Claremont Main Road Mosque Annual Report 2013

Claremont Main Road Mosque Annual Report 2013

40-42 Main Road, Claremont, 7708 • 021 683 8384 • www.cmrm.co.za

CONTENTS

CMRM Vision 3 Chairperson’s report 4 Governance and Administration 5 Imam’s Report 6-7 Jihad Against Poverty 8-9 Interfaith Solidarity 10-11 Gender Justice 12 Environmental Justice

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Youth Empowerment 14 Madrasa Report 15 Publications 16 Finance: Financial Statement; Income; Expenses 17-19 History & About Us 20

CMRM Vision The Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM) espouses a comprehensive vision of Islam (shumuliyyat al-Islam) that embraces the intellectualism of the theologians (mutakallimun), the juristic pragmatism of the jurists (fuqaha and usuliyyun) as well as spiritual inspiration of the mystics (ahl-al-tassuwwuf). It is a dynamic and socially responsive vision of Islam that was forged in the crucible of the struggle for creating a more humane and caring South African society. It is a vision of Islam that was first formulated by Imam `Abdullah Haron in collaboration with the Claremont Muslim Youth Association and articulated in their newsletter “The Islamic Mirror” in the late fifties and throughout the sixties. We at the Claremont Main Road Mosque have sought to nurture and expand this vision of Islam.

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT It is with deep gratitude that we reflect in this Annual Report on the many successful programmes and activities at CMRM over the past year. 2013 has been both a challenging and yet very rewarding year. The following five dimensions of CMRM’s Mission still remain key drivers of all our activities: Jihad Against Poverty; Gender Justice; Interfaith Solidarity; Youth Empowerment and Environmental Justice. Thanks to the commitment and dedication of all the Board members who lead these programmes, these activities reflect the dynamic and socially responsive vision of Islam espoused at CMRM. The many interventions we have made in our growing Jihad Against Poverty programme especially would not have been possible without the generous contributions of donors. Mariam Baderoon, Achmat Peters, Jaamia Galant, Wasiela Agherdien and other board members and volunteers from this congregation have worked tirelessly in these programmes.

Over the past year, we have also seen the positive impact CMRM has had on the broader community through our many Interfaith Solidarity activities. We are thankful to Imam Rashied for his visionary leadership in this regard and the vital role he is playing as Chairperson of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF).

Our longstanding mission for Gender Justice has been revitalized over the past year against a background of endemic gender based violence in our society. Our efforts in this regard has received positive media coverage in local newspapers. Our Youth Empowerment and Environmental Justice programmes are still in their infancy. InshaAllah, we hope these programmes, with your support, will grow and gain momentum in 2014 and beyond.

Finally, this congregation is indeed blessed to have Imam Rashied and Imam Shaheed as our spiritual leaders. Our heartfelt thanks to them for their dedication and commitment to this jamat and for availing themselves sometimes beyond the call of duty. I also wish to express my sincerest gratitude to all Board members for their excellent work and dedication. We are greatly encouraged by the support and contributions of many stalwarts who continue to play a very positive role in all aspects of the mosque activities.

Yusuf Abrahams - Chairperson

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CMRM Board Members (l-r): Wasiela Agherdien (Treasurer); Jeff Jawitz; Jaamia Galant (Secretary); Achmat Peters (Vice-Chair); Mariam Baderoon; Shafiek Abrahams (Madrasa Principal); Yusuf (Jowa) Abrahams (Chairperson); Khadeeja Bassier; Imam Rashied Omar

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION Below is a brief overview of some of the key administrative highlights and challenges of 2013: In March 2013, Shariefa Wydeman was appointed as administrative assistant after Nurjehan Watson moved to take over full-time administration of the Saturday Morning Madrasa. Thanks to the efforts of Boeta Achmat and Imam Shaheed, the madrasa admin office is now located upstairs at CMRM. The appointment of Shariefa has led to many improvements in our financial and administrative efficiency. However, managing the employment contracts, duties and responsibilities of the masjid caretakers (Abu Bakr and Yusuf ) remains a challenge.

In July 2013, the Board co-opted two new members: Mujahid Osman was co-opted to lead our Youth Empowerment programme, and Suliman (Solly) Noor Mohamed was co-opted to support our fundraising and social justice campaigns. In addition to leading the first youth camp in September 2013, Mujahid was also responsible for organizing a successful Blood Donation campaign in December 2013.

