Muslim Views, October 2013 by Muslim Views

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Vol. 27 No. 10

The case against Israel MAHMOOD SANGLAY HE book Why Israel? by Suraya Dadoo and Firoz Osman is being launched in major centres in South Africa. The first launch had an enthusiastic reception at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, on September 1. The Cape Town launch took place at the Academia Centre, in Lansdowne, on September 23, and was attended by more than 200 people. The event was addressed by the authors and former Minister of Intelligence, Ronnie Kasrils. Kasrils exposed the Zionist myth of ‘a land

DHIL-HIJJA 1434 l OCTOBER 2013

‘We exist, we resist’

without people’ and its parallels with the apartheid myth of the advent of a black people in South Africa at the time of Van Riebeeck’s arrival at the Cape in 1652. Palestinian activist poet Remi Kanazi performed at the launch of the book in the various centres in South Africa. His verse and performances drew attention to the Palestinian struggle as well as the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign. Why Israel? offers a fresh and contemporary presentation of the key reasons why Israel is at the centre of many major global geopolit-

ical developments as well as the subject of global political discourse. It is significant that the book is authored by two South Africans because South Africa’s apartheid history cannot be seen in isolation of Israel as an apartheid state. The relevance of the South African parallel is further underscored by the findings of the Russell Tribunal which met in Cape Town in 2011 and concluded that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid. The book will also be launched in Pretoria, Soweto and KwaZulu Natal.

Resisting Israeli occupation: This is one of the stunning photographs to be seen at The Durban Art Gallery, which is hosting the Palestine Festival from September 26 to October 20. Two of the photographers whose works are on display at the festival were denied permission to leave Gaza by the Israeli authorities. For more details about the festival, see our article on page 23. Photo courtesy POPULAR STRUGGLE COORDINATION COMMITTEE

Muslim Views wishes everyone an Eid Mubarak, and Hajj Maqbool and Hajj Mabroor to all Hujjaaj

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Muslim Views

Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

activities in the sacred space other than the ritual prayer. Based on the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), it is evident that the role of the masjid is not limited to this function exclusively. Indeed, the essence of the teachings from these primary sources is that such a sacred space should be defined as inclusive as opposed to exclusive. The Mercy of Allah and the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) embrace all of humanity and reach out to people and social institutions beyond the confines of the walls of the sacred space. Therefore the ethos of the space dedicated to His worship and the sunnah of His Prophet is, by definition, positive and affirmative. It naturally follows that a sacred space should draw people in OUTH Africa has a vibrant activities broadly contributing to, Muslim community with a inter alia, outreach, solidarity, rich history and deeply education, intellectual engagement established roots in institutions and culture. Ideally, this broader such as masajid. A masjid is conventionally known as understanding should be the basis for determining the particulars of the a house of worship for Muslims. role of the masjid as an institution This is the one function of a masjid on which there is broad consensus. anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, for many millions of However, there is probably equally Muslims around the world, this is broad consensus that a masjid an unattainable ideal due to the cannot be limited to this singular interests of powers beyond the function. The reason is that control of ordinary worshippers. congregational prayer and public Dictatorships and client states in the worship cannot be disjoined from service of imperial powers are well humans as social, political and aware of the strategic importance of cultural beings. the masjid as a forum for popular Salaah, especially in congregation in a public space is a social activity. social and political organisation. Therefore, the above ideals have The relationship between sacred little or no basis to thrive in the spaces and their congregations is masajid of these countries. one of the most important for a However, South African Muslim religious people. This relationship communities are particularly shows the role played by the institution and the people. It speaks fortunate in that this basis is already established in a favourable and to how that space is used and how progressive constitutional and the congregation – and the surrounding community – is served legislative environment. It is highly and, ultimately, how Allah is served. significant that South African Muslims have long had a unique Given the diversity of people in and historic opportunity to revisit the South Africa, and hence the diversity of our communities and our role of the masjid in innovative and unprecedented ways. We have long masjid congregations, there are had an opportunity to bring the many issues that inform the subject of the role of masajid in relationship between the sacred South Africa to relevant public space and its people. forums countrywide. One of the foremost issues is

Is it time to revisit the significance of our sacred spaces?

Our editorial comment represents the composite viewpoint of the Editorial Team of Muslim Views, and is the institutional voice of the newspaper. Correspondence can be sent to editor@mviews.co.za Publishers: BRISKTRADE 175 (Pty) Ltd P O Box 442 Athlone 7760 South Africa Tel: 021 696 5404 • Fax Admin: 021 696 9301 Advertising adverts@mviews.co.za Admin info@mviews.co.za Editor Farid Sayed E-mail editor@mviews.co.za Fax Editor 086 516 4772 DISTRIBUTION Your Advertiser 021 638 7491 Views and opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial team or the publishers.

The Farewell Sermon of the Prophet (SAW) HE last sermon of the Prophet (SAW), delivered to a large gathering at Arafah, during Hajj, is known as Khutbatul Wada (The Farewell Sermon). It is mentioned in almost all books of Hadith: Imam al-Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam al-Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal who has perhaps the most complete version of this sermon in his Masnud, Hadith no. 19774. This khutbah contains much guidance and instructions on many issues. Following are extracts from the Khutbatul Wada: ‘O People … I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today… ‘Just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you… ‘Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore, all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity… ‘Beware of Shaitaan for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things so beware of following him in small things. ‘It is true that you have certain rights regarding your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. ‘If they abide by your right then to them belong the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers… ‘All humankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black any superiority over a white – except by piety and good action. ‘Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. ‘Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone… ‘Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people.’

In this edition of Muslim Views Pilgrims prejudiced in unregulated Umrah industry - Page 4 ‘Save the Vlei’ prayer meeting and ‘Flight of Dreams’ ramps up the campaign - Page 8 Steve Biko and Imam Haron: Solidarity as a source of strength for the oppressed - Page 10 Academia library launch - Page 11 Our hopes are buried with the victims of Marikana - Page 12 MRASA launches ‘New Dawn’ - Page 13 Quality under spotlight at IMA Convention - Page 14 ‘Muslimah Today’ brings women together - Page 20 Palestine Festival in Durban - Page 23 Stories from the Hijaz: Battle of the Trench - Page 26 Spiritual significance of Eid-ul-Adha - Page 33 Syria: through the looking glass of the Mahdi? - Page 28 The ‘second wife syndrome’ - Page 40 Ken Norton: far more than the records will show - Page 48

This newspaper carries Allah’s names, the names of the Prophets and sacred verses of the Holy Qur’an. Please treat it with the respect it deserves. Either keep, circulate or recycle. Please do not discard. Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Pilgrims prejudiced in unregulated R600-million Umrah industry MAHMOOD SANGLAY AN unregistered Umrah agent is accused of delivering poor service and not fulfilling his promises to pilgrims. Muslim Views has heard the complaints of six pilgrims who were dissatisfied with the services of Imam Rashaad Alexander of Majlies Tafheemul Quraan, in Belhar, Cape Town. This occurred as the drastically reduced quota of 2 000 South African Muslim pilgrims were completing their preparations for Hajj 1434 (AH) and the local industry prepares for the postHajj Umrah season. While the Hajj industry has over the past few years become more structured and regulated by the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc), the Umrah industry remains largely unregulated and fraught with inherent systemic problems. Approximately 30 000 South African pilgrims undertake the Umrah every year. At an average of R20 000 per package, the local industry is worth an estimated R600 million per annum. This is a powerful incentive for established travel and tour service providers to benefit from the potential market share of Umrah. But it is also a powerful incentive for anyone outside of the industry to do likewise. According to Karen Strydom,

Muslim Views

...the local Umrah industry is an unregulated, free-for-all market. It is possible for anyone who does not operate a business in travel or tourism to sell a typical Umrah package – in the fashion of an informal trade – to the public... Industry Affairs Specialist at the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA), there is no regulator for the broader travel industry in Southern Africa. Hence, Sahuc operates virtually as an isolated entity and in a regulatory vacuum. Its function is almost exclusively the control of Hajj visas allocated by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the accreditation of South African pilgrims and a registry of Saudi approved service providers. Consequently, the local Umrah industry is an unregulated, freefor-all market. It is possible for anyone who does not operate a business in travel or tourism to sell a typical Umrah package – in the fashion of an informal trade – to the public, and make accommodation arrangements directly with hotels in the Holy Cities. According to Shaheen Essop, president of Sahuc, this constitutes ‘circumventing’ the Saudi

provisions of the system. The system provides for a regular agent in South Africa to be registered and to work with a corresponding registered agent in the Saudi kingdom on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding in order to secure accommodation for the pilgrims. This system ensures that in the event that pilgrims are prejudiced by service providers, they have recourse to the relevant Saudi ministry for claims or redress. However, this is not possible for pilgrims who use the services of unregistered operators who circumvent the system. And there is nothing that prevents a South African service provider from operating outside the system, except for a singular provision, namely, obtaining the required visa. Any Umrah service provider must be registered as such with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and

Umrah in order to obtain visas for its travellers. For an unregistered service provider the solution is to approach a registered one and to outsource this service to the registered service provider. The Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry website lists 14 registered South African service providers. There are many unregistered but reputable Umrah agents who use the services of other registered agents in order to obtain visas. But there are also many of ill repute who do the same. The services typically offered by Umrah agents include transport (air travel as well as bus or taxi services), accommodation, visits to holy sites (ziyarah) and spiritual guidance (leading prayers during the various rituals of the pilgrimage. A registered service provider is not likely to falter in these services as the risk of damage to his

reputation is high. According to Essop a registered service provider invests about R500 000 in order to comply with registration requirements, and is liable to lose his registration or be penalised if found guilty of any wrongdoing by the Saudi ministry. Therefore, it is best and least risky for pilgrims to use the services of reputable registered service providers. Conversely, unregistered service providers, especially ones who do not operate formal and established businesses and who offer highly competitive packages pose a serious risk to pilgrims. Such was the case for the six pilgrims who complained of poor service by Imam Alexander during his Umrah tour from 30 March to 28 April this year. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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The complaints of Nafiesa Gallie, Ayesha Hamdulay, Soraya Moos, Ragiema Moos, Joolayga Vally and Ismail Vally relate to each of the key services delivered by Imam Alexander. He is accused of suddenly increasing the advertised price of R19 500 by another R2 500. Furthermore, the complainants allege that he promised to accommodate three persons per room but reneged on this promise when a fourth person was added. He is also accused of promising that all ziyarahs were included in the package but then charged for visits to many of the sacred sites. In one instance, he is accused of radically inflating the taxi fare after he was quoted a price by the taxi driver. The complaints further relate to substandard accommodation in Cairo and the reneging on the agreements to provide two nights’ accommodation in a Jerusalem hotel. The complainants were particularly disturbed by the fact that after two nights in the hotel rooms they were awoken from their sleep in the early hours of the morning and had to sleep on hard benches on the ground floor. However, the nature of the problem is compounded given the fact that Imam Alexander generally provided no receipts for payments made, except in cases where pilgrims insisted that he signs for receipt of payment on scraps of paper. He is also alleged to have provided no contracts or itineraries of the tour, even when repeatedly asked to do so. The pilgrims generally complained of a lack of transparency by Imam Alexander in his dealings with them.

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Ultimately, it is the pilgrim that must ensure he or she deals with a reputable service provider. Even in the absence of an appropriate industry regulator, it remains the responsibility of the consumer to make informed decisions about important services like the Hajj or Umrah. In his interview with Muslim Views Imam Alexander disputed many of the allegations even though there appeared to be consensus among the complainants about the problems with his service. However, a legitimate argument in his defence is that the leaflet advertising his package clearly stipulates that prices are subject to increase due to increases in airfare and to currency fluctuations. How did Imam Alexander obtain visas for his pilgrims? Information supplied by a pilgrim indicates that another organisation, named Liberated African Muslim Youth (Lamy), applied for visas on his behalf from registered local Umrah service providers. The owner of Lamy, Shaheed Davids, confirmed this and told Muslim Views that he normally obtains his visas by requesting them from registered agents Travelxpress and Flywell Travel. Davids also said that Imam Alexander ‘ran into problems’ with his package and that the accommodation he had offered was then no longer valid. Lamy, therefore, assisted him in finding

alternative suitable accommodation and requesting visas from the registered agents. Shaheed Davids, formerly of As Sabireen, is known for trading in visas. His group claimed, in 2011, to have had access to nearly 100 visas directly from the Ministry of Hajj in the kingdom. In April 2011, As Sabireen failed to provide 140 Umrah pilgrims the accommodation they had been promised. Travelxpress and Flywell Travel confirmed that Lamy routinely requests visas from them. Sedick Steenkamp of Travelxpress argued that they do not apply for such visas indiscriminately without ensuring that corresponding airline tickets and contracts for accommodation in the Saudi kingdom are in order. However, it appears that none of Imam Alexander’s clients had a contract. Aboobaker Ahmed of Flywell Travel confirmed that they had applied for the visas of the six complainants from Imam Alexander’s group. Both he and Steenkamp indicated that they were not aware that Lamy was acting on behalf of Imam Alexander, of whom they

had no knowledge. Travelxpress and Flywell Travel also noted their concern that their reputation is at risk by assisting third parties with visas, and that they will act with greater circumspection in future. In light of the above it is easy to apportion blame and responsibility to errant service providers like Imam Alexander. However, it is important to note that there are a number of other role players who may also be complicit and who share some responsibility in addressing the problem. There are also a series of systemic deficiencies that create an enabling environment for errant service providers to act opportunistically and against the interests of their clients in a lucrative industry. One instance is responsibility that must be taken by registered Umrah agents that indiscriminately apply for visas on behalf of unregistered agents. Another is the need for compliance by Saudi hotels to ensure that foreign agents follow proper procedure by dealing with appropriate Saudi agents on the basis of a Memorandum of Understand-

ing. The hotels should also ensure that proper contracts for accommodation are in place and that the terms of these are adhered to. It is the absence of a suitable regulatory framework that creates opportunities for errant operators. Essop told Muslim Views that this is a work in progress and that it involves the co-operation of the majority of the established agents in the industry who are generally willing to work towards optimum regulation. According to Essop, the opportunistic operators are an isolated minority. Ultimately, it is the pilgrim that must ensure he or she deals with a reputable service provider. Even in the absence of an appropriate industry regulator, it remains the responsibility of the consumer to make informed decisions about important services like the Hajj or Umrah. Critical questions about pricing and the details of the service must be asked, and essential aspects of the service, such as the contract and a complete itinerary, must be disclosed before payment is made.

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Muslim Views

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Save the Vlei prayer meeting to save our public space BRIDGET PITT WITH so many religious leaders present, we could not but have good weather at the prayer meeting held at Princess Vlei on Sunday, September 22. After a week of violent storms, we were treated to a perfect spring day as people gathered to celebrate the spiritual power of Princess Vlei, and to pledge their commitment to fighting for the threatened public space. The gathering was welcomed by Princess Vlei Forum Chairperson Philip Bam who spoke about how the god of greed was the driving force leading to the destruction of sacred spaces such as Princess Vlei. He thanked people for coming and helping to open the hearts and eyes of our city leaders so that this space could be preserved. The opening prayer was performed by Geoffrey Dayawana, an elder from the Gospel Church of God, which is one of the many churches that baptise people at Princess Vlei. Every year, thousands of people are baptised in the waters of the vlei, coming from all over the country for this important ritual. The church choir was also present, as were many members of the congregation of this and other churches who do baptisms at the vlei. The spiritual origins of the vlei were reinvoked, with a strong presence from the Khoi groups of the House of Xoraxouhoe and the House of Cochoqua. Bradley Van Sitters performed a prayer in Nama, and there was a cleansing ritual involving senior leaders from both groups. Chief

Princess Vlei Forum’s ‘Flight of Dreams’ art and culture event: THE magic of Princess Vlei was very much alive on Monday evening, September 23, as a crowd of school children, parents and supporters engaged in a moonlight parade to celebrate the birds and other natural life at Princess Vlei. About 80 people, led by a giant puppet of a grey heron, walked from the Jolly Carp to the Princess Vlei car park and back. They carried puppets and masks created by children over the last few weeks. The event was a collaboration between the Princess Vlei Forum, the Frank Joubert Art Centre, the Children’s Art Centre and Battswood Arts Centre, and also involved local schools such as Wynberg High and Hyde Park Primary. Its intention was to celebrate and agitate to conserve the beautiful space around Princess Vlei; the birds and other natural fauna and flora from the vlei; and, at the same time, showcase the imaginative creativity of our talented local school children. The parade encapsulated the vision of the Princess Vlei Forum to use this space as a community canvas to express the spiritual, social and cultural identities of all of Cape Town’s communities. How sad that the developers and politicians were not there to feel the magic. Photo MATILDA SMITH

Hennie van Wyk called for the Khoi tribes to be recognised by the government.

The elders retold the legend of the Khoi princess who was abducted and raped or killed by

Portuguese sailors, and her tears flowed down to form Princess Vlei.

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In a strongly worded keynote address, Bishop Geoff Davies condemned the drive to profit from a development that was sacrificing social and environmental issues for short-term monetary gain. He called on the mayor to support the cause to conserve Princess Vlei as a nature and heritage site, and warned the city authorities against disregarding the will of the people on this issue. ‘If developers are so insensitive and arrogant to persist, we warn them we will encourage our congregations to boycott them,’ he said. ‘If you say, we will be breaking the law, they must know that they are breaking the laws of God and the natural laws of the universe. ‘The council must simply not allow the shopping mall. ‘If they persist, we have a legitimate and legal way of expressing our views – we don’t vote for them at the next election!’ Shaikh Dr Muhammad Ridwaan Gallant, speaking on behalf of the Muslim Judicial Council,

‘If developers are so insensitive and arrogant to persist, we warn them we will encourage our congregations to boycott them,’ he (Bishop Geoff Davies) said. ‘If you say, we will be breaking the law, they must know that they are breaking the laws of God and the natural laws of the universe.’ reflected that in 1975 South Africa signed the RAMSA treaty to protect wetlands. ‘Now, forty years later, we have to fight to save the vlei.’ Gallant commented on the importance of wetlands for sustaining human and environmental health, and reminded people of the words of the Prophet: ‘If you cut down a tree without justification, Allah will send down hell fire ... ‘We have so many malls, why do we want to establish another on this sacred place?’

His words were echoed by other speakers, including Rabbi Greg Alexander, Pratiba Daya (Baha’i faith) and Nigel Crawhall from the Hout Bay Buddhist group. All three performed blessing rituals for the vlei. Archbishop Stephen Brislin was also present, but had to leave before he had a chance to address the meeting. The meeting ended with the creation and blessing of a cairn. Functioning as a symbolic grave for the Khoi princess, the cairn serves as an expression of com-

mitment by the different faith leaders to conserve this site to perpetuity. Those attending added stones to the cairn, after which Emma Oliver, wife of the late Reverend John Oliver, sprinkled water from the vlei around the cairn. The water flowing over the stones represented the unity of purpose of all the diverse cultures present there. The prayer meeting celebrates our vision for the transformation of Princess Vlei into a heritage and nature park.

This heritage and nature park will offer a space to grow a future Cape Town that is united in diversity. This remarkable gathering demonstrates again how powerful the Princess Vlei is as a bridge builder in Cape Town. We call again on the authorities to work with all of us in realising this vision and to put a stop to the sale of the land for a mall. For more information, contact Bridget Pitt: e-mail: bpitt@iafrica.com or 082 462 1308.

