Mufti Azam urges unity in Hajj sermon

Mufti Azam Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah delivered hajj sermon in Masjid-e-Nimra at Mount Arafat, urging Muslims to forge unity.
More than 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims have reached Mount of Arafat, after staying a night at Mina, to perform annual Hajj rites. They will perform Waquf, the main pillar of hajj at Arafat mount where prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) had delivered his final hajj sermon.
“Islam is a complete way of life and an unprecedented religion which stresses upon peace, harmony and brotherhood among its followers,” the Mufti said.
He urged Ulema across the world to play their due role in eliminating evils form Muslim societies and propagate true teachings of Islam through media and other modern means.
The Mufti in his sermon said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had formed a society which was free of sectarianism, racialism, nationalism and other biased behaviors. It is responsibility of the Muslim ummah to preach virtue and forbid wrong and unlawful conduct, he said.
The Sheikh urged Muslims to respect each other and serve as a guardian of each other’s lives and properties. “Muslims should protect their rights being mutually cooperative.”
He exhorted Muslim rulers to act according to Sharia while dealing with masses. “Muslim governments should not use weapons and forces against their own people but act as per Islamic teaching.”
“Seek the solution through negotiations… unity is the only way to cope with anti-Islam forces,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah said while addressing millions of Hajj pilgrims.
“Quran and Sunnah are the sole guidelines for Muslims”, he said, adding that Quran prohibits bloodshed, violence and discrimination.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to strive for peace and justice in Muslim society…you should forge unity or else the enemy will beset you.”
At Arafat plains, Zuhr and Asar prayers will jointly be offered at Masjid-e-Nimra after the hajj sermon. Pilgrims will keep offering prayers the entire day.
In the next phase, revered pilgrims will leave for Muzdalifah before Maghrib, where they will jointly offer Maghrib and Isha prayers and collect stones during the night for performing Rami (stoning the Devil).
After the Rami, pilgrims will sacrifice animals followed by getting their heads shaved off. Afterwards, they will take off Ehram (white sheets worn during Hajj) and put on their normal dress.
On Friday, dressed in white, pilgrims poured in Mina’s tent city, around five kilometres east of the holy mosque, in the first phase of hajj pilgrimage after tawaf (circumambulation) of the holy Baitullah al-Haram (Sacred House of Allah) and Sa’ai (Running between the two holy hills).