First time Imam-e-Kaaba came to Pakistan in the era of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and tens of thousands of people in Karachi attended the prayer led by him in National Stadium ground. Then after that, periodically, many Imams used to come to Pakistan without much fanfare.
This time, the ruling party, PML Q, under the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, invited the present Imam-e-Kaaba to visit Pakistan. The imam landed in Lahore where he was given a rousing welcome befitting a head of state. He led Juma prayers in Badshahi mosque with tens of thousands of people in attendance. In Islamabad, he met the President and the Prime minister and led Juma prayer at the Faisal Mosque.
In his sermons, Imam Al-Shaikh Abdul Rehman Al-Sudais expressed progressive views about the importance of modern education, unity of the Ummah and inter-faith amity. He also condemned terrorisms, extremism, and sectarian conflicts as unIslamic. He said that progress and development of Muslims depended on their adherence to ethical values of Islam, and mutual love and tolerance. Muslims are facing serious challenges and these could be overcome only with cooperation and unity.
Imam-e-Kaaba said that Muslims should make concerted efforts for the propagation of the teachings of the Holy Quran for seeking guidance in all sectors of life. He stressed the need for Muslims to focus on scientific and technical education which is essential for development and progress in the modern times. He emphasized that without unity of the Ummah, the problems faced by Muslims in Palestine Somalia, Iraq, Kashmir and Afghanistan cannot be solved, nor can our cultures and economies survive.
One of the most salient point raised by Imam-e-Kaaba in his sermons was the real understanding and practical application of the teachings of the Holy Quran, which Muslims have ignored, resulting in the decline of Islamic values of peoples’ participation in government, acquisition of knowledge of the universe equitable distribution of wealth among the rich and the poor and the needy, simplicity and frugality in lifestyle, tolerance for other religions as against radical fundamentalism preached by maulvis who do not understand the true spirit of Islam.
True spirit of Islam is what required today for Muslims. Wisdom is badly needed for us. Had Allah given Wisdom to Muslims, the followers of Fatah and Hamas factions would not be killing each other in Gaza instead of fighting with Israel, which is bombarding them day and night. May Allah have mercy on the Muslim Ummah.