Following the establishment of a Task Team led by Aslam Fataar and Jeff Jawitz to investigate masjid/madrasa relations, it was agreed at the 2013 AGM that the madrasa would maintain full functional independence with the support of the masjid. The madrasa admin office is still located at CMRM and although the masjid has no oversight responsibilities, the madrasa continues to submit reports at masjid general meetings.

A sub-committee led by Khadeeja Bassier was constituted to explore the establishment of a new CMRM Trust and recommend constitutional amendments this may require. We hope this process will come to some resolution in 2014. In the meantime, our application to be registered as a Non-Profit Organisation has been lodged with the Department of Social Development.

The Vice-Chairperson, Achmat Peters, is continuing to do a sterling job in overseeing the maintenance projects at the masjid. CMRM remains interested in acquiring the building adjacent to CMRM and negotiations are ongoing with the owner.

In 2013, we again published four issues of the masjid newsletter Al-Mizan. This continues to be an important vehicle for showcasing the activities of the masjid. However, we have not been very successful at recouping costs through sales, and getting sponsorship for this publication remains a challenge. Our weekly e-mail notices continue to reach a wider audience and in 2013, we also started using bulk sms’s for janazah notices and event reminders.

CMRM has been able to implement all its programmes thanks mainly to our member pledges, jumuah collections and the generous contributions we receive from donors. Our sincere gratitude to all of you. While the Board has tried to provide the leadership, it is only with the support of this congregation and all its members that CMRM can truly flourish. Insha-Allah, we hope that 2014 will see the active membership of CMRM grow even bigger and stronger.

Shariefa Wydeman

Mujahid Osman

Suliman (Solly) Noor

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IMAM’S REPORT The key highlights of 2013 were 1) the educational intervention we made to spread literacy about the shari`ah legitimacy of using astronomical calculations to determine the lunar calendar and 2) the stand we took against the growing anti-shi`a sectarianism.

Towards a Universal Lunar Calendar The debacle around the changing of Rabi` al-Thani three days into the lunar month by the United `Ulama Council of South Africa in February 2013 provided an opportunity for CMRM to educate the community around the various fiqhi methods to determine the lunar calendar as well as the shari`ah validity of using astronomical calculations.

In March we delivered a khutbah on the subject which was published and debated on the Voice of the Cape community radio station. We also convened two well attended Lunar Calendar Seminars on Sundays 9 June and 22 September at the South African Astronomical Observatory. The latter workshop focused on ‘Why `Id al-Adha with Makkah’ and was convened in collaboration with the Al-Azhar Masjid of Aspeling Street in District Six. Since astronomical calculations as a valid method for determining the lunar calendar has not yet been embraced by our local `ulama, CMRM has adopted a pragmatic viewpoint that exists within the shafi`i law school (madh-hab). According to this view an astronomer, as well as anyone else who believes in the veracity and correctness of the astronomer’s calculations may personally start and end the fast of Ramadan according to astronomical calculations (see Kitab al-Fiqh `ala Madhahib al-Arba`a, Kitab al-Siyam, Volume 1, p.551 by Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Juzayri). Furthermore, consonant with an agreement reached in 1988 between the Muslim Judicial Council, Islamic Council of South Africa, Majlis Shura, CMRM and other `ulama and organizations in the Western Cape, CMRM follows Makkah’s announcement of the Day of Wuquf al-Arafah in celebrating `Id al-Adha. As for the rest of the lunar calendar CMRM follows the declarations of the local hakim, since the commemorative events such as Mawlud, Laylatul Mi`raj and Laylatun Nisfi Min Sha`ban are not obligatory and contested. It is critical that CMRM members be crystal clear with regard to the shari`ah evidences in support of our visionary and pragmatic policy positions on this critical issue of a Universal Lunar Calendar.

