Alive in our hearts: on the occasion of Uniting for the Prophet 2006 - A Gathering of Unlimited Mahabba

Bismillahi ar-Rahmani ar-Rahim

All blessings and salutations of Allah be upon his beloved Prophet Muhammad whose soul He has created from the divine light of His essence, whom He made a mirror of His beautiful attributes, and whom He has sent as His Mercy.

And peace and blessings be upon members of his household, his family and descendants, and his companions and helpers, and the saints of all times who carry his light.

It is my honour and privilege to welcome all of you here today on behalf of Mahabba Unlimited. We are particularly pleased to welcome all our guests from abroad and from all across the United Kingdom. Our particular thanks goes to Habib Umar Bin Hafiz - a person who epitomises so well what we wish to reflect upon at today’s event.

I would start with a brief vote of thanks - for our Prophet taught us to be grateful and to appreciate the value and contribution of others. This event would not have been possible without the help and blessings of so many.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to Shaykh Seed Ramadan al-Bouti who unfortunately could not be here with us today but who has been a force of much inspiration and support; to Shaykh Hassan Le Gai Eaton, Shaykh Muhamad al-Yaqoubi, Sh Abdal Hakim Murad, Sh Nuh Keeler and to Sh Hamza Yusuf - people we would have loved to be with us today. Sh Hasan Le Gai Eaton asks for your prayers as he recovers from an accident.

Our special thanks to the event’s main sponsors - the World Islamic Call Society and especially Dr Mohamed Ahmed Sherif who always leads by example and deed. To Islamic Relief and HSBC Bank, and to Muslim Hands.

Among the legions of individual well-wishers two stand out; Umm Mohamed and Sidi Kamel Juma for their generousity and commitment. May the Almighty bless them. Our thanks to Shaykh Mohamed Abubakar Bashua’ib who has been invaluable in providing guidance and wisdom. I would like to thank all the volunteers who have and are working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event a success. The team at Q-News have been magnificent. My special thanks to Abdul Rehman Malik, Zeshan Zafar, Haider Ali, Fareena Alam and the untiring Wahid Malik. Thank you all.

Our thanks to all our guests: the erudite Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown, the blazing Pir Zada Saab, the flowing Daniel Abdal Hayy Moore, the enthusiastic Shaykh Ahmed Tijani: and to Shaykh Ahmed Babikr for always being there. To Shaam, Poetic Pilgrims and our singers from Mecca and Ladbroke Grove thank you. To Yusuf Islam for being an example of a follower of the Prophet, upon whom be peace and blessings - may Allah continue to give you the strength to carry the flag of Islam proudly and nobly. My special thanks to Habib Ali al-Jifri for his inspiration, leadership and friendship. And to Alwi Jifri for making things work from behind the scenes.

Last but not least we thank the Almighty for giving us this beautiful opportunity to serve in His cause and that of His Prophet. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and ask for forgiveness.

Today is a unique and special day - a great day in the history of our people and our country. Today is a day of celebration and joy - it is a day of arrival and opening - a day of a new beginning and a new era.

Many years from today people will - insha’Allah - remember this occasion for its aims and goals, its desires and concerns.

We have come here as warriors of love and soldiers of the Beloved. We are here because we care - to share the greatest story of all stories - that of Muhammad ibn Abdullah - the last Prophet - the best creature ever created, leader of men and of souls and hearts.

Our story is a tale of compassion and mercy. It is about realising the peak of our human potential. It is about civilisation and dialogue; engagement and commitment.

It is a beautiful story of unlimited mahabba. But, where does one start to tell such a story in a world made ugly because we do not know the story or understand or value it?

For us Muslims living in the West there is no greater challenge facing our existence and future then that of how we tell this tale.

Failure on our part to articulate the reasons and depth of our veneration for the Prophet of Islam is a serious problem in for it hampers our ability and that of our neighbours in appreciating the essence of Islam.
For it is the love of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which makes our faith extraordinary: it is the spontaneous human emotion that makes us attractive - an emotion which the peasant can share with the mystic, the scholar with the student and the ordinary with the extraordinary.

Today, our biggest responsibility is to ensure that we and our neighbours stop living in ignorance of the stature and gift of the Prophet of Islam, upon whom be peace and blessings. We must show the world that we are a community that not only deserves such a gift but also value it, respect it and - if the occasion arises - are prepared to defend it. The world must be convinced that he is alive in our hearts. But we can only convince our neighbours of the status and honour of the Prophet if we honour him ourselves first. Qadi ‘Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi points out that someone who loves a person prefers them and prefers what they like. Otherwise, he is a pretender, insincere in his love.

Someone who has true love of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, will manifest the following signs - “that he will emulate him, apply his sunnah, follow his words and deeds, obey his commands and avoid his prohibitions and take on his adab in ease and hardship, joy and despair.”

No other aspect of Islam is more powerful, more potent and more attractive than our love and veneration for the Messenger of God. For it reflects our position in the order of things, represents our reality and ensures our Hereafter. And there is no better way of preparing and nurturing this love - and expressing it - than through the Mawlid, the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday.

Muslims, particularly those living in the West, must harness their intellectual and creative resources and find new imaginative ways in which to articulate and share our love for the “Mercy upon mankind” with our neighbours. It should be clear among our young people that love of the Prophet is incumbent upon all and especially those who aspire towards a life of success. This love must not be understood in an individualistic sense. Rather, we love the Prophet because he symbolises that harmony and beauty that pervades all things, and displays in their fullness those virtues, the attainment of which allow man to realise his theomorphic nature.

- Fuad Nahdi

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