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STEVE BIKO and IMAM HARON

Solidarity as a source of strength for the oppressed THANDILE KONA, a social activist and journalist based in the Eastern Cape, in the final of a two-part series, points out how one should truly be celebrating the legacy of Imam Abdullah Haron and Steve Biko, who were killed in detention in September 1969 and 1977, respectively. IN response to continued resistance, the apartheid regime expended a lot of intellectual and physical energy and resources in dividing the oppressed into smaller, more manageable groups hostile to each other and treating each other with suspicion and contempt. At the top of the apartheid racial pecking order were ‘whites’, followed by ‘Indians’ then ‘coloureds’ and, at the very bottom, were ‘blacks’. This strategy worked, as there was very little interaction between the groupings and competition, for whatever resource crumbs that the racist regime threw their way, was fierce and sometimes deadly. The 1949 Zulu-‘Indian’ conflict should be seen in this light. The racism of the regime was transferred to the victims of such racism and the ‘Indian’ treated the ‘coloured’ and ‘black’ with contempt, and the reverse was true. Even within these smaller groupings, hostilities were palpable. AmaZulu were pitted against amaXhosa and baSotho and, in this case as well, the reverse was also true. South Africa had become a

cesspool of mutual suspicion and hatred, based simply on one’s skin complexion or tribe or location, with ‘whites’ able to devise ever more complex schemes of repression and oppression. The government went further and created separate amenities, like universities, for ‘Indians’, ‘coloureds’ and ‘blacks’ that were resourced according to the pecking order. This created resentment between these groups and fuelled the polarisation of people who had a common enemy. Being classified as one or the other group in some cases literally meant a world of difference in terms of one’s station in life. At times, the fight became about extracting more concessions from the racist regime or to ‘work within the system’ as some argued. Using public lectures and his Friday sermons as platforms for conscientisation before, during and after the 1960 PAC-led Positive Action campaign, Imam Haron encouraged his audiences, who were mainly from the grouping that the apartheid government designated as ‘coloured’, to get involved and support their fellow countrymen, the ‘black’ people. He emphasised the need for this support based on the Islamic concept of human solidarity and used his position as an imam to help garner material and moral support for families in the ‘black’ areas. In the same vein, writing in an article, ‘Fragmentation of the Black Resistance’ in the SASO Newsletter of June 1971, Biko stressed the need for solidarity by observing, ‘This is the major dan-

ger that I see facing the black community at the present moment – to be so conditioned by the system as to make even our most well-considered resistance to fit within the system both in terms of the means and the goals. …This is dangerous retrogressive thinking, which should be given no breathing space.’ Later in the same article, he continues, ‘Thus, in an effort to maintain our solidarity and relevance to the situation we must resist all attempts at the fragmentation of our resistance. ‘Black people must recognise the various institutions of apartheid for what they are – gags intended to get black people fighting separately for certain ‘freedoms’ and ‘gains’ which were prescribed for them long ago… ‘Granted that it may be more attractive and even safer to join the system, we must still recognise that in doing so we are well on the way towards selling our souls.’ It should always be noted that Biko always used the word ‘black’ inclusively to mean ‘Africans’, ‘Indians’ and ‘coloureds’. Indeed, he described it as a ‘reflection of a mental attitude’ and ‘not a matter of pigmentation’. Of course, the imam could have simply taken the seemingly easier and more appealing route of ‘working within the system’ as so many in his position had done and continued to do after him. He could have stopped involving himself in ‘kaffir politics’ and concentrated in raising his children and providing for his family. Steve Biko as well, could have focused on his medical studies

and, after finishing, had a comfortable middle-class livelihood and family life. But both men chose the path of righteousness over self-interest. The common thread in both Imam Haron and Biko’s call for solidarity of the oppressed is the recognition and affirmation of their common humanity and the negation of the inhumanity and barbarity of the notion of ‘each man for himself’.

Overcoming the fear of death It is generally agreed that the period within which apartheid was at its strongest and most ruthless is between 1960 and 1976, just before the Soweto uprisings. Steve Biko describes the period from 1960 onwards in the following words: ‘After the banning of the black political parties in South Africa, people’s hearts were gripped by some kind of foreboding fear for anything political. ‘Not only were politics a closed book but at every corner one was greeted by a slave-like apathy that often bordered on timidity. ‘To anyone living in the black world, the hidden anger and turmoil could always be seen shining through the faces and actions of these voiceless masses but it was never verbalised.’ It was thus very courageous for Imam Haron to talk like he did in the climate described by Biko above. It is reported that before returning to South Africa, after his travels in the Middle East and Europe, the imam was alerted to his impending incarceration on

...a brave book that fully exposes the activity of South African Zionists SHAFIQ MORTON, MUSLIM VIEWS

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his return. He nevertheless returned and was subsequently detained for more than four months. Similarly with Biko, having been banned and confined to his house, he chose to undertake a journey in furtherance of the cause to which he had committed himself; he was arrested. They were both severely tortured and died in custody. But what is remarkable in all of this is that in the case of the imam, it is said that he fasted for most of his detention and remained steadfast despite the psychological and emotional trauma of being deprived an opportunity to see his family. Biko is also reported to have fought back at his torturers, never allowing them to take control of his being until they had to resort to humiliating him by stripping him naked and chaining him to the floor of his cell. There is no doubt that both their deaths were brutal but they remain victorious in death. They overcame the fear of death, which in so many cases could lead to people compromising with injustice to save their skins.

Celebrating Imam Haron and Steve Biko’s legacy The South Africa of today is a vastly different place from that of Imam Haron and Steve Biko. We have definitely made strides but great challenges remain, and if we are not vigilant, the strides we have made will be reversed. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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Muslim Views . October 2013

New library on Islam will open doors to all MAHMOOD SANGLAY A NEW library specialising in literature on Islam and the Muslim world is due to open in the first quarter of 2014 in the Academia Centre, at Islamia College, in Lansdowne, Western Cape. The library is currently under construction on the second floor of the Academia Centre and is expected to exceed 500 squaremetres of floor space, including a mezzanine floor. The total cost of the project is R6,3 million and funds are sourced from the Muslim community and businesses. Although the Academia Library project is new and independent of any other library, it is undertaken by the executive committee and trustees of Islamic Library, which already operates libraries in Gatesville and Paarl. The distinction between the branches of Islamic Library and Academia Library is that the latter has an ambitious threefold purpose: that of service providing

The new Academia Library, pictured on the day of its media launch, is currently under construction on the campus of Islamia College. The 500m2 facility, on the second floor of the Academia Centre, includes a mezzanine floor. The library’s holding capacity is over 25 000 books and will house material on Islam and the Muslim world for the schools on campus, for tertiary level research and for the public. Photo SUPPLIED

material on Islam and the Muslim world for the school, for tertiary

level research and for the public. The library will be open to all

people irrespective of faith, and membership will be free. At a media launch on September 4, the Chairman of Academia Library, Dr Elias Parker, announced that the library will house over 25 000 books. A press statement issued on the occasion of the media launch says: ‘By combining the use of traditional books, electronic media and ebooks, the old-school charm of a library will be maintained while exposing patrons to the endless possibilities of modern technologies.’ The innovative features of the library will include high-speed internet access, custom-built study cubicles and workstations, documentation services, recreational reading spaces, a specially designed children’s library, an academic research unit and an

archive display gallery. Academia Library will also have functional relations with other facilities at the Academia Centre, including a 250-seat auditorium, a boardroom, a seminar room and a halaal restaurant. This lends the library space to a range of related activities such as book launches, debating forums and academic forums. The keynote speaker at the media launch of Academia Library, Dr Anwah Nagia, said he foresees collaborative opportunities for Academia Library and for another project that he is personally dedicated to, namely the Human Rights Centre, incorporating the Palestinian Museum in Cape Town. The Human Rights Centre, undertaken by the Kaaf Trust, is also expected to open in 2014.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Our hopes are buried with the victims of Marikana, says leading theologian MAHMOOD SANGLAY REVEREND Professor Peter Storey says the events at Marikana in 2012 have so disillusioned him that he no longer believes ‘that the coming of democracy had fundamentally altered the nature of power in South Africa’. The reverend made this point as keynote speaker at the Annual General Meeting of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF) at Muir Street Masjid, in District Six, on September 18. The event was chaired by the WCRLF leader Imam Abdul Rashied Omar, and was attended by more than 60 religious leaders from various faith traditions. Reverend Storey is also known as a leading anti-apartheid activist and served as the prison chaplain to Nelson Mandela. He addressed religion-state relations in post-apartheid South Africa in light of the upcoming 2014 elections. The reverend labelled a number of instances as the ‘grubby stains’ on the flag of a democratically elected government affecting the lives of millions of South Africans. Among these, he included the corrupt arms deal, AIDS denialism, the government’s collusion in ‘every tragic chapter’ of Zimbabwe, the failure of leadership on education, the problem of racism and ethnic chauvinism, the xenophobic violence, poverty, unemployment and crime. ‘The first flush of democracy has faded and the tawdriness and venality of much of our present political scene is now undeniable. Corruption is a direct robbing of the poor and can no longer be ignored,’ he said. He pointed out that all these concerns ‘fall into the ambit of the moral and spiritual’ and therefore should be high on the agenda of religious leaders and faith communities in South Africa. The reverend argued that many had failed to understand that a systemic transformation from apartheid to democracy does not mean that the essential nature of

Muslim Views

The AGM of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum on September 18 was addressed by Reverend Peter Storey, left, and chaired by Imam Rashied Omar. Photo TAHIRIH MATTHEE

the state had changed. Ultimately, ‘Caesar will always be Caesar and God will always be God,’ he said. Given the upcoming elections in 2014, Reverend Storey is deeply suspicious of politicians’ attempts to manipulate religious leaders and faith communities. He

cautions religious leaders against cooption by politicians and encourages them to hold politicians accountable instead of being lured by the false promises of political power. However, this does not preclude cooperation with the state in matters of common interest, as long as the lines between state and religious leaders are clear. The reverend emphasised the importance of economic justice and said ‘the abuse of power to deny a poor person bread will always be a greater sin than the theft of bread by a poor person’. He referenced the Bible with the words, ‘When theologians say that God is on the side of the poor, it is not because the poor are sinless but because they are most sinned against.’ (Exodus 3:7 – 10, Proverbs 31:8 – 9 and Luke 4:16 – 21) In its AGM proceedings, the WCRLF also paid tribute to Father John Oliver who died on July 4, and reported on its key activities in the past year. These activities included its support for the campaign of the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) for safe sanitation conditions for Khayelitsha’s informal settlements and intervened when tensions emerged after the City failed to meet the needs of local communities. In a recent development, the WCRLF facilitated an agreement for a summit involving the City, the SJC and members of the Khayelitsha community. The WCRLF chair also announced that Moulana Abdul Khaliq Allie, secretary general of the Muslim Judicial Council, had agreed to lead the prayers for the annual Drive Alive campaign. Imam Omar concluded by reminding the forum that ‘Cape Town continues to be one of the most divided cities in our country’ through ‘institutionalised racism’ and class divisions.

Steve Biko and Imam Haron CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Democratic South Africa faces a menacing and dehumanising scourge of poverty. In a country that has vast resources that can feed every mouth, there are those who have nothing to eat and are fast losing hope of their lives ever improving. We should be collectively outraged and should be shouting from every church, mosque or street corner and ask, as Imam Haron did, ‘How much can we bear?’ It is also in this country of Imam Haron and Biko that we see the resurfacing of the bane of tribalism, ethnicism and narrow nationalism as witnessed by the recent public spats between ‘coloureds’ and ‘blacks’ and between ‘Indians’ and Zulus. Today, we do not have legislated apartheid to battle against but, surely, poverty, inequality and hopelessness pose a far greater threat than apartheid could ever do. Ours is not a just society until high quality education is accessible to the children of the people of Khayelitsha. We cannot be free, until the widows of Marikana get the answers they deserve and a just compensation for a crime against our humanity. There can be no prosperity for anyone until the indignity of parents having to relieve themselves in buckets in full view of their children is no more. A better life for all is a better life for none when children are in danger of being crushed by walls of schools that are falling apart. Imam Haron would have been outraged at what we are becoming. Steve Biko would be disappointed at the betrayal of the black solidarity that was forged through blood and fire. Let us remember Imam Haron, the martyr of peace, and Steve Biko, the martyr of hope, by reaching out to each other and pulling each other up in this never-ending journey to a just Azania, as both would call this country.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Refugee project aims to showcase talent MAHMOOD SANGLAY THE Muslim Refugees Association of South Africa (MRASA) was launched in 2008 for the purpose of addressing the ‘plight of refugees and locals religiously, socially, morally and academically’. Although the organisation was established by and for African refugees in response to the xenophobic attacks on Africans, it has also become a haven for refugees from other parts of the world. According to Ramadhan Wagogo, the chairperson of MRASA, they turn no one away, including non-Muslims and South African citizens. MRASA is a non-profit organisation registered with the Department of Social Development. The organisation has an executive committee of eight portfolio holders and a membership of approximately 1 000. Organisations that they often work with include the Imam Abdullah Haron Education Trust,

As part of its social upliftment programme, MRASA assists other needy organisations such as the Hamsa Madrasa Centre, in Bellville. This madrassah benefitted from a donation of stationery to the value of R10 000 granted by the Darul Ihsan Centre, in Durban. Pictured, from left, at the offices of MRASA in March 2012, were Isaac Kattiganzi, secretary general of MRASA, Abdullahi Sheikh and Hamsa Ali Abdullah of the Hamsa Madrasa, and Ramadhan Wagogo, director of MRASA. Photo SUPPLIED

the South African National Zakaah Fund, Africa Muslims Agency, Mustadafin Foundation and Nakhlistan. Bursaries are

offered to MRASA members with the aid of these organisations. MRASA has also launched its own magazine in July 2013. The

first edition of The New Dawn consists of 30 pages featuring content of general interest, international affairs and for refugees

in particular. Ramadhan says the magazine’s purpose is to provide a platform for refugees to offer their skills and to showcase their talent to local communities. A profile of a successful entrepreneur in the current edition is a case in point. The New Dawn is intended as a source of revenue for MRASA and available for sale at R20 per copy. Further information about MRASA and its activities are obtainable from 021 637 9181 and 078 419 3405 or by email at mrasa2008@gmail.com.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Quality under spotlight at IMA Convention SHANAAZ EBRAHIM-GIRE

More than 200 medical and health professionals from across South Africa attended the recently held its 33rd annual IMA convention in Somerset West, outside Cape Town. Photo RIAZ ISMAIL

THE Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA) hosted its 33rd annual Convention in Cape Town. The two-day gathering of medical doctors and health practitioners sought to address issues pertaining to ‘Quality and Healthcare’ which was the chosen theme this year. ‘One of the aims of the IMA is to provide a service to doctors of the Islamic faith to ensure that they practise ethical and high quality medicine, consistent with Islamic principles,’ IMASA President, Dr Shoayb Wadee, stated. An array of topics was covered that drew more than 200 professionals from across South Africa. Discussions on treatment for common illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, strokes and cancer were held, the latter proving to be popular with delegates. ‘We chose breast cancer as one of the themes as it is prevalent and very common these days. We wanted to not only hear from the specialists providing the service but also from people who have survived breast cancer; what it feels like to be diagnosed and to go through the treatment process,’ Conference convenor and IMA Western Cape chairperson, Dr Riaz Ismail said. The marriage between medical practices and Islamic principles were evident in many of the talks delivered at the seminar. Topics included ‘Stigma in HIV: An Islamic Perspective,’ ‘Spirituality: The missing link in Contemporary Medical Training,’ and ‘Unveiling the power of Quran through Human creation.’ ‘The guiding principle of the

IMA is not only medicine but also da’wah. It is our aim to elevate ourselves spiritually, elevate our patients and, in so doing, perform da’wah through our work,’ Ismail added. He said that the IMA working relationship with the ulama fraternity is on a good footing as religious bodies have learned over the years to engage medical practitioners for advice on humanitarian issues. ‘We frequently interact with bodies such as the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) who has learned over the years to engage us on medical issues.

‘We have found that they are open to the advice; they listen and will implement. A sterling example of this relationship was during the Xenophobia crisis in 2008 where many refugees were accommodated in mosques. ‘We then engaged the MJC and delivered a talk on displaced persons and what the basic requirements were. The Islamic way of opening your hearts is fantastic but it does not always cater for what is an accepted form of managing displaced people. Mosques were then advised to install additional toilets and ablution facilities etc.’

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Ismail explained. This year’s conference coincided with the annual gathering of the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations (FIMA) who, with its many delegates from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan and Turkey, added an international flavour to the gathering. One of the visiting doctors was Dr Assem Balawi, the president of the IMA Jordan. He is a practising cardio-vascular surgeon from Amman, and shared his experiences in the field as a result of the ongoing political turmoil in Syria that has seen thousands of people displaced.

‘There are currently more than 1,2 million Syrian refugees in Jordan. We have set up three camps for internally displaced people but this is not enough. Our health infrastructure has been deeply affected by the excess of patients, especially the wounded. ‘The IMA Jordan has set up field hospitals but the more serious injuries are treated in Amman. Our doctors and nurses are overwhelmed as medical supplies and vital medicines are running out.’ The IMASA forum was established in 1979 by a group of doctors who were concerned about the state of health of the poor, indigenous population in South Africa. ‘Services offered by the body include mobile clinics, healthcare screenings, cataract programmes and testing and counselling for HIV/ Aids patients. We also participate in relief operations both locally and abroad,’ Wadee said. ‘We have another wing called the Muslim Aids Project (MAP) which serves to educate about HIV/ Aids by going into communities to uplift the youth, conduct testing and also refer patients who are in need of counselling and treatment. ‘We advocate for abstinence, which is the Islamic way, instead of the condomise route, which is the Western approach.’ For more information about IMASA, visit their website www.ima-sa.co.za

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Upcoming Auction Wednesday, 27th November 2013, 12pm, The Rockwell Hotel, Prestwich Street, Green Point Wishing all of our Muslim clients a blessed Eid ul adha. Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

SA teacher heads for Amsterdam Marathon in R1 million challenge MAHMOOD SANGLAY ROCKLANDS High School teacher, Irafaan Abrahams, is continuing his drive to raise R1 million in funding for needy schools on the Cape Flats. In 2011, he ran the New York Marathon in the New York Million Rand Challenge and raised more than R250 000 for seven needy schools in one of the most impoverished areas in Cape Town, as well as for the Beitul Aman Home of the Aged. This was followed by the Chicago Marathon, in 2012, in which he exceeded expectations by raking in R360 000 for nine needy schools and two cancer associations. The Amsterdam Marathon takes place on October 20, 2013, and one of the beneficiary schools is Glendale High School, in Mitchells Plain. The funds will be deployed to support the building of the first tartan athletics track in Mitchells Plain. For the first time, a masjid is a beneficiary of the project. Masjidul Bagr, in Strandfontein, will be the recipient of funds collected by its congregation in support of the R1 million challenge. In an exciting new development, Islamic Relief has agreed to sponsor the costs of the project, which is a significant boost for both its charitable and its social development causes. The sponsorship is expected to cover a period of five years. Irafaan Abrahams hails from the Cape Flats. He is a sports radio presenter on Voice of the

Muslim Views

Official launch of Xhosa Qur’an The Premier of Eastern Cape, Ms Noxolo Kiviet, with a copy of the Xhosa translation of the Holy Qur’an presented to her by Ms Shehnaaz Khan, a community social worker in King William’s Town. Photo SHENAAZ KHAN

Irafaan Abrahams, pictured here holding a silver medal in October 2012 after completing the Chicago Marathon. The potential of the R1 million challenge project was recognised by Islamic Relief who has agreed to sponsor the project for five years. Photo SUPPLIED

Cape and is an inspiration to thousands of students in his 19year teaching career. His efforts have been recognised by the Minister of Education, he was featured on national television and he was honoured as a South African teaching hero. The fund-raising concept is based on the effort of learners to collect R5 for each of the 42,2km

kilometres of the marathon. Learners are inspired by the achievements of Irafaan and are motivated to support his cause in the interests of their school. Irafaan heads a social club in which he encourages youth to participate in sport, particularly running. This helps keep the youth away from anti-social activities.