Muslim Unity and Anti-Sectarianism The so-called Arab Spring has triggered and ignited the long-standing and deep rooted schism between Sunnis and Shi`tes in the Middle East into an open war. Early in 2013 the United `Ulama Council of South Africa exploited this political strife especially in Syria to advance its sectarian agenda by publicly declaring shi`ites as outside the fold of Islam. A small but active local salafi wahhabi movement also fanned the flames of sectarianism in the Western Cape. In response to this CMRM invited Shaykh Ighsaan Taliep, principal of the International Peace College of South Africa (IPSA) and Deputy President of the MJC, to deliver a khutbah on the growing phenomenon of sectarianism on 19 July. This khutbah was subsequently published on the front-page of the `Id al-Fitr 2013 edition of Al-Mizan. Furthermore, on Saturday 23 November I was invited to deliver a paper at IPSA’s 5th Annual Wasatiyyah Symposium titled: ‘Dealing with Sectarianism: A Middle-Way Reflection’. The paper was published in the January 2014 issue of Muslim Views. In addition, in order to take a firm stand against sectarianism CMRM invited the Imam of the Ahlul Bait Islamic Centre in Ottery, Maulana Aftab Haidar, to deliver a post-tarawih talk and we once again hosted an Iranian Qari during the last ten days of Ramadan. In Muharram (8 November), Shaykh Abdul Jalil Nawee a visiting guest of the Ahlul Bait Islamic Centre delivered the khutbah at CMRM. The problem of sectarianism persists and I would like to recommend that CMRM actively campaigns to get more of its congregants to sign an online petition “A Declaration of Muslim Unity”: http://www. ipetitions.com/petition/a-declaration-of-muslim-unity

Khutbahs We continue to draw on the expertise within our congregation and the broader society to deliver khutbahs and pre-khutbah talks. This resulted in a wider range of speakers and many more women who delivered pre-khutbah talks. Khutbah topics not only reflected the various dimensions and projects of CMRM’s vision and mission, but also provided critical reflections on current events. In 2013 we also initiated khutbah feedback seminars starting in Ramadan with regular Friday post-tarawih reflections. We continued this with two Khutbah Feedback Seminars on 3 September on ‘Qur’an and Hadith’ and on 8 October on ‘Islam and Culture’. We hope to build on this in the future.

In order to get our compassionate and socially engaged message of Islam out into the broader community, our khutbahs continue to be regularly published on CMRM’s Website and Facebook pages, in Al-Qalam, the Voice of the Cape’s website and occasionally in the Muslim Views. I have also been delivering bi-monthly khutbahs in the USA during my teaching stint there.

One of these focusing on the ‘Boston Marathon Bombing and Extremism’ was widely published in May 2013. Last but not least, Imam Shaheed Gamieldien and I also continue to accept invitations to deliver khutbahs at other masajid.

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Dhikrs We have begun to institutionalize our dhikr programmes as we continue to nurture the ihsani or spiritual dimension of our masjid’s ethos. In addition to our annual Mawlud celebrations, our New Year dhikr and the pre-Ramadan Naqshbandi dhikr, we also for the second year in succession convened an annual Ratib al-Haddad dhikr in March. In addition, we also for the very first time hosted a group of young men who led an inspirational dhikr on the Tenth of Muharram. On 26 September CMRM also convened a special dhikr to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Abdullah Haron. We hope to make all of these dhikr programmes part of the annual events at CMRM. We have also continued to link some of our dhikr programmes not only to honouring those of our elders who have passed on but also the elders within our congregation who continue to bless us with their presence.

Shortly after Ramadan Shaykh Omar Masoud with the help of a few congregants also tried to initiate a Qasa’id programme on Sunday mornings but there was not sufficient interest to sustain this programme.

Media Statements CMRM continues to provide a critical Muslim perspective on current events in the media. The CMRM statement condemning the brutal rape and killing of 17 year old Anene Booysen from Bredasdorp received wide publicity in the media and was published in the Cape Argus and carried on the front page of the February issue of the Muslim Views. In March the Weekend Argus carried an Op-ed piece which was an edited version of a khutbah reflecting on the Oscar Pistorius killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Our condemnation of the terror attack at a Nairobi Mall on 23 September was widely reported in the local media. I was subsequently invited to read our statement at the funeral of one of the victims, fellow Capetownian, James Thomas at Bishops School Chapel. During 2013 the Cape Argus also published our `Id-al-Fitr (7 August) and `Id al-Adha (14 October) messages as Op-ed pieces.

Ramadan 2013 For the second year in succession, Hafiz Shaykh Omar Hassan Masoud from Tanzania led the tarawih prayers. His melodious recitation of the Qur’an was greatly appreciated and attracted many more people to the tarawih prayers. This was well augmented by an inspirational post-tarawih lecture programme that focused on the various dimensions of CMRM’s mission and vision.

The highlights of these post-tarawih talks were the three Christian speakers, Green Bishop Geoff Davies of the South African Faith and Community Environmental Institute (SAFCEI), Father Christopher Clohessey of the Catholic Church in Claremont and Gordon Oliver of the Unitarian Church. The post-tarawih talks were all edifying and provided congregants with a deep and textured understanding of CMRM’s compassionate and socially responsive vision of Islam.

