History is silent as to whether there was any distinction in status be-tween the male and the female sexes during the beginnings of human civilization

The 7^th International Milaad-un-Nabi Conference

Toronto, Canada
Sat. 31st July - Sun. 1st Aug. 99'

July 31^st 1999
Living Arts Centre, Square One , Mississauga Ontario

The 7th. International Milaad-un-Nabi Conference was sponsored by World Islamic Mission (Canada) and in keeping with the traditions of this event it rained heavily as usual on this blessed day. This is the largest Milaad event of its kind in North America and was a day of spiritual bliss for all the muhibeen of Rasoolulaah salalaahu alaihi wa Sallam.

The event commenced to a packed audience at its new location at the Living Arts Centre Mississauga - a western suburb of Toronto close to the site of Masjid Noor-ul-Haram and the head office of World Islamic Mission (Canada).

The 1st. session was a Naat & Qasida session in honour of our Holy and Beloved Prophet salalaahu alaihi wa Sallam . The session was chaired by Br. Abdul Ahad Ruhomaun - Assistant Treasurer of World Islamic Mission Canada. Br. Ahad did an excellent job at introducing each of the very talented naat khwan. Among them were:-

International Naat Khwan Waheed Chughtai
Br. Hamid Shah of Oakville Ontario Canada
Br. Azam Chisti of Montreal Canada

Waheed Chughtai started the 1st session with the Hamd - La ilaaha illalaa. Many of our brothers and sisters who attended this Milaad program for the first time expressed that the session ended too quickly. The grand finale of this cauldron of spirituality was rendered by our Rifa'I brothers belonging to the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects from Ottawa and Montreal. The Rifa'I brothers chanted various qasidas in Arabic with drums (daaf), including the famous Qasida Burdah.

Maulana Abdus Shakoor Dulloo chaired the 2nd session. He introduced each speaker and provided an excellent summary of each lecture. Hafiz Intezar Ali of Montreal started the session with a recitation from the Holy Qu’ran. This was followed by the students of Madressa As-Suffah reciting Tala’ albadru ‘alina. This was the actual qasida sang by the children and women of Medina when the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi was sallam emigrated Mecca to Medina on the Hijra.

The session consisted of many lectures and naats. Below is a brief summary of the lectures at the event .

DR. FARIDA AHMED, Karachi, Pakistan
President Women’s Islamic Mission. Chairperson Islamic Missionary University

Dr Farida Ahmed began her speech by congratulating the management of World Islamic Mission for organising this most auspicious event. She went on to explain the reason why World Islamic Mission is building an Islamic School. Dr. Farida Ahmed said that there are too many influences by western way of life. The media has too much influence on the young generation. If enough Masjids and Islamic schools are not created to encourage Islamic values then, how can we blame these "innocent souls"? Why should we adopt the American culture since the culture has so many flaws? Dr Farida Ahmed mentioned the recent school shooting in Colorado, USA to demonstrate the flaws in the American culture.

Dr Farida Ahmed then continued with her speech on the topic of "Knowledge". The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi was sallam was once asked which action is dearest to God. He replied, "Knowledge". Imam Ali (R.A) said, "The lost of an Alim can only be replaced by his successor. There are three types of knowledge: -

Praiseworthy Knowledge - Islamic Knowledge

Blameworthy (destructive) Knowledge

Permissible Knowledge – Academic Knowledge (Science, Mathematics, Geography, etc.)

Dr Farida Ahmed stressed the great importance of Permissible Knowledge but we should never lose our identity as Muslims.

DR. IMAM YOUSSEF CHEBLI , Edmonton Canada
Member of the World Islamic Leadership Organization
Imam Youssef Chebli is a scholar of Al-Azhar University. He has extensive knowledge in Tassawuf and immense love for the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. Imam Chebli commenced his lecture by recounting the pre-eminece of the character of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu alaihi was sallam in his native tongue the Arabic language. He did this to make the audience appreciate how beautiful and powerful is the language of the Holy Qur’an and how only through it one can really express the true essence of the character of our Noble and beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. He then urged the audience to truly embrace Islam by making an effort to learn Arabic, the language of the People of Janna. He said because of this Arabs ,in particular, bears a heavy responsibilty on their shoulders to carry the message of Islam but pointed out that if a non-Arab make an effort to speak the language of the Holy Qur’an the blessings are tremendous.

