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In the name
of God, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; Prayers and
Salutations upon His chosen Prophet, upon the Prophet's
household, his courageous companions, and all the apostles
and prophets:
God
Almighty said: "Mankind ! We created you from a pair of a male and
female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each
other. The most honoured of you in the sight of God is the most
righteous of you" (Al Hujurat: 13).
Amman, the capital of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, seizes the opportunity of this Holy Month
of Ramadan, in which the Holy Quran was revealed, to issue a statement
to the public, to our brethren in Muslim lands and in this whole world.
We are aware of the dangers and challenges the Islamic Nation is
facing today at this difficult juncture of its course. Evils threaten
its identity, incite disunity, tarnish its religion and assail its
tenets; they attack fiercely the very message of Islam. Some who attack
Islam imagine it is their enemy. But it is not their enemy. Others, who
claim to belong to Islam, have done gruesome and criminal acts in its
name. The message that is under attack is the message of tolerance,
revealed by the Almighty to His prophet Muhammad, God's prayers and
salutations be upon him, and carried after him by his orthodox
successors and household members: a message of brotherhood and humanity;
forming a righteous religion that embraces the entire sphere of human
life, upholding what is good and forbidding what is wrong, accepting of
others, and honouring all human beings.
Over many years, the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has sought to repel assaults on Islam by
halting the fallacies against it and promoting true understanding of the
faith. These efforts are inspired by the religious and historical legacy
of the Hashemite monarchy, honoured as direct descendants of the
Prophet, the Messenger of God. For five decades, his late Majesty King
Hussein Bin Talal, God rest his soul, persisted tirelessly to reform the
image and support the unity of the world's Muslims. His Majesty King
Abdullah II has continued this effort with the same steadfastness since
the day he held the flag. Today, His Majesty is determined to ward off
Muslim marginalization and isolation in the global movement of human
society. His goal is to assert what the world's 1.2 billion Muslims
expect themselves to be: full partners in the development of human
civilization and in the progress of humanity in our age.
The
Muslim faith is based on belief in one God and the message of His
Prophet; the daily prayers by which we connect to our Creator; the
Ramadan fast in which we resist and discipline the desires of the body;
the Zakat charitable tax by which we help others; and the Haj pilgrimage
to God's House, Mecca, which represents the unity of the Nation (the
Ummah), and is performed by those who are able. These obligations,
regulating human behaviour in all its dimensions, have created a strong
and cohesive Nation and a great civilization. Equally important, they
reflect deep principles that are needed for humanity's own good: unity
of the human race, equal rights and obligations, peace, security, social
equality, the honoring of pledges, neighborliness and respect for
others, and the protection of belongings and property.
Islam's
principles also provide common ground among different faiths and
peoples. The origin of divine religions is one, and Muslims believe in
all messengers of God; denying the message of any of them is a deviation
from Islam. This furnishes a wide platform upon which peoples of
different faiths can meet together, with respect for others' ideas and
faiths, and act in common in the service of human society:
"The
messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his
Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believeth in God and his angels
and His scriptures and his messengers - We make no distinction between
any of His messengers - and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us)
Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto thee is the journeying" (Al Baqara:
285).
Islam honours every human being, without distinction of
colour, race or religion:
We have honoured the sons of Adam,
provided them transport on land and sea, sustained them with good
things, and conferred on them special favours above a great part of our
creation (Al Isra'a: 70)
Islam also affirms that Muslims, when
spreading the call of God, are called to act gently on earth.
Invite
to the way of the Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue
with them in ways that are best and most gracious (Al Nahl: 125)
Because the Islamic mission is based on reason, Muslims are to shun
violence and cruelty, and speak with kindness and respect:
It is
part of the Mercy of God that thou dost deal gently with them, wert thou
severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee. So
pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the
conduct of affairs. (Aal Imran: 159)
Islam clarified that its
message is to bring mercy to all peoples:
We sent thee not save as a
Mercy for all creatures (Al Anbiya'a: 107)
Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be
Unto Him, emphasized the concepts of compassion and tenderness in Islam
when he said, "Mercy from the Most Merciful is bestowed on those who
have mercy on others, and those who have mercy on creations of God on
earth, The Almighty in the Heavens will have mercy on you."
