‘Shape morals, preach unity’

• Samia lays foundation stone for country’s largest mosque

MOROGORO: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has underscored the crucial role of religion in building a society grounded in morality, unity, love, peace and solidarity.

The Head of State made the remarks yesterday during the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the Al Ghaith Mosque in Morogoro, which once completed, will be the largest in Tanzania.

Dr Samia stressed that communities founded on religious values enjoy peace and security, while those lacking such values often experience chaos and moral decay.

“A society embracing religious values lives in peace and security but a society without religious values is chaotic and lacks morals,” President Samia said. She also urged women to take an active role in raising their children and ensure they receive religious teachings.

“Women should not leave the responsibility of raising children to men alone. It is essential to dedicate time to ensure our children are taught their religious values,” she added.

In her speech, President Samia underscored the need for establishment of more madrassas to impart religious teachings and moral guidance to Muslims, helping them strengthen their faith and worship the Almighty.

The president also commended the Islamic Foundation for its significant contributions to the development of various sectors including health, education and water.

“Restoring health, providing education and ensuring access to clean water are vital for human well-being,” she said.

President Samia further commended the Islamic Foundation for its role in building the Al Ghaith Mosque, which will be the largest mosque in the country.

ALSO READ: Samia reiterates education reforms

She also acknowledged the support of the Dar Al Ber Society (DABS) of Dubai for their contributions to the mosque’s construction.

The foundation has also been instrumental in caring for orphans, both in specialised homes and in the community and has played a significant role in disaster relief efforts across the country.

The Islamic Foundation has built over 1,000 mosques and madrassas, educating more than 80,000 students nationwide. The president pledged to collaborate with the foundation to establish a college for training madrassa teachers, ensuring that religious education in the country continues to be of high quality.

President Samia also urged the foundation and the community to maintain the mosque once it is completed and encouraged the organisation to continue its charitable work and be a unifying force for the Muslim community.

President Samia has frequently been calling upon religious leaders to preach peace, unity and solidarity and should not be swayed by people with evil feelings for the nation.

President Samia also counselled the faith leaders to continue instilling good morals to the community, especially the youth, saying this will significantly help to tackle the challenge of moral decay in the country.

Last year, during the launch of Anglican’s Diocese of Central Tanganyika (DCT) investment building in Dodoma, Dr Samia underlined the faith leaders’ role in shaping the society.

The facility christened ‘Safina House’ situated at the heart of the city centre, was constructed at a cost of 8.4bn/-. She commended the religious organisations’ commitment in supporting the government’s efforts in improving social service provision in the country, especially in the areas of health, education, agriculture and water sectors.