Muslim Views, December 2014

Vol. 28 No. 12

RABI-UL-AWWAL 1436 l DECEMBER 2014

Moulood, a perfect time to reflect on state of the ummah and the world

HE image above of the Mass Moulood at the Cape Town Urban Park, on Sunday, January 27, 2013 (4 Rabi ul Awwal, 1434), where thousands of people attended the event, was the second of its kind in recent years.

The Mass Moulood for the current Islamic year is scheduled for Sunday, January 18, 2015, (Rabi ul Awwal 18, 1436) from 4pm till 9pm at Athlone Stadium, in Cape Town. The annual event is a powerful display, in a diverse

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metropolitan milieu, of the appeal of Islam by showing reverence for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Yet, the universalism of the singular truth – that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sent as a mercy unto all of creation – is one that we too often take for granted. It is remarkable that the democratic values enshrined in our constitution provide for religious freedom that is the envy of religious minorities in other, older democracies, in the world and in other Muslim countries where

such gatherings are outlawed by extremists and despotic rulers.

In South Africa, mass gatherings are typically called to address social and political issues and are secular in nature. Conversely, spiritual gatherings tend to be non-political and devoid of a human rights agenda.

The freedom of religion in our democracy offers us the opportunity, nay the responsibility, to use the platforms of mass gatherings to uphold the values of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) mission.

The teachings of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) strike a balance between humans as spiritual beings and as physical beings with attendant rights and responsibilities. A series of major events in the Muslim world, reported in international media this year, indicate that Muslim extremists, claiming to uphold the values of Islam, are responsible for the gross violation of human rights.

This stands in stark contradiction with the legacy of the model of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

We have a responsibility to exemplify the Prophetic model by advocating respect for human rights and neighbourly needs as opposed to only Muslim rights and needs. The Prophet’s (SAW) concern for the welfare of human beings, irrespective of faith, is explicit in various Quranic admonishments. The ways of the Prophet (SAW) are not simply a model for Muslims. They are a model for all of humanity.

Story MAHMOOD SANGLAY/ Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

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Muslim Views . December 2014

The Prophet (SAW) as our brand

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HIS year comes to a close as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The past year was marked by several international developments that concern Muslims directly.

One of these is the rise and escalation of the atrocities of extremists using Islam to justify their activities. It is opportune, at this time, to reflect on the value of the Prophetic model in our engagement with the world today.

Muslims, generally, have not succeeded in globalising the universal model of the Prophet (SAW). Instead, we are witnessing a parochial misappropriation of the model by extremists.

This is fundamentally at odds with the universal norms and standards in human rights and the paradigm in the model of the Prophet (SAW). Such a paradigm locates worldly concerns in relation to the rest of creation and, ultimately, in relation to Allah.

We have a responsibility to wrest from the extremist minorities their domination of the headlines and the public imagination in their perversion of the Prophetic model.

We also have a responsibility to address injustices in Muslim, particularly Arab, countries where continued repression is often supported by superpowers such as the United States.

In doing so, we can justifiably invite advocates of peace, justice and human rights to appreciate the compelling and pragmatic appeal of the Prophetic

model.

The solutions offered by the Prophetic discourse do not occur in isolation from the mundane or from the key concerns of ordinary people. They include social, political and economic issues as well as spiritual aspirations.

The Prophetic model is universal and supersedes bonds of faith, family, tribe, nationhood and other worldly interests.

Above all, it recognises the essential spiritual dimension of humanity.

It is from the teachings of the Prophet (SAW) that we draw in order to support, join or lead any initiative for the benefit of humanity anywhere in the world.

Muslims have a responsibility to exemplify the Prophetic model by meeting neighbourly needs as opposed to only Muslim needs. The Prophet’s (SAW) concern for the welfare of human beings, irrespective of faith, is explicit in various Quranic admonishments.

While we should remain ever-vigilant of the overwhelming threat of Islamophobia, blasphemy and overt attempts to vilify the legacy of the Prophet (SAW), we should guard against being consumed by reactive and defensive modes of behaviour or in misguided expressions of love that lead to violent and anti-social behaviour.

The impact of the Prophet (SAW) on this world is unprecedented and unparalleled. This impact, and its image in the mind of humanity is a dynamic entity.

His personal attributes, the limitless associations emerging from his life work and his teachings are elements of a universal model with equally unprecedented and unparalleled value.

Distinction, credibility, quality and deep love for him: these are all positive indicators in a radically fresh, inspirational and spiritual ethic to branding. It is possible to apply the basic principles of branding with a view to propagate the Prophetic model. It is possible to chasten conventional branding strategy and deliver it from the typically crude marketing and commercial imperatives. We are entrusted with the teachings of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and his legacy, which offer both benefits and responsibilities.

The universal exemplar and a mercy to all the worlds is, fortuitously, also a brand that has unprecedented historic and contemporary currency.

His status and destiny is secured by Allah. But his value and benefit to this world is a function of our treatment of his legacy. We honour his legacy when we realise the value of his brand.

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

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Brutus would have cheered on the dissidents

Photo FARID SAYED

PATRICK BOND

GED 90 now, had Dennis Brutus not passed away on December 26, 2009, I have no doubt his heart would warm at the political possibilities bubbling away today in South Africa. As we mark the fifth anniversary of his death, we are sure he would have identified with and catalysed the rebel spirit.

Brutus had long worried about the trajectory of the African National Congress, to which he gave so much during the 1960s-90s.

With his wife, Mae, he worked in the ANC London office organising sports and cultural boycotts: he claimed success in the 1968 walkout by dozens of African countries until the International Olympics Committee finally agreed to expel the white South African team from the Mexico games – the first of many such triumphs.

Brutus then moved to Chicago and Pittsburgh where, from the late 1970s-2000, he was a scholar-activist in poetry and African Studies, before returning home to South Africa and, in a whirlwind of travel through 2008 when on his last trip, he hugged Hugo Chavez in Caracas just as the world economic crisis broke, he witnessed nearly every major site of progressive struggle on earth.

More than 50 years ago, his Robben Island rock-breaking partner, Nelson Mandela, had holed up in the Brutus home during the ‘Black Pimpernel’ days underground, teaching two of Dennis’s sons how to box.

But post-apartheid, as Brutus recounted in his autobiographical collection Poetry and Protest, Mandela and his successor Thabo Mbeki chose not to fight imperial power but to join it, often allowing their police to pull guns on the same activists struggling for post-apartheid justice that before 1994 were the ANC’s own rank and file.

Brutus repeatedly encouraged resistance when meeting local and international audiences during his final five years with us, as a University of KwaZulu-Natal honorary professor.

The neoliberal nationalism – or simply, ‘talk left, walk right’ – adopted by the corruption-rid-

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dled ANC bothered Brutus to the point of condemning the politics of even Mandela himself.

Brutus believed the 1990-94 transition-era compromises unnecessarily worsened inequality, unemployment, poverty and ecological destruction.

Since the 1950s, after his training in the Eastern Cape’s revolutionary teachers’ movement, he had considered the ANC the leading force for defeating racial segregation. But its replacement with class segregation and crony capitalism was unacceptable. Brutus and his Jubilee 2000 comrades were perhaps most angry that the $25 billion apartheid foreign debt was repaid to US and European banks* – thus blunting the financial sanctions weapon for those who would use it in future – and that the International Monetary Fund had decisively intervened in 1993 to set the country’s economic policy with Mandela’s approval.

As a result of such injustice, Brutus campaigned on many fronts contested by civil society across the issue spectrum: AIDS medicines, land and housing, basic services, global trade and debt, African anti-neocolonialism, excessive incarceration (his own prison poetry is amongst the best known of the genre), climate change and mining-related pollution, the World Social Forum, liberation for Palestine, Burma and his native Zimbabwe. Shortly after turning 85 and releasing YouTube videos – including the timeless eco-political poem ‘Gull’ – calling for protests at a UN climate summit then underway, Brutus passed away peacefully from prostate cancer at his son Tony’s house in Cape Town with grandchildren nearby.

His poetry continues to inspire; his wisdom and principled political example is one we would do well to recall and revive in these days of radical anger and stubborn hope. *[During the struggle against apartheid, the ANC warned the banks not to lend money to apartheid South Africa yet, when it came to power the ANC honoured this odious debt.]

Patrick Bond directs the University of KwaZulu-Natal Centre for Civil Society.

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.

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The Prophetic example of treating women and children SAFIYYAH SURTEE

IN this special edition of Muslim Views, the focus on the blessed moulood (birth) of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) coincides with coverage of ‘16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children’, a campaign which runs annually from November 25 to December 10.

This is an apt time to consider, seriously – at a time when gender violence and child abuse statistics are staggeringly high – the Prophetic example in fostering non-violent, dignified and egalitarian relationships between men and women as well as his deep compassion for children, whom we must protect from all harm.

Gender violence is not a recent or even modern phenomenon.

Women would come to the Prophet (SAW) complaining of being physically harmed by their husbands and the Hadith literature contains a number of narrations in which he categorically instructs the men of his community not to beat their wives and then later seek the intimacy of sexual relations with them. It was Ayesha (RA), one of the closest people to the Prophet who related that he had never in his life raised a hand to anyone, neither a servant nor a woman. (Sahih Muslim) It is important to question why she specifically singles out these two categories of society – women and servants – they were obviously those who suffered or were most vulnerable to abuse.

Instead of shying away from the discomfort which these issues inevitably create, as no-one

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He moved away from toxic masculinity, in which the ego dominates and wants to dominate others; he shed tears often and copiously… would like to believe that women were in fact abused in the earliest Muslim community, we should rather confront them equipped with the Prophetic ethic – his practice is the ideal to be followed and held up high.

We cannot romanticise our textual traditions, we must be honest about and critical of the patriarchal readings of our foundational sources; and yet we must do this without falling into despair and hopelessness.

As believers who locate ourselves within the ummah of Muhammad (SAW), our objective is that of love – loving him and his blessed way, the Sunnah, which is inseparable from and intrinsic to the highest aspiration of our souls; also loving Allah and attaining His divine love as is revealed in the Quran when the Prophet was commanded to instil in his followers: ‘If you love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.

And Allah is All Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ (3:31) It is only with this paradigm of love in mind that we can go on to understand and follow the Prophet’s life and teachings, with which we can begin to ask ourselves what he meant when he said: ‘Made beloved to me in the world are women and perfume,

and the coolness of my eyes has been provided in prayer.’ (Sunan Nasa’i) We can move beyond shallow declarations of ‘respect for women’ by reflecting on how the Prophet (SAW) expressed his love and respect for women in this tradition, along with his appreciation for perfume – a symbol of purity, beauty and fine etiquette – as well as the comfort he found in salaah (prayer), one of the fundamental pillars of our faith.

The Prophet strove hard to elevate and revere the feminine in his society, even through his own beautiful character. He moved away from toxic masculinity, in which the ego dominates and wants to dominate others; he shed tears often and copiously, he was compassionate, gentle, nurturing and sensitive. We must then ask why, even as Muslims, we view these sublime characteristics of his as feminine? As a starting point, we must identify the problems with our definitions of masculinity and femininity – if we view as all that is harsh and severe as masculine, because it is these same notions of violent and rigid masculinity that create and perpetuate cycles of abuse.

On the other hand, defining femininity only in terms of softness and tenderness creates a sys-

tem where women are expected to be docile and submissive.

The frequent grouping together of women with children is also patronising and detrimental in that it removes agency from women to stand up against oppression by constant association with those who are often helpless.

However, it is women and children who continue to be the most vulnerable; but women, particularly those who are in positions of privilege, have an important role to play in helping and empowering victims of abuse. As the Prophet (SAW) once remarked about honouring the political asylum granted by women, ‘A woman acts for the people.’ (Tirmidhi) This is particularly important within our communities, where it is often taboo for women to speak out about their abuse, and where they are time and again counselled with sabr.

It is up to us to break the culture of shame which surrounds domestic violence, supporting women to seek legal recourse, creating safe houses for victims, offering professional therapy and the means to pursue education or find employment for those who have no other financial security outside of their abusive marriages.

The noble seerah is replete with stories and narrations of the Prophet’s (SAW) relationships and interactions with the women of his community, whether they were his wives or his Companions. What stands out is that as a leader, he was approachable – women came to him, they complained to him, they expected him to help them. He, in turn, frequently sought their company and counsel, truly imbibing the Quranic spirit of men and women as auliya (protecting friends and guides) of each other. (9:71) It is with this approach, of an intimate partnership between men and women, that we can move forward together in combatting child and gender violence.

However, we cannot only do this through appealing to the Sunnah and Seerah in our communities alone as these problems are far more wide reaching. And so we should, equipped with the spirit of the message of the Prophet (SAW), join this national and global campaign – vigorously, unrelenting in seeking safety and justice for the vulnerable.

In the month of the blessed birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), may we truly witness within ourselves the transformative power of his life so that we may propel ourselves forward in this important struggle.

We cannot truly celebrate the Prophet’s birth if we do not stand up against the rampant abuse to those who give birth and are given birth to: women and children.

Safiyyah Surtee is a journalist and an MA candidate in the Department of Religion Studies at University of Johannesburg.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

One Messenger, one ummah AS we prepare to commemorate Moulood-un-Nabi, culminating in the Mass Mawlid 1436, on January 18, 2015, at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, we rejoice (as we ought to, throughout the year) in acknowledgement of the selflessness, piety, wisdom and compassion of the last Prophet (SAW).

His life is both history and biography, a code of law and mode of guidance, a source of inspiration and a model for excellence.

He came as a muallim (teacher), as a mercy unto the universe, a moral guide and as the Final Messenger for all humanity.

Ummah Muhammadiyyah The Quran refers to the believers as ‘… this global community of faith is one ummah’ (21:92); the ummah which the Prophet called out for on his dying bed, ‘ummati, ummati’ (my ummah, my ummah); a community that was intended to serve as a standard and model for others; an ‘ummatan wasata’ (median community) (Quran 2:143) that ought to be a testimony and a model for humanity.

Members of that ummah are inextricably interconnected in such a way as if it were a single body. If any part is afflicted with any discomfort, the rest of the body is affected.

Its members’ attitude is such that membership is defined as those ones from whose hands and tongues other Muslims are safe; and, at a higher level, in whom humanity finds safety and securi-

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ty regarding life, property and honour.

This is the ummah of Muhammad (SAW), an ummah bound by the theology of Touheed (unicity of the Divine), the philosophy of the universal mission of all prophets (AS) and the attitude of rahmah (compassion), which is central to the Revealer, the Messenger and the Message.

It is an ummah bound by the preponderance of what we agree upon, not divided by the paucity of that which we differ about.

In the thought-provoking words of the poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal: ‘Whatever benefits us benefits all of us and whatever harms us harms all of us/ We have one final messenger, one way of life, one system of belief;/ Our Sacred House is one, our Creator is One and our Quran is one/ What a great thing if we too were one.’

The strength of this ummah is the golden thread of unity, a unity that binds the ummah based on obedience to Allah and the love for our beloved Prophet; a love that is best manifested in following his ‘uswatun hasanah’ (noble example) (Quran 33:21).

O Prophet of Allah, why is it that so many of us who claim to be of you refuse to be like you?

We sing for you and dress like

you but do not come near fulfilling the expression of love, care and beauty that generated from you.

The Prophet came to facilitate ease, as he personally confirmed regarding his noble mission: ‘I have been sent to you to make things easy; I have not been sent to make things difficult.’