Adult Education Programmes From 7 May – 25 June CMRM convened a course on Al-Salaf al-Salih based on the book The First Muslims: History and Memory (2008) by Asma Afsaruddin. While the course was not well attended, those who did were unanimous that they benefitted tremendously from their participation. As a result of the weak response to CMRM’s Adult Education programme we continued to convene our Adult Education progammes in collaboration with the Daroel Ielm Madrasa in Salt River. From 21 October to 9 December we ran a very successful Fiqh al-Janazah course. The large student attendance and lively questions is a clear indication that this course needs to be repeated from time to time.

Conclusion Once again we wish to express our gratitude to the many guest khatibs and speakers from within and outside of our congregation who so graciously and willingly share their expertise and wisdom. In particular, I wish to acknowledge the role of my colleague Imam Shaheed Gamieldien who assumes full responsibility of the imamat during my annual absence from mid-January to end of May. But most of all we want to thank the CMRM congregation and Board of Governors for the supportive environment they have created for us to flourish. We welcome any feedback that will assist us in fulfilling our imamat responsibilities even better.

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JIHAD AGAINST Mission Statement CMRM advocates the view that poverty alleviation is not the sole responsibility of economists or public officials, but rather it is an integral part of what it means to be an engaged Muslim. From an Islamic perspective, we believe that poverty is not limited to a lack of food or drink. Poverty encompasses the lack of all basic human needs, such as clean water, nutrition, sanitation, health care, education, clothing and shelter. Our Jihad Against Poverty mission is to engage in and build sustainable social justice programmes through involvement in some of the following activities: • • • • • •

Literacy projects Sanitation campaigns in informal settlements Social justice campaigns for impoverished and marginalised communities Food and blanket distributions to needy communities Twinning relationships with township mosque communities Supporting NGOs who campaign for social justice causes

2013 Activities Dunoon CMRM’s twinning with the Naqshbandi Muhammadi Masjid in Dunoon has continued to flourish in 2013. For the second year in succession Imam Rashied’s student hafiz Ismail Moses led the tarawih prayers in Dunoon and CMRM sponsored daily iftar meals for 150 people for the entire month of Ramadan. We also distributed 200 fitra parcels and a pot of food donated by Nakhlistan on ‘Id al-Fitr. After ‘Id al-Adha we also distributed qurban meat parcels. In addition, Imam Shaheed and Imam Rashied delivered quarterly khutbahs in Dunoon and their resident imam, Imam Nurul-Iman Mustapha delivered a post-tarawih talk and jumu’ah khutbah at CMRM. CMRM’s 2013 Christmas solidarity campaign kicked off in Dunoon on Saturday 21 December where we distributed 200 food hampers. These were donated and packed by a group of youth from the Janjira Habsani Society.

The distribution programme included brief talks by the advisor to Dunoon Councillor, Mr. Christopher Notombela and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ms Fatima Chohan. The twinning with the Dunoon masjid and community is one of CMRM’s most rewarding projects and one we hope will be sustained and strengthened in the coming years, insha-Allah.

Emasithandane CMRM has since 2010 provided consistent support to the Emasithandane Orphanage in Nyanga. At various times throughout 2013, we distributed food and blankets to the orphanage. During Ramadan 2013 we also distributed Winter Care packs to all the children. The winter care packs consisted of pyjamas, slippers, warm clothes, hot chocolate, marshmallows and other sweat treats. On Saturday 30 November, for the fourth consecutive year we had a Christmas picnic for the orphans and their caregivers. The children were entertained by novelty rides and a magician, and girls and boys participated in 7-a-side football games.

Once again, the highlight was handing over personalized Christmas gifts to all the children and caregivers, sponsored

by CMRM members and friends.

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POVERTY Khayelitsha CMRM has continued to provide modest support to this community through distribution of blankets during the winter months and food parcels during Ramadan 2013. Having identified some needs within the community, a CMRM delegation visited Sayyidina Bilal masjid on 24th August and delivered a brand new vacuum cleaner for the masjid, and distributed 50 blankets, 100 loaves of bread and party packs for the children.

Blikkiesdorp During the past year, CMRM administrator, Shariefa Wydeman has co-ordinated our support efforts to this community. In Ramadan 2013, Shariefa and her family cooked and delivered iftar meals once a week and delivered fitra parcels before ‘Id al-Fitr. As part of CMRM’s Christmas solidarity campaign, Shariefa and her family also fed 350 people. The meat and ingredients for this occasion were donated by a CMRM congregant to mark the birth of his first child. Support to the Blikkiesdorp community has been hard to sustain because of capacity difficulties in forming ongoing working relationships with community representatives. In 2014 we will continue to seek ways of building relationships and providing strategic support to this community.

