Newsletter of the Claremont Main Road Mosque · ‘Id-al Adha Edition - October 2012/1433
Vol.2 No.2
The Obliteration Of Our Muslim Heritage Bashir Sacranie When you go on Hajj, you will be circumambulating the Ka’aba, the first House of Allah, a small stone cube first built by hand by the Prophet Ibrahim (ra) and his son Isma’il (ra), some 3,500 years ago. You will have come, like millions of others, from a distant land, to make an outer as well as an inner journey in the hope that, being in that place, at that time, will bring about a sense of communion with the One and Only. Pause, and imagine that the Ka’aba, which you can now touch, and all the other symbolic sites and structures that you will encounter on your pilgrimage, including the Hajr al-Aswad and the pillars representing the Shaytan that you will pelt, had been obliterated and razed to the ground by someone who considered your act of devotion a form of idolatry, and in its place was a barren, featureless space, tiled over with the most expensive marble that money can buy. Would it offer the same sense of occasion and stir your spirit, or give you the sense that you had performed your pilgrimage? Overlooking you while you circumambulate the Ka’aba will be the recently built, 700 meters tall, Royal Mecca Clock Tower, a monument to the Saudi Royalty and a symbol all-at-once of their absolute dominion over Saudi Arabia (formerly Hijaz), their immeasurable wealth and their dedication and devotion to modernity. The Tower dwarfs the Ka’aba both in size as well as grandness. Whilst you marvel at the magnitude of vision and wealth that inspired this structure and wonder at the mindset of its owners, ask yourself whether this towering monument to power and wealth, and the glittering array of other high-rises that crowd round the Haram, add to your experience and are spiritually uplifting. Ask yourself, also, what must have been bulldozed and subsumed to make way for the five-star hotels, shopping malls and arcades, and consider what you have lost, of the houses of the Prophet (pbuh), his family and companions, and the places and sites where they conducted their struggle, suffered and sought refuge and were laid to rest. Those are gone forever, stripped from our consciousness, and can never be recreated.
For decades now, in the Arabian Peninsula, a systematic and rapacious program has been underway. Much has been destroyed of historical residences, mosques, graveyards and landmarks and what remains is under baleful scrutiny. Some 3000 historical sites have been obliterated. Amongst the remaining few, al-Masjid al-Nabwi and Jabl an-Noor and lovingly constructed extensions and embellishments of Ottoman and Abbasid times are under threat. A juggernaut is savagely sweeping across the environs of mosques in this sacred region and demolishing everything in its path to make way for the most glitzy and glittering structures that so alter the character of Makkah and Madinah that they are reminiscent of luxury-bloated, upmarket tourist resorts of the likes of Las Vegas.
“Today in the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah there is little to remind future generations of the legacy of Islam.” What has been happening in the Hijaz over the last several decades echoes the inconstancy and deeply rooted ignorance, greed and bigotry that the Prophet (pbuh) encountered in the Bedouin tribes. More significantly for us, it began in the 19th Century when Wahabism made a pact with the tribe of Saud. It unleashed what can only be described as a visceral hatred and ever since then the heritage and institutions of Islam have been under threat. Today in the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah there is little to remind future generations of the legacy of Islam. The ancient ziyarah places have all gone. As Shafiq Morton (October 2011) points out, the places where the Prophet (pbuh) and his noble Companions lived, prayed, fought battles, drank from wells and witnessed miracles to found one of the world’s greatest civilisations, are blessed historical footprints that have been swept away forever, and we are all the poorer for it. In a well-known hadith, recorded in the collection of Imam Muslim, the Prophet
Editorial The months of Hajj this year coincided with our celebrations of Heritage Day on 24 September 2012. This edition of Al-Mizan thus leads with an article by Bashir Sacranie that provides a sobering reflection on the ongoing destruction of Islamic heritage sites in the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah. Today our hujjaj are denied the opportunity to visit many ziyarah places that have been destroyed over the years with very little left to remind future generations of the great legacy of Islam. In keeping with celebrations of our heritage, we have also included an extract from Hoosain Ebrahim’s book that provides a glimpse of the many challenges that the first hujjaj from the shores of Cape Town experienced in the 19th century. Last month also saw the Muslim world thrown into turmoil by the release of a vile and offensive antiIslam video on YouTube. Imam Rashied Omar reflects on the lessons we can learn from the many protests that followed.
Once again we report on a range of masjid and madrasa activities and can look on positively at the gains we are making in our ongoing Jihad Against Poverty and Social Justice Programmes. We wish you all ‘Id Sa’id Wa Mubarak
We pray that Allah grants all the hujjaj a Hajj Mabrur, Insha-Allah
CMRM Established 1854 (pbuh) is reported to have said: ‘The signs of the Hour (End-times) will be that Bedouin shepherds will vie with each other in building the tallest buildings”. These towers and gargantuan edifices that are hastily erected over what should be lovingly preserved and tended… whom do they glorify? Are we currently witnessing the ‘signs of the Hour’ in the obliteration of our sacred Muslim heritage, justified through ‘fears of idolatory’ and ‘in the name of modernisation’?
