PETALING JAYA: Pahang’s Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has called on all Muslims to return to the teachings of the Quran, saying that is where they collectively draw their strength from.
The sultan said the strength of the ummah is not derived from just numbers but knowledge, faith and understanding.
“When the Prophet was first entrusted with the immense responsibility of conveying the message of Islam to the world, Allah first instructed him to stand in the night, to pray, and to recite the Quran with reflection and patience.
“Before action came spiritual strength. Before struggle came devotion. This teaches us that the true strength of the ummah begins with our relationship with the Quran,” he said when launching the World #QuranHour programme at the International Islamic University Malaysia’s Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Mosque today.
Present were representatives from Turkey, Oman, Russia, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, among others.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said many Muslims worldwide were facing immense hardship, particularly those in the Middle East living in the midst of conflicts and wars.
“At such a juncture, the most appropriate response for us as believers is to return to the teachings of the Quran and the guidance of the Prophet.
“We ask Allah to guide us, to protect and save Muslims wherever they may be, and to unite the ummah. As the Malay saying reminds us, united, we stand strong; divided, we fall.”
He said the Quran contained more than stories from the past, but lessons for reflection through which Muslims learn steadfastness, justice, faith and responsibility.
“Even when we do not fully understand its meanings, the recitation itself softens the heart and strengthens our connection with the divine,” he said.
