Official Report 242KB pdf
: The first item of business is time for reflection, which will be led by Hafiz Muhammad Imtiaz Ali, who is the imam at Hillview Islamic and education centre.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Good afternoon, Presiding Officer and members of the Scottish Parliament. Today, I will reflect on a simple idea: making room for one another. Our beliefs and traditions may differ, but we can still treat one another with dignity, kindness and respect.
Islam teaches us that living alongside people of different faiths is not simply about tolerating one another; it is about kindness, building relationships and making space for one another. In the life of Prophet Muhammad—peace be upon him—the Christians of Najran came to visit him. What I find meaningful from that is the hospitality and respect that was shown towards people of another faith.
When we opened our Hillview Islamic centre in Glasgow, I met some of our neighbours and offered them something simple. I told them that, if they ever needed a place for their Sunday prayers, our centre would be available to them. That was a practical expression of what my faith teaches, which is that we should not only ask others to respect our beliefs but be willing to respect theirs.
Every Ramadan, we serve Iftar to more than 100 people. Students, asylum seekers, people from minority communities and local residents come together around the same table. We also invite our neighbours to share Iftar with us, see our centre, experience Ramadan and get to know one another better.
Sometimes, understanding does not begin with a big speech. Rather, it begins by simply opening the doors, sharing a meal and sitting together as neighbours. Scotland is home to people of many faiths and of no faith; we may worship differently, but we share the same hopes.
As the Parliament begins its work today, my reflection is simple: let us make room for one another, let us listen before we judge, let us seek to understand before we fear and let us offer kindness before it is requested. If we make room for one another in our communities and places of worship, around our tables and, most importantly, in our hearts, our differences need not divide us. Instead, they can help us to learn from one another and make Scotland more welcoming for everyone.
May Almighty God bless Scotland and all its people. May he guide us to build communities where differences are respected, neighbours are valued and everyone has a place at the table. [Applause.]
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Cathie Craigie