40-42 Main Road, Claremont, 7708 • 021 683 8384 • www.cmrm.co.za
Chairperson’s Message Yusuf (Jowa) Abrahams Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatullah t to you on the activities of It is once again an honour for me to repor d has had one meeting and the Board over the last three months. Boar occasions. three on the Executive Committee has met leadership of our ViceSince Ramadan the Board under the orted by Nazeem Moses, supp ably and s Chairperson, Achmat Peter id backyard and covered has overseen the cleaning up of the masj much needed storage for it with a roof. We hope to use this area task team to revamp the ng leadi be space. In addition, Achmat will rate madrasa office. Our the upstairs offices to make space for a sepa is doing great work with thanks and gratitude to Achmat Peters who id. repairs and maintenance at the masj of absence to visit his The caretaker, Abu Bakr, has taken a leave during his absence lities nsibi respo aking family in Malawi. The caret Yusuf (Somali). will be undertaken by our previous caretaker, st the Board Executive After the general meeting on 12 Augu ent Committee to plan Committee met with the Madrasa Managem rasa relationship. The Mad id/ Masj the way forward in respect of the Team to review the Task a int appo to d Joint Committee then agree findings to the Annual Madrasa/Masjid relationship and report their h. General Meeting in March 2013 Insha-Alla r the direction of Khadeeja The establishment of the Masjid Trust unde still investigating masjid also is She Bassier is still a work in progress. sustainability of the term longthe re ensu to investment options red and remains explo masjid. Future fundraising efforts is also being on our agenda. Social Justice and Jihad The Masjid continues with its excellent ied, Mariam Baderoon, Rash Imam es. Against Poverty programm rheading many of these Najwa-Norodien Fataar and others are spea many volunteers and the initiatives on an ongoing basis. Thanks to ment a robust social imple to able generous donations, we have been justice programme. Jaamia Galant, continue Our weekly e-mails sent out by our secretary, thanks to our treasurer, to be an effective form of communication and cial administration. finan ent Wasiela Agherdien, for her able and effici for their sterling eed Shah Imam and ied Our thanks also to Imam Rash lusion, I want to thank all work and leadership at the masjid. In conc regation for the excellent Board members and members of the cong er our best. deliv we re ensu support they provide us so as to be filled with peace and ‘Id Mubarak to you all! May your year Allah. Insha h healt good prosperity. May you enjoy
Imam’s Message Imam Dr. A. Rashied Omar The Claremont Main Road Masjid (CMRM) has an established reputation of critically reflecting on and engaging with issues that affect us as Muslim citizens, locally and globally. Since Ramadan 2012, we have been challenged to step up our role as socially responsive leaders and provide a critical, yet progressive voice for Muslims in the broader South African society. On 22 August I chaired the launch of the WCRLF’s anti-corruption campaign in Khayelitsha and on 1 October, I formed part of an intervention by the Social Justice Coalition which prompted Cape Town Mayor, Patricia De Lille, to initiate a renewed process to deliver an effective janitorial service to improve sanitation conditions in Khayelitsha’s informal settlements. Both of these initiatives have been positive and we will hear much more about them in the months to come. In September, we were challenged to provide a credible Muslim voice to provide a context for understanding the violent protests against the anti-Islam YouTube video in some Muslim majority countries. CMRM’s media statements condemning the violence were widely published in the mainstream media. In its statement condemning the killing of four South Africans in Afghanistan the CMRM statement said the tragedy highlighted the need for US and Nato forces to “immediately cease its illegitimate war in Afghanistan”. All of this media publicity led to comical debate on IOL by a commenter who questioned whether CMRM is located in the Main Road? In the post-Ramadan 2012 flurry of initiatives and statements I became acutely aware of the complexity of dealing with the media and of the vulnerability of my role as Imam. I have resolved to be more proactive in drawing more effectively on the rich expertise within our congregation. In the near future I am looking towards formalizing this support role for the Imamat and would like to call upon members of the CMRM congregation to volunteer their services in this vital area of CMRM’s leadership role. We also welcome any constructive feedback on how we could improve our leadership roles. CMRM’s growing social justice campaigns is being well supported by the Jihad Against Poverty programmes which is now expanding from food relief, and khutbah sharing to literacy training. It is most inspiring to witness the increasing numbers of congregants who are volunteering their time and resources in support of these programmes. It has once again been a privilege to lead such a progressive and caring congregation. I thank the CMRM Board of Governors for their unstinting support for our progressive leadership role in the broader community. We give thanks for the congregants of CMRM for their commitment to a socially responsive vision of Islam and for their love, compassion, and affection for each other. I wish our hujjaj an accepted and blessed Hajj mabrur and wish you all a joyous `Id Mubarak!