We dare not substitute the sublime message of the ‘Mercy unto the worlds’ (Quran 21:107) by a discourse of anger and the rhetoric of rage.

Madina Institute convenes inaugural graduation

Resolution Let us keep the spirit of the Moulood alive every day, not only on the day of his birth.

Let our Moulood resolution be: ‘Our identity is Islam, our allegiance is to Allah, and our supreme leader is the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Every Muslim is my brother or sister, every human being my family, and the whole of the universe my responsibility.’

‘Obey Allah and His messenger and do not fall into unnecessary disputes for then you will be weakened and your power will depart. Be patient, for Allah is surely with those who patiently persevere. (Quran 8:46) Issued by the committee of Mass Mawlid 1436

Sadiya Mohamed receiving her certificate from Shaikh Seraj Hendricks, Dean of the Madina Institute. The inaugural graduation ceremony of the Institute’s Foundational Scholarship Usul-u-Din Programme was held on Tuesday, December 9, 2014, at the City of Cape Town Council Chambers. Also at the graduation were (at the podium, from left) Shaikh Mukhtar Ahmed and Shaikh Muhammad Carloo, and (seated, from left) board members of the Madina Institute: Shaikh Mahmood Khatieb, Nabeweya Malick, Dr Zeenat Gaibee, Photo SAAWMIET MOOS Abubakr Carrim, Zunaid Abdullah and Haroon Kalla.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Seeking the Light Fantastic…

SHAFIQ MORTON

IN summer, when you travel from the city centre to Sea Point, you’ll always feel cool air wafting off the Atlantic. And on baking evenings – when people migrate to Sea Point’s lawns to escape the heat – it’s difficult to leave.

This reminds me of Madinah, a sanctified city for which the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) made copious prayer. Madinah effuses one with the cooling presence of the Prophet (SAW) in the same way the Cape Atlantic does.

‘O Allah, make us love Madinah as much as we love Makkah, and even more,’ was the Prophet’s (SAW) invocation.

Indeed, there is not a visitor who does not long to return to Madinah – a fertile, palm-fringed oasis that attracted wandering Jews nearly 2 000 years ago.

These tribes migrated to Madinah in 70 CE after the final destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.

They trekked there to await a prophet who’d liberate them from the diaspora.

Ka’ab al-Ahbar, a rabbi who became Muslim, was once asked what the Torah told the Jews about the expected prophet.

He replied, ‘We find him named the son of Abdullah, his birthplace Makkah, his place of migration Madinah …we find him neither coarse of speech nor rowdy in the market place.

‘He does not return wrong with wrong but, instead, forgives and pardons.’

Because of the Prophet’s (SAW)

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‘… Madinah is imbued with immense peace. It is not a noisy place. Its inhabitants are known for their gentleness. This is ascribed to the tradition that no-one must raise their voice in the presence of the Prophet Photo SHAFIQ MORTON (SAW).’

clemency, Madinah is imbued with immense peace. It is not a noisy place.

Its inhabitants are known for their gentleness. This is ascribed to the tradition that no-one must raise their voice in the presence of the Prophet (SAW).

As Dr Mostafa Badawi, a resident of Madinah, has written: ‘Madinah is a universe unto itself…each atom of it vibrant with a life intensified by the immense blessings of the Prophet (SAW)…’

Even the soil of the city has special properties.

I remember going to a quiet spot near Quba to collect small bags of clay. Called the Turab alShifa’ (the Healing Clay), it was used by the Prophet (SAW) to heal sickness.

It has always led me to believe, like Mostafa Badawi, that even

the dust of Madinah has barakah or blessing.

The Companions certainly thought so, and have been recorded as saying that when the Prophet (SAW) entered the city, everything became illuminated.

‘There has come to you from your Creator a light…’ says Allah, the Highest, informing us of the Prophet (SAW) in Surah AlMa’idah (The Table Spread).

Sayyidina Ali – the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law – said that Rasulullah (SAW) was light before he became form.

This incandescence, this nur, travelled through the backbone of Adam, the first prophet, into the DNA of the Quraish.

These Hijazi Arabs knew that they were carrying the genes of a prophet. Sayyid Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki reports that scholars could detect no marital impurity – and not even a hint of paganism – in at least 500 of the Prophet’s (SAW) direct ancestors.

Nizar, the son of Ma’ad, saw the nur of the Prophet (SAW) centuries before he was born.

Ilyas even heard the labbaik – the invocation of the Hajj – in his spine. And so powerful was the Prophet’s (SAW) pre-natal presence that Ka’ab gathered the Quraish and warned them of his coming ten generations before his noble birth.

This light moved to the forehead of Abdullah, the Prophet’s (SAW) father, and then to the womb of Amina, his mother.

And when the noble Prophet was born (miraculously circumcised and in the position of prostration) Amina was able to see the palaces of Syria in the blaze of light that followed.

Of course, this radiance is not like an LED display.

The Prophet (SAW) was not a lamp in the literal sense, and while his knowledge was figuratively illuminating, his body did at times emit spiritual luminosity.

These instances are regarded by the scholars as miraculous signs of his elevated status.

Sayyida Ayesha did see beads of the Prophet’s (SAW) sweat brighten a darkened room, and the Companions did witness flashes from between his incisors when he spoke.

The significance of this, as we’ve already said, is that the Muhammadan Light was the first light to be shaped. ‘I was light in the hands of my Lord,’ is the axiom of the Prophet (SAW) that supports Sayyidina Ali’s account.

In my view, the Prophet (SAW) is imbued with four different kinds of light.

Firstly, primordial fitrah (the nur of being something before Creation); secondly, the light of outer, or material knowledge; thirdly, the light of inner, or heart knowledge; and, fourthly, the light of final prophethood.

But, that is not all.

Added to this extraordinary radiance is a shimmering, unimaginable cloud of divine

creatures originated from pure light.

They surround the Prophet (SAW) at all times. These are angels praising, protecting and extolling the honour of the Prophet (SAW).

His soul alive in his grave, the salutations of every Muslim are carried to him by another angel – and returned tenfold – no matter where believers find themselves.

Other angels show him the deeds of his community, about whom he cares for and prays constantly.

These angelic beings are rivers of colour; every dawn, 70 000 descend upon the Prophet’s (SAW) noble grave in Madinah, and at every sunset they ascend to be replaced by another 70 000.

No same group of angels ever returns.

But, on the Day of Resurrection, these angels will surround the green-robed Prophet (SAW) astride the buraq, his prophetic steed, in rows upon rows. It will reflect a majesty that defies earthly imagination.

It is at that moment that the Prophet (SAW), Allah’s most praised one, will be granted the Maqam al-Mahmud (the Station of Intercession) in fulfilment of his special request – that he be allowed to ask for the relief of his people.

For us, in the ranks of humanity and the jinn seeing our imperfections, this will be a glimmer of hope. In the same way that Adam (AS) saw the Prophet’s blessed name inscribed on the Divine Throne when he first lifted his head, our hearts will be filled with awe.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Proposed advisory panel to the MJC must prove its worth MAHMOOD SANGLAY

THE Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) announced on November 11 that it intends to consider advice from an Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) to form part of its normal operations as an organisation of religious leaders.

It describes the decision as a means to mark its 70th anniversary, which will be celebrated on February 10, 2015, and to ‘reinvent itself by adopting innovative approaches in order to advance its mandate and responsibilities to society’.

Background The purpose of the IAP is to advise the MJC on anything except religious matters. Members of the panel will provide their services on an ongoing voluntary basis with no expectation of any form of compensation and they will have no decision-making powers.

The proposed IAP will be appointed by a special Nominations Committee (NC) consisting of three professionals who also volunteer their services and expertise on a pro bono basis.

The convenor of the NC is Abdul Waheed Patel, managing director of Ethicore Political Consulting. The other two are Sulaiman Noor Mahomed and Associate Professor Waheeda Amien.

Mahomed is a leading businessman and philanthropist, and Amien is an academic in law at the University of Cape Town.

The mandate given by the MJC to the NC includes the design and implementation of the call for nominations, further developing

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and refining the final terms of reference of the IAP and managing enquiries from the general public and media.

The NC made a public call for nominations on November 25 as its ‘first milestone’, and the window period for nominations ends on December 24.

This process will involve consideration of public nominations and self-nominations, as well as the value nominees say they can offer in providing advice to the MJC. The MJC says the merits of this initiative are that it is historic and unprecedented and that the fresh expertise will add value to the organisation’s performance.

The NC is proposing twelve focus areas for the IAP, including legal matters, media and communication, gender, international relations and finance.

The process for the appointment of the panel is expected to involve, inter alia, developing and applying screening criteria, identifying and selecting panel members, proposing a shortlist of two candidates per focus area and assisting the MJC in interviewing all shortlisted candidates.

The nomination process is fairly rigorous and requires criteria such as submission of evidence of qualifications and training, proven governance and supervisory experience, and evidence of community work.

The handling and vetting procedure involves background checks and personal interviews.

Comment The MJC’s 70th anniversary seems an appropriate occasion to commence what may be a historic process.

The organisation acknowledges that it has for years been criticised for conducting its ‘affairs in an insular and closed manner’.

The coincidence is curious and begs the question: Why was this process not started years ago when the public expressed concern about the MJC’s lack of accountability and transparency?

Is there anything other than the 70th anniversary that precipitated this announcement?

Even though there is no clear answer to this question yet, the MJC should be commended for initiating a process which potentially exposes the organisation to the highest level of public scrutiny and input from experts outside of religious matters.

However, the scepticism is well founded due to the poor record of accountability by the MJC. The events following the scandal that broke with the discovery, in November 2011, that pork was re-labelled as halaal veal at the Orion Cold Storage in Muizenberg is a case in point.

The MJC Halaal Trust (MJCHT) certified meat imported

by Orion.

Following widespread public outrage and damaging media coverage on national television, the MJC initiated an independent review of its operations.

The launch of the Independent Halaal Review Panel (IHRP) in February 2012 was generally viewed as an initiative to restore confidence in the MJCHT’s certification process.

However, the report of the IHRP published in June 2012 failed to answer critical questions on this process. Nevertheless, it appears the MJC went ahead to

implement the recommendations of the IHRP and appointed a business consultant, Nazeem Sterras, to lead the initiative.

Sterras told Muslim Views in July 2012 that he would ‘leave no stone unturned’ during an estimated 430 hours of consultation in working towards making the MJCHT a ‘world class’ model for halaal certification.

It was at this point that there was a blackout of further news about the process.

The media and the public had not been granted access to Sterras’ final report to the MJCHT, which he had undertaken to share with Muslim Views.

Furthermore, the MJCHT has ignored several requests by Muslim Views over the past two years for access to this report.

Given this history, can one expect the IAP to make any difference?

The NC is of the view that the ‘MJC will be embracing change and transformation by being open to external expert and professional advice’ but only the MJC has the power to decide if it happens at all, and to what degree.

The terms of reference, already prescribed by the MJC, limit the powers of the IAP to only offer advice. It has no power beyond that.

The NC, even though it is mandated to ‘develop and refine’ the final terms of reference for the IAP, has left these unchanged until the ‘nomination and identification of prospective candidates’.

It is not clear if the members of the IAP are allowed to make direct input into the final terms of reference or if this remains the exclusive prerogative of the MJC and the NC.

Assuming that a credible group of experts who meet the NC’s criteria are appointed to the IAP, these experts must be willing to accept that their advice and recommendations may not be implemented at all, and if so, consider if they choose to continue serving on a panel where their input makes little or no difference.

An example is a recommendation that the MJCHT disclose the Steeras Report. Another is the IHRP recommendations in June 2012 relating to MJC’s finances.

The MJCHT has taken out long outstanding loans without any loan agreements.

In addition, there is no policy for loans and advances made at the discretion of the trustees or management of the MJCHT. These may include personal loans.

The IHRP recommended that the MJCHT should formulate a policy on loans and put in place loan agreements with specified terms.

Over two-and-a-half years later, the Muslim community has no idea whether these recommendations were implemented. And at this point it is unclear whether the IAP will revisit these recommendations, make similar recommendations or ignore these financial and other issues altogether.

No focus on governance Much of the public concerns over the MJC, and specifically the MJCHT, relate to governance, transparency and accountability.

It is by far the most important issue raised by organisations critical of the MJC and by the public.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Muslim Views . December 2014 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Yet, of the twelve focus areas announced by the NC, none relate to governance. When questioned about this, the NC responded that ‘governance expertise and experience does form part of the nominations criteria’ for nominees to the IAP. What is the point of ensuring that IAP members meet these criteria when the panel is not specifically tasked to focus on the governance structures of the MJC? Why overlook the most vital aspects of organisational management such as ensuring adherence to values, exercising effective leadership and ensuring legal and fiscal compliance?

Irregularities in the founding documents reflecting the establishment and incorporation of the MJCHT have already been reported by Muslim Views in February and June 2012, and ignored in the report of the IHRP. Nothing in respect of addressing this irregularity was ever announced by the MJC. This raises further questions about the MJC’s administrative and procedural requirements and other leg-

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Why overlook the most vital aspects of organisational management such as ensuring adherence to values, exercising effective leadership and ensuring legal and fiscal compliance? islative and regulatory compliance issues.

It is surprising that this focus area is omitted – either deliberately or inadvertently – when the MJC had already announced at the November 11 press conference that ‘a leading and reputable auditing firm’ is due to conduct an independent audit of its financial affairs, in addition to the existing mandatory audits.

It appears that the NC’s mandate in this respect is seriously inconsistent with even the MJC’s stated intentions to embrace best practice in financial governance.

Public participation The NC announced on November 25 that nominations are possible online at www.nominations-committee.net as a ‘further contribution to the high stan-

dards of transparency, credibility, integrity and professionalism’ of the process.

Although this is an important step towards enabling open public participation in the nominations process, it is available only to those who have access to the online platform and who are competent users of digital media.

However, limiting public participation to an online platform is likely to exclude the majority of ordinary Muslims in the Western Cape. The NC should have made provision for at least one physical public meeting in a central area where Muslims could participate in the process.

Furthermore, it appears that neither the IAP nor the public have a say in the final terms of reference, specifically the focus areas for the panel.

This seriously impedes the openness of the process and, therefore, the credibility of the NC. As it stands, the nominations process is already deeply flawed.

It is also unfortunate that the NC has come under some unfair criticism in the form of ‘misguided personal attacks and disparaging remarks on the character’ of members of the NC with a view to discredit its integrity.

The NC says this is due to ‘certain misinterpretations regarding the nature of its mandate’.

It appears that members of the public are under the wrong impression that the NC is in a position to respond to questions on the ‘internal affairs of the MJC that are not associated with the nominations process’.

One of Ethicore’s core activi-

ties is reputation management.

Undertaking this project as part of its corporate social investment initiatives is a potential reputational risk. The same applies to the other members of the NC, Mahomed and Amien, as well as the prospective members of the IAP. It appears that both the NC and the IAP are set to ignore the historical burdens of the MJC in attempting to chart a new beginning for the organisation. This may prove a serious defect in their strategy.

If the IAP’s performance bears any resemblance to that of the IHRP, everyone involved in the process may well ask if it was worth the risk. If it truly leads to the transformation of the MJC in the public interest it may well be a historic achievement.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Support Palestine through olive products SHIREEN MUKADAM

WITH attention on the international BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign to put economic pressure on Israel, how can we effectively support the Palestinian’s economy from South Africa?

One of the ways is through supporting certified Palestinian olive oil and olive products.

The olive harvest season in Palestine began in October (autumn) and ends this month.

