Balozi wa Marekani nchini Tanzania,Alfonso E. LenhardtMwezi Mtukufu wa Ramadhani ni muda ambao Waislamu duniani kote wanafunga, wanaswali na kufanya matendo mema. Aidha, ni wakati wa kutafakari na kuimarisha imani zao, kutenda mema, kuwasaidia wenye shida na kuwa na huruma.
Kwa niaba ya Watu wa Marekani, ninapenda kuwatakia Waislamu wote wa Tanzania Eid el-Fitr njema. Muda huu wa kujitafakari unatukumbusha kuwa maadili ya Uislamu - wema, kujali wengine, kuhudumia jamii, ushirikiano na huruma ni amali ambazo sisi kama Wamarekani tunazithamini sana na ambazo kwa hakika zimechangia sana katika tamaduni nyingi duniani kote.
Kama alivyosema Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje wa Marekani Bibi Hillary Rodham Clinton hapo tarehe 7 September katika hafla ya Iftar iliyoandaliwa na Wizara yake, historia ya Uislamu Marekani inaweza kupatikana nchini kote Marekani.
Nchi yangu imejaaliwa kuwa na Waislamu waliozaliwa nchini Marekani pamoja na wale waliohamia kutoka duniani kote ikiwemo Tanzania. Dhamira yetu ya kulinda na kudumisha uvumilivu wa kidini ilianza toka mwanzoni kabisa mwa uanzishwaji wa taifa letu.
Mabadiliko ya Kwanza ya Katiba ya Marekani yalipiga marufuku kuanzishwa kwa sheria yoyote inayokwaza uhuru wa mtu kufuata mafundisho ya dini yake na hivyo kuhakikisha kuwepo kwa uhuru wa kuabudu nchini kote.
Kama alivyosema Rais Barack Obama wakati wa hafla ya Iftar iliyofanyika katika Ikulu ya Marekani hapo Agosti 13 mwaka huu, Balozi wa kwanza Muislamu nchini Marekani ambaye alikuwa akitoka Tunisia alialikwa na Rais Thomas Jefferson, ambaye aliandaa chakula cha jioni kwa wageni wake wakati wa magharibi kwa sababu kipindi hicho kilikuwa ni cha Ramadhani - na kufanya tukio hilo kuwa Iftar ya kwanza kuandaliwa na Ikulu ya Marekani - hiyo ilikuwa zaidi ya miaka 200 iliyopita.
Katika ziara zangu kutembelea maeneo mbalimbali ya nchi hii nzuri ya Tanzania nilipata heshima kubwa ya kutembelea Misikiti, kukutana na viongozi wa kidini na waumini wa Kiislamu ili kukuza urafiki na ushirikiano wetu.
Niliguswa sana kuona utulivu na uzalendo wa hali ya juu miongoni mwa Watanzania wa imani zote.
Pengine jambo hili ni mojawapo kati ya mafanikio makubwa zaidi ya taifa hili, kama inavyoashiriwa na jina la moja ya miji yake mikuu - "bandari ya salama."
Wakati Ramadhani ikielekea ukingoni, tudumishe moyo huo wa kushirikiana na kusaidiana kama jamii moja ili watoto wetu, bila kujali wamezaliwa wapi na wanaabudu vipi waweze kupata fursa ya kuwa vile walivyopangiwa kuwa kwa jina la Mwenyeezi Mungu, na katika kuimarisha utu wetu.
Eid Mubarak.
Kwa niaba ya Watu wa Marekani, ninapenda kuwatakia Waislamu wote wa Tanzania Eid el-Fitr njema. Muda huu wa kujitafakari unatukumbusha kuwa maadili ya Uislamu - wema, kujali wengine, kuhudumia jamii, ushirikiano na huruma ni amali ambazo sisi kama Wamarekani tunazithamini sana na ambazo kwa hakika zimechangia sana katika tamaduni nyingi duniani kote.
Kama alivyosema Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje wa Marekani Bibi Hillary Rodham Clinton hapo tarehe 7 September katika hafla ya Iftar iliyoandaliwa na Wizara yake, historia ya Uislamu Marekani inaweza kupatikana nchini kote Marekani.
Nchi yangu imejaaliwa kuwa na Waislamu waliozaliwa nchini Marekani pamoja na wale waliohamia kutoka duniani kote ikiwemo Tanzania. Dhamira yetu ya kulinda na kudumisha uvumilivu wa kidini ilianza toka mwanzoni kabisa mwa uanzishwaji wa taifa letu.