2
‘Arafah: Knowing Allah Through Knowledge Of The Self Imam Shaheed Gamieldien
When you depart from ‘Arafat glorify and remember Allah at the sacred sanctuary (Q2:198)
Once again our pilgrims (hujjaj) have made their wuquf (pausing and standing) at the sacred plains of `Arafat* in one of the most important rites of the hajj. For the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has taught us that hajj is `Arafah*. Meaning that, the essence of hajj is encapsulated in this great moment of spiritual connection between the individual pilgrim and his/her Creator, Allah. It behooves us, therefore, to constantly reflect ever deeper on the meaning and great significance of `Arafah. Almighty Allah declares in the Qur’an in surah al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, verse 198:
When you depart from ‘Arafat glorify and remember Allah at the sacred sanctuary (in Muzdalifah) (Q2:198)
Reflecting on this verse one comes to the understanding that there is a direct link between `Arafat and the glorification and remembrance of Allah. However, one cannot glorify and remember Allah without having some understanding of the meaning of `Arafat. The word ‘Arafat’ is derived from the Arabic root word ‘a ra fa, which means to know, to conceive, or to have knowledge. By standing on the plain of ‘Arafat the pilgrim acknowledges that s/he has and is making a concerted effort to understand him/herself. This quest to understand the self is undertaken by the pilgrim to the best of his/her ability. Such a quest is reflected in a saying often used by sufi masters: “Man ‘Arafa Nafsahu Faqad ‘Arafa Rabbahu” Whosoever knows him or herself knows Allah. Allah has given us the gift of intelligence and a capacity to reason (`aql) so that we may live a life of sincere devotion based on the knowledge of ourselves and others. In pursuit of knowing the self, on `Arafat we only have one object in mind, which is to acknowledge our own weaknesses and to ask Allah to help us to improve ourselves. This objective can however only be achieved if we commit not to be driven by our own whims and fancies but to submit to the divine guidance of Allah, our Creator. On `Arafat our disposition is introspective and we freely acknowledge our sins. By acknowledging our sins we admit that we have erred, creating the possibility of transforming ourselves and establishing the foundation on which we can base our future spiritual development. `Arafat thus represents a space for us to strive to heal our souls by improving our actions and character. On `Arafat we are expected to reveal our true selves concerning matters that are most dear to us and we should be willing to reveal our inner secrets; but we do so with the full assurance and understanding that Allah, the Most Merciful, is Present and Oft-Forgiving. Wuquf al-‘Arafah is a time during which we are in direct and also in private communion with our creator Allah, the Most Merciful. But `Arafah is also a time for forgiveness of sins. Even if someone has committed the most heinous crime, we should truly believe that Allah, the Oft-Forgiving, can pardon us on condition that we acknowledge our sins and weaknesses. On `Arafat we ask Allah, the Acceptor of all-prayers to guide us to surge higher in our own physical, and spiritual development. In the Qur’an (Q10:45) Allah, the Sublime, also informs us that the pausing and standing at `Arafat symbolically represents the Day of Judgment. Therefore standing on the plain of ‘Arafat is an acknowledgement that ultimately everything will perish and your final destination is the hereafter, where you will be accountable to Allah for all your deeds on earth. So ‘Arafah is a re-affirmation of the pilgrim’s belief and commitment to accountability in the hereafter. We acknowledge that this worldy life is only the beginning of a long spiritual journey towards the hereafter and that is why we glorify and remember Allah in our labbayk (Here I am Oh Allah, at your service). We also glorify and remember Allah in our takbir (Allah is Greater Than). And we remember Allah in our silence. ‘Arafah then is a journey in the quest of knowing Allah through knowledge of the self. * ‘Arafat - Refers to the place * ‘Arafah - Refers to a particular time
3
MASJID A Challenges Facing Muslim Families in the Twenty First Century After Ramadan, Imam Rashied Omar coordinated an eight week course on Challenges Facing Muslim Families in the Twenty First Century, presented weekly at the Daroel Ielm Institute in Salt River. The aim of the course was to encourage students to strive to uphold Islamic ethical standards of social and gender justice within our family environments. The course was privileged to get inputs from a number of excellent guest speakers. Dr Naeema Abrahams, from the Medical Research Council, spoke about the Rights of Children and shared some sobering statistics on sexual violence against children and substance abuse by children in SA. Elizabeth Petersen, from the South African Faith and Family Institute, shared her experiences of counselling men and women caught up in vicious cycles of domestic violence and abuse. Showkat Alie Mukadam, from Legacy Fiduciary Services and Estate
Planning, advised that we should use the option of wasiya (legacies and bequests) wisely when we draw up wills to ensure social justice for family members, especially mothers, daughters, grandparents and adopted children. Other topics on the course included the Purposes of Marriage, Challenges of Parenthood and Laws of Divorce and Gender Justice. In the final session of the course, Waheeda Amien, from UCT’s Law School, gave us an update on Muslim Personal Law and the Current State of Legislation. The course was very well attended by between 65-100 people per session, and included many CMRM members. We hope Insha-Allah to continue to use the Daroel Ielm Institute for some of our adult education programmes.
Anwar Bardien I think the idea of getting in guest speakers to do some of the presentations may not have gone off well with some of the students but I regard this break away from the norm as brilliant.
Nadia Agherdine I liked that guest speakers were brought in. They brought real situations to light and the difficult and uncomfortable issues we find hard to face, like drug addiction and abuse. I appreciate all the time and research that has gone into each lecture and how easy the notes are to read and refer back to.
