Let Us Hold Fast to the Spirit of Religion

Our Arab lands are the birthplace of revelation and the cradle of the messengers. Moses came to us bearing the Law, and commanded the people to worship God alone and to respect men's rights and possessions, forbidding every trespass upon the rights of others, whether in deed or in thought, saying: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

Then came Christ, the messenger of love, and said: "Love thy neighbor as thyself. Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you," and taught the weight of faith, hope, and love.

Then came Muhammad, the noble Prophet, saying: "All creatures are God's family, and the dearest of them to Him is he who is most useful to His family."

A messenger from Egypt, whose forefathers came from Iraq; a messenger from Nazareth in Palestine; and a messenger from the Arabian Peninsula — their messages agreed, and came each completing the other, and they spread through the world, east and west, north and south.

Some took Moses for their messenger, and still draw light from his sayings and his laws — though the Zionists covet what belongs to others, and trouble the world's rest and safety with their unlawful demands. And some took Christ for their messenger — and would that these truly held to the teachings of Christ, and made love of neighbor and of enemy their watchword and their guide, instead of strife and contention. And the sons of the Arabian Peninsula, and those who followed them, took the noble Arab Prophet for their messenger.

The Prophet Muhammad prescribed, among what he prescribed, prayer; he thus bound his followers to commune with the Creator, to thank the Most High for His blessings, and to place their trust in Him. In this he aimed at the noblest quality in man, and strengthened it. Does man's feeling ever rise so high as when he kneels — weak, thankful, imploring? In that hour he forgets hatreds and grudges. He forgets office and rank. He forgets ornaments and jewels; and in his weakness and his dependence he stands equal with all the sons of men before the great Creator, and feels that man is his brother.

And the Prophet prescribed the alms-tax; he thus bound his followers to care for the poor, to deny self, and to give with an open hand. Here too he aimed at the noblest feeling in man; for sacrifice polishes the soul and refines it, and the visiting of the poor wakes in a man the feeling of thankfulness for what he himself enjoys and others are denied. And giving as a duty, not as a condescension, kills pride and oppression; the spirit is made crystal-clear, and a man feels the happiness of one who has gladdened the needy and brought him relief — and that is among the highest kinds of happiness.

If every man studied the laws of religion and lived by them, evil would not reign, no two men would quarrel, and no war would break out. Let us hold fast, then, to the spirit of true religion.

I congratulate the Muslim peoples on this feast, the feast of the birth of the noble Prophet, wishing them, and the whole world with them, peace and happiness.