FOLLOWING the official launch of the translation of the Qur’an in Xhosa, in Ramadaan 1434 (August 2013), a ceremony was held in Eastern Cape’s capital, Bisho, with the premier of the province, Ms Nxolo Kiviet, receiving her personal copy. The challenging task of translating the Qur’an into one of the country’s official languages was undertaken by the Islamic Dawah Movement of Southern African (IDM). The translation process took seven years and the expenditure of huge resources. This is the first time the Qur’an has been translated into Xhosa, which is the home language of nine million people – 18% of the total population in South Africa, mainly in Eastern Cape and Western Cape.

Premier Kiviet was deeply touched by the presentation and requested an English translation of the Qur’an; a request with which the IDM has complied. Ms Shehnaaz Khan, a community social worker in King William’s Town, has also requested a meeting with the Eastern Cape MEC for Arts and Culture, Ms Xoliswa Tom, to discuss a major celebratory event in the province to mark the launch of the Xhosa Qur’an. Ms Khan has presented copies of the Xhosa translated Qur’an to the Steve Biko Foundation library, the Bisho Eastern Cape Legislature Library and arrangements are being made to present several copies to Rhodes University Library in Grahamstown. Schools in the King William’s Town area have been presented copies for their libraries. The IDM is offering the Qur’ans free to the public and organisations. To help the IDM meet the high demand, the public is invited to sponsor copies as a form of sadaqatul jaariyah. It costs R40 to print a copy. For further information contact the IDM on 031 304 6883 or e-mail: idm@ion.co.za

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Muslimah Today: bringing women together NASEEMA MALL BRINGING together Muslim women doing extraordinary work in various fields – academic, social, humanitarian, literary, spiritual – Muslimah Today’s 2nd annual conference, hosted by Durban’s Institute for Learning and Motivation-South Africa (ILM-SA), saw the podium graced by remarkable women. The conference kicked off with Minister of Home Affairs, Naledi Pandor, who was rather impressed with Muslimah Today. She urged Muslim women: ‘Take advantage of the equality provisions in the constitution. Don’t hold back. Take what we fought for and won, and make it work for you. Shape your talents and make yourself the best you can. I want more Muslim women to choose to become scientists.’ She lamented: ‘Women have not developed united concrete objectives. We have not mapped out what we want to achieve in 20 to 30 years from now.’ Attended by more than 100 women, Muslimah Today was a full two-day event which was also attended by special guest Ela Ghandi who shared her thoughts: ‘I was greatly inspired by the conference. I was particularly impressed with the free communication, uninhibited by any constraints. ‘The combination of generations was an enriching factor. In addition, the promotion of the true meaning of the scriptures, promoting values and a good life is so inspirational. The speeches and discussions were indeed quality speeches and discussions.’

At the welcome session of the Muslimah Today’s second annual conference, in the front row were (from right): Ela Gandhi, Farzanah Mall, regional chair of the Business Women’s Association, Mona Vahed, Councillor Fawzia Peer (ANC politician and community worker), Mrs Zuleikha Mayat and Naledi Pandor. Photo RUMANA AKOOB

With injustice being a scourge of humanity globally, Quraysha Sooliman underscored the dire need for justice. ‘Too many people fail to be offended when injustice is perpetrated against their fellow human beings. ‘If Muslims really understood how important justice is to the objectives and purposes of Islam then the first quality of religiousness that would appear in a person who has renewed his commitment to his faith would be that the person would act justly. ‘We would only see people who were just, and who were upright in their dealings with others.’ An enlightening session was ‘Writing as a way of addressing social issues’ by novelist Shafinaaz Hassim and poet Bilkis Moola. Shafinaaz spoke about her most recent publication, Sofia,

which is about a Muslim woman in an abusive marriage, while Bilkis serenaded the audience with her soon to be published poems, using poetry as means of therapy, in this instance for women who have survived domestic abuse. Some attendees expressed their thoughts on the conference: DUT journalism academic, Ayesha Mall said, ‘I attend conferences often, locally and internationally. ‘The recurring thought during this conference was the events organised by ILM-SA, are some of the most well organised I’ve attended. ‘At Muslimah Today, I enjoy the tangible spirit of sisterhood, the camaraderie and the encouragement from organisers and speakers. I appreciate the inclusive, accommodating and nonjudgemental attitude of the organisers, which comes from

knowledge, experience, sincerity and humility.’ ‘What a pleasure to have a professional Islamic conference for women by women. These dynamic women are an inspiration to make us realise our strength and potential,’ said accountant, Zaahida Fakey. ILM-SA director Fatima Asmal elaborated: ‘We started Muslimah Today because, through ILM-SA’s various activities, and through my work as a journalist, we found that there are so many amazing women in our community. ‘They come from diverse backgrounds, and we felt we needed to create a platform whereby they could all come together and learn from each other, and inspire each other. ‘We wanted to counter the myth that Islamic knowledge is owned by men, as through time immemorial this has not been the case, and it certainly isn’t the case

now. ‘We may not yet have reached the stage where we have institutes producing female Islamic scholars but there are plenty of women who are experts in their fields – Islamic and secular – and we felt we needed to give these women an opportunity to share their wisdom. ‘Another crucial aim is to unite Muslim women across the aforementioned ‘barriers’ which shouldn’t be barriers at all. ‘The general response has been overwhelming. Last year, the conference was unchartered territory for many, and the attendance was average. The women who attended spread the word, and this year we were truly overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of women. ‘Our youngest delegate was fifteen, our eldest were in their eighties. We had home executives, academics, single mums, married women, women from around the country – you name it, they were there, and they benefitted and they conveyed their joy to us thereafter that they had found a platform to interact with each other as women, not as ‘black’ women, ‘white’ women etc.’ To purchase ILM-SA’s previous conference DVDs or for more info on next year’s conference, email info@ilmsa.co.za

Cape school needs funds for school hall FATIMA ALLIE HAROLD CRESSY High School (HCHS), situated in District Six, Cape Town, is urgently looking for funds to build a multipurpose school hall. District Six witnessed the forced removal of thousands of families, and the history of HCHS and the contribution of its principals, teachers and students to the political landscape of the Western Cape and of South Africa is the stuff of legend. Thousands of ‘Cressyites’ have become accountants, actuarial scientists, architects, artists, business men and women, community workers, computer programmers, doctors, dentists, economists, educators, engineers, journalists, lecturers, physicians, politicians, religious leaders, scientists, surgeons, systems analysts and technicians. A small group of ‘Cressyites’ started fundraising activities to assist the Harold Cressy Bursary Fund in 2001. This eventually led to the formation of the Harold Cressy Alumni Association (HCAA), which was formally constituted in 2006. The key objectives of the association were to assist HCHS in all its activities and to continue raising funds for the Harold Cressy Bursary Fund. One of the objectives of the HCAA is to assist the school with the fundraising of a much-needed school hall. It is an indictment on all that a 63-year-old school with such a rich history and heritage finds itself without such a basic facility. The school’s 750 learners do not have a decent assembly area, Muslim Views

Harold Cressy High School, in District Six, Cape Town, has been associated with academic excellence and a proud history of developing students with a commitment to social service and establishing high standards in all spheres. The school, seen here with the once-bustling Bloemhof Flats (emptied of people under the Group Areas Act) behind it, and a once-populated District Six in the background, has never had a hall. The Harold Cressy High School Alumni Association has already collected a large amount of money, and now appeals to the public to make up the shorfall to build a multi-purpose hall that will be open to the broader community to use.

a place to have concerts, valedictories or award ceremonies. Indoor sports such as basketball are also not possible and all these events have had to take place at alternative venues, always at a cost to the school already battling with financial challenges. Most of the learners come from disadvantaged communities and consider the school their ‘other home’. The building of a multi-purpose school hall will add to their

sense of pride and will make it possible to host community events, which will provide a much needed revenue stream for the school. The first phase of the project has realised funding of R4,75 million as well as the donation of pro bono professional services estimated now to be in excess of R700 000. The current projected cost estimate of the project is in the region of R12 million and the shortfall of more than R6 million is the

target for the second phase of fundraising. The HCAA is a registered NPO (125-039) and PBO (930035175) which will allow donors (individual or companies) to be issued with tax certificates for amounts of up to 10% of their annual profits. The HCAA is hosting a fundraising event to launch the second phase of the HCHS multipurpose school hall funding drive. An appeal is being made to the entire Cressy community to sup-

port this event which will be held at Turfhall Primary School Hall, in Penlyn Estate, on November 2, at 19h30. The event will serve the dual purpose of being a fundraiser and ‘Cressy’ reunion, and Cressyites are encouraged to gather some of their old classmates and to reserve one or more tables of ten. The class of ‘83 has already reserved five tables. For tickets contact Fatima Allie on 082 066 3353 or via email: allie.fatima@gmail.com

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Muslim Views . October 2013

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

5Pillars game show THIS year, the South African National Zakaah Fund once again secured the rights to produce the 5Pillars game show for television. In a nail-biting final, Shanaaz Mohamed, from Gauteng, won the competition, scooping two, all inclusive Hajj packages sponsored by Khidmat’ul Awaam, an NGO that offers pilgrimage services to those going to Makkah and Madinah. In another twist, adding to the excitement of the game show, Moegamat Ryklief, the father of Shaabierah Ryklief, the youngest ever finalist in the quiz, scooped the Umrah prize during the live viewer’s phone-in competition. Commenting on the occasion, SANZAF Gauteng administrator, M Hoosen Essof said, ‘SANZAF seeks to build a strong relationship with the sponsors of the 5Pillars show and hopes that this initiative proves mutually beneficial to all involved.’ Moosajee Dhorat, Marketing Manager of Khidmat’ul Awaam added, ‘We believe that by supporting the SANZAF 5Pillars show we are aligning ourselves with a credible institution known for its noble work within marginalised communities. ‘The work of SANZAF resonates with us as we too serve the same community.’ Khidmat’ul Awaam are pioneers of affordable Hajj and Umrah in South Africa. Shaheen Theba of SmartCall commented, ‘Although this is the first year SmartCall is associated with the SANZAF 5Pillars show,

we are very hopeful that our sponsorship will encourage largescale participation, especially as this is an educational show.’ SmartCall are exclusive sponsors of the show and have assisted with the production costs as well as the daily prizes. M Hoosen Essof added, ‘While the 5Pillars show helps generate awareness of SANZAF’s services and those of our sponsors, actually, it is the education of viewers that is important.

Stop press SANZAF Western Cape is hosting a quiz during the month of Muharram; for more information email quiz @sanzaf.org.za

SANZAF financial statements issued

sium and lectures to highlight this event. We have set ourselves a target to collect and distribute R100 million during the year of our 40th anniversary, Insha’Allah.

THE South African National Zakaah Fund is pleased to announce that the summarised audited financial statements 2012-13/ 1433-34 is available and included as an insert in this edition of Muslim Views. In line with its best practice and good governance policy, the results have been presented within 90 days of year end and, in doing so, SANZAF has set itself a new benchmark. The summarised audited financial statements, which have been derived from the audited financial statements of the fund for the year ended June 30, 2013/ 21 Shabaan, have been audited by Khan, Salegee and Company Chartered Accountants (SA), and approved by the national office bearers on September 26, 2013. Alhamdullilah, the fund is approaching its 40th anniversary in 2014/ 1435. A national Qur’an and dhikr programme is planned together with a zakaah sympo-

The fund remains conscious of the spiritual and developmental benefits to the beneficiaries, and that zakaah is an act of ibadah for the contributors, volunteers and staff. The fund has made one of its goals to improve the efficiency of the organisation, ensuring that every rand is distributed and expended effectively. The national office bearers have created an enabling environment in which the regions execute projects and programmes best suited to their areas and communities. The activities, goals and budgetary processes have been agreed to on a national basis and a policy framework is in place, which ensures that more funds are made available for programmes which have a developmental benefit for the recipients and the society in which they live. The SANZAF audited financial statements are available on our website www.sanzaf.org.za

Way forward

Express your sacrifice through the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

Operation Qurbani EACH year, through Operation Qurbani, SANZAF staff and volunteers across the country perform this act of ibadah on behalf of the community. This programme reaches out to some of the poorest communities in Southern Africa.

The blessing of the sunnah: local qurbani In response to those who desire to follow the sunnah of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and bear witness to the qurbani, SANZAF is making special arrangements for such an occasion at Saratoga Farm (Ottery Road, Philippi) on

the third day of Tashreeq. The logistics of this initiative will involve transporting the destitute recipients of the meat by bus to the farm to also witness the sacred ritual, together with the donors. This option is available to donors for sheep at a cost of R1 500 each. It is possible for donors to undertake the ritual slaughtering themselves or to appoint SANZAF to do so on their behalf. The recipients from Philippi and Uitsig will receive their meat after the proceedings, and will be served refreshments while in

attendance.

Why Malawi and Mozambique? SANZAF’s Operation Qurbani is mainly undertaken in Malawi and Mozambique at a cost of R350. The aim is to contribute the sacrifice to the poorest areas in South Africa and the accessible regions in Southern Africa. The vast majority of the citizens in these countries live in rural areas and depend on subsistence farming for their livelihood. Poverty often means hunger and they often suffer extended

periods of drought and chronic food insecurity. SANZAF has deemed it appropriate to include in the R350 a donation of R10 for the Masjid Waqf Fund, for the maintenance of the House of Allah. This applies to the qurbani that takes place in Malawi and Mozambique. This is why the sacrifice at Eid-ul-Adha is so closely connected with the erection of the House of Allah. Through Operation Qurbani, donors have the opportunity to purchase qurbani at the above prices and are also able to benefit from the blessings of the sunnah. Anyone wishing to contribute to Operation Qurbani this year may contact the SANZAF offices at 0861 SANZAF or 0861 726 923, or 021 638 5108 (Bridgetown) or 021 638 0965 (Athlone).

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

New Madina Institute puts humanity at its centre Madina Institute offers an academically empowering and spiritually uplifting gap year of substance. KAREN TAHIRAH reports on the institution which will open in Cape Town in 2014. THE Madina Institute (MI) will open its doors to the first intake of students next year, offering a one-year intensive course in Islamic studies that has at its core the concern for a more humane world. The institute, which aims to attract all who are interested in empowering themselves with the sciences of a comprehensive way of life, is part of Madina International, which has branches in the US, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK. Like its global counterparts, Madina Institute is founded on the principles of Islam, which include the protection of life, religion, intellect, family, property and human dignity – principles that resonate with the spirit of ubuntu. The institute will nurture the core values of mercy, compassion, justice, peace, equity, the pursuit of knowledge and respect for life, human dignity and freedom, ‘by exposing students to a range of scholars and literature that deal with classic and contemporary views related to these ideals’. The institute offers a one-year intensive course which includes in-depth interaction with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, study of both classical and contemporary Islamic texts, and an array of leadership and communications studies. This vital approach aims to

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Like its global counterparts, Madina Institute is founded on the principles of Islam, which include the protection of life, religion, intellect, family, property and human dignity – principles that resonate with the spirit of ubuntu. bridge the created dichotomy of academic versus Islamic sciences and will strengthen essential components needed for the holistic development of future leaders. The medium of instruction will initially be English, with the focus on Arabic texts, increasing as students gain language skills. Successful students will also receive traditional ijazah (certification) as well as a national qualification. The aim is not to produce ulama (as understood in the contemporary sense) but rather, ‘student-scholars’ who are equipped with a strong Islamic base before studying further.

Outward knowledge leading to inward illumination The inspiration for the establishment of the institute was mooted just over ten years ago when, on his last visit to Cape Town, one of the Islamic world’s top scholars and spiritual leaders, Sayyid Muhammad Alawi alMaliki, expressed a desire that Cape Town establish an Islamic

school that would be based on classical text. His view was that classical tradition should be engaged within the community concerned, not in a dislocated cultural vacuum. He communicated this to his South African khalifahs, or representatives, Shaikh Seraj and Shaikh Ahmad Hendricks, of the Azzawia, in Walmer Estate, just before he departed for Makkah. When he passed away suddenly in Ramadaan 2004, his ideas were handed over to his son, Sayyid Ahmad. Shaikh Dr Muhammad ibn Yahya Ninowy – a Sufi and scholar from Syria and a descendant of the noble Prophet (SAW) – then found himself on South African shores in 2010. Shaikh Ninowy had studied under Sayyid Muhammad and had received the same instruction. While travelling to Durban earlier this year, it was to his surprise – and pleasure – that Shaikh Ninowy discovered that the Cape Town shuyukh had received the

same directive: to found an institution that had at its heart a basic, but dynamic, 20th century rapprochement with Qur’an and authentic Prophetic tradition, an approach that modelled outward knowledge leading to inward illumination. This mode of transformation (perfected in Madinah) had been the divinely inspired method of the Prophet (SAW) – an evidenced example of compassion, awareness, love and knowledge empowering the curious seeker to change his world and, ultimately, that of those around him.