Islam
calls for treating others as one desires to be treated. It urges
tolerance and forgiveness, qualities that elevate human life:
The
recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto in degree, but if a
person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God (Shura:
40)
Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is
better: Then will be between whom and thee was hatred become as it were
thy friend and intimate (Fussilat: 34)
Islam calls for treating others justly, safeguarding their rights
and possessions:
And let not the hatred of others to you make you
swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety
(Al Maida: 8)
God commands you to return trusts to their owners, and
if you judge between people, you shall judge with justice (Al Nisa': 58)
"So give full measure and full weight and wrong not mankind in their
goods, and work not confusion in the earth after the fair ordering
thereof" (Al A'raf: 85)
Islam dictates respect for conventions and
pledges, and condemns treachery and treason:
Fulfill the Covenant of
God when ye have entered into it, and break not your oaths after you
have confirmed them, indeed you made God your surety (Al Nahl: 91)
Islam upholds human life. There is to be no fighting against
non-fighters; no assault on civilians and their properties, on children
in their mothers' laps, on students in the schools, on older men and
women. To assault the life of a human being is equivalent to assaulting
the right to life of all - and this is one of the gravest sins, for life
is the basis for the continuation of humanity.
If any one slew a
person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land -
it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if any one saved a life,
it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people (Al Ma'ida: 32)
Islam respects balance, moderation, and equanimity:
Thus have we
made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over
the nations, and the Apostle a witness over yourselves (Al Baqara: 143)
The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, said: "Facilitate and don't
hesitate, augur well and don't shun away" (Hadeeth Shareef)
This is
the faith that made historic advances in science, scholarship and
intellectual life - achievements that empowered a great civilization, in
whose achievements non-Muslims had their share, and which became the
vehicle to bring knowledge for the West as well.
Islam
calls on Muslims to demonstrate tolerance and delight in human life; it
opposes extremism, exaggeration, and intransigence. These phenomena are
veils against right thinking - they conceal the repercussions of one's
actions, and encourage a reckless disregard for religion, reason, and
civilized behavior. Indeed, Islam rejects extremism as a deviation from
true faith and a form of injustice. Furthermore, it is not a trait that
characterizes a particular nation; it is an aberration that has been
experienced by all nations, races, and religions.
We denounce
extremism today, just as our forefathers relentlessly did throughout
Islamic history. Time after time, they insisted on the importance of one
clear truth: the ends do not justify the means. We speak this truth
again today. Islam is a religion of ethics that seeks what is good for
people in the entire world. Its principles are those of honour. The
means for spreading Islam are ethical means. And Islam can only be
defended through ethical means.
The foundation of relations between
Muslims and others is peace. In Islam, war is only justified by
necessity and challenges. No fighting is permissible when others pose no
aggression. Even then, the duty of Muslims is to treat others with
justice and benevolence:
God forbids you not, with regard to those
who fight you not for your Faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from
dealing kindly and justly with them: For God loveth those who are just
(Al Mumtahina: 8)
But if they cease, let there be no hostility
except to those who practice oppression (Al Baqara: 193)
On religious
grounds, on moral grounds, we denounce the contemporary concept of
terrorism which is associated with wrongful practices wherever they come
from - including assaults on peaceful civilians, killing prisoners and
the wounded, unethical practices such as the destruction of buildings,
and ransacking cities. These despotic attacks on human life transgress
the law of God, and we denounce them. As the Qur'an says:
Take not
life which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law (Al
Anaam: 51)
Fighting injustice and realizing justice should be a
legitimate undertaking through legitimate means. We call on the Nation (Ummah)
to adopt what is necessary to achieve the strength and steadfastness
needed to build itself and ensure the preservation of rights.