Imam Youssef Chebli told the audience that the best salutation is their presence at this event. He said, "Come to Unity, enough hypocrisy and slandering, spiritually we are empty. Come to Allah, Allah loves you that is why he created you. He who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah".

SHAIKH OMAR AL-QADRI, Toronto, Canada, Spiritual Leader of Toronto

Shaikh Omar al-Qadri is well known for his piousness and knowledge of Tassawuf and the work he is doing amongst the Somali community of Toronto. He recited a naat in Arabic

DR. ALI GHAZZAWI, USA. Association of Islamic Charitable Projects
Dr Ali Ghazzawi started his lecture by asking Allah to raise the rank of Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi was sallam and to protect his Ummah. He said that if you want to earn the Love of Allah then you have to be a follower of the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. If you deviate from the teachings of the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam then Allah will not love you. If you have taqwa you are close to the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam , no matter what part of the world you are living in. The Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam said that he is the last of the prophets. Prophets were chosen by Allah, no one can become a prophet by increasing his obedience to Allah. Allah never chooses a Wali that is ignorant of the Holy Qu’ran and the Sunnah. Tassawuf (Sufism) was not build on ignorance. Acquiring Islamic Knowledge is vital for all Muslims. We love our Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam but we do not worship him.

QAID-E-AHL SUNNA MAULANA SHAH AHMAD NOORANI SIDDIQUI
Founder of World Islamic Mission, President of Jamiat Ulama Party of Pakistan
Qaid-e-Ahl Sunna Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui could not attend the event but spoke to the audience from Karachi Pakistan by a telephone link. It was 3:00 a.m. Karachi time when Qaid-e-Ahl Sunnah spoke to the audience. He congratulated the organisers of World Islamic Mission for holding this event. Maulana Saheb emphasised to the people that the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam is the best example to be followed by all mankind. Insha Allah, Qaid-e-Ahl Sunnah said that he hopes to visit Canada soon.

SHAIKH MUHAMMAD HISHAM KABBANI, CALIFORNIA USA
President of American Muslim Assistance , Chairman of As-Sunnah Foundation of America.

Shaikh Kabbani started his speech by mentioning how happy he is to be here, this is because we are here to honour our Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. Shaikh Kabbani talked about the nur light of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam . The light of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam was created even before Prophet Adam alaihi was sallam. Physicists said that there was nothing and there was a "big bang". When Allah created the light of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam , this was the "big bang".

No one can understand the power that Allah gave to the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. Oh! Muslims, however we describe our Prophet, it is still limited. We must learn from our Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam:-

If a Muslim has made a mistake, you must veil his mistake and do not expose him.

Do not backbite

Muslims unite, bring your differences upfront

Muslims must reconcile and do not fight

Shaikh Kabbani mentioned in his speech that he is extending a hand of reconciliation to all who would like to work together for the cause of Islam.

MAULANA SHAHID RAZA , UK
President of World Islamic Mission of Europe
Maulana Shahid Raza mentioned that this is the last Milaad of the millennium. What is the purpose of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. The first purpose is to demonstrate our relationship with our Nabi. The second purpose is to show respect to Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. The third purpose is to teach and demonstrate the teachings of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam. Unless we practice the teachings of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi was sallam, the celebration of Milaad is meaningless.

We have to follow the teachings of Rasoolulah Sallallahu alaihi was sallam.. Unless we practice the teachings of Rasoolulah, the Muslims will not have an impact on the corrupted system which is in control of the world today.