Knowledge, the lost property of a believer Madina Institute stands out for the intensive and comprehensive nature of the one-year intensive programme, and the focus on drawing first-hand from authentic, classical works to address contemporary issues under the guidance of a scholar like Shaikh Dr Ninowy. Madina Institute’s educational

philosophy is premised on the Quranic verse: ‘And follow not that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing and the sight and the heart – all of these – shall be held responsible (on the Day of Reckoning).’ (17:36) ‘This verse discloses the holistic vision and epistemology of the Qur’anic theory of knowledge,’ said Shaikh Hendricks. ‘The hearing (sama’) and the sight (basar) represent the basis and importance of the physical sciences and humanities while the heart (fu’ad) represents the basis and importance of inspirational, divine and sacred knowledge, which Madina Institute aims to integrate in a systematic way.’ The Institute is based in a corporate venue, the Icon Building near the International Convention Centre on Cape Town’s Foreshore, a positioning at the heart of the city’s business hub but also within walking distance of the Awwal Masjid – a home that reflects both its global approach and its spiritual grounding. Madina Institute will work in close association with its counterparts in other parts of the world under the leadership of Shaikh Dr Ninowy as the aims, objectives and vision of all these institutions are one. ‘It is our hope that – in a coalescence of our ideals – we will contribute to a better world for all,’ said Shaikh Seraj Hendricks. To enrol for the One Year Intensive programme, the institute may be contacted at 021 421 9027/8 or 021 696 8256, cell no 071 350 3908 , intensive@madinainstitute.org.za or BBM pin 28C956DE.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Palestine Festival in Durban NASEEMA MALL PHAMBILI Palestine, phambili (Go forward Palestine, go forward) – this is the theme of the Palestine Festival taking place at the Durban Art Gallery from September 26 to October 20. Coordinated by Lubna Nadvi of the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) and Nadia Meer (Palestine Festival 2013), the festival features a photographic exhibition and a Palestinian Film Festival. The photographs chronicle the harrowing reality of life in Palestine beyond any political rhetoric. The conditions that many Palestinians endure are beyond perceptibility. There are no embellishments in these pictures, only brutal reality. Many of the profound photos were taken by Elloise Bollack, a French photographer based in Ramallah since 2010, and her photographs can be viewed on her website www.elob.com Courtesy of Israel, two of the photographers, Ahmed Deeb and Ezz Al Zanoon, were not allowed to leave Palestine to attend the festival. Nadvi elaborates: ‘Both photographers are based in Gaza and it is extremely difficult to travel out of the Gaza strip due to the siege by the Israelis and closure and limited access through the Rafah border. ‘The political situation in Egypt makes it even more difficult to get out of Gaza as it is the only land-based exit that the Palestinians in Gaza are able to travel through to access the outside world.’ Deeb is a renowned photographer and filmmaker and was awarded for being the 3rd best photographer in 2011 by the Thomas Foundation. Al Zanoon used to shadow his older brother who was a photographer and was killed by an Israeli rocket while he was documenting an Israeli invasion east of the Gaza Strip. His brother’s death made him

realise that he wanted to continue the journey his brother had helped him embark on. Al Zanoon is now a thriving and talented photographer who has had to face many dangerous life and death situations while covering news. He has been awarded ‘Best Photo of Media Freedom’ from Doha Centre and ‘Best Photo of the Year’ from the TIME, New York, in 2012. He explains: ‘My vision is to give a voice to voiceless people of the world. I feel happy when I’m able to put smiles on children’s faces when they see my camera; they forget all their pain to show their happiness to my camera as if they want to ask it, “Can you bring hope for us?’”

Partnership In further entrenching South Africa’s commitment to the Palestinian cause, Professor Ahmed Bawa, the vice chancellor of Durban University of Technology (DUT) announced that the institution will be partnering with academic institutions in Gaza. ‘We have to play this role, Co-authors of Why Israel?, Suraya Dadoo (above) and Dr Firoz we have to make these con- Osman, spoke at the Cape Town launch of the book on Monday nections. We need to make September 23. They were joined by former minister of intelligence, Ronnie Kasrils. The Durban launch of the book took young South Africans aware place at the Palestine Festival on Sunday September 29. of what is happening in other Photo SABIHA SAYED parts of the world, especially Palestine. Not only must they ‘This will develop a deeper struggle for be aware but young South Africans must justice. From the university’s point of view, engage in what is going on in other parts of it is not just political awareness but a the world. proactive approach to an exchange of

ideas, particularly with Palestinians,’ asserted Bawa. A host of daily activities and events over the three-week duration of the festival will be held at the Durban Art Gallery workshop venues, which include workshops that engage on diverse subject matter with experts from Palestine and partner South African organisations. These include: Medical Crisis Management undertaken by Pals and Pima, which aims to provide an overview of the general health status in Palestine, the impact of the siege on the health status, and how South African professionals and organisations can participate and assist. The Palestine Film Festival in Durban aims to create an avenue for showcasing films about Palestine, and to promote films by Palestinian directors to bring honest and independent views of Palestine and its diaspora’s society, culture and political travails through the art of film. A major goal of the festival is to directly expose our local community to the perspective of artists as a first step toward circumventing the many government and media filters that pollute our understanding of Palestine and the wider region. Some of the films that will be screened are 5 Broken Cameras, Amreeka and Roadmap to Apartheid. Through a video recording, the mayor of Gaza, Refik Mekki, expressed his gratitude to South Africans for persistently supporting Palestinians. ‘The Palestine Festival is a remarkable exchange of solidarity between Palestinians and South Africans. We welcome the projects initiated by the DUT. ‘The support of the people of South Africa has always been appreciated by the people of Gaza. We never lose hope and we learn from the great leader Nelson Mandela that there is no easy walk to freedom,’ said Mekki.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

The Battle of the Trench

The formation of the Confederates: the enemy unites SALIM PARKER N 3 AH (after Hijrah), at Uhud, the Quraish called for a repeat confrontation with the Muslims at Badr the following year in order to avenge the defeat they had suffered there the year before. They were severely embarrassed the following year, in 4 AH, when they did not honour this challenge due to their fear of being soundly defeated again. They were smarting for revenge and the Muslims in Madinah were constantly on the alert for an attack by the Quraish of Makkah from the south. Islam had now become a threat to the economic security and political supremacy of the Quraish, and wiping out the Muslims would restore the Quraish’s former glory. The embarrassments of the two Badr events would also be swept away if they succeeded in their aim to crush the Muslims. There were others who were as keen as the Quraish to exterminate the Muslims once and for all. The Prophet (SAW) had concluded numerous treaties with the Jewish tribes of Madinah, and had assured them freedom of religion as well as acknowledging them as People of the Book. A condition of the treaties was that in the event of hostilities between the Muslims and the Quraish, the Jews would side with the Muslims. The Jews, however, had become increasingly wary of the new religion. Initially, they attempted to drive a wedge between the Emigrants who had fled from Makkah and the welcoming Ansaar residents of Madinah but this failed hopelessly. One of the Jewish tribes, the Bani Nadir had been involved in other atrocious activities against the Muslims, including an assassination attempt on Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The plot was thwarted and the Prophet (SAW) had no choice but to banish them from Madinah. He was still generous and allowed them permission to leave with all the wealth and goods that they could carry on their camels except weapons. The inhabitants of Madinah knew that the Bani Nadir were extremely wealthy but even they were surprised by the display of gold, jewellery and other manifestations of opulence by the departing Jews. The Bani Nadir travelled north, with most settling in Khaybar where they owned land. However, the Bani Nadir were determined to recover the land from which they had been exiled in Madinah. They started conniving with the Quraish and had secret meetings with them in Makkah in 5 AH. This meeting

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j t a p d t Masjid Al-Khandaq: Part of some ziyarah itineraries is the area where the Battle of the Trench took place. Originally, there were six or seven small masajid in the area but some have since been demolished to be replaced by one impressive, modern masjid. Photo OSMAN KHAN

was attended by the Jewish leaders of Khaybar. They pledged that they were one with the Quraish in the combined attempt to eliminate the Muslims. ‘The dearest of men to us,’ said Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraish, ‘are those who help us against Muhammad.’ He and other leaders of his tribe then took the Jews inside the Ka’bah where they collectively concluded a solemn oath that they would not fail each other until the Muslims were wiped off the face of the Saudi Arabian landscape. Abu Sufyan knew that the Jews were considered to be the oldest of the Abrahamic reli-

gions and thought it prudent to ask them about the new religion called Islam, knowing that the Jews probably felt threatened by it. He asked them: ‘Men of the Jews, you are the people of the first scripture, and you have knowledge. Tell us how we stand compared to Muhammad. Is our religion better or his?’ Their answer, ‘Your religion is better than his, and you are nearer to the truth than he is,’ pleased the Quraish. The chieftains of Khaybar also assured the Quraish that the Jews who were still living peacefully in Madinah alongside the Muslims would rise against the faith of Muhammad (SAW) and break the treaty they had signed

with him. The Muslims would thus be attacked from outside Madinah as well as from within. The Quraish indicated that they would mobilise the troops in their area south of Madinah, and that they would have an army of four thousand men available. In addition, they would have three hundred horses available, compared to the two hundred they had at Badr. The Jews undertook to incite the nomads who bore hatred against Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and who were living on the plains of Najd to the east of Madinah into joining their ranks.

f d Q t t l e v b h s M t t e t

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Two of the remaining masajid at Khandaq: Masjid Salman Al-Farsi and Masjid Fath are two of the old structures that are still standing in the Khandaq area. As can be seen, they are still a popular ziyarah destination for many pilgrims. Photo OSMAN KHAN

m e e , r o s d f r

Some tribes, such as Bani Asad, readily joined. In addition, they set out to bribe those tribes who did not intend vengeful actions against the Muslims to side with them. They promised the Bani Ghatafan tribe half of the date harvest of Khaybar to ensure their participation. The Jewish tribes, together with the armies from Najd, numbered over six thousand soldiers. Added to the four thousand that the Quraish had mustered, the Confederates, as they were collectively called, numbered over ten thousand soldiers. This number was more than all the Muslims in Madinah – women, children and the elderly included. The Bani Ghatafan also provided an additional three hundred horses, bringing the total number of horses to six hundred. The first army comprising the Quraish and surrounding tribes marched north from Makkah along the west coast of Saudi Arabia towards Madinah, along the same route that they had travelled on the way to Uhud. It would have taken the large army about eleven days to reach their destination. They travelled with great fanfare and aplomb. The

Jews moved south from Khaybar toward Madinah and, together with the tribes from Najd who moved from the east towards the City of Peace, comprised the second army. At the same time, members of the Bani Khuza’ah tribe, who were not part of the Confederates, set off on horseback from Makkah to warn the Prophet (SAW) of the impending attack. His uncle Abbas was most likely part of those who let Rasulullah (SAW) know of Quraish’s plans against the Muslims. They reached Madinah within four days, leaving Muhammad (SAW) only a week to plan and prepare to defend Islam. The Prophet (SAW) sent out his intelligence-gathering personnel and they kept the Muslims informed about the movements of the Confederates. It very soon became clear that the largest force ever assembled on the soil of Arabia was relentlessly marching towards Madinah. As always, the Prophet (SAW) held consultation, shura, with his Companions. He alerted the whole oasis and informed them of the imminent attack by the Confederates. At the same time, he enlightened them with Allah’s message of victory if they have patience, and believe in their Creator.

He encouraged them to fear Allah, obey instructions and follow orders. It has to be remembered that at Uhud, the Muslims were winning the battle, against overwhelming odds, until the archers on Mount Ainain abandoned their positions despite being ordered by the Prophet (SAW) not to do so. The Muslims were firm and steadfast in their faith and pledged their obedience to Allah’s Apostle. There were pacts in place between the Muslims and the non-Muslims in Madinah. Yet, there was always the fear that the pledge to fight on the side of the Muslims by the Jews and the hypocrites would not materialise. It would have been a different matter if they had openly refused to fight alongside the Muslims. The reality, however, was that they could resort to treacherous behaviour and join the army of the enemies, which the Jews of Khaybar had pledged to facilitate in their pact with the Quraish. Muhammad (SAW) convened an emergency meeting of his principal Companions to consult them on how to defend the city.

There was no way that the Muslims could engage the massive army of the enemy on open ground. They were far too few in number and were not suitably equipped with armour and weapons. They would have been crushed in any such battle. The city of Madinah had to be defended, and the Muslims had somehow to defend it from within. How could the tiny Muslim army prevent the enemy from overrunning Madinah and obliterating each and every Muslim? At the Battle of Badr, the Prophet (SAW) had followed the advice of one of his Companions to deprive the enemy of access to water, and had gained the ascendency and ultimate victory. At Uhud, Nabi Muhammad (SAW) had liaised with his Companions and had also devised a strategy where the numerically inferior Muslims could gain the initial advantage. Now, in the face of overwhelming odds, another Companion, Salman Al-Farsi, stepped forward. Stories from the Hijaz is sponsored by Al-Anwar Hajj and Umrah.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Hajj: Touching base with humanity ULTURE, victim, villain; these labels seem to interplay when viewing Kevin Carter’s iconic and 1994 Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of a starving Sudanese child seemingly being stalked by a vulture. Carter reportedly spent 20 minutes lining up the shot for maximal impact; the child and the vulture his objects. The picture was first published by the New York Times and, when asked what happened to the child, the editor responded thatthey did not know. But they had a stunning picture! Ironically, Kevin Carter later committed suicide, stating, ‘I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain ... of starving or wounded children …’ in a note he left behind. Many considered him a villain for not helping the clearly emaciated child; others saw him vulturing up to the photo opportunity; some would view him as a victim bowing to the demands of mass consumerism and materialism. We’ll never know what went through his mind. What I do know is that it put a tragedy playing itself out in famine-stricken Sudan into the soul of the global conscience. It seems the world needs a periodic, startling event to jolt it out of its apathy. It needs a thunderbolt awakening it to the extent of human misery that brings it closer to touch base with the rest of humanity. Chemical warfare in Syria, ethnic cleansing in other parts of the world, despots wielding their murderous reigns; these wax and wane with our exposure to vested media interests. Yet, there is an annual event that emphasises the equality of all humans. It has men, whether king or peasant, fervently retracing the steps of a black female slave. It is an event of immense joy, passion and ecstasy yet humbling and startling as it bares the soul to its inner demons and turmoil. Only a few million are blessed to be on the plains of Arafah at

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It seems the world needs a periodic, startling event to jolt it out of its apathy, writes Doctor SALIM PARKER. the time of Wuqoof for the Hajj,

the largest annual gathering on earth. However, they are the ambassadors and representatives of more than one and a half billion Muslims appointed to take prayers and bring back glad tidings.

Some say that the pilgrims are the privileged few but I need to add that the privilege is accompanied by an enormous responsibility. The hujjaaj not only have to get as close to their Creator as humanly possible for, on the Day of Arafah, Allah forgives more of His subjects than at any other time but they have the task of letting their innate humanity bud and blossom and spread it back home. Exposure to this love, mercy and compassion renews our faith in humanity on a much more regular basis than any occasional shock ever can. Nathmie Khan had gangrene of his feet and was in hospital on the first day of Hajj. He faithfully donned his ihraam the next morning and was taken by ambulance to Arafah where he spent a few hours before returning to hospital. Hajj is Arafah; he had been on Arafah and was assured by the learned scholars that his Hajj would be accepted. He knew they were right but also wanted to follow the rites of Hajj as closely as possible and appointed me to pelt the Jamaraat, the effigy of Shaitaan, for him. He knew that once someone had pelted the large Jamaraat after midnight, he could trim his hair and be relieved of the physical ihraam or what is termed the ‘minor release’. He had his surgery scheduled for just after what was calculated to be enough time for an appointed person to reach the Jamaraat. That person was me. The walk from Arafah to Mina was about fifteen kilometres but it was shared with a few million who bottlenecked frequently. I physically made it in time but, emotionally, the trust and

responsibility were shared by many. When I had to attend to a patient along the way, I was assured that one of many would gladly take my place. I had constant fluid sustenance somehow appearing out of nowhere, and I was relieved of carrying my own bags by the many caring pilgrims who had decided to support me in fulfilling my resposibility. I could virtually hear my companions count as I pelted the seven pebbles at the largest effigy, as if counting down the clock to a new millennium. After I had thrown the last of the seven pebbles, I immediately phoned him and informed him that he could have his hair trimmed and be released from ihraam. This was done and he was soon wheeled into theatre and had some of his toes amputated. A few days later, a number of fellow hujjaaj took him to perform his obligatory tawaaf, the circumambulation of the Holy Ka’bah for seven circuits, and the sa’i. Teamwork, brotherhood, a close family, spirit of humanity, call it by any name and Hajj brings it to the fore. The eagerness to ensure that his rituals were completed in time, in harmony and in relative serenity touched the core of human empathy. He had suffered during his journey but the words that would forever reverberate in my mind were not of his medical issues or surgery but rather when he said, ‘I have my Hajj, and I left a part of me in Makkah.’ The loss of a limb, however touching, cannot compare with the profound devastation of loss of life. When that life was that of a young 26-year-old who died of asphyxiation a few days before Hajj in the Haram area with a team of us unable to save her, the impact was even more gutwrenching. But I was startled by her father’s response. He remarked: ‘No one can ask for a better place from where to be called by Allah. My rose is in her garden.’ We expected an allusion to our inability to save her but, instead, her father spoke of the honour of her having millions taking part in her Janazah prayers in front of the Ka’bah. ‘She was an amanat, an entrustment,’ he said and made it abundantly clear that he firmly believed that we had not failed in our amanat when we tried saving her. ‘Your rose is in her garden,’ I thought, ‘but your prayers are going to provide nourishment for its blossoming.’ That father left a major part of him in the Holy Land. When on the plains of Arafah, I am constantly reminded of the billions who have stood on its bare soil over the centuries. Maybe each of us who has been there left a minuscule part of us behind, and this combined billions coalesce and whisper a welcoming ‘You are here’ in response to our ‘Labaik (I am here)!’ The individual droplet of each person forming the collective sea of humanity around Jabal Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy, disrobes the victim, the vulture and the villain and, if the soul is prepared to genuinely repent, ensures everyone emerge as victors. This article first appeared in the IMA September brochure. Nathmie Khan after his surgery: ‘I left part of me in Makkah.’ Photo SALIM PARKER

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Hajj is Arafah, and Arafah is the Hajj OMAR AMEER

For those who have been blessed with Allah’s SWT invitation to perform the Hajj this year, this momentous event of ten days, the magnetism and enchantment which has already allured millions of pilgrims each year to its bosom in Makkah, is about to tug at their heartstrings and emotionally propel them to such an intensity of worship that their souls will be taken to where it has never been before. the apotheosis of the Hajj and Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said that Arafah is the Hajj. Arafah is that vast, sweltering, barren plain of hallowed ground where once stood the father of humankind, Prophet Adam, and Howa (Eve) with outstretched arms and in temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius. A repentant and remorseful Nabi Adam cried out for hours on end in supplication on Arafah, beseeching Allah’s forgiveness for their disobedience until his arms dropped from sheer fatigue. Arafah is about to receive those similarly repentant souls wearing two pieces of cloth and numbering about five million on the ninth day of Dhul Hijja. They will have the most enviable privilege of an audience with their Creator insomuch as Nabi Adam did, and they will have the opportunity to supplicate for hours in the same furnace as did Nabi Adam (AS). Theirs will be the privilege of a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to ask with conscientious sincerity whatever the heart desires in the majestic audience of the Almighty; for the purpose of

penance and mortification, from health to forgiveness and wealth; whether for themselves or for others; and Allah (SWT) listens for He urges His servants to appeal to Him. This is the day that Allah SWT is in palpable attendance, presiding personally over Arafah from sunrise to sunset. That is the reason He awarded that day, and He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. This is the venue where millions of devout Muslims have had their dreams realised. The day of Arafah is a privilege to die for Subhanallah. This is the same sacred ground where, back in 2006, Al Hajj Iqraam, a fellow pilgrim, turned to me and divulged, ‘Allah will not forgive me because my heart is unclean. I came because it was my wife’s desire.’ I replied, ‘Then Allah has granted her wish. From a total of 5 000 applicants in South Africa, Allah SWT has selected you to be one of the 2 500 successful applicants to grace Him with your presence.’ In an instant, Hajji Iqraam’s body went into a fit of uncontrollable, violent emotion; the tears

flowed irrepressibly from his bewildered eyes and he looked at me searchingly as though I had an answer. I nevertheless replied, ‘Allah is communicating with you. Raise your hands in supplication and cleanse yourself.’ And, as I felt my turn coming, I quickly retreated to my own corner of the camp. O Arafah! If only you could speak; you could tell of the full gamut of emotions racked to the nth degree and profound humility of billions of people before their Lord over Time, beseeching Allah’s SWT forgiveness. But that secret is ever yours, O Arafah, and we resign ourselves to the fact that the singular and supreme experience of the individual heart on that day will forever remain ineffable to the mighty pen and the human tongue. They will leave Arafah with the firm conviction that Allah SWT has forgiven them. After sunset, they will celebrate the praises of their Lord in an adjacent town called Musdalifah while in yet another adjacent town called Mina, awaits Aqaba, the largest of the three devils.