JIHAD AGAINST POVERTY Community Literacy Facilitators Workshop One of the goals in our Jihad Against Poverty campaign is to empower those in marginalized communities through education. Our recently launched Community Literacy Initiative provides the opportunity to achieve this goal. On Saturday, 13 October 2012 CMRM hosted its first Community Literacy Facilitators Workshop at Erin Hall in Rondebosch. Three PRAESA facilitators took 29 participants through a typical reading club experience. They introduced a very eager group to various songs and games before working through strategies for storytelling. The idea was to show how stories can be used as a bridge to literacy. Sessions were highly interactive and were enjoyed by all. We were particularly excited about the positive response from Dunoon participants and look forward to starting the first reading club there in early January, Insha-Allah. Projects like this not only provide us with an opportunity to contribute positively to disadvantaged communities, but also opens up the potential to break down race and class barriers. Anyone interested in becoming more involved in this initiative may contact: Mariam Baderoon: mariam@cmrm.co.za Najwa Norodien-Fataar: norodien-fataarn@cput.ac.za
4
ACTIVITIES Zuhr Prayers At CMRM
Amien Chikte
The daily zuhr salah is one of the most regular activities at the CMRM and is patronized by well over 50 musallis during weekdays. During Ramadan this number swells to well over 100. CMRM offers a tranquil space within the middle of the Claremont CBD for praying zuhr in jama’at. During the past three years Imam Shaheed and Imam Rashied have been alternating to lead the zuhr prayers. Since Ramadan 2011, Imam Rashied has also been giving short 3 minute talks after zuhr salah which has been well received. There are a few women who also regularly attend the zuhr salah, who pray upstairs. We would like to encourage more women to attend these prayers and feel welcome to also pray downstairs in the women section. The presence of our Imamat and members has assisted in bringing this vital daily masjid activity in line with CMRM’s vision and mission.
I live in Athlone but work in Claremont. The ambience is great and I find the post zuhr talks and jumu`ah lectures constructive and instructive.
Ridwan Adams Razien Mallick
Aby Kane I am originally from Senegal. I live in Wynberg and work in Claremont. I prefer CMRM over Stegman Road for zuhr because the congregation is bigger but prefer to go to jumu`ah at Stegman Road because the congregation is bigger over there. I believe the bigger the congregation the more blessings the musalli receives.
I work opposite the masjid and have been attending zuhr prayers at CMRM for the past 14 years. It is a positive development that the masjid Imams now come to lead the zuhr salah. I particularly like the post zuhr talks, they are “kort en kragtig” and it stays with you.
I find the post zuhr talks useful and look forward to them. I used to attend jumu`ah service at Stegman Road but since 2010 I prefer attending jumu`ah at CMRM because there is a greater variety of speakers and you end earlier.
5
MADRASSA MATRIC GRADUATION A Trip Down Memory Lane M. Toufeeq Adonis* On Saturday 13 October 2012, the Claremont Main Road Mosque Saturday Morning Madrasa hosted a graduation ceremony for the Matric Class of 2012. The Class of 2012 has bonded not only as a class but also as a family over the past couple of years. Our story started in grade 7 where the majority of our class first met. Many friendships were made but in different groups. We will remember that year as mualim Ameen always had a history story to tell relating to the Islamic date of that particular Saturday. The first major bonding steps we took were in mualimah Abeedah’s class in Grade 8. That was the first time boys and girls started to communicate. That year’s focus was mainly Islamic Studies. We had learnt out of the Ar-Risaalah al-Mufeedah. All the lessons we covered were practical and had to do with life and what we will encounter in the future. Mualimah made us practice with models while talking through certain rituals. This is truly a year that we will remember. Grade 9 was a year of bonding, relaxing and learning. We learned about our background and how Islam found its way to the Cape and then spread all over South Africa. We learned how the slaves were forcefully brought to the Cape and were imprisoned, struggled to uplift Islam and because of theses saints we are Muslim and can practice Islam freely today. We toured the Bo-Kaap, went to the museum, the Tuan Guru Karamat as well as the Owwal Masjid. These are stories we will teach our children one day Insha-Allah. Grade 10 we were fortunate to have mualimah Abeedah once again. That year mualimah’s focus was hifz and Arabic to prepare us for the years that follow. Mualimah’s aim was to prepare us for the advanced hifz class. Mualimah succeeded with three students. We will forever be grateful to her as well as mualim Jihad and Imam Rashied. Mualimah was not only our teacher but also our friend and it is sad to say goodbye. In grade 11 with mualim Yunus the focus was on Arabic and on the odd occasion he gave us an Islamic Studies lesson. For the month of Ramadan mualim divided us into three groups, each group was to make a pot of soup and we delivered it to the children’s orphanage in Langa. Mualim did his best to prepare us for the year that followed. Our last year at madrasa was filled with hard work. Our class now only consists of six pupils. Five began the year taking Arabic as an eighth school subject but only four remained to the end. Mualimah Nadia did her best to prepare us for the final upcoming examination. We will do our utmost to show that all mualimah’s hard work pays off. One of the highlights of our year was our external Arabic moderation at Al-Azhar high school in Athlone. The moderator was impressed at our ability to speak Arabic. Well done to the Class of 2012. Leading up to our valedictory (farewell) we made jokes, saying we would not to cry, but as soon as Widaad Isaacs quoted the proverb “show me who your friends are and I’ll show you who you are” , tears were in our eyes. As Widaad said, if one looks at one of us, one will see our friends that we have made and bonded with over the past couple of years. Wishing all matrics of 2012 good luck for the final examinations. On behalf of the Arabic students of the Class of 2012 we want to say shukran to all at the madrasa for their effort and help over the years. *M.Toufeeq is a Grade 12 student at Edgemead High.
