“MeraWatan was there when Shah Bandar, the Arabian trader, was the chief tradesman of the Kingdom of Samudiri, the king of Calicut. The flow of petro-dollars gave another dimension to this relationship that was established even during the time of King Solomon. And now in the 21st century, the bond between the sand dunes and the paddy fields takes a new turn in another fashion. The look of the cup may change from time to time. But the drink was always the same. The minarets remain cool under the shade of the coconut trees. And between them blows the Cool Breeze.”
In an award ceremony organized by Association of Indian Muslims for honoring the top scorers of the SSLC (X std) held at Sharjah, the Cultural Capital of Arab World, the Arab scholar Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Razak al Siddiqui (Al Ain University, UAE) spoke of the historical relationship between India and Arab world.
He said that the bond between the two regions was not restricted to trade and commerce alone rather it influenced the social, literary, political and philosophical spheres as well. ‘The Arabian sea is common to both of us’ said the scholar. ‘The communal harmony that I see in this hall is visible in your home country as well. But you should be cautious of those anti-social elements who are trying to destroy this harmony’. Emphasizing on the tolerant nature of Islam, he cited the examples from the life of Holy Prophet in his dealings with the members of other communities like the Jews in Madina.
He also praised the efforts of Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad al Qassimi, the ruler of Sharjah, for his ceaseless efforts to make Sharjah the hub of Arabian heritage.
Also present was Khalifa Saif al Muhairi, the director of Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Sharjah who inaugurated the function.
Dr. Azad Moopen, the chairman of AIM, Dubai also spoke on the need to embrace modern education for the progress of Ummah. Speaking on the backwardness of traditional education, he lamented that despite the Arabic education that a Keralite Muslim receives since age of 4, he/she could not converse in Arabic fluently. ‘However, the recent stride made by the community in modern education gave enough room for optimism’ he said.