Amir Baba F Trawally, the leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in The Gambia has urged every Muslim to try to foster and nurture the spirit of tolerance, love, brotherhood, and understanding between themselves and people of other faiths.
In his EidulFitr message, he described Ramadan as a month of tolerance, love, brotherhood, and understanding.
“Our dear and beloved Master, the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha (saw), set us the best examples of tolerance, love, brotherhood, and understanding not just only between Muslims but between Muslims and non – Muslims alike even the arch enemies of Islam,” he said in a message made available on Monday.
He said: “Ramadan is one of the most sacred months of Islam and for Muslims is indeed a month that brings with it many blessings. A month that draws Muslims nearer to their Creator Allah Almighty, being devoted to His worship, seeking His favours, and trying their best in advancing mutual love, brotherhood, and unity between not only themselves and their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters but their neighbours of other faiths. To understand the blessing and also the special favours of this month, we need not look further than the Holy Quran which stated the purpose and blessings of the Holy Month of Ramadan.”
According to him, Ramadan is not only about refraining from food and drinks during the hours of fasting but rather the spirit of Ramadan goes way beyond that. “It is a month that helps us become righteous, a month in which the Holy Quran was revealed for our guidance and a month that Allah Almighty says He is nearer to us and answers our prayers and supplications.”
He added: “As the month of Ramadan teaches us many virtues, some have to do between man and God Almighty and others have to do between man and the creation of Allah Almighty be it human beings or animals. We see that during this month, Muslims increase their levels of humility, and kindness and are very charitable as well.”
“We have learned the most beautiful example of the Tolerance and Respect of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) from this incident: It is recorded that the Christians (delegation) of Najran, part of Iraq came to see the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). He arranged the meeting in his mosque at Madinah, during the meeting the Christians asked to leave the mosque for worship. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said that the mosque in which they were was a house of God Almighty and they were welcome to offer their prayers there. So they did offer their prayers in the mosque of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). (Ibn Hisham, I, 575-577). This excellent example is unparalleled in the annual history of humanity
