THE Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC) on Sunday, held its Mawlid un Nabi (Prophet Mohamed’s Birth Anniversary) observances, when Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was at the time performing the duties of President, called on all religious leaders in Guyana to join forces to make Guyana a beacon for religion, peaceful coexistence and respect.

The ACIC over the weekend joined with its partners in over 60 cities around the world in a “Rose Themed” event to celebrate the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and to share roses of love in the fight against extremists tarnishing the good and peaceful image of Islam.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the way Guyanese live and likened this to the way of life of the Holy prophet.
He said the Holy Prophet, “Preached and practised peaceful co-existence and respect for all.”
The Prime Minister added that, “we are fortunate that our religious leaders, of all denominations, have been faithful to this tenent of the Sunnah. In our supreme law, the vilification of religion is prohibited.”
Also in attendance at the event that drew a wide cross-section of the Muslim community and other dignitaries, were Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and People’s Progressive Party/Civic Member of Parliament, Manzoor Nadir, among others.
In his address to the gathering, the Prime Minister made it clear from the outset, Government’s condemnation of the barbaric attack on Charlie Hebdo and used the opportunity to reaffirm the government’s view that those who perpetrated this dastardly act are in no way defending Islam. Prime Minister Hinds told those gathered that when he was invited to the occasion, “That invitation letter also spoke to the issue of upholding the honour of the Holy Prophet and to show the world that the extremists do not speak for the over 1.5 billion Muslims on our planet.”
He observed too that the very issue which prompted ACIC and its international associates to theme the 2015 observances “have once again gripped the entire world…So today’s (Sunday) Mawlid could not have been more apt.”
He recalled too that under the PPP/C Administration, in 1998, Guyana became a member of the Organisation of Islamic States and “we as a people have thus identified ourselves strongly with the objects of the OIC and are committed to ensuring that the great name of Islam is upheld and propagated.”
According to Hinds, the then Minister of Tourism, Manzoor Nadir, represented Guyana at the Third Islamic conference, in December 2005, in the Holy City of Makkah, to address the very issue of the image of Islam and the matter of extremist and fanatics besmirching the religion.
“It was very welcoming to note the swift reaction from the Muslim world condemning the Charlie Hebo attack.”
Some 56 other countries, like Guyana, have the Holy Prophet’s birthday as a national or public holiday.
According to Hinds, “One of the hallmarks of his life was respect for other religions. I am told that the Holy Prophet spent some time among other religions and after about a year he said let the non-Muslims keep theirs and we will keep ours. He preached and practiced peaceful co-existence and respect for all.”