6
The First Hujjaj From The Cape bread and biscuits. When all these were consumed before reaching a port, they bought bread and meat on board at reasonable prices. The ship stopped for a while at Mossel Bay, and when they arrived at Port Elizabeth, 15 hajjis joined them to go to Mecca. Quilimane was the next stopover and from there to Zanzibar. At Zanzibar they transferred to another ship, the ‘Abyssinia’, of the Orient line. When they arrived at Aden, they were put into another steamboat that took them to Jeddah. Before they disembarked, they washed and wrapped themselves in the hajj garb that consisted of two sheets of cloth. This garb was worn by all the male hajjis until they have completed the hajj ritual while in Mecca.
It is said that Imam Abdulgamiet of the Palm Tree Mosque was the first person to undertake the hajj in 1811. Imam Abdulgamiet never returned home. But he had planted the seeds of a tradition, which had profound consequences for the social as well as the economic lives of the Cape Muslim community. However, there are quite a number of sources which state that Hajji Gassonnodien, better known as Carel Pilgrim, was the first Cape Muslim to perform hajj. This pilgrimage took place between 1834 and 1837, notably within the first three years of the abolition of slavery at the Cape. On his return from hajj (after three years of studying) he managed to establish a congregation at his residence in Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, but he could never build a mosque or establish a religious dynasty like his contemporaries. During the 19th century it was not unusual for a hajji to be away from his residence for a year, and on occasion even longer, depending on the funds that were available. By the 1850s the number of hajjis from the Cape had increased significantly which proved that there were several prosperous families who could undertake this journey. In July 1876, 33 hajjis undertook this strenuous voyage. Of the 33 hajjis, 15 were men, 11 women and the rest were children. On April 13, 1878 The Cape Argus carried an interview with one of the hajjis concerning his journey. The hajji stated that they took a deck passage from Cape Town and as such were not allowed to utilize cabins or to eat below. However, they were allowed to cook in the galley. According to the hajji, they took with them sufficient provisions such as sardines, tinned salmon, live fowls,
With regard to the journey from Jeddah to Mecca, the hajjis travelled mostly during the night and the following day arrived at a place called Mohaddah where they rested until the afternoon. They mounted their camels and moved once again in the moonlight until they reached a mountain pass, and as the road turned round to the left, they arrived at the sacred city of Mecca. A hajji paid one pound for himself and his luggage for the journey from Jeddah to Mecca. The entire cost for the journey, from Cape Town to Mecca and back again, came to 16 pounds and 10 shillings besides their food.
“During the 19th century it was not unusual for a hajji to be away from his residence for a year, and on occasion even longer” As early as 1935, the Cape Times gives a vibrant picture of hajjis that departed from the Cape Town Docks for Mecca. More than 500 people crowded the quayside at the Elbow birth on October 1935, to wish 15 hajjis a pleasant journey and a safe return. From early morning, Muslims from all parts of the Peninsula streamed down Dock Road, many on foot and others in motorcars and lorries. The dock buses were also in demand. Women, who predominated, were dressed in colourful attire in various shades of red, blue and yellow. At 2 p.m, the Holland Africa liner ‘Nijkerk’ departed for the East Coast while those standing at the quayside waved with their colourful scarves to those who were about to undertake this long voyage to Jeddah and overland to Mecca. During this period it was possible for a hajji to stay in Mecca in reasonable comfort for under 100 pounds.
[Edited Extract from Hoosain, ME (2009) The Cape Hajj Tradition: Past & Present (pgs17-21)] 7
SOCIAL JUSTICE CAMPAIGNS WCRLF Anti-Corruption Summit Wisam Khaleefah
Leaders of different religious faiths in the Western Cape convened at Lookout Hill in Khayelitsha on 22 August 2012 to issue a strong call to end corruption in South Africa. The Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF), which organized the summit, called on all South Africans to join in this struggle. Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s words were decisive in describing corruption as evil and a corrosive cancer at the heart of our nation, infecting and affecting every part of society. He said those who care only for the unearned quick and easy buck are showing contempt to past heroes, today’s needy and to our children. In his address, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein said that schools across the country must teach children the Bill of Responsibility in order to regenerate society and instill a culture of responsibility. In a powerful speech Pastor Xola Skosana from the Way of Life Church in Khayelitsha argued that the discourse of
corruption must also include inequality in South Africa today. He argued that political leaders manage and preside over a corrupt and fraudulent political system, which in itself opens up a breeding ground for all types of corruption. Catholic Archbishop Stephen Brislin said that corruption in our society is destroying the trust between people and argued that the death of 30 miners in Marikana is a symptom of the unhealthy state our country is suffering from. Imam Rashied Omar announced that the WCRLF will organize a ‘Preach and Teach’ anticorruption weekend, from 7 to 9 December 2012, during which all sermons in mosques, churches, synagogues and temples will raise awareness and urge its members to join and support this campaign.