Agriculture forms one quarter of Palestine’s economy, and olives are the biggest crop.

Nearly half of the agricultural land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is planted with 8 million olive trees, according to the United Nations 2012 figures. Of the total olives harvested, 93 percent is used to make olive oil.

The remainder is used for pickles, table olives and soap.

Approximately 100 000 families depend on the olive harvest for their livelihood.

Mahmood Darwish, the Palestinian poet and writer understood how integral olives are to Palestinians: ‘If the Olive Trees knew the hands that planted them,’ he wrote, ‘their Oil would become Tears.’

Rawdha Khader, born in 1962 in the village of Nus Jbeil, near Nablus, where she grew up, has been a farmer all her life.

‘We were born farmers and we live as farmers, and we pass that on to our children,’ she says.

‘Agriculture is my entire life.’

October is the start of the olive season in Palestine (left), and Israeli occupation soldiers (right) overseeing the forced removal of Palestinians from olive groves Photos NAYEF HASHLAMOUN where they have farmed for decades. The groves are being cleared for occupation by ‘settlers’.

Rawdha owns a small piece of land where she grows her olive, almond and fruit trees.

When her village became part of a cooperative of the Palestinian Free Trade Association (PFTA), the largest fair trade producers’ union in Palestine which provides social and economic empowerment to individual farmers, Rawdha joined a women’s cooperative.

In addition to the olive and almond crops, she produces za’aatar (a herb mixture of thyme, roasted sesame and

sumac) and maftoul (Palestinian couscous).

Zaytoun, the only non-profit entity that imports certified Palestinian olive oil and olive products to South Africa, supports farmers like Rawdha.

The olives, picked by hand are pressed within 24 hours, and the companies involved in packaging the products are Palestinian.

According to Rawdha, South Africans can help Palestinians ‘by buying and increasing market opportunities for our products’.

Mohammad Nawwaf, born in

A Palestinian resisting the clearing of an olive grove for occupation by ‘settlers’ is forcefully taken to an awaiting police vehicle by an Israeli Occupation Force soldier.

Photo NAYEF HASHLAMOUN

the village of Ti’enek in 1971 where he still lives today with his wife and four children, agrees.

‘All Palestinians originally come from farming families,’ he says. ‘It is built within us; we are born to love the land and we commit our lives to our lands and trees.’ Mohammad’s livelihood, and that of his family, depends on his olive crops. ‘I am a full-time farmer,’ he says.

‘Farming is my entire life. These are the trees and lands I inherited from my father, and my duty is to stay fully committed to these lands and traditions and pass it on to my children.’

The biggest challenge facing

farmers like Mohammad, is access to water. ‘Israel,’ he said, ‘is in control of our water and we have no agricultural water.’

Another challenge is accessing his lands and trees. His village, Ti’enek is near the borders and surrounded by many settlements, roads to the settlements and the wall, ‘which are all considered challenged access areas’.

But there is hope. Mohammad says South Africans can help by ‘promoting, spreading and selling our olive oil and other products.

Each shekel (currency) of products sold reflects in a good way and affects a farmer’s life in Palestine.’

ZAYTOUN is a non-profit entity that has created fair trade links between South Africa and Palestine, and provides South Africans with access to Palestinian products.

Zaytoun South Africa was inspired by its sister company based in the UK, Zaytoun CIC, a community interest company created in 2004. Zaytoun was first established to develop a UK market for artisanal Palestinian products. Formed in South Africa in 2012 with the objective of creating fair trade links between our country and Palestine, Zaytoun aims to ‘increase product demand and impact of support provided to Palestinian economy’.

Moreover, Zaytoun strives to make a meaningful contribution to individual farmers in Palestine by enabling them to earn a sustainable income.

The non-profit entity works in partnership with the Palestinian Fair Trade Association (PFTA) to source Palestinian products from 34 farmer and women’s co-operatives across 44 villages in the West Bank.

Products and prices 500ml extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil (R100-120); 250ml extra virgin olive oil (R70-80); Organic nabali green olives (R40-50); Organic tree ripened black olives (R50-60); Organic maftoul (R30-40); Zatar spice mix (R40-60); Organic olive oil soap (R30-40).

Contact number: 0846767860; Email : info@zaytoun.org.za; Web: www.zaytoun.org.za; Facebook: Zaytoun SA

Muslim Views

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Sanzaf launches 40th anniversary publication detailing its history MAHMOOD SANGLAY

IN what is probably a unique effort in South Africa, Dr Rahim Ebrahim wrote an insider history of the South African National Zakaah Fund (Sanzaf). The publication of the book coincides with the 40th anniversary of the organisation.

Few organisations invest in writing their own history and even fewer Islamic organisations in South Africa have a 40-year-long record of service. The research for the publication took four years and interviews were conducted with key staff and board members and trustees across the country.

The author says the establishment of Sanzaf was precipitated by social and economic conditions caused by the evil policies of apartheid. Zakaah is a fundamental pillar of Islam, and apartheid presented an institutional challenge for Muslims.

Remarkably, Sanzaf emerged as response to this challenge by visionary pioneers. Their commitment and fore-

sight enabled the establishment of a network that grew into a sustainable national project.

Forty years later, the results are selfevident as the brand evolved into a trusted service with integrity beyond national boundaries.

The book is based on much of the documented history and oral narrative.

However, it understandably lacks critical analysis. One cannot reasonably expect an independent warts-and-all account of an organisation from within its regional public relations office.

However, it is reasonable to expect some analysis of the figures reflecting the extraordinary growth of Sanzaf.

The book provides a snapshot of its annual income growth but there is no analysis of these figures, which are inherently rich with nuance and distinctive features worthy of comment, especially those during the epic global financial crisis in 2008.

Sanzaf has always been a social welfare organisation with no overt political agenda.

However, the 2014 annual report suggests a shift from this position as it anticipates engaging government and the private sector in the implementation of ‘policy in the interests of the poor and of social justice’.

It would have been useful for the author to reflect on this proposed departure from its existing policy.

The absence of an independent history of the organisation also tends to produce a partisan version which is likely to omit uncomfortable and embarrassing episodes. This includes the historic Islamic tribunal in 1984 which was appointed to make a determination on alleged defamatory statements by an ex-employee about the administration of the Fund.

The historic aspect of this case is that the tribunal was constituted by an order of court. This landmark decision is not recorded in the book.

It remains commendable, however, that Sanzaf has published an account of its accomplishments over its forty years of service.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Muslim women’s college produces first graduates MAHMOOD SANGLAY

LADY Aisha College, in Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, is the sister institution to the Dallas College for boys established in 2004.

The latter institution is named after its founder, Shaikh Abdalqadir as-Sufi, who was known as Ian Dallas since his birth in Scotland, in 1930.

The Shaikh has also established the Jumu’a Mosque in Mill Street, Cape Town.

Shaikh Abdalqadir is also the founder of Lady Aisha College and is revered as its spiritual leader.

At the launch of the college, he said, ‘So, the Lady Aisha College is to allow women the strategies of survival to maintain their selfdignity and to learn to make good treaties with men, “the impossible other”, the male species of the human race.’

He recognised that women are often polarised between extremes, namely the repression of the niqab and the liberalism of immodesty.

He thus saw the need for a Muslim woman’s education in western society that offers a balance so that she is ‘neither conquered by it nor simply reacting against it’.

In essence, the college aims to engender critical thinking that firmly grounds the woman in Islam while she acquires the skills to benefit from contemporary culture.

The one-year course is designed as an ‘intellectual and practical arena for the young Muslim woman’ and aims to unlock potential, build confi-

Muslim Views

Lady Aisha College opened its doors this year and held its first graduation ceremony. Nine young women graduated on November 27 at the Centre for the Book, in Cape Town, with certificates in a 1-year Women’s Studies course. Pictured from left are Jamila Buhle Ndaba, awarded special recognition for All-Round Academic Excellence, Hajjah Rahima Brandt, the Director of Lady Aisha College and Zahara Diaz de Castro who was awarded special recognition for Transformation and Fine Adab.

Photo MAHMOOD SANGLAY

dence and nurture independence, transformation and spirituality.

The college is ideal for postsecondary finishing studies and a bridging course to further tertiary studies, work, marriage and motherhood.

The curriculum covers Women in History, Woman as Wife and Mother, Women in Literature and Women in the Home. The depth of the courses is impressive.

The Women in History course, for example, raises crucial issues around periods of history typically omitted in the conventional study of the subject. This includes a focus on the ‘Roman Matron’, which explores the great influence women have had over the outcome of historic events in Ancient Rome.

In addition, the Great Fitna of the First Community in Islam explores the work Defence against Disaster by Qadi Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi. The study of this subject seeks, inter alia, to offer a deeper understanding of Islam’s first civil war and the role of Sayyida Ayesha (RA).

Additional subjects include Business and Home Industry, Physical Fitness, Artisan Skills and Drama. These subjects lend a balance between theory and practice in the course. The same objective is accomplished with the various excursions and practical assignments allocated to the students.

Most of the eleven students in the first year were from abroad and lived in residence arranged by

the college. Six were from Spain, one from Indonesia and four from South Africa. All of them, except one, were from within the spiritual community established by its founder.

The in-residence arrangement offers the young women an opportunity to adjust to the independence required in being away from home and relating to peers from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

The teaching staff at the college are described as ‘highly educated, cultured and experienced Muslim women from the UK, Spain and South Africa’, including the renowned translator and scholar, Aisha Bewley and Ruqayya Bryce who is a magna cum laude graduate of University

of South Carolina. She teaches ‘The Roman Matron’ and ‘The Iron Princess’.

Saida Praena hosts ante-natal workshops and lectures internationally on the birthing process, and Aisha Wright is an editor at Madinah Press, Cape Town.

Aisha Zubillaga de Ojembarenna holds a Masters Degree in History from University of Cape Town, and teaches ‘Women in Ibsen’ and ‘Colette’.

Farah Hernandez teaches ceramics and Asiye Ivedi, a chemical engineer at Zurich University, Switzerland, teaches ‘The Power Partner’ at the college.

Aliya Duncan-Poole has an Honours degree in film and media and teaches ‘Women in Shakespeare’.

The vision of the college is to expand and sustain a roll of two classes of 20 students each per annum. In 2016, the college is expected to move to bigger premises for this purpose.

Applications for 2015 are invited and prospective students may download the application form online at www.ladyaisha.org/new-studentapplication/ or call Hajjah Rahima Brandt at 084 213 2250 or email her at rahima@brandts.net.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) launches in South African shariah compliant market MAHMOOD SANGLAY

FRANKLIN Templeton Investments (FTI) last month launched three shariah compliant, Luxembourg-based funds, targeting lcoal investors in South Africa.

The funds are called the Franklin Templeton Global Sukuk Fund, the Templeton Shariah Global Equity Fund and the Templeton Shariah Asian Growth Fund.

The Cape Town launch was on November 19 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and was addressed by Mohieddine Kronfol, FTI’s Dubai-based chief investment officer for MENA Fixed Income and Global Sukuk.

Sukuk is basically a structure where a shariah compliant asset or trading commodity is bought and then sold at a specified value to be settled at a specified date in

the future.

Their strength, Kronfol claims, is their offer of portfolio diversification and a wide range of strategies consistent with Islamic investment principles.

The fund’s portfolio team is one of the most experienced in the MENASIA region and has been managing sukuk investments since 2008.

Approximately 40 000 global securities are screened and evaluated according to prescribed algorithms to help ensure shariah compliance.

As at September 30, 2014, FTI’s shariah compliant assets, globally, was valued at $2 billion.

The sukuk mandates draw on shariah investing expertise in Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.

FTI is also one of the few foreign asset managers to have stand-alone shariah operations in Malaysia, the world’s largest

issuer of sukuk.

The company says its South African launch comes at a time when a number of markets are investing in developing their infrastructure to support the growth of Islamic products.

All three FTI funds are reviewed and endorsed by the Amanie International Shariah Supervisory Board to ensure continuous adherence to internationally accepted shariah principles and standards.

Prospective investors in shariah compliant products may opt for equity funds, balanced funds, and commodity exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Oasis Group Holdings is the only fund manager offering a global property fund.

The investor looks for products that exclude dealing in interest or where interest plays a major role in the business, like banks and insurance companies.

Additional exclusions are companies involved in alcohol, stockbroking and asset management in non-shariah approved shares such as tobacco.

Also excluded are certain entertainment companies involved in conventional music and film industries, night clubs, pornography, pork and other non-halaal services like casinos and products like armaments.

Generally, South African Muslims, as a minority, make a significant contribution to the economy. This includes their input into the financial markets.

It is safe to say that over the past three years there has been sufficient diversity in strategies amongst the various Islamic funds to have at least one or two amongst the top quartile of funds over a three-year period.

Unlike a decade ago, it is now possible to select from an increasingly diverse range of shariah

compliant investment options.

This still leaves shariah compliant funds resources-heavy in its selection of shares.

Islamic funds demand greater scrutiny from fund managers due to the constraints to fall within the bounds of the shariah.

However, this is probably why they perform better than the average manager’s non-compliant funds.

Islamic fund managers are not obliged to hold certain large shares that ordinary general equity funds are almost compelled to hold because the large cap stocks constitute a significant proportion of the index.

Furthermore, Islamic fund managers have fewer shares to invest in so they are likely to make larger investments in individual shares. This combination of factors offers a potential advantage over the market and peer fund managers.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views

Muslim Views . December 2014

Perspectives

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Hallaq’s impossible state: an interpretation Part 3: Which is more democratic, modern law or the shariah?

IN a typical liberal democracy there is a purported separation between the legislature, the judiciary and parliament. The legislature (parliament) passes laws, the judiciary (courts) applies those laws and the executive (administration) implements those laws.

The moral basis of the system is that parliament represents the will of the people. Members of parliament are, after all, democratically elected to parliament.

In applying and implementing the laws passed by parliament, the judiciary and the executive are, by implication, carrying out the will of the people.

But, according to Wael Hallaq, all is not as it seems. While in theory these three branches of the state are separate, the reality is much messier. Drawing on the situation in America, he shows that there is no clear separation of powers between these branches of the state.

In fact, both the judiciary and the executive are in a position to pass laws on their own as well.

That is, they can pass laws that have not been authorised by the will of the people.

Here we are not talking about any laws but legal norms – the important laws that define society.

Of course, the government has been delegated by parliament to pass administrative laws, that is, regulations and ordinances. But Hallaq makes the point that some of these regulations have the character of legal norms.

In this series of eight articles, Dr AUWAIS RAFUDEEN presents an interpretive summary of a major recent book, The Impossible State, by a distinguished expert in Islamic law, Professor Wael Hallaq. The book speaks in a major way to the modern Muslim condition and the issues it raises are deserving of careful consideration by all those seeking to faithfully adhere to the shariah while navigating the tempestuous modern world.

More importantly, in most nations, the head of state is able to pass laws relating to war, martial law and emergencies without these being authorised by parliament. His or her decisions in this regard may, conceivably, not reflect the popular will.

The judiciary can also act as an unelected parliament in deciding to annul or strike down laws passed by the legislature on the grounds that they are contrary to the constitution. The courts also create law through the use of precedent, creating a law that carries equal weight to that passed by parliament.

Another factor that complicates this ideal of separation is the fact that, given the highly bureaucratic nature of the modern state, a number of administrative departments and agencies acquire a type of autonomous power, effectively

making them a ‘fourth’ (unelected) branch of the state.

There is also the issue of judges and the judiciary. Judges are trained in an education system designed by the state and reflective of its values.

