The Islamic Charitable Society of Al-Maqasid in Beirut held an iftar ceremony, sponsored by the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Deryan, and attended by MP Muhammad Khawaja representing the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, and Minister of Public Health Dr. Firas Al-Abyad representing Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Mufti Deryan delivered a speech in which he said, "The Maqasid has a message, indeed many messages: a message to preserve religious values, and the open moderate Islam that is ready to adapt to changes through its faith constants, and a message of positive interaction between faith and science, between Islam and progress, and between religious commitment and cultural advancement. It was founded on knowledge and education, the call for knowledge, the pursuit of good deeds, and the planting of the seeds of knowledge and the message of unification and faith in the hearts of its children, so that they may grow as a good harvest for themselves, their homeland, and their nation."
He added, "This Ramadan comes to us while our homeland suffers from multiple crises, which necessitates enhancing unity, love, and solidarity, and gathering all energies, efforts, and good wills—of which there are many—to contemplate the affairs of the country and its people to avert the dangers of these crises from our people and to fortify our national unity against fragmentation."
Deryan emphasized that "Dar Al-Fatwa in the Lebanese Republic, during Ramadan and otherwise, works on the unity of the Islamic and national ranks, unifying voices and bringing people together; it gathers and does not divide, sows goodness, and scatters its fruits everywhere, and only aligns itself with Islamic and national values and principles. Despite all challenges, our society still clings to these principles, because Al-Maqasid and the charitable associations and institutions across Lebanon have not abandoned their important role in fulfilling their educational, cultural, and medical missions, so that our society remains cohesive, loving, and cooperative, as it is the safety valve and the stronghold for the homeland, and a supportive pillar for the state and its institutions."
He stated that "extending a helping hand and providing aid to those in need are among the noblest actions urged by our noble religion, for it carries great rewards with Allah for those who perform it sincerely for His sake, for nothing is greater than giving and helping others to alleviate the burdens of the economic, financial, and living crises that Lebanon has never seen before. The state we aspire to live in and remain is the state of all Lebanese, the state that is our only reference, and our allegiance should be only to it, so that we all enjoy stability, security, peace, and a decent living."
He indicated that "the time has come for all political forces in our country to join efforts and walk the path that leads to solutions, and there is no path to balanced solutions without dialogue coupled with sincere, diligent work. We still believe, along with the sincere, in the necessity of dialogue among all components of this homeland, first to elect a president for the republic, and to fortify our internal unity, so that it may grow stronger and more fortified, and remain the cherished, solid covenant of our shared life, free from the impurities that occasionally afflict it."
He observed that "the inability of political forces to carry out the presidential duty despite all sincere efforts and the help of brothers and friends is a deeply troubling and alarming matter; how long must we wait while dangers besiege us? If our homeland continues without a president, it is a portent of the beginning of Lebanon's disintegration and the loss of its identity."
He concluded, "Lebanon, dear sisters and brothers, can only be built through solidarity, partnership, dialogue, unity, and understanding among its people. This is Lebanon's strength, which is always exposed to threats from the daily aggression and attacks of the Zionist enemy on our steadfast southern villages and towns. It is the Zionist enemy that occupies the land of Palestine and conducts extermination wars against our Palestinian brothers in Gaza and other occupied territories, committing terrorist massacres against them while disregarding all denunciations and resolutions that condemn its actions and call on it to halt these massacres and the extermination on the occupied land of Palestine, where its people are denied the right to defend themselves and their land. It is truly a criminal terrorist act par excellence, beyond imagination and understanding amid disturbing international silence."
