Abu Dhabi: Muslim scholars from Egypt, Mauritania and the UAE paid glowing tributes to Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as they gathered at Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Thursday to mark the tenth anniversary of his passing.
The scholars said that the founding father and president of the UAE was loved and cherished not only by his people but also by the peoples of the world because of his good deeds and generosity.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, vice-president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Mauritania, and chairman of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, said Shaikh Zayed’s legacy will live on because of his message of love, peace and tolerance.
Shaikh Bin Bayyah, who worked alongside Shaikh Zayed in his noble cause for helping the needy around the world and also accompanied Shaikh Zayed to many Arab summits and global events, praised President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, for sponsoring the first conference for promoting peace in Muslim societies.
“Thanks to Shaikh Zayed’s legacy of peace and tolerance, leading scholars and thinkers gathered in Abu Dhabi to show how Islam promotes world peace and peaceful communities and to overcome issues caused by ideological or political differences between countries and peoples.
Shaikh Bin Bayyah said that Shaikh Zayed’s legacy upheld Islam’s true tenets of peace and tolerance.
The Zayed Day for Humanitarian Work was conceived by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to coincide with the anniversary of the founding president’s death. Shaikh Bin Bayyah said he was extremely happy to see that the sons of Shaikh Zayed had remained committed to their father’s message of tolerance, peace and humanitarian work across the world.
Shaikh Abdullah, alongside thousands of Emirati and foreign admirers of Shaikh Zayed, made their way to the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque to pay their tributes to the founding president of the nation.
A host of charitable events have been held across the country in honour of Shaikh Zayed’s humanitarian legacy including the UAE Suqia campaign — an initiative of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid to provide clean drinking water for up to eight million people around the world.
Dr Mohammad Mokhtar Juma Mabrouk, Egypt’s Minister of Awqaf (Endowments), paid tribute to the “founding father and leading philanthropist.” He said the day would “commemorate Shaikh Zayed’s true belief in peaceful co-existence among peoples of the world and his respect of the man irrespective of race, creed or gender.” He called for Shaikh Zayed’s biography and legacy to be included as learning material to promote the true Islamic culture.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Musallam Al Mazroui, Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, said Shaikh Zayed’s name has become synonymous with generosity and giving, not only in the UAE, but across the world. “This is the day to remember the humanitarian work of our father Shaikh Zayed, the founding president of the UAE, and it is our duty to preserve our unity and continue his efforts in the philanthropic activities the world over,” he said.
Shaikh Zayed cared for people and built hospitals, schools, mosques, and institutions for them and would remain in people’s hearts forever, Shaikh Al Mazroui said.
The annual iftar programme at the Grand Mosque, where tens of thousands of Muslims end the fast at the mosque every day throughout Ramadan is also a tribute to Shaikh Zayed’s good work.
Emirati poet, Saif Salem Al Mansouri, winner of the sixth edition of the Million’s Poet contest for 2013-2014, recited a poem celebrating Shaikh Zayed who, he said, had dedicated his entire life to the nation and its distinctive message of tolerance and openness to everybody.
A group of young Emirati schoolchildren and Quran memorisers read verses from the Quran and offered prayers to Almighty Allah for Shaikh Zayed.
