Khateeb of Sunni Muslims in Zahedan, Iran, Mawlana Abdol-Hameed initiated his latest Friday sermon on 21st December by reciting the noble Qur’anic verses: «يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ*وَاللّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَن تَمِيلُواْ مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا *يُرِيدُ اللّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ وَخُلِقَ الإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا» [النساء: 26-28] urging on the immaculacy of the initial nature of every human being.
Talking to tens of thousands Sunni worshipers in Zahedan, he pointed, “Allah Almighty has created human beings wholesome and free of vice. Every human being has been created on the nature of Allah’s cognition and theology. This point has been affirmed in a Hadith. But due to moral decadence and abnormalities people change their nature and go against it. The nature is the path of sobriety and avoiding extremes.”
Allah Almighty has not left His creature, mankind, alone; He guided them by dispatching Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, and the noble Qur’an. That is why, we are ordered to say: «اهدنا الصراط المستقیم»; (O Allah! Guide us to the straight path.) Islam is away of extremes; it teaches moderation in thoughts and deeds. It was the way of previous nations; they were on the straight path first, Shaikh Ismaeelzahi further said.
Friday Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah in Zahedan added more saying wealth and all material facilities have been created for the needs of mankind. Making efforts to get money and wealth is not contrary to the hale nature. Islam does not encourage monasticism; rather this perfect and safe religion of Allah realizes the nature and human needs of mankind. Thus it guides Muslims to be sane and sober completely.
Those who neglect legal and illegal (Halal & Haram) in earning money, and miss obligatory prayers and Zakah, can not be called sober people; they have gone to extremes. While striving to earn by legal ways, love of Allah and His last messenger must be in heart. Adopting the commands of Shari’ah is the path of the nature, the eminent Islamic scholar underlined.
Pointing out to another example, he said if we witness wars, crimes, crises and oppressed voices around the world, which is because of extremes. If people avoid extremes, we will observe justice and equality across the globe. It is the path of sobriety to take care of others’ rights. Allah loves the one who goes on the tracks of sobriety, on the other hand, He does not like people who go to extremes and follow their egos. It is recommended for human beings to bow down before their real Beneficent and worship Him humbly with correct tenets.
Considering imitation of the Qur’an and prophets and a hale life correlative, he stated, “If prophets, peace be upon them, are not amongst us today, their words and directions as well as the noble Qur’an talk to us. If someone does not pay attention, s/he endures lots of damages. Judaism only has the name of Prophet Moses’ religion; his commands and teachings have been forgotten by Jews. Islam has revived the natural teachings of all previous divine religions. It must be kept in mind, there were some harsh commands and limits for the followers of prophets Moses and Jesus just because of their faults as punishment, but those religions had not gone to extremes. Sobriety was the path of all prophets.”
Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunnah went on to add saying “justice” is one of the examples of sobriety. The entire human society should behave justly with others. Spouses, rulers, masses and other people must take care of justice.
Establish prayers in any condition
In another part of his sermon, Shaikh Abdol-Hameed showed the importance of five-time ritual prayers, saying it is very regrettable many Muslims do not offer prayers on time. It is on the basis of nature to establish prayers correctly. Women and children should offer prayers at homes. Teachers and students must not miss prayers in educational centers. In military points and garrisons must not be any obstacles for prayers; nothing is more important that establishment of prayers. That is why; everybody should offer prayers on time in mosques with congregation.
We hope the issue of Sunnis’ Mosalla would be resolved
At the end of his speech, Mawlana Abdol-Hameed alluded to the matter of Sunni residents’ Mosalla in Zahedan city and said, “It is the essential need of the Sunni community of Zahedan to have a vast place for Eid prayers. Shiite Muslims have got a 60-hectare ground. But we have been striving to get a wider place for eight years, yet the authorities have not approved to provide us any Mosalla.
He concluded his points saying solution of this problem would strengthen fraternity of Shiite and Sunni Muslims. We hope problem of our worship place would be solved soon.