Muslim cleric warns of too many contradictions in society

Imam Musthtaq Sulaimani while delivering the Friday Juma’h Kutbah (sermon) at the ASJA Mosque, Mucurapo Street, San Fernando yesterday, told worshippers not to celebrate the birth of Esau (Jesus), the son of Mary, with drinking alcohol and eating pork at parties which have come to characterise this time of the year.

Jesus is the mightest messenger of God and no muslim can claim to believe in Allah if he does not believe in the miraculous birth and in Jesus’ second coming.

In fact, Jesus is mentioned about 15 times in the Holy Qu’ran and his mother, Mary, even more. Muhammad, the last and seal prophet of God, is mentioned quite less.

Such is the respect one must have for Jesus, Sulaimani said, that in the celebration of his birth, it is an act of abomination against religious doctrine that “people are engaged in parties all over the country in the name of celebrating Christmas”. Sulaimani said to a packed hall of muslim men and women observing the weekly Friday prayers, “Someone asked me today why do we Muslims refrain from these two things that many people consume, especially during this season - alcohol and pork.

The Lord has made forbidden for you, blood, and the flesh of the pig and that which has been consecrated to the name of any other than God. But, he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him.

For Allah (God) is Forgiving, Most Merciful. O you who believe, verily alcohol and all intoxicants and the games of chance and sacrifices at altars and divining arrows. It is the handiwork of Satan. So avoid it so that you will successful.” The tendency to engage in just the opposite, Sulaimani said, is a contradiction which have implications for society.

But apart from the festivity, he added, the year is approaching the end which he likened to the page of a book in the life of a person - each year a new page he or she has turned. “ So, instead of drinking and dancing and eating pork at the end of the year,” Sulaimani, who holds a Masters Degree in Islamic Theology, “people should contemplate on the page of life they have turned and which will never come back.”