Improving Sanitation in Khayelitsha In September 2012, the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) released an extensive report based on seven site visits to informal settlements in Khayelitsha, documenting the failure on the part of the City of Cape Town to adequately implement promised janitorial services for flush toilets in these areas. In response, the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF) decided to make a strategic intervention by contacting Mayor Patricia de Lille. On 1 October 2012 Mayor de Lille called a meeting with SJC at which Imam Rashied represented WCRLF. Mayor de Lille openly admitted that her investigations had confirmed that the City’s janitorial services in informal settlements were a failure. De Lille has subsequently apologised to the affected communities and instructed her office to urgently prepare a proposed remedial intervention plan. In a public statement issued on 3 October 2012, Mayor de
8
Lille reiterated the City of Cape Town’s pledge to work in partnership with non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations to successfully implement the janitorial programme. She promised to convene a mini-summit within a month to provide the basis for the development of a new and transparent City Policy on Janitorial Services. The WCRLF and the SJC have both welcomed Mayor de Lille’s apology and commitment to improve the janitorial service. In his response Imam Rashied commended Mayor de Lille for her frank and positive response to remedy the situation and urged her to seize this opportunity to provide an example of good service delivery at this time of unprecedented service delivery protests in South Africa.
In Celebration Of... Aunty Fatima Sadan - 88 years old Claremont and Aunty Tiema would joke that she went from a house of sewing, into a house of baking. The helpful and kind-hearted Aunty Tiema spent her early married years looking after the household and the Sadan family - Boeta Karriem, his parents, his 4 brothers (the youngest being 9 years old), 2 sisters, a milk sister and other children being reared by the family. Devoted to her husband and his family Aunty Tiema would cook and take care of everyone while her mother-in-law, Aunty Gaya Sadan, very busily baked cake and bruidskos for weddings.
Tasneem Ameer Fatima Sadan, lovingly known as Aunty Tiema, is one of the oldest members at Claremont Main Road Mosque. Born in Broad Road, Mowbray on 1 March 1924, Aunty Tiema, was the first-born of the late Mymoena and Ebrahim Jacobs and is now the last survivor of 3 sisters and an only brother. Educated at St Peter’s Primary School in Mowbray, Aunty Tiema’s schooling years were short lived and only completed up until Standard 4. Unfortunately, it was not seen as a necessity that “girls” attend high school or university in those days. Her young years thereafter were spent taking care of all the household chores while her mother worked from home as a wellknown dressmaker of wedding dresses and behangsels (wedding chamber). Her father worked in the construction industry as a bricklayer. An ordinary day for Aunty Tiema would be to cook, clean and do the grocery shopping amongst other housework duties. One week after celebrating her 23rd birthday, Aunty Tiema married a friend of her uncle. Abdul Karriem Sadan, who was later affectionately known as Boeta Karriem, had his eye on her for a while, and would often walk down the road serenading her with some of his favourite old songs. On 12 March 1947, Aunty Tiema married in Mowbray Mosque and moved to start her new blissful life with her husband’s family in Hawthorne Road, Claremont. Boeta Karriem was a builder by trade. His mother was a well-known cake baker in
Sadly, on 14 December 1981, their youngest son, Moegamat Yusuf, passed away at the tender age of 21 in a tragic accident in Johannesburg. Aunty Tiema believed their heart-breaking loss was a test from Allah and accepted the fact that it was Allah’s decree as only He knows best. Two years later, Aunty Tiema and Boeta Karriem moved from Athlone to live with their daughter and her family in Grassy Park. During this time, they yearned to visit the Holy Land of Makkah and in May 1987 they went on their first Hajj. Being the benevolent, loving and hardworking person Aunty Tiema has always been, she continuously helped around the house, visited and cared for her ill parents everyday of their last few years. Boeta Karriem passed away on 26 June 1994 after a short illness. Today, Aunty Tiema boasts 16 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren with another on the way – all who keep her very lively and young at heart.
“Aunty Tiema boasts 16 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren” In December 1947, the young couple celebrated the birth of their only daughter, Zainoenesa and over the next 14 years had four sons, Igsaan, Allie, Ebrahim and Moegamat Yusuf. With her added responsibilities of raising her five children, she never failed to assist Aunty Gaya with baking and caring for the family. In winter 1975, the entire family was moved out of Claremont under the Apartheid Group Areas Act. They moved into a house built by Boeta Karriem in Blende Road Athlone. During the late 1970s, Boeta Karriem became more involved with Claremont Main Road Mosque, and Aunty Tiema stood by him as he strongly supported the Mosque during its difficult transition. To this day, Aunty Tiema remains a committed member of CMRM, diligently paying monthly membership fees, and attending jumuah and other masjid events when she can.
After all the years of hard work, Aunty Tiema spends most of her days quietly in adhkar, though she loves spending time with her family and having the “little ones” entertain her. Aunty Tiema certainly has an undying spirit with love and passion that is bountiful, a soul that is strong and powerful yet a heart that is soft and sincere. We pray that Allah SWT grant Aunty Tiema many more years of khayr and barakah and to grant her all the health and strength Insha-Allah.
