CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR: A Comprehensive Prayer

Christmas and the New Year are on the way. These important events desire comprehensive prayers. The advent of Facebook,LinkedIn, Wayn and many other networks are beginning to strengthen our family links in the fight for justice around the world. In these networks, we happen to discuss issues around the PEST (political, economic, social and technology) ambience. The power of the network had made us to realise transformations in the Middle East and other parts of the world. It had expedited our on-going search for long-time friends, promoted pre-marriage relationship, led to marriages and learning (thanks to AmmaFosuah Poku for her historical click). Psalm 133 says that, ``how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity’’. My prayers for the Christmas and New Year would revolve around our network members, Africa and other continents, and closing prayers (extracts from the Holy Quran).  These powerful SURAS (scriptures) are recited every day as my routine prayers. It is my utmost delight to share these scriptures with my network friends. We may all belong to different religion or some may even be atheist, but we are living in a global environment where we need to share the worthy with mankind (I pray that those whose lives are ingrained in self-centredness be saved from such deed). I happen to voluntarily visit and having scriptures from the Church, Mosque, Krishna Temple and all spiritual houses. On reading the scriptures of the different faiths, I became cognisance of the fact that, all are centred on peace.  In my country of birth, Sierra Leone, we all celebrate Christmas and Ramadan and there are strong traits of religious tolerance.  We are living in a world where we are faced with increasing level of fanatics. The days of such confinement are over and it is fitting that we collectively promote harmony and sustainable peace in the world.

Network Members

Learning:

In the network, there are those that may be learning from the process and as the saying goes, learning is a continuous process. I pray that God empowers those sharing their knowledge with permanent wisdom and courage.  Since their services to humanity are invaluable, I pray that God provide the indirect reward for your services to mankind.  For those that are beneficiaries, I pray that Allah open your minds in order to digest fully what is been shared.

Relationship:

The joining of the network may be for varying reasons. It may be seeking for a partner or to rekindle a long lost relationship or to share the pool of knowledge. For those in the family web seeking for a partner, I pray that the Supreme Being assist them in finding an honest relationship and may He ordain many marriages, and ensure that the unity becomes permanent. There are lost friends that are yet to find and I pray that those friends be inspired to join the network, so that they can easily be found in order to continue the friendly chain.  I pray that the mutual benefits derived from the pool of knowledge are sustainable and may God confer on us a high degree of understanding and cooperation.

Africa and Other continents

Political:

Africa and other continents are going through serious political turmoil.  In Sierra Leone, there is a spate of political intolerance and one of the reasons is the linking of the main tribes (Temne and Mende) with the All Peoples’ Congress (APC) and Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP).  For the two main tribes, I pray that they shed-off their tribal obsessions and work as a united family in ensuring a peaceful and happy Sierra Leone for all.  We had recently experienced a revolution in the Middle East and I pray that the lord God lead them to peaceful transition. Tribal fanaticism may be evident in other areas of the continents; I pray that God promotes tribal and political compromise. For developed nations like the United Kingdom and Ireland, United States of America, those not mentioned, I pray that they continue their political support to thriving nations and provide a brotherly atmosphere in the global political environment.  As political tolerance is a norm for these developed nations, I pray for a sustainability of their precedent and oh God help Africa and other continents to follow the trend.

Economic:

All continents in the world are faced with the challenges of unemployment, inflation and poverty. These economic problems are highly prevalent in developing or emerging nations in Africa and part of Asia. I pray that those highly affected continents work very hard to minimise these economic problems. There are problems with economic integrations like Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), European Union (EU) and many more. Few ECOWAS countries wanted to have a monetary union called`` ECO’’ and this had not yet been implemented due to problems with the convergence criteria.  I pray that our Lord enable them to achieve these criteria for the benefit of their people. The EU is in a financial meltdown and gradually losing its grip. I pray that God provide them the needed tools to stabilise the situation.

Social:

Our continents are going through intensive social problems like pollution, civil unrest and unfair distribution of wealth. The world is experiencing high level of pollution and this is making mankind to be vulnerable to high health risk. Recently, the United Kingdom was faced with national disorder sparked by the Tottenham saga and series of strikes actions by unions for unfair policies. Sierra Leone experienced a civil unrest in Bo and Kono. The Middle East had a social detonation (angry outburst) this year and there is an on-going unrest in Syria. I pray that the issue of global intensive pollution be solved and those who may have suffered as a result of this circumstance be healed. Oh God touch the hearts of the perpetrators of injustice and transform their lives to the position of fair play.  I pray that Allah provides the milieu for resilience and understanding, and promote a peaceful world for mankind. I pray that Jehovah confers on researchers wisdom and courage, and ensure that findings from their investigations are implemented for the benefit of all. For emerging countries that are not much supportive of researches, I pray the Supreme Being inspires the state machinery to promote such relevant innovation.

Closing Prayers: Extract from the Holy Quran

Surat Al-Fatihah (The Opening)

1.  

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the most Merciful.

2.   All praise and thanks are Allah’s, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exist).

3.   The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

4.   The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (that is the Day of Resurrection).

5.   You (Alone) we worship and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).

6.   Guide us to the straight Way.

7.   The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, and Not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger nor of those who went astray.

-Nas (Mankind)

In the Name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful.

1.   Say “We seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,

2.   The King of mankind,

3.   The God of mankind,

4.   From the evil of sneaking whisperer,

5.   Who whispers in the hearts of mankind,

6.   Of jinn and of mankind”.

Ayat Al-Kursi

None has the right to be worshipped but He, the ever living, the one Who sustains and protect all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except His permission? He knows what happens to them in the hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the most High, the Most Great (Verse 2: 255).

Surat Al-Falaq (The Daybreak)

In the name of Allah, the Most beneficent, the Merciful.

1.   Say, ``We seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak,

2.   From the evil of that which He created ,

3.   And from the evil of the darkness when it is in tensed,

4.   And from the evil of the malignant witchcraft,

5.   And from the evil of the envier when he envies.

PRINCE FODAY
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM