Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection, and our time for reflection leader today is Dr Musharraf Hussain OBE
Presiding Officer, members of the Scottish Parliament, good afternoon and as-salaamu ’alaikum—may peace be with you all.
I am delighted to be present in this wonderful Scottish Parliament. Scotland is a nation of great men and women, from William Wallace to Andy Murray, Sir Alex Ferguson to Charles Rennie Mackintosh to, of course Robert Burns, the man of words, the Scots’ poet.
Words have power. Words are read. Reading is great way of leading an intelligent life that supports democracy and promotes respect of human rights. We read books for pleasure, pastime and, sometimes, to become smart. We read religious books for getting instructions that will help us to live a good life, to experience the closeness, the proximity and the love of God.
As legislators, you make laws. You know why it is important: it is the basis of a just society. Law appeals to reason; it makes sense. The Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, is a book of law. More importantly, it teaches moral values—rules that determine the way you think. It creates a state of mind that leads to good actions—an attitude to be kind so that we can practise the moral values of kindness, patience and forgiveness. The Qur’an, like the gospels, is full of such moral teachings.
Muslim families, like the majority of Scottish people, are deeply concerned about preserving and transmitting the traditional moral values, because we want kind and caring citizens in the future. Moral values are fundamental for a flourishing and healthy human society. The Qur’an uses various styles of teaching morality—didactic instructions and storytelling. It promotes those values by telling stories of great masters—Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed.
What does the Qur’an, this holy book of Islam, offer? Life in our smartphone society is challenging and fast moving, and social media influence our mood and lives, creating fear and insecurity, and an unrealistic sense of independence. Yet the interdependency is the reality. I wish to stress that: interdependency is the reality. This is what the moral and spiritual values of the Qur’an describe, page after page—co-operation and working together.
Psychologists are saying that people are suffering from moral confusion today. Many people are lost to hopelessness, and others lack a sense of meaning and purpose of life. They have trouble distinguishing right from wrong. They question whether such standards even exist. The Qur’an is a manual—a guide for our worldly lives.
Every Friday afternoon, before the congregational prayer, I read this verse from the pulpit, just like the imams here in Scotland read every Friday:
“Inna Allaha ya‘muru bi-al-’adli wa-al-iẖsaani wa ‘eetaa‘i dhi-al-qurbaa wa yanhaa ’ani al-faẖshaa‘i wa-al-munkar”—
which means:
“God commands justice, generosity and giving to and taking care of your relatives. He forbids indecency, all kinds of evil and cruelty. He teaches you this so you will live a good life.”
As a translator of the Qur’an in plain English, I have presented all of you with a complementary copy. Please enjoy reading it. Capture its gems, savour its pearls and spices.
God bless you.
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