Mabadiliko ya Kwanza ya Katiba ya Marekani yalipiga marufuku kuanzishwa kwa sheria yoyote inayokwaza uhuru wa mtu kufuata mafundisho ya dini yake na hivyo kuhakikisha kuwepo kwa uhuru wa kuabudu nchini kote.
Kama alivyosema Rais Barack Obama wakati wa hafla ya Iftar iliyofanyika katika Ikulu ya Marekani hapo Agosti 13 mwaka huu, Balozi wa kwanza Muislamu nchini Marekani ambaye alikuwa akitoka Tunisia alialikwa na Rais Thomas Jefferson, ambaye aliandaa chakula cha jioni kwa wageni wake wakati wa magharibi kwa sababu kipindi hicho kilikuwa ni cha Ramadhani - na kufanya tukio hilo kuwa Iftar ya kwanza kuandaliwa na Ikulu ya Marekani - hiyo ilikuwa zaidi ya miaka 200 iliyopita.
Katika ziara zangu kutembelea maeneo mbalimbali ya nchi hii nzuri ya Tanzania nilipata heshima kubwa ya kutembelea Misikiti, kukutana na viongozi wa kidini na waumini wa Kiislamu ili kukuza urafiki na ushirikiano wetu.
Niliguswa sana kuona utulivu na uzalendo wa hali ya juu miongoni mwa Watanzania wa imani zote.
Pengine jambo hili ni mojawapo kati ya mafanikio makubwa zaidi ya taifa hili, kama inavyoashiriwa na jina la moja ya miji yake mikuu - "bandari ya salama."
Wakati Ramadhani ikielekea ukingoni, tudumishe moyo huo wa kushirikiana na kusaidiana kama jamii moja ili watoto wetu, bila kujali wamezaliwa wapi na wanaabudu vipi waweze kupata fursa ya kuwa vile walivyopangiwa kuwa kwa jina la Mwenyeezi Mungu, na katika kuimarisha utu wetu.
Eid Mubarak.
Kwa waislamu walio marekani wataona kuwa kweli kuna uhuru wa kuabudu hasa kwa Waislamu na Wayahudi.
ReplyDeleteWatu walio marekani ambao hukwaza uhuru huu ni wale wahamiaji toka nchi zenye ukandamizaji wa kidini. Watanzania wachache bado si wasafi wa dhambi hii.
Duh,kumbe jomba analisakata kinyaturu!!!lazima tufanye bidii kulisambaza lugha letu kule kwa maniga!
ReplyDeleteww #1 hapo juu what's is ur point?
ReplyDeleteInapendeza kuona muheshimiwa baloz anatambua umuhimu wa waislam na uislam,lakini anajua tipwi analotaka kuanzisha nduguye huko marekani septemba ileven?
ReplyDeletePoint ya jamaa hapo juu ni kwamba nchi za kiarabu zi ruhusu uhuru wa kuabudu.
ReplyDeleteNdg. Alfonso,
ReplyDeleteAsante sana kwa salaam na pongezi kwa nchi na wananchi wa Tanzania.
Nasi sote tuendelee kuwapiga shule na kuwapa ushauri nasaha wale wote wanaojiandaa au kufikiria kuchoma maandiko matakatifu ya Koran au hata Biblia n.k kwa sababu zozote walizo nazo, maana huo si ukomavu wala uvumilivu wa kuishi na watu wenye imani tofauti nasi.
ugha Mdau anayefikiri Balozi Kiswahili kinapanda, uliza utajibiwa. Balozi wanatumia wafanyakazi wao wanaojua kiswahili na kiingereza. Katika wizara yao ya nchi za nje, kuna watu wanajua lugha zote za dunia. Acha ujinga na Kiswahili akina mpango, kama ni dili nenda nacho china kama utaelewana na watu. Kiingereza peke yake ni dili duniani, Nyerere kakuchuzeni alipoacha kufundisha kiingereza shule za serikali, sasa Wakenya wanakula dili kilaini.
ReplyDeleteMtu mwenye akili lazima akubali maneno ya busara kama hayo ya muheshimiwa hapo juu..lakini kama utakuwa mpumbavu na kufuata makundi fulani kasema hivi hivyo hawa wabaya basi utakuwa wa makundi tuu..nimekubali maneno ya mkulu na wote wenye akili watayakubali..Eid Mubarak!