9
MASJID AFFAIRS CMRM In The Media
Guest Speaker Profiles Naasir Bassier
Naasir is a 4th year Engineering student at UCT, where he is also an active member of the MSA. Naasir is a past student of the CMRM Saturday Morning Madrassa and has memorised 8 juz of the Quran.
Rev John Oliver
Radio 786 carried a live broadcast of the CMRM khutbah on Friday 21 September 2012. Above, Yusuf Abrahams (Chairperson) and Jaamia Galant (Secretary) do the pre-khutbah interview on Radio 786. Jaamia and Mariam Baderoon were subsequently interviewed by Voice of the Cape. In addition, Bush Radio made an audio recording of the khutbah on Friday 12 October 2012 and Islam TV aired a lecture by Imam Rashied Omar delivered at the Tarongo Road Masjid on the first Sunday of Ramadan.
Rev John Oliver is the rector of St. Marks Church in District Six. He is the Vice-Chairperson of the WCRLF and founder member of the CTII.
Nadeema Jogee
CMRM At Nakhlistan 2012 Nadeema is a literacy co-ordinator at the Project for Alternative Education (PRAESA) at UCT. She is the Nal’i Bali training co-ordinator, which is a national project focusing on community based reading clubs.
Ashur Shamis
Ashur is a British Libyan and is the son-in-law of As-Shahid Imam Abdullah Haron. Since the 1980s Ashur has been involved in extensive political action for democracy and human rights in Libya. Since 2011, he has been advisor with the first Libya transitional government after the fall of Gaddafi.
Dr Shamil Jeppie Imam Rashied Omar, Shaykh Omar Masoud and Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan performed the opening prayers for Nakhlistan on Saturday 18 August 2012, the night before ‘Id al-Fitr. Above, they are seen with Nakhlistan PRO Fatima Allie, and one of the co-founders of Nakhlistan, Shukoor Mowzer. This year 151 pots of food were distributed by Nakhlistan on ‘Id al-Fitr to feed 65 000 people in needy communities around the Western Cape.
10
Dr Shamil Jeppie is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Humanities in Africa (HUMA), based at UCT. He is also the director of UCT’s Timbuktu Manuscripts Project. He serves on various platforms concerned with the development of the humanities, history and heritage in Africa and the global South.
Tribute | Dr. Neville Alexander (22 October 1936- 27 August 2012) Some of Neville’s insightful critiques found their way into the sermons delivered at CMRM. For example, in response to the endemic problem of crime and lack of social responsibility in our society, we quoted Neville’s view on the contribution of illiteracy to these social ills: “…even though the elites behave as though we are living in a highly literate society, most of our people do not read. This is a lamentable but stubborn fact of contemporary South African life. As a result, they are not informed and, therefore, are unable to perform their duties as citizens of a democratic polity.”
Editorial Team Dr. Neville Alexander was an icon of the anti-apartheid struggle, an activist, teacher and an organic intellectual who never flinched nor tired from the struggle to transform South Africa’s political economy from a system of exploitation and racism to that of compassionate sharing, solidarity and non-racialism. CMRM expresses its gratitude for the remarkable contribution of Neville Alexander to the struggles of the oppressed and exploited masses for a life of dignity and equality. He believed, as we too testify and bear witness, that there is only ONE race and that is the Human Race. He was an exemplary role model for us all and his legacy and revolutionary spirit will live on through the many lives he has touched. Neville’s revolutionary ideas inspired many of us at the Claremont Main Road Masjid. Some of our congregants will forever be grateful to Neville for having contributed to their early educational development at Livingstone High School in the early sixties. Others were inspired by the robust intellectual debates he convened at the South African Committee for Higher Education (SACHED) in the late seventies and early eighties and still others from his mentorship at Khanya College in the mid-to-late eighties and at the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA), at the University of Cape in the nineties.
On a more sobering note, Neville Alexander’s ominous warning in an article he published in The Cape Argus of May 26, 2008 was quoted in a CMRM sermon on Xenophobia. Neville warned that the xenophobic attacks we were witnessing against foreign nationals from neighbouring African countries “can easily be directed against people of Indian origin, so-called “coloured” people, “white” people and ultimatelyagainst people labelled Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Sotho, etc. Things can fall apart very quickly. Our entire socio-historical fabric can unravel within a few weeks: it took less than 100 days in Rwanda!” To avert such a depressing scenario Dr. Neville Alexander made a passionate call on all South Africans to “inspan every single resource at our disposal, material, intellectual and cultural, in order to ensure that a genocidal culture does not become established on South African soil.”
“He was an exemplary role model for us all and his legacy and revolutionary spirit will live on through the many lives he has touched.” CMRM is privileged to have recently become involved in one of the pioneering projects that Neville initiated at PRAESA, namely, the Vulindlela Reading Club
in Langa. The reading clubs embody Neville Alexander’s vision of social transformation through reading and community literacy. CMRM hopes to continue our collaboration with PRAESA by training some of our congregants to become community literacy facilitators.
“Some of insightful found their the sermons at CMRM.”