They consequently tend to be conservative (in the sense of conserving those state’s values) and tend to reinforce these values.

And if the state serves elites (and this is clearly evident globally) then judges, who are also part of the elite in any case, end up serving the interests of those elites. The judiciary, after all, is part of the state, and its highest duty is to that state. It is bound by the law to do this – bound by the law to favour privilege, capital and property if the law of the state requires this.

Of course, the court does consider the plight of the underprivileged, and judges may want to do so. But as part of the state, the judiciary is structurally bound to navigate the legal choices that have been predetermined by the law – a law that fundamentally serves an elite.

As a result of all this, judicial ‘independence’ is more theory than reality. All in all, the separation of powers in a modern state are not cut and dried. Decisions are made and laws are passed which are independent of the will of the people as expressed through parliamentary representation. The modern state is not truly democratic. The case is totally different in the shariah for two reasons. Firstly, in the shariah, sovereignty belongs to Allah alone and not to the state. The state rules on behalf of Allah and so does not own its law. It is bound to Allah’s law, the shariah. This causes radically different orientation and char-

acter to Muslim society.

The administration and the judiciary in such a society are not makers of the law but its custodians.

Allah makes the law and the Muslim population, by the mere fact that they are Muslim, implicitly agree to submit to Allah’s law.

And because they have so agreed, Allah’s sovereignty as expressed through the shariah becomes the will of the people. The shariah, in other words, is the legislature. The administration and the judiciary are compelled to apply and implement the shariah – a shariah that has been decreed by this mass legislature. The administrative and judicial branches, to repeat an important point, do not own the law, nor can they create their own legal norms. They are constantly hemmed in by the shariah, by the sovereignty of Allah.

This awareness of all being subject to a higher power that transcends ordinary reality typically imparts to premodern Muslim society a profound moral rhythm.

Secondly, if we look at how the shariah actually played out in premodern Muslim society, one is struck by the fact that it was overwhelmingly a bottom-up approach rather than the top-down centralising trajectory of the state.

The shariah was for the people and decided by the people; it was not for and not decided by elites. Its focus was on the protection of poor, downtrodden, underprivileged and those whose rights had been trampled. Muftis – the experts in Islamic law who through their opinions were responsible for the continuing development of the shariah – lived among the people, not among the

elite. They were not affiliated to the state, and typically earned their living by working as teachers, artisans, traders and so on. They gave legal opinions (free of charge) that were attentive to the circumstances of the person on the street. Shariah, in other words, was developed from bottom up. The Islamic judge (qadi), although appointed by the government, was not subject to that government but to the shariah in making his decisions. And the judge had to defer to the legal opinion of a mufti – the people’s scholar – in making his decision.

People of all ranks of society could come before the judge to have their disputes adjudicated without the need for a lawyer and without needing to express themselves in formal technical jargon. And all this was free or at minimum cost.

It was a truly independent judiciary that, equally importantly, was accessible to all members of society.

Both by the fact that it was an expression of the will of the people and by the fact that it was generated by, and focused on the people, the shariah can be seen as cultivating real democracy. Hallaq reminds Muslims who might be overawed by the glitter of modern state law: ‘For Muslims today to seek the adoption of the modern state system of separation of powers is to bargain for a deal inferior to the one they secured for themselves over the centuries of their history.’

In part four, Dr Auwais Rafudeen presents Hallaq’s analysis of the chasm between ‘fact’ and ‘value’.

Dr Rafudeen is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies and Arabic at University of South Africa.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

HIV activists reflect on ten years of treatment JAMES THABO MOLEKWA

AS government officials took to podiums nationwide to deliver World AIDS Day speeches, HIV activists held a much quieter gathering in Johannesburg to reflect on ten years of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

About 150 activists, judges, doctors, researchers and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) members gathered in Johannesburg on December 1 to reflect on ten years of treatment – and the estimated 2,5 million lives that it saved, according to the TAC. When Sharon Ekambaram joined the TAC in 1999, treatment was still five years away. As she and others marched and picketed for treatment, she – like many – would watch friends die.

Now, a long-time activist and head of Medicines Sans Frontières South Africa’s programme department, Ekambaram says South Africa has major gains to celebrate but also a long way to go.

‘Today, we have a national strategic plan and 2,5 million people on treatment,’ she told OurHealth.

‘TAC has united different civil society organisations to challenge government for better health care because our biggest struggle now is our failing health system.

‘We need a system that will ensure people get their drugs every month and that we don’t have corruption,’ she added.

The TAC publicly boycotted national World AIDS Day festivities alleging that the Free State celebration would cost ‘millions’.

It is the second year in a row that the organisation has abstained from government celebrations.

‘As the TAC, we are totally opposed to our government spending millions of rands on high profile events every World AIDS Day, often in provinces where the challenges are immense,’ said TAC National General Secretary, Anele Yawa.

‘These events are yet another form of fruitless and wasteful expenditure of the resources that are scarce.’

Muslim Views

National Department of Health spokesperson Joe Maila called TAC’s estimations of alleged government spending on World AIDS Day celebrations an unfortunate and extreme exaggeration.

He, however, added that the department was not in a position to disclose the exact amount of money spent on World AIDS Day celebrations set to take place in Welkom, Free State.

The alternative World AIDS Day event in Johannesburg was organised by the TAC and marked the conclusion of a monthlong fundraising campaign.

Health-e News broke news of the financial crisis facing the country’s largest membership-based HIV organisation in September when it was announced that the TAC had just one-third of its 2015 budget.

The TAC released a statement on World AIDS Day thanking South African and international donors for the influx of financial donations and high profile messages of support.

‘We regard this as a vote of confidence in TAC,’ said the organisation in a statement. ‘We see it as an instruction to continue the battle but, much more importantly, we regard it as a pledge against complacency…when hundreds of thousands still die.’

TAC member Sibongile Mlotshwa, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2002, credits TAC with saving her life.

‘I thought I was going to die,’ Mlotshwa said. ‘I never thought that I would live this long until I joined TAC in 2003 and that is where I gained the strength and hope that we will win this struggle and that I would survive.’

After campaigning by TAC and others, South Africa introduced public sector HIV treatment in 2004. By September, Mlotshwa was on the life-saving treatment.

‘TAC changed my life, now I’m healthy and alive,’ she told OurHealth.

James Thabo Molelekwa is an OurHealth Citizen Journalist reporting from Ekurhuleni in the Gauteng health district.

This article was first published on the OurHealth website: www.health-e.org.za

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Islamic civilisation and education DR SALIE ABRAHAMS

THE 1859 Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities opens with the following now famous sentence: ‘It was the best of times and it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the Spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going to heaven, we were all going the other way …’

This opening sentence epitomises the situation of Islam in the first decade of the 21st century.

Given the events of the recent past, now is aptly the best of times and the worst of times for Muslims. The tale of the two cities also symbolises the unfolding notions of two separate and disconnected civilisations.

Now, if ever, is the time when polarisation, narrow-mindedness and prejudice need to be replaced with the exchange of ideas, discussion, dialogue and open-mindedness.

The year 2014 places us at a particular edge regarding world developments following tragic events such as the continued occupation of Palestine, September 11, the invasion of Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq.

And the rise of extremism has brought religion, particularly Islam, into public debate in the media as well as academic institutions.

The year 2014 places us at a particular edge regarding world developments following tragic events such as the continued occupation of Palestine, September 11, the invasion of Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq. And the rise of extremism has brought religion, particularly Islam, into public debate in the media as well as academic institutions.

Contemporary events in the Arab world, referred to as the ‘Arab Spring’ (or is it oil imperialism), and the rise of ISIS have brought further focus on Islam, Muslims and the future.

Islamic academic institutions are under close scrutiny from the outside as well as from the inside.

The content and what is taught, the didactics and how these contents are taught, the ideology of the institutions, who teaches and the orientation of the academic staff and where they were trained are now more than ever before issues that matter.

Given our history and contemporary events, we have to make adjustments and alignments, which endorse new approaches for the 21st century.

While there are many scholars based in Islamic and Arab regions that have contributed to refine our understanding of the notion of Islamic education and living in a modern pluralistic society, few have contributed to venture what it means to contribute to the con-

tinued growth of Islamic civilisation.

Most modern scholarly ideas and concepts of education and of living in the new world seem to be mainly originating from those scholars who have straddled the continents, who research, teach and live in societies where Muslims are in minority or in societies that are surrounded by non-Muslim communities.

Amongst the most erudite thinkers, researchers and writers on education are the British-educated and London-based Azzam Tamimi, the American-based scholar Ahmad Moussalli, of Florida University, Tariq Ramadan born in Geneva, Switzerland, and grandson of Hasan Al-Banna, and Turkish scholars such as Said Nursi and Recep Kaymakcan, to mention just a few.

There is no doubt that we have to develop an Islamic education that encourages the understanding of the other and living with others in a world where Muslim

and non-Muslims coexist peacefully.

Interfaith approaches to religion and education will have to be increased. Islam and plurality must become part of Islamic education policy.

There is enough evidence in the Holy Quran that supports the notion of respect for other faiths, for inter-faith and cultural and civilisation dialogues. The classic verse from the Holy Quran is often used to substantiate and encourage this approach: ‘O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male and female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not despise each other).

Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)’ (49:13) The ‘First World Conference on Muslim Education’, held in 1977 in Saudi Arabia, brought together world experts. Muslim

scholars from various parts of the world, from different areas of disciplines and specialisations deliberated on aims and objectives of Muslim education.

The conference noted, ‘The duty, the obligation and task of scholars worldwide is to conceptualize and implement a restructuring of educational systems that takes into account the new contexts of history. We must produce individuals with robust values, an ability to reflect both critically and compassionately on the world. We must structure the educational system globally in such a way that professional knowledge is productively integrated with ethics, spirituality and morality.’

Muslim youth are the future, and through them we ensure the continuation of Islam. Muslim youth hold the potential and promise of Islamic civilisation.

How we educate our Muslim youth is thus the crucial factor.

Dr Salie Abrahams is the Director at the Madina Institute, Cape Town.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Aftermath of the death of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) SALIM PARKER

O Allah we turn and to Him we turn back for help and the last abode.’ The Prophet (SAW) passed away late on a Monday morning, the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal, in the 11th year of Al-Hijrah. He was sixty years and four days old.

The lamenting of the wives of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) announced his demise and the news spread rapidly all across Madinah, with darkness and gloom descending across the city.

‘I have never witnessed a day better or brighter than that day on which Allah’s Messenger came to us; and I have never witnessed a more awful or darker day than that one on which Allah’s Messenger died,’ is how Anas described the day.

His daughter, Sayyida Fatima (RA) said, ‘O Father who responded to the Call of His Lord!

O Father whose abode is Paradise. O Father, I announce your death to Jibreel.’

Abu Bakr (RA) was visiting the house of As-Sunh on the outskirts of the city and rushed back when he heard the news. Umar (RA) was extremely disbelieving of the news and it is reported that he almost lost consciousness.

Umar stood in front of the crowd and said, ‘Some of the hypocrites say that Allah’s Messenger has died. Muhammad (SAW) did not die but went to his Lord in the same way Moses bin Imran did.

‘He stayed away for forty nights but finally came back though they said he had been dead.

‘By Allah, Muhammad (SAW) will come back, and he will cut off the hands and legs of those who say he is dead.’ Umar had misunderstood a verse of the Quran and interpreted it to mean that the Prophet (SAW) would outlive them all.

Abu Bakr by then had reached the house of his daughter, Sayyida Ayesha (RA) and, without talking to anyone, approached the body of her husband, the Prophet (SAW).

‘T

Drawing back the cloak that covered the face of Nabi Muhammad (SAW), he gazed at him and then kissed him. ‘Dearer to me than my own father and mother, you have tasted the death that Allah has decreed for you.

‘No death after that shall ever befall you,’ he said.

He gently closed the face of the Prophet (SAW) with the cloak again and went outside where Umar was still addressing the crowds.

‘Gentle Umar, hear me speak!’ Abu Bakr said but Umar paid no attention to him and carried on talking. The crowd, however, recognised the voice of the older of the Prophet’s (SAW) Companions, and turned their attention to him.

Abu Bakr started by praising Allah. Then he said, ‘O people who had been wont to worship Muhammad (SAW) – verily, Muhammad (SAW) is dead; and who has been wont to worship Allah, verily Allah is alive and dies not.’

Abu Bakr then recited the verse from the Quran which was revealed after the Prophet (SAW) was rumoured to have died during the Battle of Uhud: ‘Muhammad is but a messenger, and messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is slain, will you then turn upon your heels? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.’ (3:144) Most people reacted as if they had heard the verse for the first time. Ibn Abbas reported that everyone started reciting the verse until there was no one left who was not reciting it.

Umar afterwards said, ‘When I heard Abu Bakr recite the verse, I was so astounded that I fell to the ground.

‘My legs would no longer carry me. I knew that Allah’s Messenger was no more.’

There were already debates about the successor to Muhammad (SAW) and Abu Bakr and Umar, along with Abu Ubaydah, who all belonged to the Quraishi Emigrants, rushed to the

The iconic green dome of Masjid Nabawi is located directly above the place where Nabi Muhammad (SAW) is buried.

There was a difference of opinion as to where the Prophet should be buried until Abu Bakr (RA) indicated that he had heard Nabi Muhammad (SAW) say that a prophet should be buried where he dies, which, in this case, was Sayyida Ayesha’s residence. This, then, is the final resting place of Nabi Muhammad (SAW), the prophet who brought the light of the Quran to the darkness of jahiliyyah.

Photo SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views

Muslim Views . December 2014

Saqeefah Bani Sa’idah, where the Ansar Helpers were deliberating, naming Sa’d ibn Ubadah as the caliph.

After some heated debate, Umar indicated to all that the Prophet (SAW) had asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayers when he had been too weak to do so.

Umar also indicated that Abu Bakr was the ‘second of two’ in the Cave of Thuhr, as revealed in the Quran.

It was decided that Abu Bakr should be the caliph.

The next morning after prayers, Abu Bakr addressed the gathered crowd in the Prophet’s Mosque. Most pledged allegiance to him.

After the prayers, the family of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) debated the burial procedures and some disagreements arose. Allah then let a deep sleep overcome the men, and in their dreams each man heard the following words: ‘Wash the Prophet with his garment on him.’

They made their way to Sayyida Ayesha’s apartment, which she had temporarily vacated.

Aws ibn Khawli, one of the Helpers, begged Ali (RA), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (SAW), to let him assist.

Ali agreed. Abbas and his sons, Fadl and Qitham, helped Ali turn the body of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) while Usamah, helped by one of the Prophet’s freedmen, Shuqran, poured water over the body.

Aws leant the body of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) against his chest. Ali passed his fingers over every part of the long woollen garment that the Prophet (SAW) was wearing.

The body was washed three times with water and berry leaves.

The water came from Ghars, the well of Sa’d bin Ghaithamah.

This well is in Quba and the Prophet (SAW) used to drink from it.

Three white Yemini cotton sheets were used to shroud the body, and no turban or shirt was used. ‘Dearer than my father and my mother, how excellent are you, in life and in death,’ Ali said.

It is reported that even though a whole day had passed, it seemed as if the Prophet (SAW) was merely resting, although no pulse, warmth or breathing was evident.

There was disagreement about where Nabi Muhammad (SAW) should be buried. Some felt that he should be buried in Jannatul Baqee, the graveyard where three of his daughters and his son, Ebrahim, were buried.

Others wanted the qabr to be inside the Prophet’s Mosque.

