President Muizzu calls for resolve to reclaim Maldivians' dignified past through respect

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that the resolve every person makes should be the resolve to reclaim the dignity, security and happiness of our forefathers' past. He made the remarks tonight after inaugurating the "National Project to Pay Respect," which is being carried out at the national level. Speaking at the event, the President said Almighty Allah created mankind as the noblest of creations, and that this must be reflected in mankind's deeds. He said one of the most prominent signs found in a good person is the quality of paying respect. The President said that at one time Maldivians possessed the quality of paying respect. He recalled that on ordinary islands, when official figures such as the Katheeb walked along a road, a person sitting and sweeping rubbish moved aside, and students studying did not fail to make way. He said importance was given in the past to matters such as being mindful of time. Noting that the basis of Maldivians enduring long in qualities such as paying respect is the noble religion of Islam, the President said Islam is the true origin of all beautiful things. "The Book of that noble religion, the Holy Quran, which is the word of Almighty Allah, gives us many lessons in paying respect," the President said. Referring to the Holy Quran and the Hadith sayings of the Holy Prophet, the President noted that he showed many examples of paying respect to the Ummah. He said that while the Maldives is a one hundred percent Islamic nation, Maldivians must be a people who pay respect to one another, and who protect one another's blood, property and honour. "The spirit of our Islamicness and Maldivianness is paying respect and honouring one another; this must always be remembered, attention must be given to not doing anything that would bring even the slightest diminution to one another's honour and dignity, and resolve must be made to stay far from acts such as humiliating people, insulting and mocking them, calling them disliked names and belittling them, and to not come near the bad act of backbiting and spreading slander," the President said. The President said that if relations are maintained in that manner, this country will become a civilised society loved by Almighty Allah. He also said that if the community is cleansed of qualities such as oppressing one another and lying, the Maldivian community will become an exemplary society that pays respect. The President said that paying respect increases closeness to the heart and brings security to society. He noted that respect must be shown to the environment in which the community lives and to the places surrounding it, that the respect shown to the community's families and close relatives must be maintained, and that respect must be shown also for the sake of the nation's peace and harmony. "Tonight, the resolve every one of us makes is this: the resolve to reclaim the happiness of our forefathers' dignified, secure past; this is the reformative change every one of us brings to our own selves; the change of reforming our conduct and relations in accordance with the lofty standards and beautiful examples of the religion of Islam, and thereby making this community into a civilised society that has developed in that manner," the President said.