The Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Darian, sent a message from Mecca to Muslims in general and to Lebanese people in particular on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. He stated, "At the end of the blessed month of Ramadan, it is worthy to listen to the calls of the heart and mind in spreading the message of Ramadan, which emphasizes the virtues of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, and the ethics of benevolence and moderation."
He added, "O Muslims, O citizens, the importance of the message of the month of Ramadan lies in its clarity and sincerity, and it manifests in its comprehensiveness. The other side or the opposite page of the message is the tragic situation in the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have died and continue to die from the fire of the Israeli entity, which demolishes buildings, destroys infrastructure, and humiliates humanity."
He continued, "The aggression of the Israeli entity has extended to the south and deep into Lebanon, where killing continues to devastate our young elites, and displacement has seized our people. The tragedy of Lebanon has renewed, repeated numerous times, through killing, displacement, and confiscation of lands and homes."
He said, "Lebanese people build, while the Israelis destroy. Even prayers at Al-Aqsa and in the Mosque of our Master Ibrahim in Hebron are held under strict Zionist police supervision, and settlers and extremists raid Al-Aqsa and attack worshippers."
He affirmed that "the ongoing Zionist aggression against Palestine and southern Lebanon is what prevents peace from being established and hinders the residents of the south from feeling secure about their lives, properties, agriculture, and industries."
He added, "The enormous suffering of the Palestinians and the suffering of the Lebanese have been highlighted this Ramadan with the onset of the Al-Aqsa flood, transforming the Palestinian issue into a global concern that troubles the consciences of freedom-loving people and their institutions worldwide until there is a just solution that fulfills the national rights of our people in Palestine and puts an end to the oppressive Israeli entity and its massacres that history has never witnessed in such horror and brutality."
He remarked, "It is the tragedy of the age and its greatest crime that breaks hearts and takes breaths. What is happening in Gaza and southern Lebanon stirs feelings of anger and ignites in souls the spirit of dignity that has been evoked by the heroes of Gaza, Palestine, and southern Lebanon."
He pointed out that "the difficult conditions that our country Lebanon is experiencing are not solely due to the Gaza war, but they stem from years past. We expected our political officials, economists, judges, and administrators, each in their field, to be responsible and mindful so as not to be blamed for neglect or corruption. However, what has happened from all these sides has placed our country on the brink of collapse."
He stressed that "the rulers are responsible or should be responsible for the prosperity, contraction, or collapse of the country. Lebanon, as everyone knows, requires comprehensive reform in political, national, and institutional performance."
He continued, "There is a significant glimmer of hope in finding solutions to our crises, foremost of which is the crisis of electing a president of the republic. Electing a president is the fundamental cornerstone to set Lebanon on the straight path, and it is everyone's duty to cease provocation and depletion, to achieve what we aspire for in electing a unifying president who respects the constitution and applies it professionally, implements the Taif Agreement, and saves Lebanon and the Lebanese from their suffering."
He noted that "the positive phenomena of initiatives, consultations, and proposals that we observe from some political forces give us hope and optimism that the opportunity is available for the Lebanese to elect a president. This requires more effort and good intentions. Reasonableness is not weakness or surrender; rather, it is wisdom and awareness to safeguard the existence of the country. This does not mean we are content with the delay in the election; the delay has become a burden on the nation and citizen."
He concluded, "Farewell, month of Ramadan, O month of goodness and blessings; if you depart, you will not truly leave, for your message remains within us."
Mufti Darian also apologized for not receiving congratulatory greetings for the Eid and entrusted Sheikh Amin Al-Kurdi, the Secretary of Fatwa in the Lebanese Republic, to perform the Eid Al-Fitr prayers and sermons at the Mosque of the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad the Honest and Trustworthy, at 7 AM on the day of Eid in downtown Beirut.
