މިސުރުގެ މުފައްކިރެއް ކަމުގައިވާ، ޑޮކްޓަރ ޢަބްދުލްވައްހާބު އަލްމަސީރީ ތަޤްރީރުކުރެއްވުމުގެ ޖަލްސާގައި ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ އަލްއުސްތާޛު މައުމޫން ޢަބްދުލްޤައްޔޫމް ދެއްކެވި ވާހަކަފުޅު

بســم اللّـه الرّحمـن الرّحيــم

الحمـد لِلّـه ربّ العـالمـين، والصّـلاة والسّـلام علٰـى أشـرف المرسـلين، سيّدنا محـمَّدٍ وعلى آلـه وأصحـابه أجمعـين.

އާދެ، މިރޭގެ މި ޖަލްސާގައި ވަޑައިގެން މި އިންނެވި ބޭފުޅަކީ، ދެންމެ އިސްލާމީ ކަންތައްތަކާބެހޭ އެންމެމަތީ މަޖިލީހުގެ ރައީސް އެ ވިދާޅުވިފަދައިން، މިހާރު ޢަރަބި ދުނިޔޭގައި އަދި އިސްލާމީ ދުނިޔޭގައި ހިމެނިވަޑައިގަންނަވާ ވަރަށް ބޮޑު މުފައްކިރެއް. ވަރަށް ބޮޑު ޢިލްމުވެރިއެއް. އެހެންވީމާ، މި މުނާސަބަތުގައި އަޅުގަނޑުވެސް އެމަނިކުފާނަށް މަރުޙަބާ ދަންނަވަން. އަދި މިތަނަށް ވަޑައިގެން، އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް ފައިދާހުރި ތަޤްރީރެއް ކުރައްވަން ގަސްތުކުރެއްވިކަމަށްޓަކައި، އޭނާއަށް ޝުކުރު ދަންނަވަން. ހަމަ އެ ނޭވާގައި، އޭނާގެ އަނބިކަނބަލުން އައްދުކްތޫރާ ހުދާ ޙިޖާޒީއަށްވެސް ޝުކުރު ދަންނަވައި، މަރުޙަބާ ދަންނަވަން.

އާދެ، އައްދުކްތޫރު ޢަބްދުލްވައްހާބް އަލްމަސީރީގެ ތަޤްރީރަށްފަހުގައި، ދެންމެ އިސްލާމީ ކަންތައްތަކާބެހޭ އެންމެމަތީ މަޖިލީހުގެ ރައީސް އެ ވިދާޅުވިފަދައިން، ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންނަށް ސުވާލު ކުރެއްވުމުގެ ފުރުޞަތެއް ހުޅުވައިލެވޭނެ. އަޅުގަނޑު އެދެނީ، އެ ފުރުޞަތުގެ ބޭނުން ތިޔަބޭފުޅުން ހިއްޕެވުން. އަދި ސުވާލުކުރައްވާއިރު، އޭނާ މިރޭ އެ ދައްކަވާ ވާހަކަފުޅާ ގުޅޭ ސުވާލެއް ކުރެއްވުމަކީ، ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް އެދެވިގެންވާ ކަމެއް. އެހެން މި ދެންނެވީ، އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ މެދުގައި، މަޛްހަބުތަކުގެ މެދުގައި ޚިލާފުހުރި އެކިއެކި މައްސަލަތަކާއި، މި ކަހަލަ ދީނީ ކަންތައްތަކާ ބެހޭގޮތުން އެއްޗެއް ވިދާޅުވުމަކީ، އޭނާއަށް ފަސޭހަފުޅު ކަމަކަށްނުވާނެތީ. އަދި އޭނާއަކީ، ޢަރަބި އިސްލާމީ ދުނިޔޭގައި ވަރަށް ޤަދަރުހުރި ބޭފުޅަކަށްވާތީ، އޭނާއަށް ސުވާލު ދަންނަވާއިރުވެސް، އަޅުގަނޑުމެން އެކަމަށް ވިސްނައި، ފުރިހަމަ އިޙްތިރާމާއެކީގައި ސުވާލުކުރުމަކީ، ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް އެދެވިގެންވާ ކަމެއް. އެހެންވީމާ، އެ ވާހަކަ އަޅުގަނޑު ދަންނަވާލީ.