JHB 42938

FOR Muslims, the most momentous event of the year commences on Monday, October 7, this year. It is the Islamic lunar month of Dhul Hijja, of which the first ten days constitute the most significant days of the year ‘in the eyes of Allah SWT’. It is reported that the Muslim who fasts these sacred ten days and engages in charity, will be rewarded with the forgiveness of an entire year. For the Muslim to acquiesce (accept something without protest) is certainly a fitting honour in the estimation of the Almighty, Subhanallah. For those who have been blessed with Allah’s SWT invitation to perform the Hajj this year, this momentous event of ten days, the magnetism and enchantment which has already allured millions of pilgrims each year to its bosom in Makkah, is about to tug at their heartstrings and emotionally propel them to such an intensity of worship that their souls will be taken to where it has never been before. The accompaniment of the sentiments of faith, gratitude and ardent longing will animate their souls. Their minds will be connected to Allah SWT, eagerly longing to be taken across that they might enjoy the bliss of Jannah. The privilege of experiencing the loving touch and intimacy of Allah SWT is the ultimate privilege and honour that await those who have received this blessed calling. The immense plain of Arafah is

In a ritual that marks the symbolic expulsion of the devil from within, the multitude will bear down on Aqaba on the tenth day to pelt him using seven pebbles. But emotions are at concert pitch; the anger and venom has already substituted the pebble for more solid items such as a shoe. Aqaba is about to receive the kitchen sink, Subhanallah. The tenth day is also the renowned Eid-ul-Adha, a day of celebration for Muslims across the globe, marked particularly by the slaughtering of animals such as sheep in order to feed the poor, a charitable deed most beloved of Allah. Then, from a feast of emotion in Arafah and Mina, they will return to the valley of Makkah to a feast of revelation before they embark on their final counterclockwise orbit of the Ka’bah, the shrine built by Nabi Ibrahim and his eldest son Isma’eel. They will behold before their very eyes Allah’s entire creation as the mind’s eye unconsciously overlays the spectacle of revolving people with that of the revolving cosmos in a cohesion proclaiming that the entire universe and creation revolves around the Almighty in profound worship. Their egos will suddenly become aware of their monumental littleness, of how insignificant they, as human beings, really are in comparison – like a grain of sand in time. And then it all becomes clear in a blinding flash of mental illumination – it is indeed this tiny grain of sand that is most beloved of Allah SWT. Eid Mubarak, Insha’Allah.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Learning from our Mother, Sayyidatina Hajar (AS) YUSUF MATAAR ON the mubarak (blessed) day of Eid-ul-Adha, let us all extend our utmost gratitude to Allah, our Rabb (denoting our Nourisher/ Sustainer/ Creator/ Provider/ Regulator/ Controller/ Educator). It is because of His Grace (Rahmah) and His Blessings (Barakah) that we are able to experience the sweetness of faith (imaan), the blessings of good fortune (khayr), and the joy of experiencing life with our families. On this mubarak day, I wish to invite you to reflect upon the story of a family that was willing to sacrifice everything that was valuable to them for the sake of obeying the commands of Allah, Almighty. Let us imagine the situation of a mother who is to be left alone with a suckling child in the middle of an arid and barren desert, in an environment where there is not a single form of vegetation or any human habitation. Possessing only a few dates and some water, the woman asked her husband, ‘Did Allah command you to do this? (to leave her alone with her child in the middle of nowhere with practically nothing).’ When her husband replied in the affirmative according to Allah’s directive and desire, she in turn responded with calmness and confidence, ‘Verily, Allah will never neglect (or abandon) us.’ ( adith narrated by Imam Bukhari) Equipped with unwavering imaan, a profound sense of confidence and perseverance of heart, the woman then returned to her

‘O our Rabb! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House… So fill the hearts of some among humans with love towards them (i.e. to be desirous of visiting them on ajj), and grant them sustenance with fruits so that they may give thanks (or may have cause to be thankful).’ child and they were both left alone in the middle of that barren desert area. Imagine the level of imaan residing within that woman who was willing to be left all alone in the middle of an arid desert in obedience to the command of her Rabb! After remaining in the desert for a while, inevitably her supply of food and drink finally ran out. However, the woman did not give up hope or complained for being left in such a miserable state. On the contrary, she intensified her efforts to look for someone or something that would help them survive while remaining in constant supplication or du’ah with Allah. The woman was Sayyidatina Hajar (AS), and she never despaired of the Barakah and Rahmah of Allah SWT. She was convinced that there had to be a higher wisdom (hikmah) behind

every test (ibtila), which befell her. The hikmah behind this particular event was indirectly explained in Surah Ibrahim(14), Ayah 37: ‘O our Rabb! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House, in order, O our Rabb, that they may devote themselves to regular salaah. ‘So fill the hearts of some among humans with love towards them (i.e. to be desirous of visiting them on ajj), and grant them sustenance with fruits so that they may give thanks (or may have cause to be thankful).’ The blessed reward for her perseverance and sacrifice is that Hajar (AS) was able to build a more meaningful beginning for her with her young child or son. The place, which was initially barren was then blessed with sustenance in the form of an unlimit-

ed supply of water (Zam-Zam), inhabited by humankind, grew prosperous and, eventually, was transformed into the centre of worship (e.g. with salaah and ajj) and the spread of Islam. Hajar (AS) continued to stay there with her son until his father returned to them to stay with them. Hajar’s (AS) son grew up to be a man of excellent moral character or akhlaq and someone who also had unwavering imaan. The young man was Nabi Isma’il (AS), the son of Hajar (AS). He was a Prophet of Allah who was always faithful to the truth and dependent on his Rabb. He accompanied his mother and similarly complied with the commandment of his Rabb, through the instruction of his father, an experience which taught him values to deal with subsequent ibtila. The father, whose love for his wife and first new-born son was

tested, was Nabi Ibrahim (AS), a Prophet and Messenger of Allah [and henceforth the ‘father’ of the final Nabi and Rasul of Allah, Muhammad (SAW)]. There is no greater challenge and no greater test than the command to abandon one’s beloved wife and child in order to fulfil the command of Allah. The reward for this sacrifice was security/ peace or salaam through the submission to the will of Allah and manifold khayraat and barakaat from Allah directly. In conclusion, the stories of sacrifice taken from each of these three characters bring with them pearls of knowledge as well as guidance to wisdom, which are relevant to all our lives. Let us reflect upon some of the valuable lessons we can learn from the story of our Mother so that we may benefit from it. The unwavering imaan of both Hajar (AS) and Isma’il (AS), in obeying the commandments of Allah, created a sense of calmness, confidence and peace to their lives despite being faced with a seemingly insurmountable ibtila. This event manifests to us the importance of instilling and enhancing strong imaan within the family. This resulted in a calmness and tranquillity in the family relations. Imaan helps to produce strong family ties and family spirit and, at the same time, produces a family that is resilient in facing life’s challenges or tests together. Shaikh Yusuf Mataar is a lecturer in Islamic Studies and Research Methodology at International Peace College South Africa (IPSA).

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Spiritual significance of Eid-ul-Adha DR MOGAMAT HOOSAIN EBRAHIM EID-UL-ADHA is a major annual, religious festival of Muslims and a spiritual institution meant to be observed with a perfect spiritual attitude, which is currently celebrated in all parts of the Muslim world. Owing to a lack of proper Islamic education and training, there are those who regard this auspicious occasion as a day of merry-making, social visits and reunions only. Eid-ul-Adha means the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’, and it so named because of animals that are sacrificed on that day. It is not an end in itself but only a means. It is the external symbol of an internal dedication. As an institution of Nabi Ibrahim’s (AS) sacrifice, its function is to create the avenue through which Divine Light enters to strengthen us in the ideal of sacrifice. Nabi Ibrahim (AS) virtually sacrificed his son Isma’eel (AS) to seek the pleasure of Allah – and his act forms a landmark in the history of religion (Islam). Father and son were equally prepared to offer their lives in the way of Allah. Their example of courage, patience and fearlessness to death has bewildered the world. We commemorate that exceptional act on the day of Eid-ulAdha and associate ourselves spiritually with it by performing animal sacrifice. This spiritual association signifies commitment to the ideal of sacrifice of life, and renewal of that dedication year after year.

Exertion as well as action is the meaning of life. Nothing is achieved without effort; thus the aspiration of every Muslim is to observe the banner of faith flying higher. However, it must be emphasised that this is not possible unless he becomes a symbol of effort (sacrifice) and action. The Qur’an is clear on this matter when it says: ‘The sacrificial animals We have made for you as among the symbols from Allah: in them is much good for you: so pronounce the name of Allah over them as they line up (for sacrifice): ‘When they are drawn on their sides (after slaughter), eat thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) receive gifts with gratitude, and such as beg with due humility: thus have We made animals subject to you that you may be grateful. It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah: it is your piety that riches Him… (22:36-37). Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said that for each hair of the animal sacrificed, a good deed is added (to the account of the worshipper) and, at the time of sacrifice, before each drop of blood falls on the ground it is accepted by Allah.

Sacrifice: The fundamental component in faithfulness (piety) The termination of animal sacrifice in Islam is the attainment of ‘faithfulness’ – and the Islamic ideal of sacrifice forms part of ‘faithfulness’. Exertion as well as action is the meaning of life. Nothing is achieved without effort; thus the aspiration of every Muslim is to observe the banner of faith flying higher. However, it must be emphasised that this is not possible unless he becomes a symbol of effort (sacrifice) and action. The underlying significance of sacrifice is made clear in the following verses of the Qur’an: ‘And for every nation We appointed acts of devotion that they might mention the name of Allah on what He has given them of cattle quadrupeds. So your

God is one God, therefore, to him should you submit; and give good news to the humble whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, and who are patient in their afflictions.’ (22:34-35). It is quite clear that the act of sacrificing an animal is in some way associated with morality, with submission to Allah, with patience under suffering, and humility of the heart – and the sacrifice of an animal is plainly regarded as affecting the heart as it makes it tremble when Allah’s name is mentioned. In the sacrifice of animals, the Qur’an also elucidates the question of man sacrificing his own life in the cause of truth: ‘Permission to fight is given to those on whom war is made because they are oppressed.’ (22:39) Islam has therefore invested the principle of sacrifice with a new meaning. In Islam it signifies the sacrifice of the sacrificer himself, and thus

becomes an external symbol of his preparedness to sacrifice his life as well as his wellbeing and desires in the cause of truth. As a reminder, this commitment to sacrifice is read in our daily prayer: ‘Allah is the Greatest ... All praise be to Allah in abundance. … Verily I am turning my face earnestly towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, as a Muslim by nature upright, and I am not of those who ascribe partners to Allah. ‘Verily my prayer, my worship, my life and death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner and thus I am commanded and I am of those who submit.’ Dr Mogamat Hoosain Ebrahim is Director: Student Records and Examinations and Senior Lecturer: Religious Studies, History, Ulum al-Qur’an and Theology at International Peace Varsity South Africa (IPSA).

Wishing all Muslims a blessed Eid Mubarak! and a Hadj Maqbool & Haj Mabroor to all Hujaaj.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Syria: through the looking glass of the Mahdi? SHAFIQ MORTON NO single event in recent history has raised the emotional barometer as Syria has. Originally, a political crisis with Cold War overtones, it has become the devil’s sectarian playground and the scene of the Middle East’s worst humanitarian disaster since the Mongols. With Russia, Iran and China representing an axis against the US, members of the European Union and Israel, the situation has been further exacerbated by another axis, the Saudi-Gulf one. This player – frightened by the Arab uprisings – has been trying to push back its bogey, a ‘Shi’a crescent’. While Russia and Iran have supported Asad with arms, military advisers and Hezbollah units, the Saudi-Gulf alliance has, in turn, by arming selected opposition groups, let the Salafi-Wahhabi genie out of the bottle. For the Syrian people, bloodthirsty religious extremism has only added to their misery. When one interrogates the Syrian conflict, the overwhelming tragedy is that civilians have been its worst victims. With opposition groupings scattered across the country, and the better-armed Salafi-Wahhabi ones cornering the headlines, the authentic voice of the Syrian people seems to have disappeared. Through the deadly fog of chemical weapons, one wonders whether any of the major powers, from Russia to the US, actually know – or even care – what the average Syrian aspires toward.

Over the centuries there has been much hysteria surrounding the Mahdi, and countless pretenders. But the fact is that as a ruler, the Mahdi will be grounded in justice and will show mankind the truth (or otherwise) of the holy books... Another factor is that Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq, which currently host a significant percentage of its two million refugees, are already beyond capacity. And for how much longer will they be able to keep their doors open? The UN and countless humanitarian agencies have all warned of disaster. Denialism has been another response to the Syrian imbroglio. There are those who over-play the benevolence of the Asad regime, and believe that bombing Asad out of his foxhole will resolve the crisis. That aside, what has also been ignored in the Syrian mix has been the encroaching of the eschatological – or end-times – scenario. The Syrian Shaikh, Muhammad Ya’qubi, has said that while he regards Asad as a godless tyrant, the Syrian people will endure because Syria is part of a divinely blessed region. This may be a strange statement for those who don’t believe in, or accept, the concept of eschatology. However, Islamic tradition is very clear that historical Sham – which includes modern-day Syria – is the territory over which the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that the Angels had ‘lowered their wings’.

Of course, this idea of ‘blessedness’ should never suggest passivity or a retreat into fatalism. Taqdir, or destiny, is not set in stone – our theologists describe it as a pre-destined unfolding of events equally subject to divine change. All honourable means of attaining peace and justice should be actively pursued in Syria. So what are the lands of Sham? The 10th century scholar, Ibn Hibban, is reported by the contemporary Hadith master, Sayyid Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, as saying that it extends from Aleppo in the east to the Egyptian border in the west. In other words, Sham includes modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and the Hijaz. It embraces the key cities of Makkah, Madinah, Damascus and Jerusalem. Sayyid Muhammad in his book, The Immense Benefits of Sham, quotes the Prophet (SAW) saying that Bilad ash-Sham, the lands of Sham, were the ‘purest of lands’ where faith and refuge would be found in the ‘era of dissension’, and where the key endtime personalities would appear, and where its critical events would occur. Indeed, there are numerous Prophetic traditions dealing explicitly with Sham in today’s

context. So, has the hour arrived for sober reflection on them? I would argue that it has. However, all the available Prophetic traditions would take too long to enumerate here. Yet, as we’ve already suggested, Syria is already showing many of the signs described by the Prophet (SAW), signs that – he said – would signify the winding down of humankind’s earthly history. The great fitnah that has descended upon Syria, and that is currently bedevilling countries such as Egypt, was predicted by the Prophet (SAW) over 1 400 years ago when he said that there would be ‘confusion in the house of every Arab’. This sound hadith (found in Bukhari), which lists Six Signs of the Final Hour, also tells of a beggar scoffing at 100 dinars (about R70). Shaikh Hisham Kabbani in The Approach of Armageddon explains that this is due to unbridled interest and inflationary bankism, the curse of our times. The body of Prophetic traditions – the Prophet (SAW) spoke from Fajr until sunset about the end-times – indicate clearly that the vicious tyrants ruling in the world today, and our leaders’ inability to possess any semblance of moral integrity, are further signs.

But through all this chaos and confusion there is a great expectancy – that a man from the house of the Prophet (SAW) will appear amongst us to right the wrongs and to redress societal inequity. For the poor and downtrodden – those who already have nothing left to lose – Imam Mahdi (as this person has been called in texts) represents the hope that goodness will overpower the darkness. For us Muslims, at least, there is no melodrama about this phenomenon. The Mahdi is a given reality of our aqidah, our belief system. The Mahdi will appear, he will rule and he will face the interest mongers and the despots. He will herald the re-appearance of Jesus in Damascus – destined to face Dajjal, a one-eyed man of dark magic and overwhelming evil. Jesus will kill Dajjal at Lud near Tel Aviv. Dajjal will lead the jealous forces that will gather together when the Mahdi dismantles their web of power. Over the centuries there has been much hysteria surrounding the Mahdi, and countless pretenders. But the fact is that as a ruler, the Mahdi will be grounded in justice and will show mankind the truth (or otherwise) of the holy books, and even unearth the Ark of Moses between Jerusalem and Antioch. Though frightening in its import, the fate of Syria has already been written and, ultimately, as Shaikh Ya’qubi has said, whatever happens, it’s definitely not in favour of the foreign powers currently malingering there.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Kenya terror attack: Putting the Westgate siege in context The Somali militant group Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the September 21 attack at an upmarket shopping mall in Nairobi in which dozens of people were killed. Progressives must intensify their opposition to extremists who manipulate Islam, but also reject the imperial forces inside Africa and their allies, writes Professor HORACE C CAMPBELL. AS peace-loving beings in all parts of the world absorb the enormity of the extremists’ attack on innocent civilians in Kenya leading to the deaths of over 70 persons, it is important to start out by condemning in no uncertain terms the cowardly nature of this attack by the fanatics who claimed responsibility in the name of Al Shabaab. This attack on innocent civilians at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi had nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with the debasement of human beings in Africa, and the need for a clear political project to expose and isolate the extremists. One of the many realities of this form of violence and low intensity warfare is the way in which global competition for African resources have served to manipulate gullible elements within and outside Africa. While the media has sensationalised this attack, it is worth reflecting on some of the underlying contradictions inside the region of Eastern Africa, and how these contradictions are being played out inside Kenya and the region. For many entrepreneurs in the strategic industries that profit from militarism, the event in Nairobi is a godsend in so far as it vindicates the argument that Africa is a hotbed of terrorism and it is not possible to wind down the war on terror. For the planners who are strategising for the rich oil and gas resources of the East African coast, this episode provides another opportunity to deepen the divisions within Eastern Africa and pump out more stories and images of ‘failed states’.

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The massive discovery of oil and natural gas off the East African Coast from Djibouti down to Mozambique has the possibility of changing the geo-political map of the world… For the discredited leaders of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, this episode provides an opportunity to grandstand in support of the Kenyan political leadership against the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations on September 24, Yoweri Museveni said: ‘The ICC, in a shallow, biased way, has continued to mishandle complex African issues. This is not acceptable. The ICC should stop.’ That Museveni, the President of Uganda serving for 27 years, has now stood before the 68th session of General Assembly of the United Nations as a champion of Pan Africanism and African independence is most ironic in so far as the army of Museveni has been the most servile in the interests of US forces in Eastern Africa. These distortions call for clarity in the ranks of the peace and justice forces internationally and for sharper analysis and actions within the global Pan African Movement. Kenya is an important base for the consolidation of the unification of the peoples of Africa, and the recent experiences of warfare, famine, alienation and militarism point to the urgency for coordination for peace from the peoples of Africa. The massive discovery of oil and natural gas off the East African Coast from Djibouti down to Mozambique has the possibility of changing the geopolitical map of the world as all and sundry now see the future of the world economy as centred in the Indian Ocean as opposed to the Atlantic Ocean. The genius and creativity of the youths of Eastern Africa can be mobilised by the progressive Pan African forces if there is slow and careful planning for the Pan African project of removing the artificial boundaries that were established at the Conference of

Berlin in 1884. In this analysis, we assert our opposition to the extremists who are manipulating Islam in the name of violence. At the same time, we are opposing the imperial forces in Africa and their allies in the Gulf who are opposed to the dignity and peaceful existence of African peoples. The veteran Pan African writer, Professor Awoonor, 78, was one of those who lost their earthly lives in this senseless attack by individuals who are as antiAfrican as they are anti-human. Awoonor had served in the literary ranks of the Pan African movement with distinction in areas of importance for the Global Pan African family, Brazil, USA, UK and Africa. He had been in Nairobi to commune with other literary Pan Africanists in the Storymoja Hay Festival. Kenya is the base of a vibrant populace whose creativity in literature has produced some of the leading Pan African writers and activists such as Micere Githae Mugo and Ngugi Wa Thiongo. It is from the same Kenya where we are in the midst of new platforms for finance and technology that have democratised banking and changed the political economy of Kenya and East Africa. The challenge for the progressive wing of the global Pan African movement is to mobilise energies in the midst of this tragedy to speed the processes of political transformation and unification in Africa.

