Mohammed Bajwa and Abdul Azeem Chaudhry
Dear Suzanne and Brayton and all the AGAPE Family •
ASSALAMU ALAYKUM, PEACE !
I bring you greetings from the ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF WESTERN MASS .
And I have also been handed over a letter from ION ( Interfaith Opportunities Network ) To share with you. [Bajwa shared a letter from Peter Blood and ION]
We are deeply grateful to you for your invitation to us, to join in your 40th Anniversary event . Coming over here seems like a sacred journey. This place, brings you closer to NATURE, God given BEAUTY and PEACE . Most of the GOD sent prophets, were nurtured by NATURE, OPEN spaces and were grown up as SHE-PERDS. MAY GOD,THE CREATOR, SUSTAINER AND LORD OF THE UNIVERSES, GUIDE US ALL TO THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE AND PEACE.
I have fond memories of the whole day program that you had organized here in 2016, to learn and teach about ISLAM and The Muslim community. When it comes to fighting Islamophobia, you are always in the front lines. Here in this Land of Beauty, Bounties and Opportunities , we all live together in PEACE! Coming from different parts of the world, diverse nationalities and ethnicities, and different FAITHS , we have learnt to dwell in PEACE , HARMONY , RESPECT , and COOPERATION. That is the calling from GOD , and your organization is an exemplary witness to that call .
Let me recite a few Ayahs from Qur,aan , Quote from Qur’an 49:13
“O mankind I We created You from a single (pair ) of a male and a female and made You into nations and tribes , that Ye may know each other ( Not that Ye may despise ( each other ) .
Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah ( God ) is he who is the Most Righteous of you .
And Allah ( God ) has full knowledge and is acquainted ( with all things )
Hadith ( Saying of the Prophet Mohammad ,peace be upon him. )
The companions asked the Prophet , what advice do you give us ? He said,
“Believe in One and the only ONE GOD , stay firm in your belief , Be steadfast in your Prayers ,
Feed the Hungry ,and spread PEACE ,( SALAAM ) “
This is the essence of Deen ( Faith ) Rest is all details
We will now share with you , the Adhan ( Call to Prayer ) and the Fatiha, The opening chapter of Qur’an chanted by Abdul Azeem Chaudhry. [Bajwa’s nephew, Abdul, recited a beautiful Call to prayer at the ceremony]