Dear Brothers and sisters

Assalamu Alaikum.

It gives me a great pleasure to send a message on this occasion of the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

Fiji Muslim League was established in 1926 to represent and cater for the needs and welfare of the Muslims of Fiji.

Fiji Muslim League has 26 branches, five colleges and 17 primary schools and numerous mosques all over the country as the places of worship.

Muslims believe that Islam is a faith that has always existed and that it was gradually revealed to humanity by a number of prophets, but the final and complete revelation of the faith was made through the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the 7th century.

Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Makkah), Arabia.

His genealogy has been traced to the noble house of Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham (Peace Be Upon Them).

He has combined in himself all the wonderful and good qualities that were in all the prophets that have come on earth before him.

He did not speak or advocate the cause of some particular race or ethnic group, but stood up for all humanity irrespective of race, color, class, language or geographical barriers.

The message he preached was universal, transgressing all obstacles whether artificial or otherwise.

A message so complete and comprehensive that it not only revolutionised the era in which it was proclaimed, but even today its timeless beauty has lost none of the original charm and continues its profound appeal to the human intellect.

The messenger did not only preach but also set the worthy example by practicing what he preached.

If the principles of this immortal message are sincerely observed, and if we are ready to tread the footsteps of that fantastic personality, not only does it guarantee us a harmonious co-existence on this earth but also a blissful life in the hereafter.

The moment modern man is ready to understand that the eternal truth called ‘Islam’ and the final Prophet named ‘Muhammad’ (Peace Be Upon Him) were not something special or essential to the Arabia of 14 centuries ago, but are capable of remarkably solving the complex issues of our modern era.

Islam is a derivative of the word ‘Salaam’ (peace) and literally means submission.

Submission to none except the one and only Almighty God, who designed this vast universe, shaped the human race as the most excellent form of life, and moreover endowed them the power of intellect.

What can we say about a man who changed the destiny of the world and saved the human race from sure disaster.

He was divinely chosen for this great task and carried out the mission entrusted, in a most flawless manner.

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth.

He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, and initiated numerous social and political reforms.

He established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionised the worlds of human thought and behaviour for all times to come.

Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) known as the truthful and the trustworthy from his youth and was sent as the mercy for this world and the hereafter and the last messenger of God Almighty.

Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the finest example of a perfect man in every sense of the term.

He was a paragon of virtue and is the best exemplar for the human race.

The Almighty distinguished him from all and sundry by instilling in his sublime personality such fine qualities as modesty, truthfulness, kindness, patience,  honesty, courage,  generosity,  wisdom and the like.

Our society could never be an Islamic one unless we sincerely tread the footsteps of Almighty God’s final messenger to mankind, heed his sayings, observe his glorious actions and attitudes, and most important of all follow them, as the faithful among his sincere companions followed and believed

One of the distinctive features of Islam is its emphasis on knowledge.

The Holy Qur’an and the Islamic tradition invite Muslims to seek and acquire knowledge and wisdom and to hold men of knowledge in high esteem.

The first few verses of Holy Qur’an that were revealed to our Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mention the importance of reading, pen, and teaching for human beings.

Prophet Muhammad said: “A father gives his son nothing better than a good education.”

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: The best friend in the sight of Allah is he who is the well-wisher of his companions, and the best neighbor is one who behaves best towards his neighbors.

Islam is a complete way of life, catering for all fields of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all works of life- individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, national and international.

The Qur’an enjoins man to enter the fold of Islam without any reservation and to follow God’s guidance in all fields of life.

Islam guarantees the fundamental rights of the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them.

It makes the proper development of the personality of man one of the prime objectives of its educational policy.

Islam neither neglects the individual nor society – it establishes a harmony and a balance between the two and assigns to each its proper due.

The message of Islam is for the entire human race.

God, in Islam, is the God of allthe world, and the Prophet is a messenger for the whole of mankind.

The words and examples of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have brought equality, justice and honor to countless oppressed peoples victimised by racism and inequality through the history.

We urge all the people to stand up and carry this message of truth, justice and human dignity to the world, for the world is sorely in need of it!

May God Bless us all, May God Bless Fiji.