No
human whose heart is filled with light could be an extremist. We decry
the campaign that portrays Islam as a religion that encourages violence
and institutionalizes terrorism.
Throughout
history, extremism has caused the destruction of great civilizations.
The tree of civilization wilts, and hearts close, when malice takes
hold. It is an evil alien to Islamic values of moderation and tolerance.
Today, we call on the international community to work seriously on
implementing international law and ensuring respect for U.N. conventions
and resolutions, ensuring that there are no double standards, that
injustice is uprooted and that people's rights are returned. Achieving
this will contribute to uprooting the causes of violence, exaggeration,
and extremism.
The Islam that we are honoured to belong to calls on
us to be involved in modern society and contribute to its progress. To
achieve that, Muslims reach out in brotherhood to all those who love
justice, reason, and righteousness.
Islam guides us to express,
earnestly, the realities of our lives, and to share the soundness of our
faith and beliefs. This is God's call for coexistence and piety.
Islam guides us to work on reforming the religious discourse of
civilization in our countries, through well-designed, practical
scientific plans that focus on rehabilitating preachers. These
priorities will ensure broad public awareness among these preachers of
the true spirit of Islam and its methodology in building human life, as
well as providing them with knowledge of contemporary culture and how to
deal with their communities.
Say, 'this is my way. I, and those who
follow me, call for God with a clear vision of the truth.' (Yusuf: 108)
Islam guides us to deal with the communication revolution, by
utilizing the media in a sound, scientific manner, without weakness or
emotional outbursts. Thus, we may respond to accusations stirred by
enemies of Islam, while reaching all those who receive the messages of
global media.
Islam guides us to build up the Muslim individual
through the best of education. Those who are confident in their
knowledge and abilities are secure in their personalities, and through
this self-confidence, present the distinguished outlook of Islam to the
whole world.
Islam guides us to benefit from and contribute to the
achievements of this age. Islam encourages science and technology; it is
a pioneer in its approach to comprehensive development. The Islamic
approach provides a balance in spiritual, economic, and social life;
provides for human rights and basic liberties; ensures the individual's
right to live in dignity and security, guarantees basic needs, and
administers society's affairs in accordance with the principles of
justice and consultation. Such an approach both benefits from and
strengthens the mechanisms of modern democracy.
We
attach great hope to the scholars of our Nation. It is they who will
enlighten our youth - the generation that adorns our present age and
will create and become our future. It is our scholars who will keep our
youth from sliding down the paths of ignorance, corruption,
close-mindedness and subordination, into the abyss of extremism. And it
is our scholars who will hold a beacon to a different path - a path of
tolerance, moderation, and goodness; guiding young people to the way of
Islam and instituting its great values in their young hearts.
Indeed, as role models in their religious manners, conduct, and
speech, our scholars can contribute to the renewal of the march of our
entire Nation. By their exacting standards of science, positive visions
of politics, and the grace to take all matters wisely and meticulously;
and by bringing people together, not dividing them, by uniting hearts,
not turning them away, and by raising humanity's eyes to the horizons of
fulfillment: in all these ways, our scholars will help our whole Nation
meet the challenges of the 21st century. Through such wisdom and
achievement, Islam's goodness, peace, and love will flow to all the
peoples of the world.
We pray to God: to provide our Islamic
Nation with means of renaissance, prosperity and advancement; to shield
it from the evils of extremism and closed minds; to preserve its rights,
sustain its glory, and uphold its dignity. He is the best Lord and the
Best Aid.
God Almighty says: "And (He commandeth you, saying): This
is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest ye be
parted from His way. This hath He ordained for you, that ye may ward off
(evil)" (Al An'aam: 153).
We
conclude, thanking God, Lord of the worlds,
Amman
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Ramadan 1425
Hijri
November 2004 AD |
