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 鈥檃laikum鈥攎ay 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鈥 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鈥檃n, the holy book of Islam, is a book of law. More importantly, it teaches moral values鈥攔ules that determine the way you think. It creates a state of mind that leads to good actions鈥攁n attitude to be kind so that we can practise the moral values of kindness, patience and forgiveness. The Qur鈥檃n, 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鈥檃n uses various styles of teaching morality鈥攄idactic instructions and storytelling. It promotes those values by telling stories of great masters鈥擜braham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed.
What does the Qur鈥檃n, 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鈥檃n describe, page after page鈥攃o-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鈥檃n is a manual鈥攁 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:
鈥淚nna Allaha ya鈥榤uru bi-al-鈥檃dli wa-al-i岷杝aani wa 鈥榚etaa鈥榠 dhi-al-qurbaa wa yanhaa 鈥檃ni al-fa岷杝haa鈥榠 wa-al-munkar鈥濃
which means:
鈥淕od 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.鈥
As a translator of the Qur鈥檃n 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.
Next
Business Motion