Imam-i-Kaaba Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Ghamdi arrives at Jamia Ashrafia on Saturday. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
He was speaking after leading Fajr prayers at Mansoora. Ghamidi said Muslims should remain vigilant of the designs of their enemies. He said Muslims the world over were one community, they believed in one God, one prophet, one holy book and one creed. Ghamidi said the enemies of Muslims would never succeed as long as Muslims remained united.
The imam said the citizens of Saudi Arabia held Pakistan and its citizens in high esteem. He said they were proud of their friendship with the nation and its citizens. Ghamidi said ensuring the security of the two holy mosques was the collective responsibility of Muslims. He said the Kingdom had intervened in the Yemen imbroglio following an appeal by the “lawful ruler” of Yemen.
Ghamidi eulogised Jamaat-i-Islami founder Maulana Maududi on the occasion. He said he had done a great service to Islam by launching the movement to revive Islam. Ghamidi said thousands of students had derived great benefit from his writings. He said he was one of them. Ghamidi said a highway had been named after the founder of the JI.
He praised JI chief Sirajul Haq saying he commanded a dedicated and dynamic personality. Ghamidi said Haq had great affection for Islam and Muslims. He said he was confident that the party’s struggle for Islam’s supremacy would bear fruit.
Haq earlier said the people of Pakistan would consider any attack on Saudi Arabia as an attack on the nation. Welcoming Ghamidi, he said the party wanted to let Saudi Arabia know through Ghamidi that Pakistanis would rise to secure the Kingdom if anyone had the audacity to cast an evil eye at it. “We will live and die with Saudis,” Haq said.
He said the holy cities of Mecca and Medina were the cynosure of Muslims’ love and devotion. Haq said the Kingdom was a fortress of Islam and a citadel of peace. “We reiterate our commitment to continue struggling for the establishment of an Islamic system of life in the nation. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for this noble cause,” he declared. He said Ghamidi’s visit to Mansoora was a moment of great pride for not just the JI but Islamic movements worldwide.
“Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share one soul,” the imam told reception in his honour at Jamia Ashrafia. He also led Zohr prayers there. He prayed for the prosperity of Pakistan.
Ghamidi later went to Badshahi Masjid and led Maghrib prayers there.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2015.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