ISLAM – MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF THE 21^ST CENTURY

Aug 1^st 1999
Masjid Noor-ul-Haram 2478 Ninth Line, Oakville, Ontario

Br. Abdi Munaf Solaiman, Secretary General Secretary of World Islamic Mission Canada, chaired the event. Below is a summary of the lectures at this event: -

MAULANA QAZI BASHIRUDDIN FAROOQUI – Guelph, Ontario
Maulana Bashiruddin gave a stunning speech with regards to the challenges which Muslims will face in the next century. He spoke about the fact how Muslims have forgotten their history and their glorious past. And that the greatest challenge of the future generations will be to reconstruct this forgotten history of past Muslim civilisations. This tragedy he suggested came about as a result of a continuous and consistence set of conspiracies hurled against Muslims and Islam by non-Muslim cultures in the past two-and-a-half centuries. What is even more disheartening he pointed out is how so many of our so-called Muslim scholars are completed duped by this anti-Islamic thought process and have actually have helped the enemies of Islam for so long.

He pointed out that the information about the errors of some of the past scholars are fully documented and are still available in our libraries if only we would read. He mentioned that the errors of Muhammad Ibn Wahab, the founder of the modern Wahabi movement was pointed out not only by the scholars of his time but by his own brother who was a scholar of his time. He refuted the teachings of his brother and wrote a book against him. This book he claimed is still available

In addition to this Maulana Bashiruddin Saheb cited many examples of how Westerners especially the British have work at creating a counter culture to Islam which denounces all the positive aspects and successes of Islam, to the extent we are not aware of the thousands of positive contributions Muslims have made to all walks of life, including science, arts, politics, etc.

SHAIKH SYED MUMTAZ ALI, TORONTO CANADA
President of the Canadian Muslim Society

Shaikh Syed Mumtaz Ali Saheb lecture pertained to the challenges that minorities will be facing in the 21^st century, that is to say, "How to reconcile with the secular West". He went to describe that secular means the separation of State and Church. In Islam there is no separation.

Shaikh Syed Mumtaz Ali said that we have to solve our internal problems before we ready to face the challenges of the 21^st Century. Why are there differences of opinions? A community must have differences of opinions. If there is no difference of opinion in a community, then the community is dead. Even though Imam Abu Hanifa Radi ala anhu had opinions of his own , he never denounced the opinions of other Muslim scholars.

Shaikh Syed Mumtaz Ali mentioned that reconciliation could be achieved by:-

Following the concept of tolerance

Acquiring knowledge

Muslims living in a non-Muslim country should practice tolerance through the principles of tassawuf. Shaikh Syed Mumtaz Ali encouraged Muslims to come out and support the World Islamic Mission project in Canada.

MAULANA SHAHID RAZA , UK
President of World Islamic Mission of Europe

The speech of Maulana Shahid Raza on Aug 1^st 1999 at Masjid Noor-ul-Haram. This speech concluded the two day event

Maulana Shahid Raza started his lecture by offering gratitude to all of the volunteers who contributed to the great success of the events on Sat July 31^st and Sun Aug 1^st. May Allah bless all of them. The environment has been with great commitment and co-operation and very soon with help of Allah we will see the success of the project. On behalf of World Islamic Mission, I also want to congratulate all of our guests who have contributed to the great success of the events.

Morality , Spirituality and Purification of the Heart (Tazkiyah)

Maulana Shahid Raza said that greatest challenge that we will be facing in the 21^st Century will be the crisis of Morality and Spirituality . We have all of the comfort but at the expense of losing Morality and Spirituality. I am sure the lovers of Rasoolulah Sallallahu alaihi was sallam will achieve Morality and Spirituality. Only the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaah will be able to solve the crisis of Morality and Spirituality.

He went on to say that we need to build our character. We need to discipline ourselves. He said "Islam are in the books and Muslims are in the graves"

Maulana Shahid Raza said that we need purification of the heart (Tazkiyah). It is not enough acquiring land for Mosques, reading books , distributing literatures etc. You will succeed only if you clean your heart. How can you clean your heart? Is there a tablet? To secure purification is to perform love for Rasoolulah Sallallahu alaihi was sallam . If you don’t love for Rasoolulah Sallallahu alaihi was sallam you are not a Muslim.

You must discipline yourselves, become a walking example of morality and spirituality. You cannot win a war of morality and spirituality with guns. There is only one hope and that hope is in Madinah Shareef. He concluded by saying, "I hope in the time to come we will be a united force. There will always be differences but we must unite".