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The Al-Ghars Well, which is located about one kilometre north of Masjid Quba, was a place from which the Prophet (SAW) drank and requested that he be bathed with its water after his demise. Ibn Majar quoted Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA) as saying, the Prophet (SAW) said: ‘When I die, wash me with seven waterskins from Photo SALIM PARKER Al-Ghars Well.’ He (SAW) also used to drink from the well.

Abu Bakr reminded the Companions that he had heard the Prophet (SAW) once say, ‘No Prophet will die but is buried where he died.’ This was in the room of Ayesha.

Abu Talhah lifted the bed on which the Nabi had died and dug underneath, preparing the earth for the final resting place of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) in this world.

People came to greet the Prophet (SAW) in groups of about ten and performed the Janazah Salaah individually, without an imam.

First the Emigrant men entered the room then the men of the Helpers, then the women and, finally, the children.

This process lasted all of the Tuesday and most of the Wednesday until just before evening.

Sayyida Ayesha is reported as saying, ‘We did not know that the Prophet (SAW) was being buried until we heard the sound of tools digging up the ground in the deep of the night before Wednesday night.’

Sayyidina Ali and the others who had helped him wash the body lowered Nabi Muhammad (SAW) into the qabr.

There was immense mourning in Madinah. The Companions rebuked each other for crying but could not contain themselves from doing the same.

Umm Ayman, when questioned about his tears, remarked, ‘It is not for him that I weep; don’t I know that he has gone to a place which is better for him than this world? But I weep for the tidings of Heaven which has now been cut off from us.’

Yet, they remembered Nabi Muhammad’s (SAW) words: ‘I go before you and I am your witness. Your meeting is with me at the Pool.’

They knew that he had delivered his message on this earth and would now live it in the hereafter. He would continue to be for all of humanity without the constraints of life on earth.

The Key of Mercy, the Key of Paradise, the Spirit of Truth, the Happiness of Allah; these are but some of the attributes of the Seal of the Prophets.

‘Verily Allah and His angels whelm in blessing the Prophet. O you who believe, invoke blessings upon him, and give him greetings of peace.’

Stories from the Hijaz is sponsored by Al-Anwar Hajj and Umrah.

Abu Bakr then recited the verse from the Quran which was revealed after the Prophet (SAW) was rumoured to have died during the Battle of Uhud: ‘Muhammad is but a messenger, and messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is slain, will you then turn upon your heels? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.’ (3:144)... There were already debates about the successor to Muhammad (SAW) and Abu Bakr and Umar, along with Abu Ubaydah, who all belonged to the Quraishi Emigrants, rushed to the Saqeefah Bani Sa’idah, where the Ansar Helpers were deliberating, naming Sa’d ibn Ubadah as the caliph. After some heated debate, Umar indicated to all that the Prophet (SAW) had asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayers when he had been too weak to do so. Umar also indicated that Abu Bakr was the ‘second of two’ in the Cave of Thuhr, as revealed in the Quran. It was decided that Abu Bakr should be the caliph.

Muslim Views

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Why are we so selective?

THERE could hardly be a more appropriate weapon than the dreaded boycott action. We’ve witnessed that in the past. It appears now, however, that ‘boycott’ has become a mere bandwagon, although, I must admit, numbers do count.

Recently, the pressure on some of our popular stores led to the removal of Coke soft drinks from their shelves, stock that they have invested money in, but it did not stop them from openly displaying the rest of Coke products like Bon Aqua bottled water, Appletiser and some other fruit juices.

Coke also happens to be one of the biggest sponsors of functions run by a Muslim radio station.

Coke is also involved in charity activities and community uplifting, including school functions; these are what come to mind as I speak, not to mention the thousands of jobs that Coke provides to thousands of people, irrespective of religion.

The focus has now shifted to

Woolworths. I don’t have to go into detail there but, rather, the government should be pressured into banning Israeli products from entering this country.

It is understandable that there should be such a huge outcry for the people of Palestine but it is definitely not understandable why the silence on the Rohingya Muslims.

Abdul Kamal Cape Town

When being correct is wrong YEARS ago, I enrolled my son at a Model C (former white) primary school.

I wanted him to attend this school because it was convenient for travelling and had facilities.

The schools near Walmer Estate were in a poor condition and did not have facilities like a hall, a library or a suitable play area etc.

As it was a fee-paying school, approval was at the discretion of the principal who, initially, refused the application. Perhaps she thought that I would not pay

or maybe she did not like my face.

A reason for the rejection was not given. Like most Muslims and other non-whites I suspected discrimination.

The principal did, however, place my son on a waiting list.

Since I was familiar with the National and Provincial Ministers of Education, I informed the principal that if required, I could request either minister to telephone or submit a character reference on my behalf.

Sometime after my son was accepted, I was elected to the governing body. By managing the new applications, I began an approach to undo what I assumed was ‘discrimination’.

To fulfil my ‘notion of equity’, I ensured that brown and black kids, received a special reception on application. Those living in Walmer Estate, Bokaap, and Woodstock were fortunate as they were in the schools feeder zone.

As the years continued, the management, which includes some senior teachers and elected parents, confirmed a concern.

The school experienced behaviour problems that had not previ-

ously existed. That most problems came along with the Black, Brown and Muslim children was uncomfortable.

An analysis suggested that a few parents had problems at home and since they did not have the skill to manage their issues, their children were exposed to the festering conflict. As a result, the children brought this harmful behaviour to school.

Since children often lack skills to verbalise trauma, their behaviour often disrupted the classroom. Bullying and other issues followed as the few troubled kids consumed the educator’s time and energy.

The irony was that many of these troubled families were not paying full fees and some had received total exemptions. Thus, not only were the kids unsettling the progress of the fee-paying children, the non-payers were driving the school into bad debt.

When I approached some parents about the issues, many were defensive. Some parents either did not realise or did not care how their behaviour at home impacted on education in the classroom.

Resentment also resulted as some parents felt that the school was prying into their home lives.

A few Muslim parents, who clearly did not have the complete picture of how progress was impacted, assumed that I was sid-

ing with the mainly white staff.

Ironically, some parents whom I admitted to the school now accused me of adopting an ostensibly ‘white peoples perspective’.

Few bothered to understand that to manage a school required an overall collective responsibility and not an emotive, racial or culturally-centred approach. That the holistic well-being of all the children was more important than the emotive needs of a few troubled individuals was difficult to articulate.

This reality was reflected annually when very few parents attended the school budget meeting.

In my effort to give Muslims and other non-whites a helping hand to attend a privileged school, I inadvertently also created some problems. Many parents, including myself, now have to pay more school fees to subsidise those that do not pay.

To add insult to injury, those who do not pay often do not bother to show gratitude by at least attending school meetings.

The next time I accept kids to attend the school under my governance, my approach will be different. My understanding of governance and my role as a leader has benefitted from this experience.

Cllr Yagyah Adams Cape Muslim Congress

Write to: The Editor • e-mail: editor@mviews.co.za • fax: 086 516 4772 • PO Box 442 Athlone 7760 • Letters’ deadline for following edition: January 7, 2015

Destroying our marine resources DR MUHAMMAD RIDWAAN GALLANT

WE have witnessed in recent years a decline of sea life right around the globe. Various factors are responsible for the reduction of sea life, such as exploitation due to the greed of some individuals.

The result of exploitative human activities is that species become extinct and ecosystems are degraded and polluted.

The Quran explains the importance of wildlife on earth: ‘There is not an animal (that lives) on earth, nor a being that flies on its wings but (forms part of) communities like you.’ (6:38) The Prophet (SAW) taught us the consequences of killing the animal kingdom without justification.

The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘No human being kills a sparrow or (something) larger, without right, except that Allah will ask him about it (hold him responsible!) on the Day of Judgment.’

It was asked: ‘O Prophet of Allah! What is its right?’

He said: ‘Its right is that you slaughter it and eat it; you do not kill it and throw it away.’ (AnNasai) Although the killing of birds is mentioned in the Traditions, this rule applies to all other animals that are killed without justification.

Killing of animals unnecessarily can lead to extinction of certain species and, in the long run, can impact on ecological systems.

The ulama have given their view on the unjustified killing of animals.

Ibn Taymiyyah’s ruling on hunting is as follows: Hunting out of necessity is permitted; if it is for fun and playing, it is detested (not desirable) and if it causes injustice to people by destroying their fields and property, it is prohibited.

Imam al-Sharbini, in the book Mughni al-Muhtaj (5/527), explained the obligation to protect rare animals and the prohibition on

Sir Iqbal visits Cape Town

Photo SHABODIEN ROOMANAY Muslim Views

causing them to become extinct.

In his book (6/37) he explains: ‘It is prohibited to slay animals for non-consumption purposes.’

Imam Zakaria, in the book Asna al-Matalib (1/555) explains the haram status of animal hunting – which may lead to destruction and extinction – without an acceptable purpose.

Such activities will lead to extinction.’

Two-thirds of the world’s fish stocks are either fished at their limit or over-fished.

Since 1950, with the onset of industrialised fisheries, we have rapidly reduced the resource base to less than 10 percent not just in some areas, not just for some stocks but also for entire communities of large fish species from the tropics to the poles.

Fish stocks mostly targeted these days range from giant blue marlin to mighty blue fin tuna, and from tropical groupers to Antarctic cod.

The impact we have had on

ocean ecosystems has been vastly underestimated. Their depletion not only threatens the future of these fish and the fishers that depend on them, it could also bring about a complete re-organisation of ocean ecosystems, with unknown global consequences.

Bycatch is a major contributor to fishing mortality and a key factor in the decline of fish stocks. Bycatch, in fishing terms, is understood to be a fish or any other marine species that is caught unintentionally while fishermen try to catch certain species for consumption purposes.

Fishing boats are venturing into farther reaches of the ocean, guided by high-tech devices. The sophisticated equipment makes it possible to scope out fish and cast nets with greater accuracy, even in areas that in the past were difficult to trawl.

As a result, many deep-water species are being fished so heavily they could soon reach the point of no return.

In many cases, aerial surveillance

SHABODIEN ROOMANAY

SIR Iqbal Sacranie, a member of the International Advisory Panel of the World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation, has borne much criticism from across the spectrum.

On the one hand, his stand against various issues ranging from his support for the late Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa on Salman Rushdi to his antigay stand in the UK have led to scathing attacks from liberals. Yet, others see him to be too moderate and accommodating, trying to be ‘all things to all men’.

Despite all of this, the soft spoken, lanky champion of the underprivileged, who was a fleeting visitor to Cape Town recently, has been an enduring and committed worker in the field of humanitarian work for over 30 years.

He was born in Malawi in 1951 and left to study in the United Kingdom, in 1969.

‘I was honoured with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1999 and knighted by the Queen of England in 2005 for my work in various charitable areas,’ says Sir Iqbal. He was also a founder member of the Muslim Council of Britain, and served as its secretary general.

‘Our organisations generally accept and accommodate all schools of thought bar those who have universally been declared outside the fold of Islam. Being a very cosmopolitan nation, it is important that we both protect our religious and cultural identities and yet be accepting of different schools of thought,’ he said.

On his journey through Cape Town, Sir Iqbal was astounded at the level of Islamic activity and the impact Muslims have generally had on the nation. He was concerned though that Muslims have not reached out to the indigenous people of South Africa as much as they should have.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie (right) in Cape Town with his host, Mr Solly Noor, who has just been elected as the President of the World Memon Organisation.

is part of the picture. Some fishing boats in the Atlantic use spotter planes while the high-value tuna industry in the Pacific uses helicopters and other tracking equipment to seek out schools of prized fish and scoop them up in huge quantities.

Live-fish carrier vessels, called viviers, can carry up to 30 metric tons of fish from reefs throughout much of the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

The giant vessels often deploy smaller boats, as many as 20 per trip, to reach inner reef sites, and the fish are brought back to the mother ship for transport to major demand centres in Southeast Asia.

Pelagic long lines are the most widespread fishing gear. Long lines catch a wide range of species in a consistent way over vast areas.

Long lining is a fishing method that uses hooks instead of nets. These lines, which can be 130 kilometres long, are set for open ocean species like swordfish and tuna.

But fish aren’t the only marine creatures they catch. Seabirds, particularly albatrosses and petrels, regularly grab the baited hooks.

Many albatrosses are dragged to their deaths – more than 100 000 each year.

The introduction of massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the seas is also altering water chemistry and affecting the life cycles of many marine organisms, particularly those at the lower end of the food chain.

Oil spills wreak havoc on coastal plants and marine animals. Litter dumped on beaches can cause havoc on marine life, and ocean pollutants are also released into the environment far upstream from coastlines.

Nitrogen-rich fertilizers applied by farmers inland end up in local streams, rivers and groundwater, and are eventually deposited in estuaries, bays and deltas.

Scientists have claimed that many species of sea life are on the brink of extinction and many ecosystems are on the verge of collapse.

Humanity should try to live a life of sustainable development otherwise there will be nothing left for future generations to benefit from our blue planet.

Shaikh Dr Gallant is Head of the Environmental Desk, Muslim Judicial Council.

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Triumph of Arafah: sunset

TRY to remember but I keep on forgetting. Will I remember my Hajj? Will I remember that I was on Arafah?’

He had the desperate and pleading anxiety of someone who was on the verge of losing his most precious belongings. ‘Doc, it started off with me looking for my car keys and not having the foggiest idea where I put it. Then I would not recall what I was looking for and would walk around my house aimlessly looking for something to provide some sort of clue, some sort of direction.

‘It would only be when I looked outside and saw my car that I would sometimes realise that I was looking for the car keys and start the whole fruitless repetitive circle again,’ he continued.

Tears started welling in his eyes.

I had noted on previous occasions that he always walked around with a small notebook, and frequently observed him furiously scribbling away. He was losing his memory, and the mere realisation of it made him lose his mind.

He has multiple medical problems for over two decades and they have all conspired to surreptitiously gnaw away at his brain.

The momentary lapse of concentration, the sudden twitching of a muscle that stopped just before concern could be raised, the unexplained temporary lack of power while lifting a book and letting it fall to the ground; these were all subtle indications of the relentless damage inflicted.

It did not affect his daily existence significantly; he was a potential sprinter who was unaware of a muscle injury because he never ran. But now he was in the finals of the Olympics of his life.

He was on Hajj, the ultimate physical, spiritual, emotional, religious, humane and fulfilling pilgrimage in the life of every Muslim. He was on Hajj but he was extremely concerned.

He consulted me for some medical matters in Makkah about two weeks before Hajj. A frail, thin and elderly man, it was evident that with every breath he exhaled, so less of his youth remained. Memory lapses were very clear and a very quick mini mental test revealed impairment without significant disability.

He compensated by writing down virtually everything but would, at times, forget where he had put his notebook. I tried to rationalise the reality of his affliction with him, describing it as a mere medical condition such as diabetes that needs optimal control.

‘I

He has multiple medical problems for over two decades and they have all conspired to surreptitiously gnaw away at his brain, writes Doctor SALIM PARKER. ‘Just as your diabetes should be carefully controlled by what you consume so we should introduce methods and ways that assist you in memory retention,’ I reasoned.

But my reasoning did not take into consideration what truly bothered him.

‘But I am on Hajj!’ he cried, tears flowing down his face. ‘Hajj is the one journey that I want to savour, I want to live every moment of it, and want to relive it over and over when I go home.

‘I am getting older and weaker.