Who controls the narrative on Kenya and Somalia? When tragedies such as the killings and hostage taking in the Westgate Mall occur, there are immediate calls from within the movement for the right kind of literature and analysis that can make sense of the nonsense that comes from the western media.

One of our students from our Pan African Master’s Programme in Syracuse wrote to ask: ‘What should I be reading?’ I referred him to the writings of Professor Abdi Samatar, and alerted him to the fact that I had been in the middle of reading the book by James Fergusson, The World’s Most Dangerous Place: Inside the Outlaw State of Somalia. This book, written by an English journalist, is presented in the mode of psychological warfare from the British point of view. It represents the disinformation from the British journalistic world to reinforce the arguments about failed states in Africa. From the contents of the book, especially the sections on Al Shabaab, one can see that the writer had access to British intelligence sources on the different factions in the differing regions of Somalia, Somaliland, Puntland and the areas of central Somalia around Mogadishu. Samatar has been consistently working and writing to articulate a Pan African analysis of the conflagration in Somalia, and from time to time the public broadcasting stations in North America call on him for commentaries but the resources for labelling Somalia as a hotbed of terror ensure that progressives in the Pan African intellectual circuits do not have access to the big research budgets. I remember vividly the differences between Samatar and Jendayi Frazier (then Assistant Secretary of State for Africa) over how the world should view the response of the peoples of East Africa to the Ethiopian invasion and incursions into Somalia. Somalia’s Islamic Courts Union, a coalition of a dozen groups, had created the basis for a peaceful life and had isolated the military entrepreneurs whom the West called warlords. We now know that the violence and destruction of the past seven years could have been

avoided if the arguments of Samatar and other peace activists in and outside Somalia had been heeded. The Ethiopians and the Bush Administration could not tolerate peace breaking out in Somalia because instability in Somalia and Eastern Africa served the geostrategic interests of war planners in Washington. Along with its allies in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and Yemen, the networks for violent extremism were tolerated while the United States rolled out the Africa Command to fight terrorism in Africa. That fight against terror has now been complicated by the intense competition between the differing states of Europe over the future oil and gas mining in Somalia.

OIL In the past two years, the news from Somalia has been dominated by the information that there could be as much as 110 billion barrels of oil and gas off the shores of Somalia. There are also likely to be vast natural gas reserves in Somali waters in the Indian Ocean. Fields containing an estimated 100 trillion cubic feet of gas have been found off Mozambique and Tanzania. British politicians and British oil companies have been the most active in seeking to corner the future exploration of this oil and it is not by accident that the most recent conferences on the future of Somalia has been held in London and hosted by David Cameron, the prime minister and head of the Conservative Party of Britain. This article was first published by http://www.pambazuka.org. In the following edition, Campbell focuses on US interests and analyses the regional realities. Horace Campbell is Professor of African American Studies and Political Science, Syracuse University, USA. Campbell is also the Special Invited Professor of International Relations at Tsinghua University, Beijing. He is the author of Global NATO and the Catastrophic Failure in Libya: Lessons for Africa in the Forging of African Unity, Monthly Review Press, New York 2013.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Discussions with Dangor

Religious minorities in Muslim lands ECENTLY, we have witnessed attacks on Christians or on their churches in Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria and Pakistan. What should the approach of Muslims be toward diverse faith communities living in their midst? There are essentially three approaches that individual believers or specific faith groups have adopted in relation to other faiths. Some individuals/ groups believe that their faith alone is true and all other faiths are false. They do not accept the possibility that prophets bearing a divine message may have appeared among various nations. Most have no idea of a prophet or of revelation as understood by Muslims. Other individuals/ groups believe that all faiths are equally valid. Thus the worship of a prophet, ancestors, idols, nature and saints are all acceptable. The differences between faiths are attributed to social conditions or reduced simply to diverse interpretations of the Truth. The fact is that it is impossible to reconcile the divergent beliefs

Some individuals and or groups believe that their faith alone is true and all other faiths are false, writes Emeritus Professor SULEMAN DANGOR. of the various faiths. Hindus believe in reincarnation, Muslims and Christians in Heaven and Hell. Buddhists believe in Buddha as the incarnation of God, Christians in Jesus as the incarnation of God or in the Trinity and many worship him. Hindus worship idols. African Traditional Religion lays emphasis on the worship of ancestors. Islam teaches that the One Universal God alone be worshipped, that prophets appeared among all nations, and that a number of them received divine

scriptures. Differences in doctrines arose due to inclusion or exclusion of texts by followers of the prophets. This is known as tahrif in Islamic terminology. The revealed texts that are mentioned in the Qur’an are the Torah (of Musa AS), the Zabur (Psalms of Dawud AS), the Injil (Gospel of Isa AS), the Sahifah (of Ibrahim AS) and the Qur’an (revealed to Nabi Muhammad SAW). The recipients of divine scripture are referred to as Ahl alKitab (People of the Book). Some scholars argue that the Upanishads also contain Divine revelation. The Qur’an provides the standard by which the doctrines contained in the various scriptures are judged. Muslims, therefore, are not exclusivist to the extent that they believe that the Qur’an alone is revealed text or that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) alone was sent to guide people. It is, in fact, a fundamental article of Islam to believe, in principle, in all the revelations and all the prophets – some of whom are mentioned in the Qur’an and are

It is, in fact, a fundamental article of Islam to believe, in principle, in all the revelations and all the prophets – some of whom are mentioned in the Qur’an and are commonly referred to as ‘Biblical prophets’. commonly referred to as ‘Biblical prophets’. What was the Prophet’s approach to people of diverse faiths? He invited the Jews and Christians and polytheists to Islam but did not compel them. He also openly challenged the Christians to declare their belief in the Trinity as true and invoke God’s curse on themselves if they were mistaken in their belief. In turn, he would declare tawhid to be true and invoke a curse on himself if he was in error. The Christians declined the challenge. Despite this, he (SAW) granted the Jews and Christians full rights to practise their faiths without hindrance. The Madinah Charter and the Treaty with the Christians

of Najran provide guarantee of freedom of religion to these communities. Before the departure of the Muslim army to confront the Persians and Romans, the Prophet (SAW) instructed the commanders not to destroy churches and monasteries and not to harm the worshippers they encountered. The Qur’an forbids the destruction of places of worship. Those engaged in destroying churches and/ or attacking Christians simply because they are adhering to their faith are acting contrary to Islamic teachings. People of diverse faiths must feel safe and secure in Muslim lands. Their presence is an amanah (responsibility) which the Muslims should uphold.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Letters to the eDitor Incompetence and corruption continues FROM all the politicians – national and provincial ministers and parliamentarians, mayoral committee members, including proportional councillors – only ward councillors are voted in by the people. None of the other politicians are elected via a public ballot. Generally, in South Africa, people vote for political parties and not for individuals. In political parties, those who decide who survive the proportional list for council, provincial and national parliament are a select few. The decision-makers normally make these decisions behind closed doors. The interests of the decisionmakers therefore assume priority. What is best for the party comes second and what is vital for the country and its citizens comes last. As a result, the politicians and officials appointed by political parties generally serve the directive of the decision-makers and not necessarily the requirement of the public. It is the decision-makers in the party that appoint, evaluate and reward. It is they who protect the corrupt and those who waste public funds with absurd ideas. Even those directly elected by the voter are aware that the party nomination is responsible for their victory or failure. According to Oscar Ameringer: ‘Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.’ Thus, decision-makers realise the nature of party members and are likely to attract those with popular appeal, to maximise the election vote. Some are invited because they can access campaign contributions while others are rewarded for historic loyalty. Those who threaten the wellbeing of decision-makers are seldom re-selected even though they may have the required skills, knowledge or experience. As a result, the primary concern of those selected is self-preservation and upward mobility at the expense of everything else. Some time ago, Willie Hofmeyr, former head of the Special Investigating Unit, stated that South Africa was losing billions every year to corruption, incompetence and negligence in the public service. On a regular basis, tragic decisions are made because those responsible lack knowledge and

Muslim Views

experience, which are the foundation blocks of wisdom. Without insight, officials and politicians experiment with projects. How else can we explain the billions wasted at all levels of governance and the numerous qualified audits received by so many municipalities and departments? I believe that little will change with regard to the overall ineptitude and corruptions at the highest levels of governance unless those paid to lead are held accountable. For example, South African Airways has had nine turnaround strategies in 13 years and four chief executive officers in six months. The eight previous turnaround strategies cost R16 billion and last year the SAA reported a loss of R1,25 billion. A report compiled by the Treatment Action Campaign and Section 27, on the collapse of health care services in the Eastern Cape, points out: ‘An investigation by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has found that over an 18-month period R800-million was stolen by public officials. As far as we know, no-one is in prison for this grand theft.’ Likewise, on the SABC 2013 annual report tabled in Parliament, Auditor-General Terence Nombembe’s findings include the SABC spending over R1,5 billion and not being able to provide corresponding documentation on what the money was used for. The SABC had also procured goods and services through unfair and non-transparent means. The SABC received the worst possible audit opinion. According to Aristotle: ‘The most perfect political community is one in which the middle class is in control, and outnumbers both of the other classes.’ This wisdom suggests that South Africa needs a political and an intellectual class and not purely a materialistic aristocracy to re-charter a collective course for the next generations. Councillor Yagyah Adams Cape Muslim Congress

All the facts, please I HAVE read Professor Shamil Jeppie’s article in Muslim Views (September, 2013) on ‘An understanding of the Crisis in Egypt’. His effort must be commended for the valuable insight about the background leading to the current situation although it has left out major factors leading to the current situation. Please allow me to draw his

attention to one very important element which he has forgotten: ‘The 22 November 2012 Constitutional Declaration’ by Muhammad Morsi. This declaration basically torpedoed the democratic process by direct transgression on the separation of powers, and declared Morsi a deity: all his decisions are immune from any legal challenge in front of any court of law! He further directly interfered in the Judiciary and removed the Prosecutor General and appointed another one without following due process and thereby angering the Judiciary. Many of Morsi’s advisors resigned as a result of this Declaration. Prof Jeppie’s claim that those who revolted against Morsi are ‘Mubarakists’ is a very grave simplification. The ‘Salafi’ party itself was against the policies of the Muslim Brotherhood, for various reasons. Other people, including Muhammad Albaradei, joined the revolt. May I remind you that AlBaradei was the one who started the ‘Movement for Democratic Change’ to oust Mubarak in 2009. So, not all those who revolted against Morsi are ‘Mubarakists’. Moreover, there were millions on the streets for a week demanding early elections, which Morsi himself acknowledged but he refused to bow to their demands. It is claimed that those who were in the mass protests on June 30 till July 3 are more than those who participated in the January 25 revolution. As an academic scholar, Prof Jeppie should present the full truths for the benefit of the readers who have been presented with halftruths by the Muslim Judicial Council and the like. M Fouad Cape Town

Where is their conscience? WHY is the use of chemical weapons overplayed by America and its cronies? What are they hiding? The killing of civilians in Egypt! The military junta in Egypt has ousted a democratically elected government; that’s called a coup d’état but if that phrase does not suit America then it’s called ‘correction’. Daily, there are a number of unarmed civilians being killed by the junta. When is Barack Obama sending his troops to stop those atrocities in Egypt? Why are Ban Ki-Moon and the

United Nations so silent on this? What is happening to the conscience of this world? Obama, whose hands are tainted with the blood of thousands of innocent men, women and children killed in Iraq, Pakistan Afghanistan and Yemen is very eager to kill more in Syria. Ismail Lorgat Crown North, Johannesburg

Learn from the Qur’an I RESPOND to Abdul Kamal and Mahmood (MV September, 2013) who are calling for Muslims to unite, like so many have done in the past. Why are the different sects becoming more disunited? Unity is only possible if we are able to overcome some huge barriers. Two of these barriers are pride and prejudice. Prejudice is a barrier because our minds are already made up and we are not willing to change. We say that the Qur’an is the truth and the only Book without any doubt yet, we turn only to hadith for guidance, each following whatever suits us. According to Qur’an (31:21): ‘When they are told to follow the (Revelation) that Allah has sent down, they say: “Nay, we shall follow the ways that we found our fathers (following)”…’ Yes, this is what we do! The other barrier is pride because it makes us believe we already know the truth although we really do not. Pride and ego are not willing to surrender to the Truth. The Qur’an (45:23) says: ‘Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?’ Will we not take heed? Do we kill our ego and pride and surrender to the powerful Qur’anic message or not? Allah says in the Qur’an (47:24): ‘Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur’an or are their hearts locked up by them?’ The majority of Muslims do not make an effort to study the Qur’an for themselves and insist on merely reciting without understanding. They follow their leaders blindly. Finally, in response to Abdul Kamal, this is what Allah says in the Qur’an about sects: ‘As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou (O Prophet) hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will, in the end, tell them the truth of all that they did.’ (6:159) ‘And verily this community of yours is a single community, and I

am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore, be mindful of Me (and no other). But people have cut off their affair (of unity), between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself.’ (23:52, 53) ‘Turn ye back in repentance to Him, and fear Him: establish regular prayers and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah. Those who split up their religion, and become (mere) sects, each party rejoicing in that which is with itself!’ (30:31, 32) We only have two choices: we can continue to have our pride, prejudice and sects to control our lives or we can truly surrender and submit to the teachings, messages and commandments in the Qur’an – the only Book wherein there is no doubt. Only by surrendering to the Qur’an, and not following any ‘sect’, will we be granted the precious gift of unity. Muslim sister Cape Town

We have a longer history that that IT was both heart-warming and disheartening to read the article ‘Kurdish struggle has a home in South Africa’, MV September, 2013. We certainly have a longer history with Kurds than KHRAG. It was heart-warming to see that such an event was effected here in South Africa, which is the world capital of the struggle for peace. The whole world is looking at the South African model of how we achieved lasting peace from a bitter civil struggle, and it’s good that we are involved with the KHRAG. Equally, I was disheartened in that no mention was made that recorded in our illustrious history, in the late 1860s, there was a certain Abu Bakr Effendi who came to the Cape under the orders of Queen Victoria to settle disputes among the Muslims in the Cape. Abu Bakr Effendi, not a Kurd himself, was born in Sharazur in Kurdistan. He was responsible for the first Afrikaans book printed called the Bayaan-Ud-Deen, which was in Arabic script and not the normal Roman script we use. Thus, history will tell us that from this AGM of KHRAG held in Cape Town, in August 2013, we are part of the Kurdish struggle now and were a part in the past as well. Mustacq Abdullah Penlyn Estate, Cape Town MORE LETTERS ON PAGE 39

write to: editor@mviews.co.za fax: 086 516 4772 Po Box 442 athlone 7760 Please supply contact details.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Letters to the eDitor

Tribute to an alim YOUR publication Vol 27 No 9, Dhil Qaida 1434/ September 2013, the article on Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie by his son, Zaahied Sallie, refers. Almost 35 years ago, Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie officiated at my nikah at Bosmont Masjid. I married Shaikh’s cousin’s daughter. The bride, the groom and the officiating shaikh all hailed from Vrededorp (better known as Fietas), interestingly, so did most of the guests. What a memorable occasion. Later in life, we get to choose people (other than our parents, grandparents, siblings) whose thoughts influence, persuade, inspire and affect us positively or negatively. Without realisation, it was in these later years that Shaikh had an indelible, profound, positive spiritual influence in shaping my life, along with all my family and friends. To those who were closely linked to him, Shaikh was affectionately known as ‘Boetie’. In Fietas (the District 6 of Johannesburg), many from amongst the ‘Malay’ and ‘Indian’ communities went to madrassah, learning under the tutelage of Shaikh’s late father, Hasan Sallie, who was popularly known as Amisan. It was from these roots that Shaikh was skillfully mentored in

Cape Town, Egypt and Makkah under the wings of illustrious shuyookh that one does not so easily encounter in this day and age. In the later years of Shaikh’s life, my home in Maraisburg, Johannesburg, became Shaikh Abduraghiem’s home away from home. It was not in his khutbah talks, his many lectures or speeches given at functions that Shaikh showcased his immense knowledge as an astute aalim. Rather, it was in simple surroundings such as at breakfast or dinner tables or merely lounging or perhaps having an afternoon tea in a garden, where Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie stood tall, like a fruitful tree, giving off in abundance. It was for us to stretch upward or outward, reaching for the many branches, eating of the fruits of Shaikh’s vast knowledge of the Deen. Shaikh always encouraged us to become more today than what we were the day before, to strive in the path towards a better understanding of the Glorious Qur’an and the Sunnah. He encouraged us not to become ritualistic in our salaah, saum, tilawah etc in expectation of what we get but rather to focus on what we become and, in so doing, ‘what we become will directly influence what we get’.

