Imam Elahi addressed the Council of Baptist Ministers of Detroit and Vicinity. 1/29/23
Imam Elahi addressed the Council of Baptist Ministers of Detroit and Vicinity. 1/29/23
Imam Elahi congratulated the Council’s former leader Rev. Dr. Steve Bland and the Council’s new leader Rev. Richard White and the entire Baptist community for their services to Detroit communities.
Imam Elahi reflected at the theme of celebration” Working for Relevant Kingdom Impact” and said the fundamental feature of Kingdom of heaven is love and friendship, as the fundamental feature hell is hate, fire and fury.
The best relationships between man, God and universe is the one, based of love and friendship.
When someone asked Jesus (pbuh) about the greatest commandment, he said, “ love your neighbors as yourself”
This is an amazing statement!
It says that love of neighbor is the greatest religious duty of a faithful.
How hypocritical it is for someone to claim fellowship with Jesus (pbuh) but hates his/her neighbor?
To listen to the “Sermon on the Mount” and still be a warmonger?
How hypocritical to claim fellowship with Moses (pbuh) and exercise injustice to your neighbors?
How hypocritical to claim fellowship with prophet Mohammad (pbuh) who is called the messenger of mercy for the mankind, but act like isis and commit crime against humanity and even have 99% of their victims from the Muslims themselves?
Imam Elahi stated that many of us in the religious communities missed the main point about our faith orders. Many may think that Judaism is just about Kosher or Islam is just about halal meat, while forgetting the central message of these Abrahamic traditions which starts from justice and ends with love and friendship.
The imam wondered how can we talk about love and friendship while in the first 3 weeks of this new years over 240 American citizens are killed or wounded in mass shootings?
How to observe the shameful brutality against Tyre Nichols in Memphis and expect friendship?
Are we one nation under God or multiple nations under guns?
He also questioned the possibility of friendship in these days of tragic bloodshed in Jennin, Jerusalem, Ukraine and other war zones?
Imam Elahi concluded: Yes there is so much frustration, so much thirst for retaliation, so much spiritual sickness, greed, selfishness and arrogance, so much hell fire everywhere, but establishment of relevant kingdom on this earth still possible if there is honest intention, strong determination and will for action. This is not easy, but its not impossible either. The interfaith community can be an ambassador of friendship, love and peace. To succeed, we need more dialogue, more connection, more friendship among ourselves.
We must reject the cancer of extremism and violence, being political, religious, racial or cultural.
Nothing is more rewarding in the site of our Creator than working for reconciliation, peace and friendship. It is easier to fight than making peace, but that’s exactly our faith’s greatest commandment.
The imam also mentioned his first visit to Detroit in August 1990, two months after the historic visit of Nelson Mandela who addressed over 50,000 enthusiastic audience in Detroit stadium with the message of peace, justice and friendship.
Notice! Because of time limitation, imam had to provide only a summary of his prepared speech.
During this installation celebration in addition to Ministers, Pastors and Bishops, a group of public speakers including Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the Majority speaker in Michigan House of Representatives Joe Tate, Mayor of Detroit Mike Duggan, Detroit Chief of Police James White and some Members of Detroit City Council addressed this historic assembly.