Very soon, my steps are going to get shorter and slower until I cannot walk any more, my vision blurred so reading would have to cease and my hearing distorted with even my hearing aid unable to clarify sounds.

‘But I always thought and planned that I would cherish my Hajj memories so that when I cannot see, I can still witness my Arafah sunrise, when I cannot walk I can still stand at Wuqoof, and when I cannot hear, I’ll listen that I am forgiven as we enter the sunset of the most important day of our lives.’

He was sobbing now. ‘But,’ he added, ‘I cannot even remember the name of the hotel we are in, do not recall whether I went to the mosque today and what I did there if I went.’ He went silent for a few moments and then said, ‘You know Doc, I have religiously read each and every article you have written about Hajj but I cannot even recall your name now.’

I smiled and reassured him that his Hajj would live up to all his expectations. ‘See, you already remember that I am a doctor,’ I laughed.

He was travelling alone yet he was not alone. His roommate soon realised his predicament and tried to assist him as much as possible. Soon, many in the group were involved in his daily activities.

He didn’t go to the Haram alone anymore; the stress of not having to worry about how to get there and back to the hotel had an immediate positive effect on his affect.

There was constant affirmation of the activities of the day.

Someone would talk of the shops along the way, another would remind him to drink Zamzam water slowly, and others would

For many hujjaaj, performing Hajj happens in the sunset of their lives but as with the character in this story, this momentous event will blaze on in their lives for many years to come.

Photos SALIM PARKER

ask him to keep count on his counter of the number of rounds they performed during tawaaf.

The quality of his superior camera was a constant topic amongst his companions who would persistently ask him whether they could inspect it and at the same time photograph him.

At the end of each day, he would then have a pictorial reminder of his day’s activities.

Two fellow pilgrims backed up his photos on their computers as well as into the virtual universe of the internet’s cloud.

He did not always recall everything but he had reminders. He had photographic and verbal reminders of his extra Umrah as he could not remember his first one. If fortune favoured him when he touched the Kaabah but his recollection of it faded, the photo of the event flashed back the event.

We did our best to ensure that his medical conditions were properly managed, and that all additional benefits such as healing Zamzam water and protective

Ajwa dates were abundantly used.

He was given no time to ponder his problems as the subtle but constant positive reinforcements building up to Hajj cheered him immensely. His physical and mental health showed noticeable, though not remarkable improvement. ‘My sun is definitely not setting yet; even though it is on the horizon, it is blazing away!’ he said.

Arafah. He greeted the day, the place, the moment and the unity it brought with utmost humility and tranquillity. His friends cemented the memories, reminiscing about the bus ride as the sun was rising across the vast plains, constantly imprinting the digital images on his camera.

Hajj was not just time spent on Arafah in a tent reaching out to our Creator, it was reaffirmation of who we were, where we were, what we were doing and under whose watchful vision we were reaching out.

The day started drawing to a close.

The light started to fade, stark blinding brightness slowly mellowing to yellow then orange and, finally, to deep red hues.

‘I am on Arafah, may Allah forgive all our sins and let us be like newborn children in our innocence,’ he said. He had a deep contented smile. ‘I know everyone tried their utmost to allay my fears. I think I’ll remember being on Hajj, being on Arafah, being amongst all these wonderful people.

‘I am sure the many friends I have made, the photos they took and all the writings of everyone will remind me of these precious moments,’ he continued.

I could by now barely see the sun, as it heaved itself very, very slowly into the horizon, as if to say that it gifts us still more time.

‘You know Doc, I thought my memories will fail me. But I know that no matter what happens, I am on Arafah now. Deep down, I now know that though I might not remember this sunset of my life, Allah will never forget.’

Labaik!

Muslim Views

DISCUSSIONS WITH DANGOR

26

Muslim Views . December 2014

Oppression of Chinese Muslims The early victories of Muslims opened the doors of China for them to propagate the beauty and truth of Islam, writes Emeritus Professor SULEMAN DANGOR.

HE first contact of China with Islam was in 631 AD when the third khalifah, Uthman, dispatched a deputation under Sad ibn Abi Waqqas to invite the Chinese emperor to embrace Islam.

The delegation built a masjid in Canton city which stands to this day. Over the years, Muslim economic activity through traders and merchant naval movements resulted in more Muslims settling in China. One of the first Muslim settlements was established in Cheng Aan Port, during the Tang dynasty. From the outset, Muslims of China began to encounter animosity from the ethnic Chinese.

One of the first wars between Muslims and Chinese was waged at the Chinese border in 765 AD when the Muslims delivered a crushing defeat on the Chinese.

After this conquest, Muslims came to command respect, power

T

and complete control over the entire Central Asia. In 770 AD the Abbasid Khalifah, Mansur, dispatched a unit of 4 000 armed Muslim troops to China.

The early victories of Muslims opened the doors of China for them to propagate the beauty and truth of Islam. More and more Muslims settled in China and married Chinese women. These early Muslim settlers started establishing masajid, schools and madrassahs. Students from as far as Russia and India attended these madrassahs.

In the 1790s, according to tradition, there were as many as 30 000 students. The city of Bukhara, which was then part of China, was blessed with one of the foremost scholars of Hadith, Imam Bukhari.

Nonetheless, the early Muslim settlers in China experienced severe repression. The Manchu dynasty (1644-1911) was the most brutal in its animosity towards the Muslims. During its reign, five wars were waged against the Muslims. Muslims were slaughtered and masajid were razed to the ground.

Prior to becoming part of China, the oil rich Xinjiang province, which serves as a frontier to central Asia, was an independent Turkic state known as the East Turkestan Republic.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the East Turkestan Republic twice managed to liberate parts of its territory from the Republic of

China before acceding to the People’s Republican Army in 1949.

The region was renamed the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region under Chairman Mao Zedong, in 1955. Soon after the Communist take-over in 1949, the Mao government set about dividing the Muslims into nationalities so they would identify with their ‘ethnic’ origin and not their ‘Muslim’ identity.

This policy was enforced particularly during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Waqf properties were confiscated and many masajid were closed. According to population statistics of 1936, the then Republic of China had an estimated 48 104 240 Muslims. After Mao’s policies, the number was reported to have been reduced to ten million.

While the Turkic-speaking Uighur Muslims constituted 80 percent of Xinjiang’s population, recent incentives for ethnic Han Chinese to move into the province have brought 1,2 million ethnic Chinese settlers to the area, reducing the Uighur Muslims who number 8 million to only 43 percent of Xinjiang’s population.

Today, Uighurs face an uphill struggle to maintain their cultural and traditional way of life. They, in fact, face the danger of assimilation. Even the original names of the streets have been replaced by Chinese names.

Since the region is blessed with energy resources, Xinjiang’s cities are becoming modern metropolis-

Uighurs face an uphill struggle to maintain their cultural and traditional way of life. They, in fact, face the danger of assimilation es. However, the Chinese settlers are the main beneficiaries of the economic boom whereas native Uighurs are denied the same opportunities. Uighurs demand greater autonomy or a separate state. In the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States, Uighurs have been singled out for religious persecution. So, while the majority of Chinese enjoy a growing freedom to worship, Uighurs are denied this fundamental right.

In July 2009, Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, erupted in violence when the mainly Muslim Uighur minority vented resentment over Chinese restrictions in the region. In this incident, nearly 200 persons were killed, according to Chinese government sources.

However, the Uighurs claim that hundreds were shot dead, the majority of them Muslims.

Reports of Chinese efforts to suppress Islam and Uighur culture are numerous. The US State Department, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch have recently condemned the treatment of Uighurs as a violation of international human rights standards. A 2008 report by the State Department criticises China’s use of ‘regulations restricting Muslims’ religious activity, teaching, and places of worship’. According to the report, religious institutions are

strictly monitored, children are prohibited from religious education, imams are regularly vetted to ensure their teachings (including Friday sermons) support Chinese government authority, and passports are strictly controlled to prevent Muslims from travel for pilgrimage to Makkah and to other destinations.

Even going to the masjid for prayer, teaching the holy Quran, way of dressing, are all restricted in some way. Recently, the authorities started forcing lowincome families to agree to abandon some Muslim traditions, e.g. wearing the veil in exchange for social security subsidies for their families. One school said it would propagate national unity and ensure that ‘no teachers or students attend any religious activities’ during Ramadaan.

Human rights groups have documented cases of brutal beatings, detentions and executions of Uighurs suspected of separatist activities, though there is not a lot of interest or attention paid to these events in the Muslim world.

Notable exceptions were an article in Saudi Arabia’s Arab Times, which likened the struggle of Uighurs to that of the Palestinians, and compared the Han Chinese to the Jews, and Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, which urged the international community to pay more attention to the crackdown on Uighurs.

AWQAF - promoting self-reliance and sustainability

Waqf towards social transformation MAJDI RYKLIEF

TODAY, globally, we face various challenges and problems, many of which arise from the scourge of capitalism, where resources are essentially owned or under the control of the few to the detriment of the masses.

In South Africa, a recent Moneyweb study showed that 10 percent of the country’s population held 70 percent of the country’s wealth, and that this phenomenon has been reported repeatedly over the last 14 years.

The gulf between the poor and rich seems ever-increasing, with few solutions countering this growing trend. Philanthropy or the concept of the Islamic charity are what Islamic scholars are offering as an alternative to Western capitalism, write Professor Madya Zakariya bin Man and Dr Salihu Abdulwaheed, as this position is stated in the Noble Quran.

Allah, the most exalted has said, ‘It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to the heaven and made them into seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge.’ (Surah Baqarah: 29) Further, Allah has stated that: ‘We sent aforetime Our messengers with clear signs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of right and wrong) that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down iron, in which is great might, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah Muslim Views

may test who it is that will help, unseen, Him and His messengers for Allah is full of strength, Exalted in Might.’ (Surah Al Hadid: 25) From the above injunctions, Allah states that all that appears on earth (and by extension, the wealth and other benefits that man derives from them) belongs to Him alone, and should be of benefit to the entire humankind.

Allah has blessed the earth with many resources, all of which are used by humans through laws and virtues our Creator has bestowed on them. Therefore, to please our Creator, it is our duty to distribute this wealth amongst all the planet’s inhabitants in various means necessary, charity being one of them.

Charity is a way to correct the economic imbalances prevalent today, and in Islam there are two types prescribed for humanity to attain Allah’s pleasure: the mandatory or obligatory type in the form of zakaah, and the purely voluntary forms like sadaqah, lilah, waqf and others.

Waqf The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have given all the property he owned to Islam, write Prof Zakariya and Dr Abdulwaheed further, which indicates that he promoted the concept of waqf; so did members of his entire illustrious family and the rightly guided Companions, Abu Bakr included.

Defined as a religious endowment of one’s wealth and proper-

ty dedicated permanently to Allah for the community benefit, the concept of waqf was seen as a means to gain Allah’s pleasure through charitable acts.

‘Essential to the scheme is that the corpus of the property remains intact while income derived therefrom, or the property itself, is used for diverse Islamic causes as a sadaqah jariya (recurring, continuous or ongoing charity) including socioeconomic, military or political purposes for the benefit of Muslims as well as non-Muslims,’ writes Zeinoul Abedien Cajee, CEO of AwqafSA. In many Muslim-majority countries, madaris, masajid, hospitals, universities (like Turkey’s Fatih Mehmet Waqf University), land development, the production of books, water provision, agricultural machinery, animal welfare, shares, stocks and any material possessions were used for social, religious, cultural or environmental gain.

These awqaf were used optimally for poverty relief, social empowerment projects, loans to micro-enterprise, vocational training, educational projects and any other social initiatives that benefit society at large, irrespective of race or religion.

Waqf today Our forefathers, through making various endowments, first analysed their realities, collectively envisioned and strategised on what needed to be done, and

worked together to facilitate those improvements to the betterment of the societies.

Such was the amazing success of the waqf concept in centuries gone by that we, in these modern times, need to be proactive in our endeavour to shape society economically, for the better.

The problem with poverty alleviation today is that our role has always been reactionary, and this needs a rethink. Our vision should rather move towards preventative and curative measures to eradicate poverty.

Partnerships, not only in empty rhetoric but in proper action, need to be forged so that duplication or oversupply of social uplift schemes are not a factor. Through collective will, more can be achieved. More people will buy into programmes if there is some form of co-operation between various role-players to achieve a common goal.

While we can never overlook the need to make awqaf to masajid and madaris, as therein lies our prospects of entering the eternal paradise, we should also start realising that through investing in human potential, we too are making a sadaqah jariya.

Awqaf, while essentially religious is also human-centric or more philanthropic in nature, where holistic development of the being is the intended outcome.

Apart from scholarships to community members, waqf funds could also be invested in adult literacy programmes for the illiter-

ate, in the promotion of skills development, in the financing of micro-enterprises for budding entrepreneurs, leadership or management courses for the gifted and many such initiatives. After all, microfinance alone cannot create wealth or sustainability without the entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, argue Jakartabased researchers Budiman and Kusuma.

A simple organic gardening project, for example, could be established: apart from arming those individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills involved in tending to the garden, those previously excluded individuals will be able to feed their own families, make cash and reinvest in more crop.

A business, whether formal or informal, could be the next step.

By investing in a programme of this nature, we empower the person to be pro-active in his or her own upliftment as opposed to allowing the culture of hand-outs to continue.

The concept of waqf in itself contains a redress and redistributive element which makes it the perfect vehicle for social transformation. Muslims should take every opportunity provided by this voluntary act of worship in ensuring that the needs of the masses are met.

Majdi Ryklief is a volunteer of AwqafSA Western Cape. For more information on Awqaf or to browse through our range of services, see www.awqafsa.org.za

BOOK-REVIEW

Muslim Views . December 2014

She commences by asserting the gendered nature

The Study of Islam @ UJ Book Review Domestic Violence and the Islamic Tradition: Ethics, Law, and the Muslim Discourse on Gender. Author: Ayesha S Chaudhry. Oxford University Press, 2013.

CTIVISTS and women’s rights organisations mark ‘16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children’ from November 25 to December 10 annually – thus making this review of Domestic Violence and the Islamic Tradition by Dr Ayesha S Chaudhry, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies and Gender Studies at University of British Columbia, particularly relevant.

Chaudhry surveys the canonical texts of Islamic literature in the genres of Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis) and Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) for readings, interpretations and applications of surah 4, verse 34 of the Quran – arguably the most controversial Quranic passage, which seemingly indicates permission for wife beating.

She commences by asserting the gendered nature of the Islamic tradition in all of its aspects – and that readings of surah 4, verse 34 can only be fully understood in this context – together with the recognition of how textual authority operates in current times.

In order to be considered part of the orthodox tradition, one must situate oneself uncritically at

A

the end of this textual tradition, thus neglecting ‘the pain of real members of the present community in order to belong to an imagined historical community’.

In this case, it would mean accepting an interpretation of 4:34 as allowing men to beat their wives, although the context, degrees and severity of the beating may vary.

After all of her research, Chaudhry asserts that she did not find a single pre-colonial Islamic jurist or exegete who interpreted 4:34 to mean anything other than permission for husbands to beat their wives.

They differed, not on the question of whether it was permissible for a husband to beat his wife but, rather, on how it should be done – even if they expressed ethical concerns for such a privilege.

Chaudhry discusses at length, the different approaches to 4:34, by examining the definitions of all the key terms, according to the classical scholars: ‘Men are the protectors and maintainers (qawwamun) of women because Allah has given (faddala) the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means.