Neville’s critiques way into delivered
In looking to the future, CMRM endeavours to continue to engage with one of the most incisive challenges that Neville Alexander has put to all socially responsible citizens and social justice activists, which is to: “…find our way back to the passion and the values of freedom, equality and solidarity that drove us to struggle against the apartheid system. We have to get back to the modesty and the generosity of spirit that inspired most of us then. We have to rebuild our neighbourhoods on the basis of mutual trust and mutual aid, sharing our resources and our skills, by gradually establishing cooperative forms of production, distribution and exchange until these reach all levels of the economy.” From God We Come and to God is our Return. Hamba Kahle Neville Alexander
Reference: Alexander N. ( 2006) South Africa Today The Moral Responsibility of Intellectuals, Lecture at 10th Anniversary of Foundation for Human Rights, November 2006
11
Muslim Protests or ‘Muslim Rage’?
It is hard not to notice, and be disturbed by, the vastly different reactions of the media whenever Americans or Europeans are killed, as opposed to when America and its NATO allies are doing the killing. From my own experience it is palpable that the mainstream media promotes a hierarchy of human life. On Wednesday 12 September 2012, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, and three of his staff were killed by some protesters outside the US embassy in Benghazi. The event received wide scale media coverage. Four days later on Sunday 16 September 2012, a NATO airstrike in Afghanistan killed eight women and girls in the remote Laghman Province. This event was less widely covered in the global media.
A. Rashied Omar Now that the hype around the anti-Islamic YouTube video “The Innocence of Muslims” has died down and the dust is beginning to settle around this episode, it is a useful time to examine the lessons we can learn from the global Muslim protests against the film. First, we need to once again make it unequivocally clear that the loss of innocent lives is to be condemned in the strongest terms. The depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a negative and profane manner was a clear and deliberate provocation, but the sanctity of human life is a supreme value in Islam and nothing is worth the cost of a human life. By choosing violence as a response, some Muslims have ironically and tragically betrayed the legacy, spirit and wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who is described in the Qur’an as a source of “mercy, compassion and tenderness to the worlds (Q21:107).” But how have the recent protests been similar or different to past protests against malicious provocations? Here lies our first lesson. Unlike previous protests against provocative depictions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), this time around the Muslim leadership in virtually all parts of the world called for peaceful protests and their advice was largely heeded. Research findings placed participation in anti-film protests at between 0.001 and 0.007% of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims – a tiny fraction of those who marched for democracy in the Arab spring. The vast majority of this miniscule number of protesters were peaceful. It appears therefore that by and large Muslims are learning not to be provoked into violent protests by these agent provocateurs. This raises an intriguing question: Does the media trope of “Muslim Rage” not blow Muslim protests out of proportion and create an even deeper culture of anti-Islamic sentiment in the West? I believe that this is indeed the case for some influential media outlets, see for example Newsweek’s Cover on 24 September 2012. This brings me to a disturbing second lesson.
“It is palpable that the mainstream media promotes a hierarchy of human life.” The proximity of these two events made me hyper conscious of the fact that, in my capacity as chairperson of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum, and Imam of Claremont Main Road Mosque, I was approached by more than one media source to make a statement on the events at the Libyan embassy, but none of the media sources invited me to make a statement on the NATO killings four days later. It highlighted once again the selective way in which the media responds to and reports on events in which innocent people are killed. There is always an outpouring of rage and condemnation whenever American or European citizens are killed abroad, while responses to the more frequent killing and deaths of innocent men, women and children by US and NATO forces in all parts of the world, are much more muted.
these contexts into account, the film served as a trigger for the unleashing of simmering grievances against the US interventions in the Middle East. It is instructive to note that most of the violent protests occurred in contexts such as Libya, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen, places where the US and NATO have been engaging in ‘the war on terror’ that has left scores of people killed as “collateral damage.’ The lesson is that the protests were much more than merely a response to an antiIslam video. It was also about the release of pent up frustrations and anger at the terror of living under occupation and daily threats of stealth drone attacks. In line with this broader perspective of the protests, Ramzy Baroud makes an interesting argument by pointing out that protestors are not necessarily Muslim extremists, but rather ordinary people for whom the attack on the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) represents a final act of humiliation amidst their daily humiliation by US and NATO occupation forces. The military interventions are generating a belligerent environment in countries with Muslim majority populations. It is this lethal environment which fosters extremism and violence.
CMRM EVENTS
The sombre lesson for me was the following. In our responses we must guard ourselves against becoming complicit in regarding deaths of innocent Americans or Europeans abroad as being more tragic and senseless than the deaths and killings of innocent Iraqi, Afghani, Pakistani or Yemeni citizens. The death of the Libyan Ambassador and his staff is as tragic and senseless as the killing of the eight Afghani women and children by NATO forces. There should be no ‘hierarchy of human life’ and there can never be any justification for the killing of innocent human beings. This brings me to my third and last lesson. Those who insist on framing the protests simply within the debate over freedom of expression, ignore the complex structural injustices within the contexts in which the protests have occurred. Taking the social injustices within
‘Id Sa’id Wa Mubarak’ Kullu ‘Am Wa Antum Bi khayr Ma’as-Salamah Was-Sihhah May your entire year be filled with Goodness, Peace and Health
NEXT ISSUE 24 JANUARY 2013 MAWLUD AN-NABI