Pakistan must take initiative in directing attention of the International Community towards the plight faced by the Muslim population of Myanmar

‘The newly elected prime minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will have all the troubles Pakistan sorted out, provided he steadfastly believes in the Omnipotence of Allah.’ This was stated by Ameer of Tanzeem-e-Islami, Hafiz Akif Saeed, at Qur’an Academy Lahore during the Friday Sermon. The Ameer said that authority of bestowing or ridding people of power rests with Allah alone. The same Nawaz Sharif who was spending time behind bars a decade ago is now heading the state of Pakistan, which is evidence enough that Allah makes people experience the ebbs and flows of life, the Ameer noted. After all these experiences, Mr. Sharif must have realized by now that the ultimate authority rests with Allah alone and Mr. Sharif must dutifully act according to the will and pleasure of the Creator. The Ameer expressed concerns about some media reports suggesting that a number of high ranking US officials had called upon Mr. Sharif recently. The Ameer advised Mr. Sharif and all others in positions of authority in Pakistan to be wary of the nefarious intentions that the US and its allies hold against our nation.

Commenting on the plight of Muslims living in Myanmar, the Ameer said that the situation there was no less than genocide. He lamented the lack of focus and commitment shown by Muslim countries in trying to persuade the Myanmar authorities to intervene and stop murder at such a massive scale. He demanded the issue to be taken up at international forums. He said that the Pakistani government must sensitize the rest of the Muslim countries about the ominous situation and chalk out a joint plan to save Muslims in that country. The Ameer said that it was insensitivity of this nature that had made the blood of Muslims insignificant around the world.

Earlier in the sermon, the Ameer expounded on the verses of the Qur’an by explaining the symptoms and various stages of hypocrisy (Munafiqat). The Qur’an describes the fragility of faith as an initial stage of hypocrisy, which in the next stage leads to a state of compulsive lying in order to avoid the decrees ordained by Allah and his messenger. Hypocrisy then takes root in the heart, and coupled with the provocations of the Nafs and Satan, compels the person to wrongfully vouch in Allah’s name, fearlessly and indiscriminately. The Ameer remarked that in the final stage, a hypocrite consciously begins to abhor Islam and his insight is attuned to all sorts of rival ideologies. It is this fourth category of hypocrites that Allah declares will be cast into the bottom pit of the hellfire (and Allah knows best), he said. Such hypocrites, he noted, although considered Muslims in Islamic jurisprudence in this world, face the ultimate failure on the Day of Judgment when all decisions will be made on the basis on intentions and the reality that lies inside the heart.

He concluded by saying that we seek Allah’s refuge from the ills of our Nafs, from the mischiefs of the accursed Satan and we pray for His protection from the eternal hellfire. Ameen!