DUSHANBE, 22.02.2019. (NIAT Khovar) – “The political situation in the world is very unstable, aggravated and is ofserious concern to the world community,” said the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in his latest State of the Nation Addressto the Supreme Assemblyon December 26, 2018.

“These days, armed conflicts continue in 40 points of the planet, in which about 30 states of the world directly or indirectlyare taking part. In addition, about 70 million people left their places of residence and their homeland in more than 100 countries of the world due to unrest and acts of terror. Currently, as a result of the intervention of interested foreign circles, in a number of Muslim countries, cities and thousand-year-old historical monuments are burning and collapsing as well as thousands of innocent people are dying,” stated Emomali Rahmon on May 12 last year.

“In other words, the absolute majority of the victims of such interventions and conflicts are Muslims.There arises a question, were humans created on earth to organize such difficulties and destruction? Of course not, and neither should it be so. Neither nature, an integral part of which are humans, nor the Creator, who desires relief, tranquility, happiness, and justice for humans, accepts this,” noted Emomali Rahmon.

In connection with the statements of the Leader of the Nation, the imam-khatib (main religious leader) of the Sughd province Hoji Husayn Musozoda appealed to the religious leaders of the country. We publish his statements below.

It pains the heart that in present conditions, in the scintillating flame of manipulated warriors, it is mostly Muslims, the long-suffering people of the East, thatbecome victims. It is very sad that Muslims in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan often start fratricidal wars themselves and forget that all people are the creation of a single God and that we, the followers of Islam, are guided by our prophet and the Holy Quran to good deeds and the righteous path.

In my opinion, they have completely forgotten that all people are children of Adam, everyone feels pain and suffering, everyone craves happiness and prosperity, and that they have much in common in their religion and human values. This unity throughout history has contributed to strengthening peace, harmony, mutual understanding and good neighborliness. Today, the time has come for the people of the Muslim world to reconsider their perspectivesregarding national and cultural values, andto realize that the national statehood is the greatest gift, as it is the guarantor of freedom of religion and the safety and security of nations. Only an independent state upholding national values can ensure peace, stability and well-being in modern conditions.

This irrefutable truth lies in the teachings of Islam, in the sayings of our prophet, as well as in the sayings of the founder of our school of thought (madhhab). At all times, other eminent sons of the nation have glorified national values and traditions of ancestors. The greatness of Islam lies precisely in its national diversity and respect for national values. Islam has become a world religion not by the power of the sword, not by coercion, but by honoring the highest human values and cultures of various nations. Therefore, we confidently state that rejecting or violating national values in the name of some behind-the-scenes interestsis contrary to Islam, morality and responsibility for the national statehood.

The issues of the madhhab and the nation were always like the two sides of the same coin of self-understanding and remain so to this day. National values are the expression of the territorial integrity, politics, statehood and way of life of the people.

If,from this point of view,we look at the history of Islam and the people who were its adherents, we can be sure that in terms of preserving the national mentality, language and valuesof non-Arab nations, namely Tajiks, the founder of our madhhab Abu Ḥanifa Al-Numan bin Thabit (peace be upon him) had madeconsiderable effort.

At the beginning of the eighth century, after the death of the Messenger of Allah, the fatwa and sermons were mostly oral.

This led to difficulties for non-Arab people who accepted Islam and the preachers argued that the Quran was not allowed to be translated into other languages, and anyone who sought to understand its meaning should therefore learn Arabic. The comments also had to be based on hadiths and no scholar had the right to interpret them his own way.

It turned out that traditions, customs and holidays of the people who converted to Islam, were not honored, but rather were ignored.

Al-Numan bin Thabit was born in 700AD the city of Kufa. His parents were Tajiks. He studied all the sciences of his time and became a famous preacher.

This brilliant man set out to implement reforms in religious thought, which was not easy. But by his rational approach, he managed to break down stereotypes and based on Quran’s instructions, affirming the importance of national values, gave a new interpretation ofmany religious issues. One of the greatest merits of Imam Azam is that his efforts led to a permission to translate the Quran into the Persian-Tajik language and reciteprayers in the same language. Such reforms and innovations were not taken kindlyby some peoplewho were already unfriendly toward non-Arab people and therefore had more reason to become hostile.

Imam Azam always found convincing arguments and defended his point of view, which was in favor of protecting national interests.

He argued that national traditions, customs, national clothes, language and holidays do not contradict the Sharia, and thus opened a wide-ranging road for his people to protect and preserve the national mentality. The struggle of Imam Azam emphasized that national values were not inferior in significance to religious values and that their disappearance leads to the disappearance of their bearer, that is, of the people.

Today, we, the religious leaders, should not forget that we are living in the 21st century. Tajiks have been adherents of Islam for 1300 years and such outstanding sons of the nation as Imam Azam, Imam Al-Bukhari, Khoja HafsiKabiri Bukhari and hundreds of others have done a lot for Islam, but at the same time they always put national values and shrines to the forefront and have achieved a lot toward this end.

Therefore, I, as aprogeny of my people and as a religious figure, seeing how in our troubled world some interested and short-sighted people are abusing and hiding behind the sacred religion of Islam while committing unseemly acts, I appeal to the people of Tajikistan and declare that religion should be accepted in accordance with its mission and purpose, namely, the sacred doctrine, high morality, friendship and brotherhood, human dignity, in a word, the true path, the path of mercy, compassion and universal love. All this should be carried out without any political impurities and coloring. We, the religious leaders, should strive to ensure that the people unite around the national flag, appreciate independence, national values and merits of the generally recognized Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon and improve our beloved homeland.

If we strengthen the national idea and sacredly honor national and state symbols, then the happiness and prosperity by the grace of Allah will descend on our people, the souls of our great ancestors will rejoice, the country will prosper, the people will be glorious and will take its rightful place among humanity.