Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	VIA RADIO AND TELEVISION MALAYSIA ; 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	25/03/93 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	HARI RAYA MESSAGE 


 

able  today  to  celebrate  this  Hari  Raya  in  peace  and
tranquility. Although we have completed our religious duties
by fasting for
linger on. Muslims
marks our success in testing  our  patience,  endurance,  as
well as our ability to overcome all temptations.  But if  we
fast  solely for the observance of religious injunctions  in
Islam, without learning the value of discipline, the curbing
of our temptations then we will not get the full benefits of
fasting.  What we experience would be merely  the  tiredness
and weakness brought about by  thirst  and  hunger.  On  the
other hand, those who learn the  lessons  of  sacrifice  and
achieve self discipline by fasting will become more  humane,
grateful and  ready to face  challenges.  These  people  are
likely to be more successful  and  will  make  Muslims  more
highly respected and esteemed.   
2.  Muslims in Malaysia should be grateful  because  on  the
whole  they  are  not  faced   with  major  problems   which
frequently assail other Muslims  and  Muslim  countries.  By
virtue  of  our  strong  economy  and  political  stability,
Muslims in this country are endowed by Allah with all  kinds
of opportunities and benefits. We live in an environment  of
peace and harmony including between Muslims and non Muslims.
We should also feel grateful because  our  country  is  free
from serious calamities like cyclones, floods or earthquakes
or  volcanoes  with  lava  flowing  for  miles   and  miles,
destroying houses and trees and killing thousands of people.
In addition  we  are not  attacked or conquered  by  enemies
or confronted with civil war. If ever  there  is  a  society
which should be grateful in this critical age  for  Muslims,
we should be the one.   While  we  should  be  grateful,  we
should not however rest and wallow in complacency because we
believe   that   everything   is   predestined   by   Allah.
Predestination does not mean that  since things will  happen
because  they  have  been  preordained,  we  should  not  do
anything to influence events.  In  actual  fact  those  very
events resulting from our efforts are also preordained. This

we hope for are not achieved because that is the way  it  is
fated to  be.  But  it is more likely to happen  because  of
our efforts than if we make no effort but merely  hope  that
the benefits will fall into our  laps.
4.  The truth is that a sizeable portion of  our  prosperity
and stability is the result of our  approach,  attitude  and
efforts.  In order that there will be  continued  peace  and
increasing prosperity, greater efforts by  all  parties  are
crucial;