Leeuwenkuil and Robertson Farming Communities In partnership with the farmworkers’ trade union, CSAAWU, and the Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE), CMRM in 2013 significantly consolidated its support to the impoverished farming communities in Robertson and Leeuwenkuil in Agter Paarl.

In Ramadan 2013, more than 30 CMRM members distributed food parcels and blankets to 150 families at Leeuwenkuil. On Sunday 11 August a delegation of over 50 CMRM members visited farmworkers in Robertson and distributed a hot meal and food hampers to more than 200 people. Two CMRM members also sponsored two bicycles to CSAAWU for use by farmworker shop-stewards in the area. As part of our Christmas solidarity campaign more than 30 CMRM members again visited Leeuwenkuil and Robertson farms. In Robertson we fed more than 500 people, and in addition to distributing food hampers, we also distributed fresh vegetables as well as ladies and baby care packs to the families of 55 dismissed workers. The Christmas solidarity campaign culminated with our visit to Leeuwenkuil farm on Christmas day, where we again fed 200 people and distributed food hampers, ladies and baby care packs as well as children party packs. We hope insha-Allah to build sustainable relationships with these communities in future and extend our support to literacy empowerment programmes in 2014.

Claremont Night Shelter For the past few decades CMRM has consistently supported the Claremont Night Shelter. In 2013 we again made an annual donation of R6000 in addition to distribution of blankets and food parcels.

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INTERFAITH Mission Statement CMRM embraces the enduring values of pluralism and co-existence and regards human diversity not as incidental and negative but rather as representing a God-willed, basic factor of human existence.

Through our commitment to interfaith solidarity, CMRM seeks to celebrate human diversity through recognition and affirmation of each other through intimate knowledge (ta’aruf), and not mere toleration.

CMRM endeavours to forge interfaith solidarity by: • • • •

Inviting guest speakers from other faith communities Welcoming visitors from other faith communities to the mosque Supporting and participating in activities of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) Supporting and participating in activities of the Western Cape Religious Leaders’ Forum (WCRLF)

2013 Activities With Imam Rashied’s second year as Chairperson of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF), CMRM has continued to build on its strong interfaith solidarity programmes. Following the launch of the WCRLF’s anti-corruption campaign in 2012, Imam Rashied edited a booklet ‘Interfaith Reflections on the Fight Against Corruption’. The booklet was launched in March 2013, and brings together reflections on the fight against corruption from all the major religious leaders in Cape Town, and includes the CMRM pre-khutbah lecture delivered by Minister Ebrahim Patel and the 2012 ‘Id al-Fitr khutbah delivered by Imam Rashied.

In July 2013, CMRM paid tribute to one of the leading figures in the interfaith movement, Fr. John Oliver who passed away suddenly on 4 July. Father John was the founder of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) and co-founder of the WCRLF and a frequent visitor and guest speaker at CMRM. One of the features of Ramadan 2013, was the interfaith solidarity initiative of the Unitarian Church of Cape Town. Members of this church attended three jumu’ah services on 12, 19 and 26 July.

One of their leaders, Gordon Oliver, delivered a post-tarawih talk reflecting on the khutbah delivered by Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan.

Imam Rashied visited the Unitarian Church on the 21 July to talk about the Muslim Call to Prayer and answer congregants’ questions about Islam.

CMRM has continued to welcome visitors interested in knowing more about Islam and the role of the masjid. In November and December, CMRM hosted Grade 3 learners from Micklefield Primary School and guests from the Ananda Kutir Ashram. In October, for the third year in succession, CMRM also hosted a delegation of school students from the Blackburn/Cape Town Interfaith Exchange Programme.

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The year ended with CMRM once again joining the annual Interfaith Reconciliation Day Pilgrimage, convened by the CTII on 16 December.

SOLIDARITY 2013 Tributes to Nelson Rohlihlala Mandela (d. 5 December 2013) 2013 will forever be remembered as the year Nelson Mandela died.

CMRM joined our fellow compatriots and people all over the world in paying tribute to this global icon and father of our democratic nation. In CMRM’s tribute to Mandela, we paid homage and gave thanks for an inspirational life that epitomised the concept of ‘ubuntu’, of living ones life through others. CMRM advised that the greatest honour we can bestow on the memory of Madiba is to embrace his call of responsibility that comes with freedom. This is a responsibility that should not only fall on our current leadership, but on all of us as conscientious citizens, to continue the struggle for social justice.