Hence the wisdom in his many advices, such as, ‘800 verses in the Glorious Qur’an address man’s intellect.’ It was also through Shaikh’s effort and influence that the seeds of the Al Azhar Institute of Johannesburg were planted in the lounge of my home way back in 1997. That seed germinated and sprouted into an establishment that runs to this day, albeit the school has absolved itself from Cairo, it is indeed a legacy of Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie. Shaikh’s Islamic knowledge was recognised by Saudi Arabia’s largest English paper, The Saudi Gazette. From 1996 -1997 Shaikh was the only non-Arab aalim who issued fatwas in his regular featured column ‘Questions of Faith – answers by Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie’. Besides being a regular radio personality on Islamic radio stations, Shaikh was the first aalim to do a show ‘Islam in Fokus’ on an Afrikaans radio station, Radio Sonder Grense, not only impacting upon an Afrikaans-speaking Muslim community but even a large percentage of non-Muslims. Shaikh served as president of Majlisush Shura Al Islami, a Muslim consultative body. His deputy was Al Jama-ah Party leader, Ganief Hendricks, now a trustee of the organisation. Ganief has lamented in his

tribute that Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie was not given the space to use his exceptional talents, taking on the socio-economic challenges of the Muslim community and wanting to unite all the Muslim bodies under the banner of the Shura. Shaikh’s first officiating post as an imam was in Kliptown, home of the Freedom Charter. It was on his last visit to this masjid that Shaikh highlighted to me the Constitution of Madinah as the first written constitution of democracy in the history of constitutional rule. It is only through the writings of influential people that we can feed our minds and educate our philosophy. Shaikh has authored about 30 books on various aspects of Islam, four being certified and endorsed by the oldest Islamic institute, Al-Azhar University, Egypt. Shaikh’s final book, A Beginners Journey Through the World of Islam, will soon be posthumously released. I am sure that like his other books, it will also be full of intellectual, spiritual reading and understanding. Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie, was not only an aalim, author, teacher and jurist but a true phil-

anthropist who not only opened his doors but his heart, having established hifdh schools and educational centres. Shaikh’s sad demise on September 1, 2013/ 23 Shawwal 1434 following a battle with motor-neuron disease, leaves one with fond memories of the legacy he built around individuals, families, friends, and the many masajid, institutions, organisations and communities. His benevolence of caring for impoverished people, communities, family and friends, not only socially but spiritually as well will not be forgotten. Nor will we ever forget his knowledgeable contributions in uplifting the Muslim ummah at large. May the Almighty grant Shaikh Abduraghiem Sallie the highest abode in Jannah along with all those who have also passed on. May the Almighty grant sabr to Shaikh’s family, his kith and kin and those of us who were so closely linked to ‘Boetie’. Abdul Razak Noorbhai National Chairman, and Chief Whip in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan, Al Jama-ah Community Party

Letters to the editor write to: the editor e-mail: editor@mviews.co.za fax: 086 516 4772 Po Box 442 athlone 7760 Please supply full name, street address and contact telephone number. Letters of 500 words or less will be given preference.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2013

From Consciousness to Contentment

The ‘second wife sydrome’ and the ‘just impediment’ JASMINE KHAN This is the first in a series dealing with this subject. Next month, noted members of the ulama consult the Qur’an on this subject. It is also hoped to give voice to the women who have experienced or are currently in this situation. You may send your story direct to Muslim Views or contact the writer on jkinflow@telkomsa.net. Complete anonymity is guaranteed. E are gathered here, in the sight of God, to join together this man and this woman, in holy matrimony. If anyone knows of any just impediment as to why they should not be joined, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.’ These are the opening words of the wedding ceremony amongst certain non-Muslims. We, as Muslims, do not have this as part of our performance of the nikah. However, I do believe that there are many women who would prefer to have it said before the ceremony takes place. Who are these women? They are the first wives of the men who go to an imam and ask for a nikah to be performed. It appears that there is an epidemic sweeping our community as more and more married men decide to take a second wife. Some inform their

‘W

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wives before the deed but many do not. Is it not strange that when a man in his fifties approaches an imam to perform a nikah that he is not asked if he already has a wife? The explanation given by the ulama is, ‘How can we prevent what Allah permits?’ The operative word here is ‘permit’, nowhere is it written that it is compulsory or expected. The verse was revealed during a time in our history when there were many men killed in battle, resulting in widows with young orphans. There are indeed more men who take a single woman as a second wife after 20 to 30 years of marriage than ones who actually seek out widows with orphans. In fact, in most cases, the second wife is younger than the husband’s eldest child. No one disputes that Islam allows more than one wife but Allah lays down strict conditions for everything that we are commanded to do in the Qur’an. A great deal of emphasis is placed on the following verse of the Qur’an: ‘Marry women of your choice in twos threes or fours but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then only one.’ (Al-Qur’an 4:3) However, as pointed out in an article by Ibraheem Serhan Amely: ‘One must take up the verses on polygamy in the Qur’an and explain them not merely as isolat-

ed verses but in the total spirit of the Qur’an. No verse of the Qur’an can be explained as an isolated verse. It is the context (in the light of asbab al-nuzul, i.e, occasions of revelation) and norms of the Qur’an which have to be taken into account in order to understand the real intention of the Qur’anic verses. ‘Also, it is not enough to refer to one verse on the subject but all concerned verses should be taken into account. Often, one verse is quoted to prove one’s point of view. It is not proper.’ Reference: http://www.islamology.com Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on condition that he deals with them justly. It appears that very few people take cognisance of the injunction to ‘deal justly’. ‘Justly’ is taken to mean providing equally for the wives. Each must have a home, furniture and possibly a car as well. No cognisance is taken of the emotional health of the women. Ironically, even though a lot of emphasis is placed on whether the man can provide for both wives equally in material things, there are many cases when the man does not even provide adequately for the first wife. Of far greater concern is the emotional impact this has on a woman. Especially if she has been there as a support and comfort to her husband while he built up a business or carved out his career. To be relegated to being a co-

wife, (always provided she chooses to stay in the marriage) causes great trauma. This does not get considered in the majority of cases. Men have been known to marry a second wife, and only telling the first one after the deed was done. There are those who do inform the wife but disregard her feelings totally. The ulama claim that they cannot refuse to perform the nikah since it is permitted by Allah. No one disputes that. However, since they are the leaders of the ummah, with the well-being of everyone at heart, men as well as women, should they not question the man about the existence of a first wife? If he has one, does she know of his intention? How does she feel about it? The other argument given is that our women should know and accept that multiple wives are permitted in Islam. The fact is that we have not raised our daughters to expect this. While researching the issue, I decided to speak to a woman who is learned in the Deen. I interviewed a shaikha, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, and now living here for more than 30 years. Her answer was firm; a man can take a second wife. However, she qualified it by saying that it is preferable in young people, those who have been married only for a few years. She admitted that taking a younger woman after 20-30 years of marriage is problematic. The irony is that her son was

the target of a young woman who works for him; this woman contacted her employer’s wife and made it clear that she was interested in her husband and would do her best to get him to marry her. The shaikha went and confronted the young woman and told her in no uncertain terms that she would not allow it. Does this not smack of double standards? There are many marriages that work where the man has two wives, particularly where the second marriage took place early on in the first marriage and the two women accept each other. However, it is definitely not common for a man to look for a woman with young children who is unable to provide for them. Does it not seem strange that second marriages are taking place without questions being asked or consultation with the first wife? Yet, there are many women in abusive marriages that have to wait months to be freed because ‘the husband must be allowed to give his side of the situation’. Nabi Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said that the best of you are those who are kindest to women. Does ignoring the emotional effects on your wife of 30 years when you take a younger woman constitute kindness to women? And what about the effects on the children who are, in many instances, older than the second wife? What do you think?

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Muslim Views . October 2013

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Cape Town TV goes national APE TOWN TV, the mother city’s plucky community television station, will be broadcast nationally on DSTV from October 10, this year. Says Station Manager Karen Thorne, ‘This development is a real boost for Cape Town TV, and will be a breath of fresh air in the media landscape, which is dominated by conventional and commercially-driven television channels.’ CTV broadcasts Islamic shows on Fridays. These begin at 6.30pm with The Journey, which is an integrated Muslim lifestyle show that focuses on topical issues and core values with specialists, religious scholars and local celebrity guests. The show is produced and hosted by Kung-fu champion and radio personality, M J Li. At 7.00pm there’s Islamic Mirror, a magazine programme featuring events, entertainment and personalities from the unique Cape Town Muslim community. CTV also features Ramadaan programming during the holy month. CTV is a non-profit organisation that has been established as a communications service for the people of Cape Town. Thorne characterises the station’s programme offerings in terms of this social development mandate. ‘Our content is fresh, innovative and people-driven. It is often controversial and pushes boundaries in terms of form and content. CTV’s programming promotes debate and creates a rare space for authentic voices to come through in a sea of conventional, commercially-driven media.’ Community participation is a core part of CTV’s mandate and the channel encourages Capetonians to get involved in the production of programming that meets the needs of the community. This results in content that is locally relevant, fresh and innovative. There are a number of local producers who make content especially for CTV, and the channel also accepts videos from local organisations and members of the community. A programme being broadcast live from the CTV studios This ‘user-generated content’ is anything from music in Observatory. Photo SUPPLIED videos by local bands to coverage of events and sporting activities. For those who aspire to be TV talk show hosts, CTV provides a public access show called Open Studio. This provides an opportunity for members of the public to host their own talk show – all they need to do is book their slot in the weekly Open Studio shoot and bring along their guests to be interviewed. The channel takes in volunteers from the community to form its studio production crews, and it trains over 100 young people every year in studio production disciplines. This training gives them an entry point for careers in the video production industry. CTV also sources some of the best international documentaries that help people to understand the complex challenges which confront humanity today. Says Thorne, ‘We promote free- The production room at CTV... producing programmes that meet the needs of the dom of expression and access to community. Photo SUPPLIED information in our programming, which enables our audience to to-air signal in Cape make informed decisions on relevant issues.’ But the station has not forgotten its local viewers who Town. ... the channel don’t have DSTV, and it has secured a second broadcast The new frequenfrequency which will provide viewers with a stronger free- cy is 607.25MHz or encourages channel 32. Viewers must just re-tune Capetonians to their TV sets using the channel search get involved in function to pick up the signal. the production CTV broadcasts from a single transof programming mitter located on Tygerberg hill, which that meets the means that everyone living within line-ofneeds of the sight of Tygerberg is able to pick up the community signal. With a second, stronger transmission frequency the station is poised for further growth in viewership as more people will be able to tune in. As Thorne remarks, ‘Viewers will experience a strong, clear signal which will enable them to enjoy CTV’s diverse range of programming. Our mission is to inform, engage and amaze our viewers, and our programming is geared to this end. ‘CTV has become renowned for its thought-provoking documentaries as well as its Cape Townfocused content, which highlights the people, events and issues of our beautiful city.’

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Kurdish Human Rights Action Group (KHRAG) holds Annual General Meeting in Cape Town The Kurdish Human Rights Action Group held their AGM on August 14, at the Barans Restaurant, in Cape Town. The public session of the AGM was concluded with the unveiling of paintings featuring three Kurdish women activists, from left to right, Fidan Dogan, 32, Sakine Cansiz, 55, and Leyla Saylemez, 25, who were assassinated in Paris on January 10, 2013. The women were linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which

Muslim Views

is pursuing a 30-year struggle for Kurdish autonomy from Turkey. Their assassination galvanised solidarity among the million European ethnic Kurds. The PKK is outlawed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The artist, Sulaiman Christian, pictured with one of his paintings, presented them to KHRAG on the occasion of the AGM. Text MAHMOOD SANGLAY Photo SUPPLIED

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Muslim Views . October 2013

From The mimbar

‘They have cleaned

On the path of the righteous LORY be to Almighty Allah Who created man in the best of forms and appointed us in a supervisory capacity over all other creatures. Peace and blessings upon the perfect man and the cream of creation, Nabi Muhammad (SAW), his pure family and the noble Sahabah. Tasawwuf or what the glorious Qur’an refers to as ‘tazkiyatu nafs’ is indeed the spiritual dimension of Islam. The Sufi is the one who purifies himself from anything which distracts him from the remembrance of Allah, and who will be so filled up with knowledge of the heart and knowledge of the mind that the value of gold and stones will be the same to him. Tasawwuf is safeguarding the precious meanings and leaving behind the call to fame and vanity in order to reach the state of Truthfulness because the best of humans after the prophets are the siddiqeen. Allah mentioned the siddiqeen in the verse: ‘(And all who obey Allah and the Apostle) are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah: of the prophets, the sincere lovers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous; Ah! what a beautiful fellowship.’ (an-Nisa, 69,70) I would like to present what some of our imams have said about tassawwuf:

Imam Abu Hanifa (85 AH – 150 AH) ‘If it were not for two years, I would have perished.’ He said, ‘For two years, I accompanied Sayyidina Ja’far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a gnostic in the Way.’ (Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol 1. p. 43)

pathways for rivers to run

‘Whoever studies Jurisprudence (tafaqaha) and didn’t study Sufism (tasawwafa) will be corrupted; and whoever studied Sufism and didn’t study Jurisprudence will become a heretic; and whoever combined both will reach the Truth.’ (the scholar Ali al-Adawi, vol. 2, p 195)

receiving knowledge of the

Imam Shafi’i (150AH – 205 AH)

Divine Presence.’

‘I accompanied the Sufi people and I received from them three knowledges: how to speak, how to treat people with leniency and a soft heart, and they guided me in the ways of Sufism.’ (Kashf al-Khafa, Ajluni, vol. 1, p 341)

Imam Ghazzali (450 AH – 505 AH) ‘I knew verily that Sufis are the seekers

other than Allah

made them as

Imam Malik (95 AH- 179 AH)

‘O my son, you have to sit with the people of Sufism because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power.’ (Tanwir al-Qulub p 405)

their hearts from

and they have

The Sufi is the one who purifies himself from anything which distracts him from the remembrance of Allah, says Shaikh ABDURAGMAAN ALEXANDER.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (164 AH – 241 AH)

Imam Rashid Rida (1282 AH – 1354 AH) Photo OSMAN KHAN

in Allah’s Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. ‘They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run receiving knowledge of the Divine Presence.’ (alMunqidh, p 131)

Imam Nawawi (620 AH – 676 AH) ‘The specifications of the Way of the Sufis are … to keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private; to follow the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) … to be happy with what Allah gave you…’[in his Letters, (Maqasid at-tawhid), p 20]

Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (1115 AH – 1201 AH) ‘My father, Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab, and I do not deny or criticise the science of Sufism. On the contrary, we support it because it purifies the external and the internal of the hidden sins, which are related to the heart and to the outward form. ‘Even though the individual might externally be on the right way, internally, he might be on the wrong way. Sufism is necessary to correct it.’ (ad-Dia’at mukathaffa, ibn Abdul Wahhab, p 85)

‘Sufism was a unique pillar from the pillars of the religion. Its purpose was to purify the self and to take account of one’s daily behaviour and to raise the people to a high station of spirituality.’ (Majallat alManar, 1st year, p 726)

Moulana Abul Ala Maudoodi (1321 – 1399 AH) ‘Sufism is a reality whose signs are the love of Allah and the love of the Prophet (SAW), where one absents oneself for their sake, and one is annihilated from anything other than them, and it is to know how to follow the footsteps of the Prophet (SAW)… ‘Tasawwuf searched for the sincerity in the heart and the purity in the intention and the trustworthiness in obedience in an individual’s actions.’ The Divine Law and Sufism: ‘Sufism and shariah: what is the similitude of the two? They are like the body and the soul. The body is the external knowledge, the Divine Law, and the spirit is the internal knowledge.’ (Mabadi al-Islam, p 17)

Conclusion In sum, one could say that Tasawwuf, in the present, as in the past, is the effective means for spreading the reality of Islam, extending the knowledge and understanding of spirituality, and fostering happiness and peace. With tasawwuf, Muslims can improve, transform and elevate themselves, and find salvation from the ignorance of this world and the misguided pursuit of some materialistic fantasy. Jumu’ah Mubarak

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Light from the Qur’an

The divine name of ‘Most Holy’ IBRAHIM OKSAS and NAZEEMA AHMED O we ever give thought to the order and cleanliness of the skies and that of the face of the earth? When we look at the spotlessly clean night sky, illuminated only with hundreds of thousands of twinkling stars, do we reflect upon the way in which this spotlessness is maintained? Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in his celebrated Qur’anic tafsir, Risalei Nur, addresses this issue in the most remarkably systematic and informative way. He says that the universe is a vast, constantly working factory, and the globe of the earth can be considered to be a guest-house which is continually filling and emptying. Generally, factories, hostels and guest-houses become dirty and soiled with filth, debris and rubbish. Unless these places are kept with care and cleaned, they cannot be occupied or used, since human beings will be overwhelmed by the dirt. The factory of the universe and guest-house of the earth, however, are totally pure, clean and spotless, and completely unsoiled, untainted and fresh. There is nothing unnecessary, nothing without benefit, and not a random piece of dirt to be found. This means that the One who looks after this factory does so very well. And its owner is such

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that He sweeps and cleans and orders the vast factory. In relation to the size of the huge factory, there is no dirt or rubbish remaining from its filth and debris. Indeed, considering its size, its cleanness and tidiness are quite astonishing. If someone does not wash himself nor cleans his small room for a month, they will become extremely dirty and soiled. The cleanliness, purity and luminosity in the world arise from a continuous, wise and diligent cleaning. If it were not for this cleaning and careful tending, in one year all the thousands of animal species would have been choked on the face of the earth. Also, the debris of the planets in space and the heavens, which manifest life and death, and of satellites and stars, would have smashed not only our heads and those of the animals but also the earth itself and our world. They would have rained down rocks the size of mountains and driven us away from our homeland in this world. Furthermore, as a result of the alternation and struggles of life and death each year on the face of the earth, the corpses of a hundred thousand animal species and the debris of two hundred thousand plant species would have so utterly filthied the land and the sea that it would be rendered uninhabitable. Thus, Bediuzzaman confirms that the cleanliness and purity

that obtains in the world and the universe display a great manifestation of the divine name of ‘Most Holy’. This means that it is not only the carnivorous cleaners of the seas and the eagles of the land which obey the commands proceeding from that sacred cleansing but also its cleansing officials like worms and ants that gather up corpses. As eyelids obey the command to clean the eye and flies obey the command to brush their wings so the extensive atmosphere and the clouds obey Allah Almighty’s commands. The air blows upon the pieces of dust and soil settled on the surface of the earth and cleans it. The clouds sprinkle water on the garden of the earth and settle the dust and soil. Then, in order not to dirty the sky, the air quickly collects the earth’s rubbish and withdraws and hides itself with perfect orderliness. It displays the beautiful face and eye of the skies as swept and polished, all sparkling and shining. And as the stars, elements, minerals and plants obey Allah Almighty’s command to clean, all particles and atoms also obey the command and they pay attention to cleanliness within the incredible upheavals of change and transformation. And if they do become soiled, they are quickly cleaned. They are impelled by a hand of wisdom to acquire the cleanest, neatest and most shining

states and the most beautiful, pure and subtle forms. Thus, this single act, that is, making clean, which is a single truth, is a greatest manifestation of the name of Most Holy, which shows itself throughout the universe. Bediuzzaman says that like the sun, this divine name of Most Holy shows us directly the divine existence and unity together with the Most Beautiful Divine Names. When discussing some of the other Most Beautiful Divine Names, Bediuzzaman draws our attention to the names of Sapient and All-Wise, Justice and All-Just, Beauteous and All-Generous, Sustainer and All-Compassionate. He says that the act of ordering and order, which are a manifestation of the names of Sapient and All-Wise; and the act of weighing and balance, which are a manifestation of the names of Justice and All-Just; and the act of adorning and benevolence, which are a manifestation of the names of Beauteous and All-Generous; and the act of sustaining and bestowal, which are a manifestation of the names of Sustainer and Most Compassionate, are each a single truth and a single act. They demonstrate the necessary existence and unity of a Single Being. In the same way, the act of purifying and making clean, which is a manifestation and display of the name of Most Holy, demonstrates the existence and

unity of Allah Almighty. We must, however, not forget that bad qualities, false beliefs, sins and innovation are all instances of moral and spiritual dirt. We are thus required and compelled to also clean ourselves from spiritual dirt through acts of ibadah. Bediuzzaman shares with us the reality that the exalted, universal cleansing which keeps the universe clean is the manifestation and requirement of the divine name of Most Holy. Furthermore, just as the glorification of all creatures looks to the name of Most Holy, so also does the name of Most Holy require the cleanliness of all of them. It is because of this sacred connection of cleanliness that the hadith, ‘Cleanliness is a part of imaan’ deems cleanliness to be a light of imaan. The ayah in Sura Al-Baqara, ‘Indeed, Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean,’ shows that cleanliness is a means of attracting Allah Almighty’s love. In conclusion, Bediuzzaman says that while the mere recitation of Allah Almighty’s one thousand and one divine names is in itself considered to be highly meritorious, and we are encouraged to recite these unceasingly, we also have a duty to reflect upon their deeper meanings and vivid manifestation in the world around us.

