsible
for our actions.
Islam was revolutionary in regards to inheritance by women. Prior to the Quranic injunction, women in most
parts of the world not only did not inherit, they themselves were bequeathed as ‘property' to be distributed at
the death of a husband, father or brother. Islam liberated women by giving them rights not enjoyed by them
previously (like the rights of ownership, inheritance etc.). Men & women are considered ‘equal' partners
who are expected by God to "Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong" (Chapter 9: verse 71). Again,
(Chapter 30: verse 21) states, "Among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves
that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them and He
ordained love and mercy between your hearts. Here indeed are portents for those who reflect' (the word
‘reflect' has been used many times in the Quran - almost like God wants us to use our power of
understanding - relating to everything).
A woman's responsibility is separate from a man's; neither can a man's corruption and tyranny harm a good
woman, nor can a good man's piety and righteousness do good for an evil woman. Each shall bear their
own burden, for example the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, they were under two of God's righteous
servants but they were false to their husbands and were left out of the good pleasure of God.
However, those, who are unable to secure the ties of marriage (for financial or whatever reasons) are
advised to keep chaste until God provides them with enough means to get married: ‘Let those who find not
the therewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God giveth them means out of His grace:’
(Chapter 24:verse 33). ‘The husband and wife are like garments for each other’ - Chapter 2:verse 187.
Their need for each other is like garments used for concealment, protection and show, each protects the
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partner's honour and dignity and each secures peace and well being for the other.
The importance of a strong family as the major building block of a strong society is clearly expressed in
Islam. The family unit solidifies mutual respect, understanding & compassion within the family which further
extends to the community at large. Unfortunately over time these principles have been modified to suit
political agendas thus presenting Muslims with laws that hardly resemble the original Islamic ideals
espoused by the Quran and practised by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
When a woman reaches the age of maturity and marriage, she has the full right to deal with her own
property, (whether in word or in deed), the way she finds suitable. She has the right to appoint anyone she
feels like and no one else has the right to interfere. Such are the rights granted to women by Islam, placing
them on equal footing, for the past 14 centuries. The infamous finger-pointing on the ‘inheritance' law has
another meaning since a man's responsibilities of life are far greater than those of women and women
inherit from the father's side of the family as well as from the husband's. (Chapter 4 verse 7).
Marriage & Divorce laws are also there to protect the rights of the woman. Marriage, is sacred but divorce is
allowed (although it is an act most despised by God - as the Quran states). One is supposed to try and save
a marriage by whatever means they have (involving family members from both sides, religious leaders,
counselling etc.). Three chances, at three different times, have to be given to the couple involved and then
if everyone sees that the marriage is still not working out, the two should amicably go their separate ways.
After this, they are not supposed to put impediments in each other's ways so that each can carry on their
different lives. There are a whole set of laws regarding this too.
The question of the 'veil' has always been in the forefront of many Western writers but the Quran treats it
within the limits of morality and decency. Chapter 24: verses 30 & 31 make it plain that both men and
women have to be modest. God instructs believing men and women to 'lower their gaze' so as not to let it
arouse their desires. This does not mean that one should lower the head without looking at people,
because that is impossible. God only requests one's gaze be lowered without letting it fix continually on a
sight that arouses desires' (meaning the opposite sex). The whole guideline of dress stems from the time an
inquisitive person questioned the Prophet as to the limits of dressing and the Prophet replied that if a man is
covered between the navel and the knees, he should be within the limits of decency. As for a woman, she
should cover her body except (and with this he made a gesture with his hands around his face and hands)
meaning that the face and the hands should be the only visible parts of the woman's body. The hair comes
under that covering and this is the reason Muslim women cover their heads (which is the custom in other
religions too).
The followers of Moses and Jesus, the Jews and the Christians, are referred to in the Quran as ‘People of
the Book'. The Prophet set an example to be followed by all, in respecting other religions - there are many
stories from his time, as recorded by his companions, proving this.
The Quran explains that ‘God has sent all His messengers mainly to assert His Unity. Prophet Noah said ‘I
have been commanded to be of those who submit to God' (Chapter 10 verse 73). Abraham said, ‘I
surrender to the Lord and Cherisher of the Universe' (Chapter 2: verse 131). Joseph addressed God
saying, ‘Thou art my Lord and Protector in the world and the Hereafter. Make me die submissive unto Thee
and join me to the Righteous' (Chapter 12:verse 101). Moses addressed his people saying: ‘O my people!
if indeed ye believe in God, then in Him put your trust, if ye submit to Him' (Chapter 10: verse 84). When
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Who will be my helpers in the cause of God?' The disciples replied, "We are
God's helpers. We believe in God, and do thou bear witness that we have surrendered unto Him' (Chapter
3: verse 52). God then provided prophet Mohammed with the religion complementing those of the
aforesaid prophets; and to this effect, He addressed him saying: "We have sent thee inspiration as We sent
it to Noah and the messengers after him; We sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the
Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon and to David We imparted the Psalms. Of some apostles
We have already told thee the story; of others We have not. And to Moses God spoke directly. Apostles of
good cheer and of warning so that, after the coming of these apostles, mankind should have no plea against
God; for God is ever Exalted in power and Wise”. (Chapter 4: verse 163-165).
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It says in the Quran, ‘the same religion hath He ordained for you as that which He enjoined on Noah, the
which We have sent unto thee and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus, saying:
"Establish the religion, and make no divisions therein" (Chapter 42: verse 13)'. So, belief in the Holy books
(all the Commandments that God disclosed to His Apostles) is a basis of a Muslim's faith. This includes the
5 books of Law (Taurat) also. God's Message through Muhammad was for all of mankind.
Hence this ‘Code' of life engulfs all aspects, Moral, Spiritual, Social, Scientific, Medicinal, Economic,
Governmental - everything. .
Thank you.
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