A Message for Our Time — Page 26
26 I slaamnl ter ior Publ are all well aware that, regrettably, we live in a time where many people hold reservations, and even fears, about Islam and about Muslims. In light of all of this, undoubtedly your attendance is praiseworthy and obliges me to profess my deepest gratitude to all of you. Moreover, I should clarify that my thanks is not offered as a mere courtesy, rather it is a religious duty placed on me by Islam, as the Prophet of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sas, taught that a person who fails to express his appreciation to other people cannot be grateful to God Almighty. Hence, I consider it my reli- gious obligation to express my sincere gratitude to all of you. Moving on, I anticipate that you will have joined us today in the hope of learning more about Islam and to find out the rea- sons why we have built this mosque. Certainly, given the fact that many people have misgivings about Islam due to what they have seen in the media, such curiosity and interest is natural. Indeed, due to the climate in which we are living, if you harbour any fears or concerns about this mosque, it is quite understandable. Undoubtedly, in much of the world, there is now an increas- ingly prevalent view that Muslims are to be feared. As a collec- tive, Muslims have been branded as troublemakers who seek to divide society and desire to shatter the fabric of social cohesion and peace. Muslims are seen as people who are neither able to live together in peace nor are they able to live peacefully with others. Further, the construction of a mosque is something that evokes even greater fear and anxiety amongst many non-Muslims. Many people fear that a mosque will provide Muslims with a centre to isolate themselves from the rest of society and to undermine the peace and well-being of the local town, city or even of the nation