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Focus on Finance

Don’t discard documentation When you are conducting a business, don’t just discard documentation. It could have serious consequences, warns HASSEN KAJIE, CA (SA), a director of the Cape Town office of NEXIA SAB&T. THE Companies Act 71 of 2008 came into effect on May 1, 2011. This included new rules and regulations for the retention of any documents, accounts, books, writing, records or other information that a company is required to keep for a period of seven years in terms of Section 24 of the Companies Act. When conducting any kind of business in South Africa there is no escape from the requirement of document retention. Whether you are a one man band or a major corporation, the rules are the same. Retention time varies from 0 years to 40 years. Different types of documents must be retained for different reasons and for different periods of time. The retention of documents can cause endless problems directly or indirectly. Failure to retain documents can constitute an offence and can lead to financial implications. Each company should have a good management system in place for instant access to documents to avoid problems. Section 25 of the Companies Act 71 of 2008 refers to the location of the company records, which should be accessible at or from the company’s registered office or another location or other locations within the Republic of South Africa. Table 1 – Retention period of documents

Means of storing documents Storing documents has its advantages and disadvantages. A company must decide which is a cost effective way to its type of business. The following are means of storing information:

l Original documents l Electronic storage media l Computer (Microfilm) Before storing any company records other than originals it is advisable for the company’s directors to consult with its auditors. Auditors would prefer original documents for audit test; after examination of the financial statements, records can be destroyed.

Destroying of documents The following documents should be destroyed: l All paperwork not needed l Duplicates of reports, minutes and other paper work when the original copy is held. Shredding is the best method for destroying unwanted documents, especially confidential documents. Burning may pose environmental problems.

Hassen Kajie is a Director of the Cape Town office of Nexia SAB&T.

Taxation The Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962 is the act governing all the laws relating to income taxes and donations, and the Value Added Tax Act No. 89 0f 1991 provides for the taxation of the supply of goods and services as well as the importation of goods and services. These acts provide specific time periods that documents must be retained:

The documents relating to Income Tax must be retained in their original form or electronic format for five years from the date of submission. The documents relating to VAT shall be kept in either a book form for a period of five years after the completion of the last entry in the book or in another form for a period of five years after the completion of the last transactions, acts or operations to which they relate. The commissioner may determine the form in which information may be kept, including electronic format. This does not, however, apply to original record of ledgers, cash books, journals and paid cheques. This article is intended for information purposes only and should not be considered as a legal document. If you are in doubt about any information in this article or require any advice, please do not hesitate to contact Nexia SAB&T on 021 596 5400.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

Positive and Effective Parenting Building your child’s self-esteem

Part 2: skills that build self-esteem FOUZIA RYKLIEF DEFINITION of self-esteem, its importance and some general tips were covered in the previous article. This article will focus on two important skills that build selfesteem, namely, the process of re-labelling, descriptive praise and parents’ self-esteem.

Re-labelling: turning negative labels into positive labels It is so easy to ‘attack’ children’s person when we become frustrated and angry with them. We label children as clumsy, careless, selfish, fussy and lazy when they repeatedly ignore requests to do their chores, their homework, to stop arguing with each other and so on. Referring to children as lazy, stubborn or naughty does not change behaviour. If we always criticise and negatively label children, they will believe these images about themselves and begin to live up to our negative expectations. Children often become the label we assign to them. We need to change negative labels into positive ones. A fault can also be seen as a strength and vice versa. When parents are able to see the positive and negative side of characteristics, the children get a new view of themselves.

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If we are going to build healthy relationships with them, we must lay the labels on the table, dissect them and then redesign those that make our children feel lousy and bad. Labels cloud our vision and hide the potential inside the person. The first step to enhancing a child’s self-esteem comes with the words we use. The following table illustrates how labels can be changed.

insincere, lead to denial or rejection of the praise, sound manipulative and often doesn’t fit with the view one holds of oneself. Descriptive praise is usually easily received because it is specific and focuses on the behaviour and does not evaluate the person’s character. Descriptive praise gives the child a true picture of himself and results in the child getting to know what his strengths are. An important aspect of self-

Re-labelling does not mean that we should leave undesirable behaviour unchecked. We still need to deal with the behaviour. However, by merely changing your vocabulary you can change how you see – and feel about – the child. This, in turn, will lead to a more positive and constructive approach to dealing with the behaviour that led you to labelling the child in the first place. Focusing on behaviour and not the child’s person is a thread that runs throughout our positive parenting approach.

esteem is knowing and appreciating yourself. It is especially useful when children struggle and they need affirmation. It is easy to praise children who are always doing well but how do you encourage a child who is struggling? Descriptive praise is the answer.

Eid ul Adha The Speaker and Members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament wish the Muslim community of the Western Cape a wonderful Eid and Hajj Maqbool for all the hujjaj. May Allah accept all your prayers, MHZ[PUN ZHJYPÄJLZ HUK HJ[Z VM worship in this month of Dhul Hijjah and on the +H` VM :HJYPÄJL Ameen. Eid Mubarak. www.ayandambanga.co.za 114898

Descriptive praise Many will agree that praise is a powerful enhancer of self-esteem. However, it is important to make a distinction between two types of praise, namely ‘lavish praise’ which focuses on the person and can be evaluative, and ‘descriptive praise’ which focuses on the child’s behaviour. The differences can be seen in the table at the bottom-right of this page. Lavish praise can be a problem because it can be perceived as

Parents’ self-esteem Most of us judge ourselves too harshly and we need to remind ourselves of all the things we do for our children that are positive, creative and constructive. Building our own self-esteem involves l seeing mistakes as opportunities for learning; l affirming one’s good points; l affirming success and progress; l realising that one has rights; l being more assertive; l taking time for oneself as a person and as an adult, keeping in mind that being a good enough parent fulfils only one of the roles one plays at this stage; l doing things one enjoys on a regular basis; l working out issues that one feels stuck with. Most of us really do our best for our children and we should not aim at being perfect parents and, in the process, wear ourselves out. We can only aim at being ‘good enough’ and enjoying our children.

Descriptive praise is usually easily received because it is specific and focuses on the behaviour and does not evaluate the person’s character. Descriptive praise gives the child a true picture of himself and results in the child getting to know what his strengths are.

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Muslim Views . October 2013

For all

Journey through life: The defining years In continuing reminiscing about aspects of his past, Doctor MC D’ARCY relates what it was like as a struggling medical student in a country where he knew no-one. He also indicates how it came about that he finally realised a childhood dream – that of teaching, although not quite what we thought it would be after what he related in the previous edition. EEING the light’ has many connotations. During my 1963 emigration voyage on the Pretoria Castle to London, an American missionary hounded the middle-aged St Helena man, who shared my cabin, and me. He badgered us to pray for ‘light’ and ‘salvation’. Eyes shut, on bended-knee, he prayed. The old man and I knelt behind him, eyes open. The old man smiled. The missionary’s narrow salvation-light beamed to his personal god-saviour; our wide-eyed visions lit the whole world blessed with its myriad beliefs and diverse cultures. And that is my ‘guiding-light’. At Caledon Square Police Station, in central Cape Town, the Special Branch officer placed my file on his desk. The phone rang. ‘It’s your travel agent at Thomas Cook Travel Agency,’ said the officer. My heart jolted. Slowly paging through the docket, he continued, ‘He asked me to give you police clearance to get a passport.’ He smiled. It vanished. He looked me over. I froze. He stamped my clearance form. I breathed again. A green-covered passport arrived within days. In Ramadaan 1967, with that same passport in hand, I journeyed from the USA back home. At a stopover in Cairo I was yanked through the airport by the immigration officials straight to the transit-lounge liquor stores and forced to buy two bottles of fine whisky with USA dollars for them before they would let me, a South African, into Egypt. Bomb-protecting sandbags of the 1967 Egypt-Israel war littered Cairo. There were no tourists. I had the pyramids all to myself. At the Step-pyramid of Sakkara, my guide showed me an ancient Egyptian painting of a circumcision rite using a sharp stone knife. That painting featured in one of my first Muslim Views columns. I broke fast with meat on the floor of the guide’s little mudhouse on the banks of the Nile River and, out of politeness, drank of its polluted water. Only tourists could eat meat on days

‘S

On cold, dark days, in Canada I mulled over apartheid and its impending ravages. District Six would be razed to the ground for certain. Other areas would follow. I asked the late Professor M T Ajam, with whom I corresponded for many years, to take pictures of the affected areas... (and) to interview the old people before our history would be lost when, on eviction, all historic papers would be burnt and the oral historians were scattered... other than Wednesdays. A few days later, further south, a turbaned Sikh immigration official at Nairobi airport threw that same green passport on the floor, had me searched for guns, arrested me and locked me up without food and water. I was deported the following day because I was not a black-skinned South African. That official’s anger was blind to the fact that to get that passport and travel I had walked more than a thousand miles through sun and storm to save a few bus-fare pennies. He was unaware that my elder sister, Rasheeda, had emptied her ‘1947 Royal visit to South Africa’ money box to pay for my journey to Canada. It was barely enough. The first month of internship at University of Saskatchewan Hospital I had survived on the free bread and milk provided for the interns on call. Mid-winter’s snow was a metre deep, and I had no warm clothes or boots. I knew no one within ten thousand miles. Phone calls home were expensive and needed prebooking weeks in advance. Letters took three weeks. On cold, dark days, in Canada I mulled over apartheid and its impending ravages. District Six would be razed to the ground for certain. Other areas would follow. I asked the late Professor M T Ajam, with whom I corresponded for many years, to take pictures of the affected areas. I sent money for this project, and for a tape-recorder to interview the old people before our history would be lost when, on eviction, all historic papers would be burnt and the oral historians were scattered. It did not materialise. I also hypothesised on the origin of nascent Afrikaans and the role the disadvantaged slaves and Free Blacks played in its genesis. When I eventually returned to South Africa, I met the late Achmat Davids, then a social worker at the Muslim Assembly (Cape). He researched and wrote papers on sociology. By then I was researching the Muslim art scene in Cape Town with the help of Mansur Abrahams and artist, Arshad Gamiet. I urged Achmat to help with the archival research of the history of the Muslims of the Cape. I also paid some of his research expenses. Many Saturday afternoons he and I motored around the Peninsula viewing historic sites and interviewing old people with

interesting memories. I photographed many historic places, cultural rituals and fascinating people. The album I compiled of these forays I still treasure. He graciously acknowledged my role in this venture with a hand-written note in the copy of his seminal work, Mosques of the Bokaap that he presented to me. In 1965, I started my Pathology residency at City Hospital, St Louis, USA. The pay was abysmally low but I got hooked

The portrait M C D’arcy circa 1967: In the USA many pathologists at that time wore bowties as long neck-ties could accidentally dip into containers of bloody or preserved organs. Photo SUPPLIED

by its fascinating complexities. To earn more money we, pathology residents, would drive at night to a small hospital 120 miles away in adjacent Illinois State to do autopsies. Sometimes, we moonlighted at another hospital and covered the whole hospital for emergencies, and then it was back to work in the morning. Three years later, I moved to Barnes Hospital, Washington University, St Louis. This institute was endowed with one of the best pathology departments in the world. As a senior resident, I worked in the Surgical Pathology division headed by Prof Lauren V Ackerman, who wrote the definitive book on Surgical Pathology. Consultations regarding difficult diagnostic problems came to us from all over the world. Prof Ackerman begged me to stay on in his department but, over the years, I had collected a vast amount of teaching slides and I wanted to return home and teach pathology at UCT. He tried to dissuade me and got me a job as a senior lecturer in pathology at McGill University, Montreal. I would not budge. I also worked with a pioneer of neuro-electron microscopy, Prof Sarah Luse, and set up the electron microscopy department in City Hospital, St Louis. In 1969, I qualified as a Clini-

cal and Anatomical Pathologist. Back home, in late 1969, I asked the UCT Head of pathology, Professor J G Thompson, for a consulting-teaching job. He pushed a junior registrar position application form across his desk. Pointing his index finger at me he said, ‘When you qualify here after four years, what then? For you Blacks, there’s nothing.’ I was already qualified as a pathologist and had electronmicroscopy skills, which he did not have. In fact, at the time, UCT had no electron microscope. I tore up the application form and threw it into the rubbish bin. I practised as a general practitioner for over 35 years. At the end of my GP career, I taught anatomical pathology part-time at the combined Western Cape and Stellenbosch dental schools. At last, my great passion was fulfilled; I was teaching. And I enjoyed it.

Below (both photographs): The 1972 album of the first researches by Doctor D’arcy and Achmat Davids into the history of the Muslims at the Cape of Good Hope. The compilation, illustration, photography and text were started in 1968 by Doctor D’arcy. Photo SUPPLIED

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Muslim Views . October 2013

SporTS-Talk Ken Norton: so much more to you than the records will show EN Norton stands in the memory like chiselled granite. He of the incredible physique is no more. Aged 70, the larger-than-life Norton passed away on September 18, 2013. If the stars truly foretell a man’s journey, Ken Norton certainly had a great start. Born under the constellation Leo, this augured well for a life in which confidence, leadership, inner strength and self-belief would not be lacking. His sporting prowess was very evident as a young man, and he won a scholarship to what is now Truman State University. While at school, a fabulous story emerges about his brilliance. In 1960, Norton participated in eight track events for Jacksonville High School. He won a devastating seven events, prompting an immediate ‘Ken Norton Rule’ which set a ceiling of four track and field events in which any one athlete could be entered. As I learnt this, the name Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe popped into the consciousness. Sobukwe, of course, was a brilliant individual, and powerfully able leader of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), which had been formed by disaffected African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) members in the late 1950s. When Sobukwe was arrested after the Sharpeville massacre on March 21, 1960, he served his sentence, and was then imprisoned on Robben Island. Sobukwe was considered a massive intellectual and organisational threat to the apartheid regime, and he suffered a unique imprisonment on Robben Island. In order to isolate Sobukwe from the rest of the island’s political prisoner population, he was interred in a small cottage on the island, totally removed from the rest of the prisoners, which included the likes of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Neville Alexander, Govan Mbeki, Dennis Brutus and Sedick Isaacs. Sobukwe alone was singled out for this incredible isolation. In order to keep Sobukwe imprisoned and isolated on Robben Island, the apartheid regime passed the General Law

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Ken Norton’s passing at the age of 70 allows for a moment of reflection. His boxing career is to be admired, while the rewards of his efforts can be ascribed to the Fates or whatever other force you choose to invoke. YUNUS OMAR looks at the life and death of Ken Norton, and finds some lessons in that life for us in the southern-most part of Africa. Amendment Act No 37 of 1963. This law allowed the regime to prolong the imprisonment of people already in prison. It was used only for Robert Sobukwe, and thus became known as the ‘Sobukwe Clause’. Unlike Robert Sobukwe, though, Norton’s political sensibilities were very different to the growing civil rights movement emerging in the United States in the 1960s. It is quite strange to first link the name of Muhammad Ali to Ken Norton in a political sense. It is strange because ‘Ali and Norton’ has become a phrase used to denote three epic battles that raged between these two towering figures in world sport. Their first fight, on March 31, 1973, was an epic moment in Norton’s career. He broke Ali’s jaw during a split-decision win over the skilful, charismatic Ali. In a re-match on September 10, 1973, Ali scraped a split-decision to avenge his loss some six months earlier. Ali had regained the title of world heavyweight champion after comprehensively out-boxing and out-smarting the powerful George Foreman in the famous Kinshasa ‘rumble-in-the-jungle’ in 1974. So, the third bout between Norton and Ali was, to say the least, massively anticipated around the world. In South Africa, we crowded around small transistor radios in kitchens in District 6 and boxing gyms in Langa and elsewhere, listening to the crackling FM commentary from the Yankee Stadium in New York City. Norton was superb. Norton should have won. Ali won. Again, it was a split-decision, with the result being met with jeering from sections of the crowd. The arguments continue to this day, as they should!

For Ali, the encounter was shattering, and probably marked the beginning of his boxing decline. But this story is about Ken Norton, and it is to Norton that we turn again in this tale. A brilliant challenger had emerged on the scene: Larry Holmes. Holmes was a classic fighter, tall and upright, with a sweet jab and a thunderous, pile-driving right-hand. In the boxing pantheon, the final round of the NortonHolmes fight on June 9, 1978, ranks as one of the finest rounds of boxing ever seen on the planet. It was brutal and it was riveting, and it epitomised the power and finesse of an era of boxers that included the incomparable Ali, the bruising Joe Frazier, the thunderous Foreman, the baldheaded marauder Ernie Shavers, the brave Sonny Liston, and the enigmatic Cleveland Williams. Norton, again lost on a splitdecision. But he had won the hearts of boxing men and women forever. And so we could wrap up the Ken Norton story right here. But there is more to his tale than has been written here thus far. As we began this partial retelling of Ken Norton’s life, his move to the US Marine Corps was a passing mention. It looms large, however, over the United States of the 1960s and 1970s. We recall the brave stance of the young Muhammad Ali refusing to be drafted into the US Army in the savage war in Vietnam. Ali endured public smears in the press, was stripped of his boxing licence at the height of his sporting powers, and ignited the struggle for freedom in the hearts of many who had hitherto been afraid of tackling the injustices of their society. In a 2009 interview with Dave Zirin, sports sociologist Harry

Ken Norton was a superb athlete, excelling in college athletics and football until he took up boxing while in the US Marine Corp. Amongst a generation of brilliant, charismatic boxers, Norton’s skills, fine personality and decency ensures him a place among the truly great.

Edwards related: ‘The last five years, from 2003 to 2008, of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars we see that there are just under 5 000 Americans of all races and genders who have died on the battlefield. ‘But if you look at Centers for Disease Control statistics, you find that more than 27 000 African-American men, largely from our urban centres, have died by gunfire alone over that period of time – if you are a black male, you have five times the chance of dying in one of our urban centres than you would have of dying on the streets of Baghdad or Kabul... ‘We have an undeclared war going on in our urban centres, a powder keg that we are sitting on to this day. That has impacted on African-American athletic opportunities... ‘Where are those athletes? The gyms have closed. The institutional structure that supported boxing in the African-American community has deteriorated.’ Harry Edwards, of course, was a founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. One of its most famous campaigns was its call for the 1968 Mexico Olympics to be boycotted to highlight and protest against racism in sport and in broader society. This movement produced one of the iconic moments of

sportspersons giving the lie to the reactionary idea that ‘politics has no place in sport’. ‘Sprinting stars Tommie Smith and John Carlos, it will be remembered, stood on the winners’ podium at the Mexico Olympics and raised their fists in the Black Power salute, linking sport to the broader struggles for social justice. Ken Norton, despite the political differences with Muhammad Ali over the Vietnam war, never raised this as an issue. Neither did Ali. On the night in 1973 that Norton broke Ali’s jaw, Norton slipped quietly into Ali’s hospital ward to sit beside his bed and offer comfort. Norton’s stars seemed to have teased him all his life but he had earned the respect of all who knew him. He ‘lost’ the biggest fights in the ring but emerged as an icon of power and humility. We can learn much from the life of such a man. We learn from the period that sporting champions hold immense influence over the imagined possibilities of young and old alike. It is when the likes of Sobukwe, Ali, John Carlos and Ken Norton converge, that we can map out and build a just society even as we exult in the beauty of sport at its finest.