KUALA LUMPUR - The brotherhood and unity among Muslims will always be tested by seeds of division and conflict, says the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.
His Royal Highness said slander and the sowing of hatred were now increasingly influencing the thinking and stance of the ummah, and in this regard, Muslims must choose to look at their commonalities to be able to build the unity of the ummah.
"Unity is something that must be prioritised and embraced by Muslims, because Islam is a religion that emphasises peace and reconciliation.
"Muslims are brothers based on a spiritual bond that should play a role in strengthening love, mutual respect and being polite to others," he said.
Sultan Nazrin was speaking at the closing and prize-giving ceremony of the 63rd Malaysian International al-Quran Recitation and Memorisation Assembly at the World Trade Centre (WTC) here tonight.
Meanwhile, the Sultan said that a strong society was built upon strong unity, and therefore, Islam highly encouraged and inculcated the trait through worship practices such as congregational prayers, Friday prayers, and the recitation of the Quran in the mosque.
"Similarly, this is also the philosophy behind zakat (tithe), almsgiving, ‘wakaf’ (endowment) and hajj, as well as the demand to perform various ‘fardu kifayah’ (communal responsibilities)," he added. - BERNAMA