Therefore, the righteous women (salihat) are devoutly obedient (qanitat), and guard in (the husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct

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(nushuz), admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly) (wadribuhunna); but if they return to obedience (ata nakum), seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all).’ (Quran 4:34) Chaudhry particularly interrogates the scholars’ definitions of ‘qawwamun’, ‘nushuz’ and ‘wadribuhunna’, and the ramifications of these readings for interpretations of other verses of the Quran.

She then presents the views of the jurists on what constitutes disobedient wives, and what procedures should be followed before or while resorting to physical violence, from their legalist perspectives, which range from husbands beating their wives symbolically with handkerchiefs and toothsticks to punching or slapping them with their bare hands, and further along the violent continuum, with sticks, whips and rods.

Even though they often prescribed the beating to be ‘ghayr mubarrih’ (non-extreme), they differed considerably on what ‘extreme’ could mean.

An interesting thread throughout the book is the scholarly discussions on the tensions between the Quranic passage which earlier scholars read as legitimising a husband’s right to resorting to violence, on the one hand, and the Prophet’s ethic, example and

of the Islamic tradition in all of its aspects

discomfort with the idea of beating one’s wife, on the other.

One way of resolving this tension, for example, was to view the Quranic passage as granting permission but the Prophet’s example as ‘preferred’.

In the last section of the book, Chaudhry turns her attention to contemporary readings and interpretations of surah 4:34, grouping modern approaches into four groups: traditionalists, neo-traditionalists, progressives and reformists.

Central to all of these arguments are the two different idealised cosmologies which characterise patriarchal and egalitarian worldviews. Chaudhry repeatedly asserts that this is the underlying foundation which cannot go unscrutinised.

‘In the patriarchal idealised cosmology, God sits atop a hierarchy, followed by his creations, […where] humans are privileged over all other creations, and men rank above women. As such, men have direct, unfettered access to God, but women’s relationship to God is mediated by men, who

must oversee their wives’ moral well-being. In contrast, in the egalitarian idealised cosmology, men and women possess equal human worth before God, so every individual has an independent relationship to the divine.’

While the book in its entirety is well researched and presented, it is unclear, in the last section, what the parameters for selecting the various contemporary scholars were, and why the work of some scholars were presented and not others.

The book also lacks a sufficient depth on the relevance and consequences of colonialism for the research – although it often appeals to the terms ‘pre-colonial’ and ‘post-colonial’.

While the first sections of the book paint a bleak picture of the Islamic tradition with regards to women’s rights and gender equality, the latter part of the book is redeeming.

It highlights the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of Quran interpretation, offering a hopeful, rather than hopeless future for Muslim women who are victims of domestic violence.

Safiyyah Surtee is a journalist and an MA candidate in the Department of Religion Studies at University of Johannesburg.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

Crescent Lifestyle gives hope to young and old CRESCENT Lifestyle offers our members more chances to celebrate every aspect of their life of Islam daily, no matter where they are in South Africa. When it comes to giving hope, Crescent Lifestyle reaches out to communities all over South Africa.

Our members are able to preselect a charity to receive a portion of their monthly contributions upon joining Crescent Lifestyle. Since 2008, Crescent Lifestyle has donated more than R2,2 million on behalf of our members, and continues to make a noticeable difference in the community.

During the past month, the following charities received a helping hand from the Crescent Lifestyle team on behalf of our members: The Sultan Bahu Centre uses their donations towards their Cataract Removal Programme.

The programme assists cataract sufferers by giving those in need access to laser operations to remove their cataracts and regain the gift of sight. For Juliega Goolman Hoosen, seeing her husband’s face for the first time in years brought tears to her eyes!

The Al Munirah Centre is a school and daycare centre in Roshnee, in the Vereeniging area, which caters to children with special needs such as Down’s syndrome. Some of these children are wheelchair-bound and are unable to care for themselves.

These children are transported to and from the centre safely and cared for daily. Al Munirah Centre receives no government fund-

Muslim Views

ing, and is dependent on community fundraising events and donations like ours to care for these children in the very special manner they do.

Crescent Lifestyle members of staff and management had the honour of assisting the Saaberie Chisty Dawah Centre with their feeding scheme when they visited Orange Farm this October.

The centre sees to the needs of

the Muslims living in this impoverished area by offering a preschool, adult learning classes, masjid, feeding scheme and Qurbani facilities. The centre receives no aid from the government and depends on donations and volunteers to assist with the operation of the centre.

‘This initiative is very close our hearts,’ says Al-Firnas Patel, Managing Director of Crescent

Lifestyle, ‘By also giving of our time, Crescent Lifestyle is helping our young community to strive for a brighter future, one meal at a time.’ Fifty-six children, all younger than ten-years-old and in their pre-school phase, receive numeracy and literacy skills development in preparation for Grade 1 at the centre. These children, unfortunately, don’t only have hungry minds but also suffer from

malnutrition due to poverty at home. The centre provides each child with a nutritious meal before they return home via a long, two kilometre walk.

Al Imdaad Foundation makes use of the donations they receive towards their ‘Make Breakfast Possible’ project – a feeding scheme they developed in conjunction with food technologists, dieticians and nutritionists to create a nutrient-rich porridge called Siyasutha, which is mixed with water and fed to hungry learners daily before their lessons commence.

The Crescent Lifestyle team also had the honour of assisting the Muslim Aids Programme with their sandwich feeding day at Rahima Moosa Mother And Child Hospital, on October 22. The team helped to prepare 300 polony sandwiches and pack chips, sweets and some fruit to distribute to HIV-positive mothers and children who queue at the hospital for hours on end to receive treatment, most often arriving without any breakfast or food for the day. Our team was deeply humbled by the gratitude and appreciation shown by the mothers and children who are facing the most daunting and dreadful illness of our time.

Crescent Lifestyle believes in unity through community. Hold hands with Crescent Lifestyle to make a noticeable difference in your community today!

To Join Crescent Lifestyle SMS ‘CL’ to 31699 or visit our website: www.crescentlifestyle.com (web & mobi)

Muslim Views . December 2014

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

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Muslim Hands helping in education EDUCATION is one of the most precious gifts we can give. In today’s world, it is more important than ever to ensure children have access to a good quality education.

At school, students not only bring their minds and imaginations to life but also empower themselves for an independent future full of opportunities.

Education is a release and an opening. It releases an individual from the cycle of poverty and dependence, opening up a world of empowerment for the future.

We take many different approaches to education, providing schooling which is appropriate, relevant and most valuable for a student’s long term needs.

Where access to schools may exist, it is common to come across unprofessionally run and extremely under-resourced facilities which cause many children’s education to suffer.

Model schools run in areas where school conditions may be poor, class sizes too large and facilities limited.

They work to improve and provide better quality education than what is around.

Students who attend model schools benefit from having teachers who have been given special teacher training and ongoing professional development.

Primarily serving orphans, Muslim Hands’s Model Schools are also attended by a small portion of local fee-paying children who recognise the higher quality

of education which students benefit from.

These fee-paying students, in turn, help subsidise some of the cost in providing education for the neediest orphans.

Sometimes, accessing a school can be harder than covering the cost of school fees.

There are many isolated and scattered vilwith lages children who an require education though no accessible school exists.

MUSLIM H A N D S Rural Comm u n i t y Schools serve children who live in areas like these and are typically located in rural areas and, somemay times, only contain one or two classrooms. Most often, these schools are the children’s only chance of getting an education.

Rural community schools are about providing basic access to school, and we have already piloted this in Balochistan as one of the poorest parts of the world.

Due to the success of these, further schools have been built all over Pakistan with the World

Bank recognising and supporting our ability to penetrate into areas which were previously inaccessible.

Together, we plan to expand this on a much greater scale in other regions of the world with a similar level of poverty and lack of access to education, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.

Muslim Hands runs pioneering Schools of Excellence as an investment into the quality and delivery of education for poor and orphan students.

These schools serve orphans and poorer children free of charge with a tailor-made curriculum from our in-house educationalists as well as uniforms and school materials.

Where students live far, a school bus is provided to ensure children can make their way to and from school on time and with ease.

Muslim Hands’s School of Excellence are custom-built so benefit from science laboratories, recreation facilities, auditoriums and purpose-built facilities.

To deliver dynamic and engaging lessons, M u s l i m Hands sifts out and trains the very best of new teaching talent to raise the aspirations and morale of students.

Local feepaying children also attend these schools as the teaching standards usually far exceed those of local schools.

Schools of Excellence have been built in Sudan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Niger, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mali, Sri Lanka and Gambia.

There are times when individuals require relevant, practical skills and training to see them into work and a career.

For this, Muslim Hands has set

up a series of Vocational Training Centres where individuals learn skills which translate into a means to earn a living.

So far, we have delivered courses in carpentry, IT, plumbing, tailoring and mobile phone repair.

Though these seem an eclectic mix, these courses tend to the daily and practical needs of the community they work in.

To make sure children are learning important and relevant material, we bring in education specialists to write the syllabus.

These specialists know how to structure a child’s learning development and how to create an engaging and stimulating curriculum for children to get the best out of school.

At our Schools of Excellence, our education specialists have written a tailor-made syllabus for the students containing English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Information Technology, Islamic Studies and Art.

In numbers Muslim Hands on education Since 1993: 40 000 children educated; 1 000 teachers employed; 15 countries with schools; 362 schools started; 900 classrooms brimming with life; One unwavering commitment Contact Muslim Hands today on 021 633 6413 to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . December 2014

Seido’s Gift to Gaza

Seido Karate, based in Belgravia Road, Athlone, responded to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by handing over a cheque of R25Â 000 to Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the head of the Gift of the Givers Foundation.

Pictured here is Western Cape Branch Chief of Seido Karate, Shihan Anver Wahab (7th from right, front row), together with senior members of the organisation at the cheque handing over ceremony.

Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views

Health File

SURAIYA ROYKER HILE sitting at my desk clicking away at my pen (yes, I still put pen to paper the old-fashioned way rather than tapping away on a keyboard) thinking of a suitable topic for this article, it dawned on me that there are two questions that patients have repeatedly asked me over the years: When/ why should I have my eyes tested? How often should I test my eyes?

These are two straightforward questions, the answers of which I will endeavour to elaborate on in the next few paragraphs.

In response to the first question, one should firstly remember that the eye, like the heart and other major organs in the body, has an integral role to play in ensuring that our bodies are able to function properly and efficiently.

Each organ is designed by our Creator to absolute perfection in order for it to carry out its designated function. However, not every part of our body is completely physiologically perfect as we may be born with physical anomalies or we may develop diseases that physically affect the structure of that organ and, so doing, hinders its ability to carry out its function properly.

Because the eye is an integral part of the body, it too can be afflicted by disease. These diseases can either occur congenitally, in childhood or in adulthood,

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Muslim Views . December 2014

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The importance of eye health and eye-care and they may be primary diseases or secondary in the eye due to other systemic illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension.

Hence, one can say that one of the chief reasons to consider having your eyes tested is to evaluate the health of the eye and to ensure that good eye health is maintained.

Diabetes and hypertension are also known as dread diseases and have increasingly become more common in modern day society.

In many ways it can be described as lifestyle diseases that patients acquire due to external factors such as poor eating habits, lack of exercise and obesity. Diabetes, in particular, is one of the main culprits that can cause secondary diseases in the eye.

The eye is made up of various structures that each have a role to play in enabling us the gift of sight. Uncontrolled diabetes, unfortunately, can cause mild to severe damage to several of these structures, and so doing, may result in poor quality or loss of vision.

It is said that in the public sector alone a large part of the hospital’s budget is spent on trying to repair or manage eye diseases related to diabetes.

This startling fact reminds me of what my final year lecturer advised us on. She said that there are only two types of patients: diabetic and those who are not diabetic.

There is no such thing as a ‘touch of diabetes’ she lamented and, therefore, stressed upon us the importance of advising patients to manage their disease properly.

There are many other reasons why it is important to have our eyes tested but that would go beyond the scope of this article, and hence brings me to the second question.

There is no hard and fast rule about how often we should have our eyes tested. However, many practitioners would agree that a two-yearly check-up is sufficient to adequately evaluate the eye and maintain good vision.

In some cases, however, the optometrist may advise patients to have more frequent visits depending on their eye health and their general health and age.

For example, it is often advantageous for diabetic patients to have annual check-ups as it is imperative that diabetic retinopathy be timeously assessed and promptly referred to a specialist to limit vision loss and ensure a better prognosis.

In summary, patients should remember that having an eye test should be so much more than the colour of your next frame. Your spectacles will perform its task in aiding your vision so much better if your eyes’ health is maintained through regular eye tests.

Suraiya Royker is a practising optometrist.

Muslim Views

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Focus on Finance Muslim Views . December 2014

Tax advice for expatriates HASSEN KAJIE, CA (SA), a director of NEXIA SAB&T, based in the Cape Town office, and Aysha Osman CA (SA), National Technical Manager for Nexia SAB&T in the Centurion office, advise expatriates in South Africa on how to deal with tax issues.

Tax residence Are you a resident of South Africa? Generally, you will be considered ordinarily resident in South Africa if it is clear to the authorities that you have made it your permanent home.

If you are working in South Africa for fewer than 91 days, you will be considered a non-resident.

As a non-resident, you will be taxable on South African source income only.

Once you stay for more than a total of 91 days in a year, you may be considered a resident, depending on how long you have also spent in South Africa in the previous five years.

The physical presence test will judge you to be resident if you have been present in South Africa: l for more than 91 days in total during the year in question, and l for more than 91 days in total during each of the preceding five years, and l for more than 915 days in total during the preceding five years.

As a resident you will be liable for tax on your worldwide earnings.

Employment/ business taxes Income tax is deducted by your employer via the Pay As You Earn system. Income tax is charged at progressive rates, with a maximum rate of 40%. You may have to fill in a tax return after the end of the year

to calculate the final amount of tax payable. If you are self-employed, you will pay income tax based on the profits of your business, after deduction of costs.

If you come to South Africa to set up a business and start a company, you will be liable to corporate income tax on the profits from your trade or business. South African resident corporations are liable for corporate income tax on their worldwide income and capital gains.

Non-resident corporations are generally liable for corporate income tax on their South African source income only, and for capital gains tax on income from the sale

of taxable South African property.

The general rate of corporate income tax is 28%. There are lower tax rates for qualifying small business corporations, and a special turnover tax for micro businesses.

Corporate capital gains are also taxed as ordinary income but only a percentage of the gain is taxable.

Companies must complete a company registration process; they must also register with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and various other government institutions.

Companies must generally pay provisional corporate taxes twice a year. After the end of the year, a final tax return must be filed within

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

Aysha Osman is National Technical Manager for Nexia SAB&T.

12 months. Returns may generally be filed electronically, and an extension to the filing date is granted for these. Penalties apply for late filing.

important if you have investments outside South Africa, and intend to bring money earned from them into South Africa during your stay.

They also apply if you build up some investments in South Africa during your stay, and intend to leave them there after you have left South Africa. South Africa has signed tax treaties with more than 70 countries worldwide. Any withholding taxes payable in South Africa on dividends or royalties, paid to persons in other countries with suitable tax treaties in place, can be significantly reduced. The amount that can be charged under a treaty is often reduced to between 0% and 15%.

For all your tax compliance needs, contact any of our Nexia SAB&T branches nationally.

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 Tax department at 021 596 5400.

Other taxes For residents in South Africa, investment income, in the form of interest and rental income, is taxed as ordinary income. Dividend income is taxed at the company level and is exempt of tax thereafter. Capital gains on real property and other assets are also taxed as ordinary income but only a percentage of the gain is taxable.

