We, citizens of the World, friends and family of Philip Frank Young and supporters of peaceful solutions in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, support the following letter of Dr. Thinus Coetzee PhD; D.C.Ed. to the President of the Islamic Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Hamid Karzai:

7 June 2010

His Excellency President Hamid Karzai
President of Afghanistan
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan
c/o Nazer Husain Rahimi
Special Secretary to the President

By email: [email protected]


Your Excellency,

PHILIP FRANK YOUNG

Assalaamu 'alaykum ya Amir ul Momineen.

It is with great joy that I have been following your efforts to secure peace in the Republic of Afghanistan. May Allah be merciful and see your efforts and restore peace between the citizens of the Republic of Afghanistan.

Excellency, your efforts to now secure peace in the Republic of Afghanistan brings me back to the time of the Holy Prophets (Salallaho Alaihi Wasallam) entry into Makkah.

None could have been more anxious to avoid bloodshed than Muhammad Sallallahoo Alyhe Wassallam. He, therefore, proclaimed amnesty to the people who had persecuted and tortured him and his followers and had even made several attempts on his life.

But he is the Rahmat-ull-lil Aalameen. The Blessing unto the worlds, and even his deadliest enemies were to be forgiven. It is his qualities that even today make him the mercy to everyone.

"There shall be no retaliation against you this day," he declared then. He asked Aboo Suffyaan, once his arch enemy to proclaim: "He who takes refuge in the house of Aboo Sufyaan is safe: whoso closes the door of his house, the inmates thereof shall be in safety, and he who enters the Sacred Mosque of the Ka-'abah is safe."

It was in this spirit of clemency that the Holy Prophet Salallaho Alaihi Wasallam was to enter the city of Makkah.

Excellency, mercy is clemency and forbearance; mercy is the disposition to forgive or show compassion; mercy means a favor or a blessing; mercy further denotes the qualities of kindness, sympathy, generosity, and beneficence.

Suffice is to say that all of these qualities were present in abundance in the character of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah have his peace and blessings on him).

In addressing the people of Quraish on that noble and blessed day, he said:
"O you people of Quraish what do you, think of the treatment that I am about to accord to you?"

They replied:

"O noble brother and son of a noble brother we expect nothing but kindness from you".

Upon this he said:

"I speak to you in the same words as Joseph spoke unto his brothers:
"This day, there is no reproof against you". Go your way, for you are freed ones".

It is in the spirit of such mercy and kindness that I petition you, in the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful and on behalf of the family of Philip Frank Young and on behalf of many of his friends and supporters, that executive clemency be granted to him and that he be freed to be reunited with his family in South Africa.

Such an act would be similar than that granted by the Holy Prophet Salallaho Alaihi Wasallam, through which you would be displaying his character and qualities, for which you would be known for generations to come.

Fee Iman Allah,

Dr. Thinus Coetzee PhD; D.C.Ed
Provost Professor