Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Official Report 828KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. I welcome members back after the summer recess. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Dr Salah Beltagui of the Muslim Council of Scotland.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Good afternoon and salaam aleikum.

It is my privilege and pleasure to address you at this time of festivity for Muslims. As the blessed month of Ramadan leaves for another year, Muslims celebrate Eid ul Fitr, which is the festival of the breaking of the fast. It is not a celebration of a person, an activity or an event; it is a celebration of our own success in doing the fast of Ramadan.

I would like to take the opportunity, on behalf of the Muslim Council of Scotland, to extend Eid greetings to all Muslims and all people of Scotland. May it be a peaceful and joyous occasion.

Eid is a very special occasion when all Muslims celebrate and give thanks to God for helping them to fulfil their fasting, their prayers and their charity during the month of Ramadan. It is a month when we not only refrain from food from dawn to sunset, as a sign that it is not only by bread that man lives, but use the opportunity to remember God and his message of peace and justice, discipline and obedience, and brotherhood and compassion by reading and listening to the Qur’an and understanding those principles. The Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan, which is why we celebrate Ramadan.

The Eid celebration starts with every person in the household delivering a charity to the needy before Eid starts so that on the day of Eid they are not looking for support and can celebrate like everyone else. The day starts with a morning congregational prayer that is attended by men, women and children. It is recommended to be performed in the open air, weather permitting. The idea is to have the whole community in one place rather than in small places of worship. The rest of the day and the following two days—or the weekend after, as happens in Scotland—are spent on family visits, exchanging presents, entertainment and, in particular, giving time to children, who get excited about the occasion as they are given new clothes, food, spending money and all the usual entertainments for children.

As we celebrate Eid, let us take the good that we accrued this month for the rest of the year. Let us give our prayer of thanks and gratitude to Allah, continue to remember the needy and keep the spirit of patience, giving and solidarity alive.

We also remember those who are less fortunate than us in any way, whether materially, morally or whatever, in all parts of the world and look in hope for all of them.

We pray for all our fellow citizens in Scotland that today is better than yesterday and that tomorrow is better than today.

Finally, we pray for the success of this Parliament and its members in making the lives of all the people of Scotland even better. [Applause.]