In a gathering scene, hundreds of worshippers flocked to the Al-Salam Mosque in Qira, in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, to participate in Friday prayers led for the first time by the famous Islamic preacher Sheikh Tawfiq Al-Saigh, who is visiting the country for the second time. He delivered a sermon that contained the bright history of Muslims in the land of Abyssinia and their present, which is hopeful for the revival of that ancient Islamic heritage in the region that welcomed the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, at the beginning of the call to Islam.
Official and Public Attendance
The participation of Sheikh Al-Saigh and his leading of the Friday prayers witnessed a public and official attendance, including Sheikh Ibrahim Tofa, the head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Ethiopia, the head of the Supreme Council for the administration of Addis Ababa, Sheikh Muhammad Sultan, Abu Bakr Ahmed, advisor to the head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and Sheikh Bas Nour, one of the prominent youth leaders in Ethiopia, along with a group of scholars, imams, and sheikhs.
Defending Islam and Muslims
Sheikh Tawfiq Al-Saigh is Eritrean, having lived and completed his studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before moving to Bahrain, where he actively participates in the defense of Islam and Muslims. Additionally, he has participated in several missionary meetings outside the Kingdom in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States of America, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, and France.
Seeds of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
Sheikh Al-Saigh opened his sermon with prophetic snippets and glimpses of the history of the migration of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to the land of Abyssinia, citing the seeds of truth, goodness, and beauty that the Islamic message carried. He pointed out that what Ethiopia is experiencing today in terms of Islamic expansion and the increasing number of Muslims in its regions, valleys, and cities, is all due to the blessings of that righteous group of the Prophet's companions, peace be upon him, and the blessed planting that has today yielded millions of Muslims throughout the country.
Praise for What Abyssinia Provided to Islam
Sheikh Al-Saigh spoke highly of what Abyssinia provided to Islam and Muslims and the Islamic call during the time of the Negus, as well as the current openness and restoration of rights for Muslims in Ethiopia.
After the Friday prayers, Ethiopian youth leader Abu Bakr Ahmed spoke, welcoming Sheikh Al-Saigh and praising his reputation as one of the most influential Islamic figures from the Horn of Africa. He affirmed Al-Saigh's pioneering role in the call to Islam and the promotion of religious values, expressing Ethiopia's and its people's warm welcome for his presence.
Sheikh Sultan, the head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Addis Ababa, delivered a speech full of love and joy for Sheikh Al-Saigh's visit, reviewing the situation of Muslims and the current challenges they face. He emphasized the importance of collective work to achieve solidarity and mutual support within the Ethiopian Muslim community and the necessity of coordinating efforts among them and all Muslims worldwide, especially in the Arab countries and the Horn of Africa.
