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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 2, 2017
We Muslims simply must not stay quiet Dear Editor,
ON this day, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the final month in the Islamic calendar and the day before Eid ul Adha, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered his final sermon to his followers. In it, he specifically admonished everyone who listened that all people come from one place, that women are partners, not chattel; that regardless of
our ethnicities, we are all equal with no claim of superiority over anyone else. He stressed that we must do no harm, but try to do as many good deeds as we can. Perhaps it is convenient to forget that he felt it necessary in his last words to single out and remind Arabs that they have no authority over any other kind of a Muslim. He clearly understood his people. Today as we pray for forgiveness
and mercy, we remember all those who are suffering and devastated by loss, the destruction of their homes, lives and family...from Houston to Yemen to Syria to Haiti to those traumatised by violence, oppression, war and terror. Most of all, Muslims must collectively and individually decry the indecent excesses of the Kingdom of Saud’s degenerate, reactionary monarchy. For too
long, they have trampled the rights of Muslims, rights that the Prophet himself never denied his followers. Yet, the descendants of one family have encouraged, funded and supported the indoctrination of generations of young Islamic scholars, who have been taught a corrosive, ethnocentric version of Islam, one that strays far from the compassionate mercifulness encouraged by the Prophet.
This cannot continue, we Muslims simply must not stay quiet when before our eyes, the spoiled, arrogant heir to the keys of our most holy places, continues to live an obscenely extravagant life, thoughtlessly squandering the wealth of the Ummah on expensive baubles and vanity wars that have shattered the lives of those already living in unbearable squalor, too poor to matter to their
self-anointed royal neighbours. As Eid is celebrated throughout the world, we should all try to reflect on the love, forgiveness, empathy sacrifice and mercy of our Creator. And most of all, how we Muslims can be better people, neighbours, friends, citizens... and humans.
of managing the affairs of the city, have opted to just reward themselves instead. How could they choose to use ratepayers’ money to fly first class frequently around the world to many exotic and distant locations taking along administrative staff with them, instead of using that money to pay the garbage contractors instead?
How could they be allowed to use ratepayers’ taxes to lend themselves money to purchase vehicles etc interest-free instead of going to the commercial banks? How could they be allowed use the Council’s welders to secure their homes with wrought iron on Council’s time which ratepayers have to pay for, instead of engaging private
ironmongers? How could those with multiple homes use a private guard service that the Council paid for to secure their multiple homes instead of hiring their own security? Why does the Council have to purchase cutting-edge cellular telephones and pay exorbitant telephone bills for these
municipal officials including for overseas calls? Why does the Council have to provide chauffeurs, bodyguards, static security at their residences, personal assistants for these persons, whilst the ordinary municipal worker cannot receive his or her salary on time? When the books of the Council are finally
audited one day, the ‘Fantastic Four’ and their cronies at the Georgetown municipality will make the Enron Scandal, the Freddie Mac Scandal, the Lehman Brothers Scandal, and the Bernie Madoff Scandal all look like child’s play.
Regards SCHEHERAZADE ISHOOF KHAN
Alleged abuse of privilege at City Hall Dear Editor,
The Georgetown municipality is a classic case of some ‘Big Ones’ rewarding themselves with a Cadillac lifestyle in the donkey cart economy of the Council. It is unconscionable that some senior functionaries at City Hall, who are entrusted with the privilege
Regards ANU BIHARI