On Madiba’s last birthday celebration on 18 July, CMRM joined civil society organizations in celebrating Mandela’s 95th birthday by forming a Human Chain along Klipfontein Road. This symbolic gesture was meant to link and unite Cape Town’s diverse faith and racial communities along a main road that cuts across racial and religious divides in our city.

After Mandela’s passing on 5 December, CMRM issued a tribute to honour Madiba which was widely carried in the media. The following day Imam Rashied included the tribute to Mandela in the jumu’ah khutbah. CMRM also observed the National Day of Prayer for Madiba on 8 December by convening a special prayer service at the masjid, at which Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan paid tribute to Mandela. Finally, Imam Rashied together with Shaykh Ebrahim Gabriels, opened the Interfaith Prayer Service for Mandela at the Grand Parade hosted by the City of Cape Town on 11 December.

CMRM’s prayers and tributes to Nelson Mandela was grounded in the Qur’anic injunction in Q2:62 and Q5:69, which espouses the position that people of other faiths can achieve salvation in the hereafter, by the Grace of God.

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GENDER JUSTICE Mission Statement CMRM is committed to the struggle for the equivalence and full dignity of women within our comprehensive vision of Islam. With respect to this dimension of our mission, we support the struggle of women for full dignity and honour in our country, our homes and most importantly our masajid.

Accommodating women for prayers on the main floor of the mosque is but one small step in this endeavour. CMRM is committed to the struggle for gender justice by encouraging and supporting: • • • •

Women in leadership roles in the administration of the mosque Women delivering talks and pre-khutbah lectures Campaigns against gender based violence NGO’s working with abused and destitute women and children

2013 Activities In 2013, we again had several women delivering pre-khutbah lectures and post-tarawih talks, focusing on a range of topics.

Speakers included Dr. Sadiyya Shaik, Waradiya Bosch, Dr. Waheeda Amien, Dr. Fatima Seedat, Mercia Andrews, Elizabeth Petersen, Faghmieda Miller and Lynette Maart. In addition, Board members, Jaamia Galant, Khadeeja Bassier and Mariam Baderoon also delivered post-tarawih talks on masjid affairs.

In the aftermath of the brutal murder of 17 year old Anene Booysen from Bredasdorp in February 2013, CMRM released a press statement, published in the Cape Argus and Muslim Views, calling on faith communities to take action to combat violence against women. Following the release of the statement, on Friday 22 February, Dr. Shuaib Manjra delivered a powerful khutbah titled ‘Breaking the Cycle of Violence’, also published in the ‘Id al-Fitr edition of Al-Mizan. After this jumu’ah service, CMRM congregants, along with workers in the area and neighbouring schools, held a silent vigil and placard demonstration against gender based violence along Main Road, Claremont. At the end of the vigil CMRM erected a permanent banner outside the mosque that reads ‘Rise Up Against Rape and Sexual Violence’, visible to every passersby in the Main Road. On Good Friday, 29 March, Dr. Sadiyya Shaik delivered another moving pre-khutbah lecture titled ‘Reflections on Ethics and Justice: The Crisis of Violence and Rape of Women’. In addition to the above activities, Mariam Baderoon represented CMRM on the 23 March at the Gender Based Violence Imbizo, which formed part of the global One Billion Rising Campaign, aimed at building global awareness of gender based violence.

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In 2013, CMRM also stepped up support to NGOs working with abused, abandoned and destitute women and children.

At various times we delivered food parcels, cash donations and blankets to the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, IHATA Shelter for Abused Women and Children, and Christine Revel Home. In August a CMRM delegation also attended an interfaith programme hosted at Saartjie Baartman, to mark Women’s Month.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Mission Statement CMRM is a registered eco-congregation i.e. a faith community committed to working towards a more sustainable world. CMRM advocates the view that environmental justice is intrinsic to being a conscientious Muslim. From an Islamic perspective, the current environmental crisis can be viewed as a symptom of a deeper spiritual malaise. The latter has come about through consumerist lifestyles which has disturbed the balance between humans and nature.

