JEDDAH, 24 October 2006 — Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid, the imam of the Grand Mosque and chairman of the Shoura Council, said yesterday that Islam was growing fast in the world despite the strident campaign by enemies against the religion and its Prophet (peace be upon him).
Delivering his sermon to the nearly two million faithful who had thronged the large mosque complex for Eid Al-Fitr prayers, the imam urged Muslims to be optimistic about a bright future, adding that they would be able to overcome the present troubles and tribulations as they did in the past.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan, Yemeni Parliament Speaker Abdullah Balahmar and a number of senior princes and officials joined Eid prayers at the Haram Mosque in Makkah.
“Be happy and hopeful and enjoy your Eid. The age of Islam is longer than your ages and its horizon is wider than your nations. Muslims emerged victorious in Badr but suffered defeat in Uhud...they were shaken during the battle of Ahzab but entered Makkah victorious. They lost Baghdad to the Mongolians but won Constantinople. Such is the way of Allah,” Bin-Humaid said.
Referring to Pope Benedict’s controversial remarks on Islam, he said it came from vexation at the spread of the Muslim faith. “This arises only because of ire in the hearts of adversaries over the spread of Islam beyond all borders and obstacles,” he explained.
Denouncing the allegation that Islam spread by the sword, he said: “Every rational person knows that no principle, no matter how attractive or powerful, can be spread by swords, tanks or explosives.”
He said the hearts of people cannot be opened by spears or swords or warplanes. “They are only open to truth and that is Islam. They can only be opened by mercy, which is Islam, and to good manners that it represents,” he added.
He added that the Prophet Muhammad had not forced anybody to accept Islam. He said, “God tells the Prophet in the Qur’an: ‘If it had been your Lord’s Will, they would all have believed — all who are on Earth. Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe?’”
Bin-Humaid said history was full of violence. “How many Muslims were killed, displaced and made homeless ... Muslim blood has been the cheapest.” He said the jihad of the Prophet and his followers was for the sake of God and not for conceit, influence or greed. “It was a struggle to champion monotheism, to prevent oppression from encroaching on rights and power from wiping out justice.”
Bin-Humaid emphasized that God would fulfill the message of Islam despite the efforts of its enemies to put out its light. “And you can see that Islam is the fastest spreading religion in the world. It pierces into the hearts of people even in the strongholds of other faiths. The number of mosques are also on the increase and the calls for prayer reverberate continuously from their minarets,” he added.
The imam considered the attack on the symbols of Islam as well as the intense watch on its followers, their leaders and youth and charities as signs of a bright future. He said by the end of the last century and beginning of this century thousands of non-Muslims had embraced Islam after understanding that it is the only religion that can solve the problems of humanity.
“The future world order will be based on religion and the Islamic system will prevail irrespective of its present weakness because of its comprehensiveness,” he said, quoting a specialized study. He pointed out that a large number of non-Muslims buy copies of the Holy Qur’an. “The number of non-Muslims embracing Islam is growing fast despite warnings by their political and religious leaders,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the imam as saying. Bin-Humaid cited the main reason for the spread of Islam as the noble life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. “Community leaders and businessmen like Abubakr, Othman and Abdul Rahman bin Auf came to the fold of Islam leaving their worldly gains. What were the reasons that encouraged them to believe in the Prophet and spend their wealth for the spread of Islam? He never told a lie, he never cheated anybody, and he did not commit any injustice. He protected people’s honor and encouraged his followers to strengthen their family bonds. His life is an open book, no page or line of it has been removed,” Bin-Humaid added.
The Prophet Muhammad did not become proud when more areas came under Islamic control. “Instead, he told his arch rivals and fighters during the Makkah victory that you are set free. He entered Makkah bowing his head, expressing his gratitude to God and commending the power and greatness of the Almighty,” he said.
