– President Ali urges citizens to build better homes, communities

President Dr Irfaan Ali has called on citizens to deepen their faith, embrace daily sacrifice and take personal responsibility for peace in their homes, communities and the wider world.
Speaking during Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Leonora Masjid, President Ali underscored the centrality of faith and patience in Islam, noting that belief is anchored in prayer and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

“When we look in our world today, and we look in our communities, we realize how important it is, and how easy it is for one to lose faith, the circumstances, the challenges, but in the greatest challenge, and when the most is expected of us, and the circumstances are dire, that is when we need to showcase the extent of our faith,” President Ali said.
He reminded worshippers that faith is most severely tested in difficult circumstances.
He warned that many of today’s problems arise from a lack of patience and understanding of Allah’s will.
“Many things go wrong because we lack the patience, we lack the understanding… to accept that everything [is] the will of Allah.”
Linking religious duty to national development, President Ali stressed that sacrifice is not a one-off ritual but a continuous obligation to family, community and country.
“Sacrifice also reminds us of our personal life, and what is expected of us in our communities, in our country, and as leaders in our families, that we are expected to make sacrifices, sacrifices to ensure that we leave behind a better community, a better country, a better family, that we work hard to ensure we provide for our families, that we work hard to ensure we support the development of our country,” he said.
He urged citizens to work hard to provide for their families and to support the development of Guyana, framing this as part of a broader ethic of service and responsibility.
The President also delivered a wide-ranging prayer for peace and unity, asking God to bless the nation and the wider world.
He emphasised that every individual has a role in promoting harmony and encouraged citizens working towards peace through daily efforts rather than conflict or war.
“All of us have a duty and responsibility to ensure that there is peace in our homes, peace in our communities… and peace for all of humanity.”
He added: “The sacrifice today is not only a one-off act; it is a reminder to us of what is expected to us every single day of our life.”