New Year message

I promised myself I would follow in the footsteps of the world’s political, religious and leading personalities in coining out a New Year’s message for people, reflecting on the past year’s events and looking forward to a more hopeful future. It has become something of a ritual to have these messages aired across all the modern channels of information every year. However, many people have lost hope in their leaders, grown sceptical of these kinds of messages, and may, or may not, be interested in the message anyway.

The past year has been a very turbulent year economically, particularly in the Western world. The rich are enjoying growth and growing even richer, whilst the poor are struggling to provide for their daily life and provide for the maintenance of their families.

The economy is based on loans and debt. If people stop borrowing from the banks the economy grinds to a halt. While the man in the street desperately tries to get out from under the huge burden of debt and helping to bring their country’s economy back on track, countries are being encouraged to adopt modern consumerism and liberalise their economies so that multinational companies can invest, and create a false sense of prosperity, by encouraging people to borrow more.

We need to learn to live within our means and save for the rainy days. Wealth is God’s gift to people and must be appreciated and dealt with sensibly. We need to take a little time to reflect on our points of view, and habits, and bring changes to bear that are necessary in our lives.

The so-called Arab Spring has created, on an international level, a great wave of ‘intifadah’ sweeping away some regimes and enforcing radical changes upon others. Its on-going domino effect reminds us all that we live in a fast changing world, where people are no longer prepared to be subjugated by tyrants or tyrannical and oppressive governments, however attractive their slogans and banners.

Some governments continue to employ any means at their disposal to suppress the will of their people, who are desperate to break away from the yoke of their control and mismanagement. It is a battle which is now being fought daily and affects the entire populations of many countries worldwide. The new spirit that has arisen in people in many parts of the world is hopefully a sign that the days of elitism and total monopoly of resources are fading away and that people will at last receive their rightful share of the good life.

The Quran says: ‘And by the soul and He who proportioned it. He then inspired it with discernment of its wickedness and its righteousness. He has succeeded who purifies it. And he has failed who instil it with corruption. S91 V 7-10

People need to realise that they have to create the world that they dream of. Freedom, liberty and equality are the possessions of all people and they are equal in the Sight of their Creator. The provision of equal opportunities and a ‘level playing field’ for all will save the world from chaos and allow everyone to enjoy their rights peacefully.

People need to be conscious of other people’s rights to share space on this planet. No one definitively owns the wider space. The politics of the modern age have resulted in polarised opinions and much bloodshed. Cultures have become a ‘religion’ for many, while a sense of superiority has created false pride and arrogant attitudes in others.

Co-existence requires all to be considerate towards others, unprejudiced in their attitudes, cooperative in matters of mutual wellbeing and public welfare.

If I have a message then it is this; Let us have unity and pride in our diversity. Let us learn to tolerate each other and share what we have on this planet equally. Let us help and be generous towards all the people of this world. Let the world be spared wars, hunger and corruption. Let it be the world of our dreams. Let us live together.