To this end, CMRM commits to: • • • •

Taking responsibility for preserving the natural environment Implementing measures which will reduce the mosque’s carbon footprint Encouraging congregants to embrace ecologically ethical lifestyles Supporting NGOs that raise awareness campaigns around environmental justice

2013 Activities In 2011 CMRM became the first masjid to register with the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute (SAFCEI) as an Eco-congregation. Since registering as an ecocongregation and adding this as a critical dimension of CMRM’s Mission, we have taken small steps to reduce the masjid’s carbon footprint. In 2012 we installed light sensor (automatic) and aerated wudu taps to decrease flow and reduce water consumption. In 2013, we also reduced our consumption of ablution paper and installed solar powered geysers.

In 2013, we partnered with SAFCEI to seek funding from WWF Nedbank Green Trust, for a faith led environmental awareness project. Funding for three years was granted in December 2013 for us to launch the Muslims for Eco-Justice pilot project. The project aims to build leadership capacity around environmental justice in faith communities and to develop environmental education resources for children, youth, community leaders, madrasa teachers and imams. The funding allows for six interns to be appointed over the next three years to assist with this project. We hope insha-Allah that in 2014 through this project we will make major strides in living up to our mandate of being an eco-congregation.

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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT Mission Statement CMRM recognises the valuable role youth play in our society and the potential they have in shaping the future. Young people are uniquely placed to open up our eyes to the signs of the times, for they truly live at the cold face of the real and rapidly changing world. Youth also face many challenges on the road to adulthood, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the necessary empathy, support and guidance. To this end, CMRM commits to provide amongst others, the following enabling platforms for youth development and empowerment: • • •

Leading prayers and dhikrs Delivering talks and sermons (khutbahs) Participating in youth camps and forums

2013 Activities In 2013 we made modest strides in revitalizing the participation of youth in masjid activities. Mujahid Osman was co-opted onto the Board in July 2013 to lead the Youth Empowerment mission of the masjid. One of the first tasks he undertook was to recruit fellow CMRM youth to organize a Muslim youth camp. Those who assisted him include Iman Davids, Iman Omar, Saarah Coenrad, Mazin Jeppie, Faarah Jawitz, Ridha Jawitz and Ikhlas Khan.

Their many Sunday morning planning sessions culminated in a successful weekend youth camp in September held at the Glencairn Rotary Camp in Fish Hoek. About 25 youth attended, including three from the Muhammadi Masjid in Dunoon.

Starting on the Friday evening and ending on Sunday afternoon, activities included ice-breaker and leadership games led by the youth organisers; early morning halqas focusing on tafsirs of qur’anic verses led by Imam Rashied; discussion sessions on various topics of interest to youth; a hike in fish hoek mountains and ofcourse a braai. A surprise guest at the camp was Shaykh Mahmud Muhammad Dadab, from Timbuktu in Mali. Shaykh Mahmud and Imam Rashied led a question and answer session on a range of topics raised by the youth.

In addition to the above youth activities, in Ramadan 2013, the tarawih adhkar was led by four young muadhins, who were trained for six weeks before Ramadan by Kassiem Adams and Imam Shaheed. The four muadhins who took their place in the front row every evening were Imran Adams, M. Nur Baderoon, Adam Mohidin and Zubayr Wagiet. We also had three youth posttarawih talks by Mujahid Osman, Farawh Jawitz and Iman Davids.

We hope insha-Allah that these programmes for empowering youth will grow in the coming years.

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In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing in May 2013, Imam Rashied delivered a khutbah focusing on Muslim Youth and Extremism in North America and Europe. The challenge of youth development and empowerment was also addressed in a posttarawih talk delivered by Kassiem Adams, also published in the Roewa 2013 edition of Al-Mizan, under the title ‘Our Disaffected Youth’.

MADRASA REPORT Introduction The Madrasa continues to serve students and parents from all over the Peninsula, and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The Madrasa student roll is decreasing, and at the end of the year the Madrasa had 340 registered students. The smaller student numbers allowed us to experiment with doing things differently as far as arranging the classes are concerned, and also allowed us to experiment with subject teaching and re-arranging the timetable, especially in the Senior and FET phases. Unfortunately, at the end of the year we had to adjust the staff complement for various reasons.

Academic Achievements • Qur’an Reading: 33 learners graduated into the Qur’an at the end of year presentation ceremony. The quality of teaching and learning at the Madrasa continues to be enhanced by the successful use of the uniquely designed modularised Qur’an Readers.

• Matric Arabic: Three students successfully completed their matric Arabic external examination. The Madrasa management continues to keep abreast of the new CAPS developments, and senior Arabic teachers regularly attend conferences and meetings regarding the FET Arabic curriculum, thereby ensuring the continued success of this programme.

