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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; |