By Sahibzada Faiz-ur-Rehman Durrain
(Central Ameer Minhaj-ul-Quran International)

Certainly there is for you in them a good model for him who has hope in Allah and the Last Day. But who so turns away, then Surely, Allah is All Self-sufficient, All Praised.

It may be that Allah will bring about friendship between you and those whom you hold to be your enemies among them. But Allah is All-Powerful. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Allah does not forbid you in respecting those who have not fought against you on account of (your) religion, and who have not expelled you out from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly. Surely, Allah loves the just ones.

Allah only forbids you in respect of those who have fought against you on account of (your) religion and expelled you from your homes and backed (others) in your expulsion, that you befriend them. And whoever makes friendship with them, these are the cruels. (Al-Quran- Chapter 60 (verse 6, 7,8,9)

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentleman

On behalf of Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran and its founder and PIC Sheikh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, all the office bearers of Tehreek and PAT, I welcome you to the Central Secretariat TMQ and wish you wonderful X-Mas. Of course, 25th Dec. is a day; highly honoured, bestowed and a day of blessings to the mankind, as one of the highly exalted and honoured Messengers of Allah, was sent to the Planet Earth for teaching love and harmony to the mankind; the straight path of Allah, the Dean-i-Islam and the true philosophy of human life. He was the second last of all prophets and came just before the Last Prophet the Holy Muhammad SAW. Quran; the last book of revelation as revealed to the Last Prophet Muhammad SAW, has expressly confirmed not only the Prophet hood of His Highness Jesus Christ (AS) but his spiritual distinctive signs as well. It tells us that Allah SWT gave Jesus(AS), the son of Mary (AS) clear signs and strengthened him with a holy spirit (Rooh-ul-Qudus)

“Allah (SWT) says the son of Mary (AS) held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.” It is the integral part of the Muslim faith that he has to believe in the truthfulness of all the Prophets whose names have been mentioned in Quran. He has also to believe in all the Books revealed to these Prophets. It is obligatory to all the Muslims to call Jesus; not only Jesus but His Highness Isa (PBUH) A Muslim calls his mother; Her Exalted Maryam (AS) A Muslim believes that she is the more respectable than all the women of the world.

Islam; the most enlightened and last religion of the world, is the religion of peace, tolerance and forbearance. One single devilish machination is sufficient to sow seeds of dissension and discord among human beings. The Satan does so with wickedness and ignorant people are taken in by his ruse. Man has to be extra cautious lest he is entrapped. In this context we may mention several faiths and creeds expounding, elucidating and analyzing the original inflammable mutual hate and bigotry. Islam discourages injudicious plots and instead preaches tolerance and patience for all. Quran is Sura Maaeda- verse 32 upholds that killing one person amounts to murdering the entire mankind and saving one life is like protecting the whole humanity.

According to Quran “There is no compulsion is faith” It maintains that no one is to be forced to convert to Islam. Mankind is like one body with limbs joined with each other. Humanity is their race and the planet earth is their homeland. The renowned occidentlist Comp Gobinow exclaims: “No religion is more tolerant of followers of other faiths than Islam”

Today; when we are jointly celebrating the X-mas, the Day of his Highness Hazrat Jesus crist PBUH, the day of joy, pleasure and a day of peace, tranquility and brotherhood, we must take it as a Day of pause and ponder. The choicest peace and blessings be upon Muhammad (SAW) and Hazrat Isa, (AS), who faithfully conveyed their messages to the mankind and practically demonstrated in their own sacred lives, perhaps we should pause and ponder on the causes of today’s terrorism, bloodshed, horror and hateredness throughout the world.

Human history, particularly the modern age events vividly testify that the major causes of “Terrorism” are:

1. Injustice
2. Exploitation and
3. Oppression

But Islam; the Din of Muslims and Christens strictly forbid injustice, exploitation and oppression. Again we should pause and ponder on the horrendous consequences of our actively and passively producing and supporting leaders who become heroes when they win and villains if they lose, they who in fact cause so much destruction and nuisance. Is it not a fact that people of the most of the powerful countries are active or passive party to producing private and worst state terrorism? Must we have a clash of civilizations? To cause millions to be orphans widows and home less? Must we continue to violate or help to violate the sanctity of human blood. Must we?

To-day, both the religions and both the Prophets; the second last and the Last (PBUT) do ask us to pause and ponder on all this.

Once again, I wish happy X-Mas to the followers of two great religions Christianity and Islam and thank you all for joining us.