• Hifz: Six learners attended the external hifz examination. The external examiner was Shaykh Nabeel Majiet. We are glad to report that this program is back on track after no learners went for externals the previous year.

Adult Qur’an Reading Class Eleven adults, some of them parents at the Madrasa, attended and successfully completed the basic Qur’an Reading programme. We also experimented by allocating two Grade 11 learners to this class so that they could be granted the skills to read the Qur’an. The success of this programme in teaching adults, with no prior knowledge of reading the Qur’an, to read the Qur’an with correct tajwid after about 25 sessions, is a vindication of the quality learning resources used and teaching methodologies employed at the Madrasa.

During the second half of the year these students continued reading from the Qur’an, and were assessed by an external examiner in their reading ability. They were also introduced to the basic tafsir of the short surahs. There was no teacher training component to last year’s course. This programme will be held over two years in future.

Golf Day The Madrasa organised its first fundraising Golf Day in December last year. This was a very successful event. It however does take a great deal of time and effort, and the organising of such an event is best left to the golfing enthusiasts.

In conclusion, the Madrasa management and teaching staff remain committed to providing a good quality Madrasa education to our learners, families and broader community.

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MASJID PUBLICATIONS

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January 2013 (Mawlud) Features tribute to Aunty Galiema Sadan-Haron (86 yrs old); an article reflecting on mawlud celebrations; and book review of ‘Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters’ by Omid Safi (2009).

June 2013 (Roewa) Features tributes to Cassiem Sadan (d.2003); articles on significance of Roewa; advocating a universal lunar calendar; reflecting on contemporary youth; Boston Marathon tragedy; and book review of ‘The First Muslims: History and Memory’ by Asma Afsaruddin (2008).

August 2013 (‘Id al-Fitr) Features tribute to Aunty Fatima Ganief (83 yrs old); articles on curbing growing sectarianism; the abuse of power in Muslim countries; response to Muslim Marriages Bill; and breaking the cycle of gender violence.

October 2013 (‘Id al-Adha) Features tribute to Aunty Zainab (Janie) Saban (85 yrs old); articles on celebrating ‘Id al-Adha with Makkah; history and legacy of CMRM; contemporary youth culture; and a perspective on gangs in Manenberg.

August 2013 (‘Id al-Fitr) This khutbah reflects on the scourge of gender violence in our country and the ongoing struggle for gender justice in all sectors of our society. The khutbah illustrates that there is no ambivalence in the authentic sources of Islam about the status of women in society. It is the traditional and cultural norms and perspectives on women in society that we have to challenge and that remains our gender jihad.

October 2013 (‘Id al-Adha) This khutbah reflects on the symbolic significance of the rites (manasik) of the hajj, through the life-histories of Prophet Ibrahim, his son, Prophet Isma`il and his wife Sayyidatina Hajar (may Allah be pleased with them). In particular, the khutbah draws instructive lessons from the relationship between Prophets Ibrahim and Isma`il for all parentchild relationships.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

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INCOME

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EXPENSES

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ABOUT US History The Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM) was established in 1854 and is the sixth oldest mosque in South Africa. It was the second mosque to be built outside the Bo-Kaap. It was administered for over 100 years by the Abderoef family, descendants of Tuan Guru. The first mosque Board in 1978 adopted the mosque constitution and established a system of democratic governance. Under the leadership of Imam Gassan Solomon the mosque played a prominent role in the anti-apartheid struggle during the 1980s.

This legacy continues to define the role of CMRM as socially responsive in the post-apartheid period.

Critical Traditionalists The practices at CMRM best define us as critical traditionalists. This means that we embrace sound customary practices, in line with our vision and mission, but we do not follow these practices rigidly or dogmatically. We embrace all the traditional Muslim schools of law (madhahib), but do not adhere strictly to any one madh-hab. We aspire to follow the prophetic traditions (sunnah and hadith), but also embrace what we consider to be ‘good innovations’ (bid’a hasana). In this regard we support the view of the noted jurist and legal theorist, Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi (d.1388), who argued that Islam does not a priori condemn innovation in and of itself. An innovation should always be appraised in terms of whether it complements the teachings of Islam, classified as a good innovation (bid`a hasana) or whether it violates the teachings of Islam, classified as a misguided innovation (bid`a sayyi`a).

Imam Dr. Rashied Omar has been the co-ordinating Imam of CMRM since 1986, and is assisted by Imam Shaheed Gamieldien.