ދެން މި ޖަލްސާއަށްފަހުގައި އޮންނަ ބިލެތްމީރުކޮށްލުމުގެ ވަގުތުގައިވެސް، ބޭނުންފުޅު ބޭފުޅަކު އޭނާ އަރިހަށް ވަޑައިގެން، ސަލާންކޮށްލައްވައި، ވާހަކަފުޅުދައްކަވާލައްވައި ހެއްދެވުމަކީ، ހަމަ އެންމެ ރަނގަޅު ކަމެއް ކަމަށްވާތީ، އަދި އެއީ އޭނާއަށް އެކަމުން އުފާފުޅެއް އިޙްސާސް ކުރެއްވޭނެ ކަމެއް ކަމަށްވާތީ، އެ ވާހަކަވެސް އަޅުގަނޑު ދަންނަވާލީ.

ދެން ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންގެ އިޒުނައާއެކީގައި ދެތިންބަހެއް އިނގިރޭސިބަހުން އަޅުގަނޑު ބުނެލަން.

The Honourable Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Council for Islamic affairs, honourable ministers, brothers and sisters:

السّلام عليــكم ورحـمــة اللّـه وبـركاتـه،

I first met Professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri many years ago. At that time, both of us were, believe it or not, quite young. I know that it might be difficult for you to imagine that. But let me remind you of an Egyptian Saying which says,

"إِذَاعُرِفَ السَّبَبُ بَطَلَ الْعَجَبُ"

“If the reason is known, the wonder is gone.”

So fifty two years ago, when I first met him, I know that you will realize that, both of us would be slightly younger than this. Anyway, we met in 1952, in a youth camp in Alexandria, Egypt. It was during that time that the Egyption revolution, led by General Mohamed Najeeb and Colonel Jamal Abdul Nasir, took place. And understandably, that camp came to an abrupt end. And we left to our homes. I returned to Cairo and Abdul Wahab returned to his home town Damanhour.

When I first met Abdul Wahab, I was impressed by his intelligence, his warmth and friendliness. In short, we became friends. But after the camp was over and each of us returned to his home, we did not meet many times after that. But we continued to correspond. I think we corresponded for about, maybe fifteen years or so. And then there was complete silence on both sides. I didn’t know what was happening to him. And he didn’t know what was happening to me. And I think about fifteen years ago, in the late 1980’s, I received a letter from the denned Professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri. In which he gave his telephone number. So I called him immediately and we resumed our friendship once again. By that time Professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri had become a very well known interlectual and writer in the Arab and Muslim world. He has become as Egyptians would say, "raagil adhdheh dhunya", A man who is as big as the world.

Well, Professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri is a writer, is a philosopher, is a historian, is a teacher, is a poet and many other things.

Tonight, he is going to speak on a very important topic for us. That is "Islam and the Western Civilization". Western Civilization provides us with both opportunities and challenges. We have to know those opportunities and to make full use of those opportunities for our progress and prosperity. And we have also to know the problems that will be faced by that civilization, which is spreading across the world. Anyway, I won’t go into any further into that. Because, professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri is going to talk to us about that.

I think all of us, whether rich or poor, young or old, teachers or students, leaders or ordinary people, are seeking wisdom. Wisdom is something that comes with knowledge and with a deep understanding of the human experience. We need wisdom in our daily life. We need it in our dealings with other people. Particularly, in our interaction with those who belong to different cultures.

اللّـه سبحـانـه وتعـالى says in the holy Quran,

"يُؤْتِى الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْالْأَلْبٰبِ" (سورة البقرة: ٢٦٩)

The meaning goes something like this, "He (Allah) grants wisdom to whom he pleases and he who is granted wisdom, receives indeed benefits overflowing. But none grasp the message, except those who have understanding."

So, brothers and sisters, let us listen to professor Abdul Wahab El-Messiri and learn from his experience. Thank you.