ReplyDeleteWamarekani wanasema tu kuhusu Freedom. Angalia jinsi wanavyopiga kelele kuhusu kujengwa msikiti kule manhattan, NY. Na sasa kule Florida Pastor Rerry Jones ametangaza kuchoma Quran on 09/11/2010.
ReplyDeleteDollarman
Anon wa Wed Sep 08, 10:24:00 PM,
ReplyDeleteUSA na UK ndo mataifa pekee duniani yaliokabili ubaguzi katika katiba zao kuliko mengine duniani.
Mtu alioko USA akibaguliwa basi aliyembagua utakuta ni mhamiaji mwenye asili ya kichina, kihindi, cheusi(mzawa wa afrika) au kiarabu, n.k.
Kama nsivyotarajia mwizi kuungama kosa mahakamani, sitarajii mtuhumiwa wa ubaguzi kukiri kubagua. Natarajia atajitetea au kurudisha mashambulizi na lawama.
Badala ya kujitetea au kushambulia, mtuhumiwa wa kosa lolote hutakiwa kudai ushahidi. Na ushahidi hautakiwi uletwe kama hamna hakimu.
Ubaguzi ni kazi kuushuhudia lakini ikiwa watu wenye asili moja huonekana haraka la sivyo kutakuwa na ubaguzi zaidi ya mmoja. mfano.
1. Mchina asiye na dini anaweza kumbagua mweusi kwa rangi na dini. Mweusi pia aweza kumtendea mchina ubaguzi.
2. Mweusi (au waasia) watokao nchi na kabila moja na utajiri sawa, msingi wa ubaguzi unaweza kujionyesha kati yao.
3. Watu husema mtu abaguliwaye zaidi (highest degree) ni mwanamke, mweusi, maskini, asiyesoma, na mfuasi wa dini dhalili.
Mr Dollarman,
ReplyDeleteI loved your comment, as it reflects the picture that is being viewed outside US by many regular people.
In defence to majority of American people...Pastor Terry Jones represents only a very small number of people. This is a leader of a small church in the middle of nowhere with only 50 followers.
Of course there are hundreds accross the country, and the world who have the same animosity toward the religion of islam but even Pat Robertson whom I think is an extremist christian criticised Terry Jones.
The issue in NY, lower Manhattan is more political than anything...fuelled by some high ranking republicans and championed by Fox News.
Speaking as a muslim, who lived in NY 1999 to 2005, I have to admit that what's going on is very hurtful to me, and i think to all muslims. We are the "THEY", that includes American born muslims, immigrant muslims, white muslims...it doesn't matter.
However, I empathise with the family members of 911 victims also, who evidently think the religion of Islam had something to do with the attacks. Their feelings are understandable.
The truth is nobody questions the right to build the center, the muslims have constitutional right. But the whole issue is sensitive to both sides. Whatever is going to happen is going to hurt one side. If the construction procceeds...some people will feel as if their voices didn't matter, if it doesn't some muslims will feel like they're hated for the crime they didn't commited.
I look at the issue like this....suppose there happens to be a YMCA club in a predominantly white neighborhood, and there have been an incident of gang-rapes. 3 white girls have been gangraped by black boys, then there's a new neighbor who happens to be a black family with several teenage boys.
Naturally the situation is going to be unease, the victims and their families will have fear, and you can't blame them for what they feel. At the same time, what about these good god fearing new neighbors? should they be kicked out...why should they be punished for the sins of other people?.
What would you do...if you were on either side?.
I think the worst of what is happening is that ignorance and hate is taking over, instead of compassion and understanding, and that is dangerous!.
The opposers protest by walking with banners that say hateful things about islam and muslims. Banners like..."NO HONOR KILLING", "NO SHARIA", " WOMEN OPPRESSION" or "SAY NO TO TERROR"
That shows that, that is what 71% of Americans think about Islam, and that is scary. The Extremists have more power and influence to America than true followers of Islam.
I think muslims have obligation to practice the religion the right way, and not to allow the extremists to take over. What we need to do?....BE good muslim, follow the morals of islam. Check your heart, get rid of that anger, greed, envy, and all the negativities in the heart....and let Love, peace, modesty,mercy flow in. It will show...and it is undeniably attractive to anybody.
One dear lesson is...if you try hard to change peolpe for the better, you will be disappointed. Because you can only give what you have.
Be the change you want in others
and see how they change.
What am I talking about? LOL