“Glory be to Him Who made His servant Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to go on a night journey from the Sacred Masjid (Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah) to the farthest Masjid (Masjid Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing,” the verse from the Holy Qur’an recited by IMA President, Mohammad Aslam in his inaugural speech. He further elaborated that the fourteen commandments that were ordained to the Muslim Ummah which forms the basis of the Islam’s social,  moral, legal & religious foundation which includes oneness of Allah, rights of parents & orphans, business ethics etc. are the need of the hour, without which we cannot fulfill our goals of life.

Maulana Hafizur Rahman, a well known Islamic Scholar delivered his presidential address on the subject of ‘the message of Mi’raj’. He mentioned various ahadiths (saying of the Holy Prophet PBUH) such as during the Mi’raj the Prophet was shown people being punished for various types of sins. The Prophet (PBUH) saw those who committed adultery and their punishment, those who slandered, those who engaged in Riba and various other sins. Therefore, he said that we should remember these narrations and be careful to stay away from such sins.

He said, when the prophet (PBUH) saw groups of people who had bellies as large as houses, and there were snakes in them which could be seen through their skins. Every time one of those people stood up he would fall again, the Prophet (PBUH) asked: “O Jibril, who are these?” He replied: “They are those of your Community who eat up usury. They cannot stand up except in the manner of those whom the Shaytan touches with possession.“

Maulana Hafizur Rahman added that when the Prophet went further, he saw a group of people whose lips resembled the lips of camels and as a rock from Jehannam (Hell) was placed in their mouths, then it would come out again from their posteriors. The Prophet (PBUH) asked: “O Jibril, who are these?” He replied: “They are those of your Community who eat up the property of orphans and commit injustice. They are eating nothing but a fire for their bellies, and they shall be roasted in it.“

Nisar Ahmad, while delivering the lecture on the subject of ‘Salah: the gift of M’iraj’ explained the importance of Salah, he added, “Muslims are ordered to pray five times daily and in return they reap the benefits of paradise and it is a duty of every Muslim to perform the prayers at their prescribed times regularly.” He further added, “It is a divine gift; a spiritual connection, ascension of the spirit to meet its Lord”.

The programme was organised by Indian Muslim Association (IMA-Kuwait) in coordination with IPC and Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs at Masjid Yousuf-Al-Adsani in Kuwait city. The programme was started with the recitation of Holy Qur’an by Hafez Mehtabuddin and anchored by Abul Ala Shaheen. The function was attended by several hundred men & women. Dinner was served at the end of the function.