Greeting address on behalf of the Grand Mufti on the occasion od Mawlid Kandili 2019

Dear Muslim brothers and sisters,

Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High)wished to send a messenger to every nation in order to show it the Right Way. Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High)has not left the man in misguidance. That is why when people go astray from the right way, after they stop following the way, shown by Allah through His messengers, then Allah sends them another messenger.

Muhammad (pbuh) was born in times when ignorance was at its peak. It was a time when ignorance prevailed over the light, sent by Allah in Makkah. The light of Kaaba was overshadowed by injustice, by the way of life in this city – people were misguided and had taken a way which Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High) did not approve.

If we want to compare the time in which the Prophet (pbuh) was born, to nowadays, then maybe the ignorance of 21^st century is not much different than that during the time when Muhammad (pbuh) was born. The difference is that Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High) sent Rasulullah (pbuh) to show the people again the Right Way and to guide them from darkness to light. Unfortunately, today we do not have such a messenger. And if we want to correct our mistakes, if we want happiness in this world and to follow the way to the Jannah (Paradise), we need to remember the life of Muhammad (pbuh), his guidance and his way. If we follow his way this means that the light of Makkah will illuminate us as well. If we follow his way, then Allah will be pleased with us. And if this happens, then we do not need anything else.

That is why on the day when the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born, let us not remain just with reading mawlid or making salawat (salutation upon the prophet) to Muhammad (pbuh). Let us take stock of how much we recognize the Prophet (pbuh) as our true leader and to what extent we follow his way. Let us ask ourselves – if I had the opportunity to meet Rasulullah (pbuh), would he agree with what I am doing; would he agree with the way I live and the way in which I treat Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High), myself and the society in which I am living? If on this day and hour Muhammad (pbuh) could enter our homes – what he would say about us? How we implement his recommendations, how do we live and what do we do in order to make Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High) pleased with us? Are we worthy followers of the Prophet (pbuh)? Let us think about all these questions and try to find answers.

On the day of the sacred birth of Muhammad (pbuh) we ask Allah (The Most Glorified, the Most High) for guidance, we ask for the opportunity to follow the way, shown us by Rasulullah (pbuh), in order to achieve the satisfaction of the Almighty and to be happy both in this world and on the Hereafter!

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

Respectfully yours,

Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi – Grand Mufti of the Muslims in the Republic of Bulgaria