For non-residents, interest and rental income from South African sources is taxed as ordinary income. Capital gains on South African source assets are also taxed as ordinary income but only a percentage of the gain is taxable. Dividend income is subject to a 15% withholding tax.

Tax treaties Tax treaties exist to protect taxpayers from being taxed twice on certain money flows between two countries. Treaties are particularly

Home financing in Islam RABIAH TALIB BADROEN

IN Western countries with largely Western democratic systems coupled with Western economic principles, Muslims find it a consistently compromising act when engaging in the economic system.

In South Africa, Muslims face the same dilemma.

To address the issue in the United States, the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America’s Fiqh Resident Fatwa Committee (RFC) issued resolutions in an attempt to answer Muslims’ persistent questioning on the legitimacy of conventional home financing.

The salient difference between Islamic and conventional banking instruments is the usury (riba) component. Conventional banks charge and pay usury while Islamic banking procedures steer away from it.

The norm is conventional banking institutions financing homes over a period of 20 plus years with variations in interest rates. These institutions deal in explicit interest rates. These explicit interest laden transactions are not permissible to Muslims. The primary source of Islam, the Quran, explicitly directs Muslims against this indulgence.

The RFC issued the principle of Ijarah – rent to own as a very comfortable, affordable method for Muslims acquiring home ownership.

In Islamic law (shariah), Ijarah is defined as a letting or lease of a usufruct asset. In return, a fixed Muslim Views

In essence, Ijarah is a contractual agreement compared to a sale/ lease transaction, where the financial institution buys the property and then leases it to the client for a fixed fee rental. The duration and fee is set in advance. rent is payable by the lessee. It is essentially a product of Islamic banking institutions used for the lease of equipment, buildings and other facilities.

In essence, Ijarah is a contractual agreement compared to a sale/ lease transaction, where the financial institution buys the property and then leases it to the client for a fixed fee rental. The duration and fee is set in advance.

The principle of Ijarah is pioneering in home ownership. Previously, it was confined to business acquisitions.

The conventional Islamic products for home ownership are: Musharakah This is a fixed asset financing scheme between two parties; a contract where the bank provides the funding and a pre-agreed arrangement determines the profit and loss sharing. Repayment to the bank is over a ten-year period with a rate of repayment varying annually. This product is commonly known to South African home owners.

Murabaha (Cost plus financing) This is a financing scheme used for financing any fixed asset such as a residential property.

The loan period is over seven years. An additional varying percentage rate is added to the price and spread over a repayment agreement period.

Mudaraba Technically, this is a form of partnership where one party provides the funds and the other party provides the expertise or knowledge and the management.

Any profits accrued are between the parties on a pre-arranged basis; a product promoted for home ownership to South Africans.

With the prohibition of usury in Islam, Islamic financial institutions operate on a profit and loss (PLS) structure. The financial institution invests with a client in order to finance the need of the client.

This is the Islamic counter contract of conventional institutions lending money to a client.

The Islamic principle of PLS accounts result in banks and clients becoming joint investors, and returns are determined by profits earned by the financial institution on the investment.

For security in the permissible conduct in accordance with shari-

ah, the institution has an in-house Shariah Board, consisting of Islamic scholars who peruse all products for strict compliance with Islamic law.

The innovation of Ijarah is a required component of shariah.

The Quran is the book of guidance and what is not explicitly forbidden, requires scholars of shariah to explore in guidance of the life practices of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the needs and interest of the people.

These banking products are devised from the principles of shariah. This also exemplifies the non-rigidity in Islam. An overregulated society is largely discouraged and, therefore, the legality of innovation in accordance with the primary sources of Islam.

Other revealed scriptures, namely the Bible and Torah, also view usurious transactions with contempt. In Exodus, chapter 22 verse 5, usury is equated with extortion.

A notable Christian scholar, Saint Augustine (354-430), author of The City of God, pointed out the acquisition of property rights as part of a natural order.

The extensive works of Aquinas, another notable scholar, provided wide controversies in home ownership. The question remained the exploitation of the haves and have nots.

South Africa has a population of roughly 51 million people.

According to the census document, a rough estimate of 30 percent is under the age of four and a further estimated 30 percent is between the ages of 15 to 34 years.

Increased urbanisation is also a stark reality in South Africa.

The increase in home ownership will expand to enormous heights and an innovative variance to the normative practice of home ownership is a demanding factor.

The ever-increasing incidence of re-possessed property is a clear indication of society unable to sustain home ownership.

Ijarah is a principle that can extend beyond the confines of a financial institution.

Private property owners, engaging in rental agreements with individuals can employ the principles of Ijarah in eventual transfer of ownership to lessees.

Private intervention as an instrument in alleviation of economic struggles is identified globally. This is just another sphere.

Rabiah Badroen is a graduate in International Politics and Islamic Studies. She is currently registered as a Masters candidate at University of South Africa (Unisa) and is a staff member of the English Department at Al Jouf University, Saudi Arabia.

Light from the Qur’an

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Brotherhood among the believers IBRAHIM OKSAS and NAZEEMA AHMED T a time when conflict, enmity, dispute and envy seem to be on the increase, not only within communities in this country but all over the world, it is instructive to reflect on the Quranic wisdom pertaining to these spiritual diseases.

In this regard, we will explore the thoughts of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in his contemporary Quranic tafsir, Risale-i Nur (The Treatise of Light).

Bediuzzaman cites the following ayahs: from Surah Al-Hujurat, ‘Verily, the believers are brothers so make peace between your brothers’; Surah Fussilat, ‘Repel bad with what is better, and if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend’ and Surah Ali Imran, ‘Those who control their rage and pardon, are the people – verily, Allah loves the good doers.’

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi says in Risale-i Nur that dispute and discord among the believers, and obstinacy and envy, which lead to enmity among them, are repugnant, harmful and sinful by the combined testimony of wisdom and the supreme humanity that is Islam, for personal, social and spiritual life.

In short, they are poison for the life of man and society.

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Bediuzzaman uses the following comparison in Risale-i Nur to illustrate the injustice of nurturing enmity against a believer.

‘Let us suppose that you were on a ship or in a house with nine innocent people and one criminal.

‘If someone were to try to make the ship sink or to set the house on fire because of that criminal, you know how great a sinner he will be.

‘You would cry out to the heavens against his sinfulness.

Even if there were one innocent man and nine criminals aboard the ship, it would be against all rules of justice to sink it.’

So too, says Bediuzzaman, if there are in the person of a believer, not nine, but as many as twenty innocent attributes such as imaan, Islam and neighbourliness; and if you then nurture enmity against him on account of one negative attribute that harms and displeases you, and if you then attempt or desire the sinking of his being or the burning of his house then you too will be guilty of a great atrocity.

Bediuzzaman expresses that these spiritual diseases are also sinful in the view of wisdom for it is obvious that enmity and love are opposites, just like light and darkness, and they cannot be combined.

The believer loves and should love his brother, and is pained by any evil he sees in him.

He attempts to reform him not

with harshness but gently.

It is for this reason that the hadith of our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW) says, ‘No believer should be angered with another and cease speaking to him for more than three days.’

Thus, it is evident that imaan and Islam, as well as other Islamic attributes, demand love and concord.

Bediuzzaman issues the following caution: if you prefer to focus on certain shortcomings in people which arouse hostility in you rather than focusing on their imaan and Islam, you yourself will be engaging in great injustice, foolishness and sin!

The unity of imaan necessitates also the unity of hearts, and the oneness of our deen demands the oneness of our society.

As people living with imaan, our Creator, our Owner, the One Whom we worship, and our Provider is one and the same; our Nabi (SAW), our deen and our qiblah are one and the same.

All these things that we have in common express oneness and unity, union and harmony, love and brotherhood, and the cosmos and the planets are similarly interlinked by unseen chains.

Bediuzzaman says that in accordance with the meaning of the ayah in Surah Al-An’am, ‘No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another’, which expresses pure justice, to nurture enmity towards a believer is like

condemning all the innocent attributes found in him on account of one criminal attribute, and is thus an act of great injustice.

If you go further and include in your enmity all the relatives of a believer on account of a single evil attribute of his then, in accordance with the following ayah in Surah Ibrahim, in which the active participle is in the intensive form – ‘Verily man is much given to wrongdoing’ – you will have committed a still greater sin and transgression against which truth, the shariah and the wisdom of Islam combine to warn you.

How then can you imagine yourself to be right, and say, ‘I am in the right’?

Bediuzzaman says that in the view of truth, the cause of enmity and all forms of evil is in itself evil. Good qualities that arouse love are luminous like love.

It is for this reason that the saying has come into being, ‘The friend of a friend is a friend.’

In addition, it is also said, ‘Many eyes are beloved on account of one eye.’

If this is the view of truth, we will understand now, what a great offence it is to cherish enmity for the likeable and innocent brothers and relatives of someone we may dislike.

Bediuzzaman advises in Risalei Nur that if we wish to defeat our enemy then we should respond to his evil with good.

If we respond with evil, enmity will increase, and even though he will be outwardly defeated, he will nurture hatred in his heart, and hostility will persist.

But, if we respond to him with good, he will repent and become our friend.

The meaning of the lines, ‘If you treat the noble nobly, he will be yours, and if you treat the vile nobly, he will revolt,’ is that it is the mark of the believer to be noble, and he will become submitted to us if we give him noble treatment.

And even if someone is apparently ignoble, he is noble with respect to his imaan.

It often happens that if you tell an evil man, ‘You are good, you are good,’ he will become good; and if you tell a good man, ‘You are bad, you are bad’, he will become bad.

In conclusion, Bediuzzaman advises us in his contemporary Quranic tafsir, Risale-i Nur (The Treatise of Light) to adhere to the following sacred principles of the Quran in Surah Al Furqan, ‘Who, when they pass by worthless talk, pass by with dignity’, and Surah At-Taghabun, ‘If you forgive, pardon and relent, verily, Allah is All-Relenting, Merciful’, for happiness and safety are to be found in them.

Insha Allah, may Allah Almighty include us among those who live these sacred principles in our lives. Ameen.

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Muslim Views . December 2014

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

Melomed Claremont Clinic unveils modern emotional health and life skills facility SET in the tranquil suburb of Claremont, Melomed’s new psychiatric health and emotional well-being facility offers a luxurious home-away-fromhome environment where patients can recoup in the utmost comfort and privacy.

A dedicated team of specialist psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, nursing staff and supportive services offers patients a place where they feel safe and comfortable; aspects which are so essential to recovery.

Centrally located nursing stations ensure that patients are always attended to, while CCTV and controlled access ensure their safety and security.

With breathtaking views of Table Mountain, the facility’s large windows and warm feeling complement its modern design, creating the perfect environment to ensure patient recovery.

In line with Melomed’s values, patients are treated with dignity and respect while their right to privacy is maintained at all times.

The Melomed Claremont Private Clinic professional team understands how important the support of family and friends is for the recovery of our patients.

Visiting is encouraged, family lounges are available and patients can interact with one another through gym activities and using the communal areas.

The Melomed Claremont Private Clinic, situated at 148 Imam Haron Road, Claremont, opened on September 11, offering a holistic, comprehensive and secure centre specialising in the treatment of mental health disorders and substance abuse.

Photo SUPPLIED

With this focus on social interaction, friends and family can take comfort in the knowledge that their loved ones enjoy the best possible care and camaraderie throughout their stay.

Patients and visitors receive a warm welcome at reception, conveniently located on the ground floor.

Here they will find a full range of psychiatric services, including specialists such as psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists.

From left to right: Mr I Bhorat (Director) Melomed Hospital Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Mr Henry Hendricks (Hospital Manager) Melomed Gatesville Private Hospital, Ms Soraya Deutchen (Profesional Nurse) Melomed Gatesville Private Hospital, Mr R Allie (CEO) Melomed Hospital Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views

The administration office is located on the first floor in addition to patient accommodation, comfortable communal area, dining area and therapy room.

The second floor consists mainly of patient accommodation complemented by a tranquil indoor garden and calming water feature.

Patients enjoy comfortable facilities designed with their needs and recovery in mind.

Tasty, nutritious meals are prepared by a dedicated in-house

catering department to ensure that each patient’s dietary needs are taken care of.

All meals are enjoyed within a comfortable dining area.

The gym offers patients a place to energise their bodies while the communal areas offer a place to relax, play games, read, watch TV and enjoy the company and encouragement of peers.

Should patients feel the need for quiet reflection and relaxation then there is no better place than the tranquil indoor garden.

NURSING care is the cornerstone of any health care system.

One of the main challenges we currently face is the serious shortage of nurses in the country.

To encourage the nursing profession and highlight their important work, Discovery Health introduced a programme to award excellence in nursing for nursing professionals employed in the private sector.

The Discovery MESH survey (Member Experience Survey – Hospitals), which is administered to patients after a hospital admission, is used to identify nurses who are making an impact, improving the experience of patients in hospitals and contributing in many other ways to better nursing care and systems.

Discovery Excellence Award in Nursing is a programme intended to celebrate nurses identified by patients as having played a helpful role during their stay in hospital.

Purpose of the Nursing Awards To reward nursing excellence in private sector hospitals To strengthen the healthcare system by facilitating further education and training for nurses To encourage a culture of both individual excellence and teamwork in nursing Melomed nursing practitioners have been fortunate to have been nominated, and various staff members at our hospitals received nominations and were fortunate to win these prestigious awards.

Two staff members, in particular, went through and were nominated for the annual awards.

The annual awards were based on the nominees from the bi-annual awards. The selected top nurses were reviewed by an independent panel of judges which consisted of the following: l Professor Busisiwe Bhengu (Chair, South African Nursing Council)

The soft artificial grass surface of the garden coupled with the melodic sounds of the running water, offer patients an ideal therapeutic indoor setting.

Luxurious rooms, each with its own TV, offer patients the comforts of home.

The comfortable beds are divided into single, double or triple accommodation – there is an option to suit every patient.

Patients are also afforded controlled access to pre-selected DStv channels and wireless internet.

Melomed Private Hospitals endeavour to create a statement of confidence in the health development sector.

Melomed is the largest wholly black-owned private hospital group in the private health care industry within the Western Cape, and prides itself in offering accessible world-class facilities and care.

No effort and expense is spared to ensure every patient’s well-being, as their recovery is our main priority.

For information, see www.melomed.co.za l Professor Laetitia Rispel (School of Public Health) l Janet Bell (Independent consultant) l Dr Michele Youngleson (Independent Improvement Advisor) l Dr Joyce Mokoena (Senior Lecturer, University of Limpopo [MEDUNSA]) During the Hospital Association of South Africa Conference, in October this year, the winners were announced and Ms Soraya Deutchen, Enrolled Nurse employed in the maternity ward at Melomed Gatesville since 2009, was among them. The achievement is a milestone and thus highlights the dedication and efforts of ordinary South Africans to deliver exceptional care to patients. Prize money awarded to the staff member was R50 000.

We as a hospital group are proud to have Soraya as part of our team and congratulate her on a job well done.

FROM THE MIMBAR Celebrate the birth of our Prophet

Muslim Views . December 2014

The blessed birth of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) was like the glorious sunrise giving splendid light to a dark world of injustice, idolatry and superstition, says Shaikh ABDURAGMAAN ALEXANDER. AY, in the grace of Allah and His mercy, in that they should rejoice…’ (Surah

‘S

10:58) Glory and Praise be to Allah by whose divine Grace and Mercy we welcome the blessed month of Rabi ul Awwal 1436.

Allah’s eternal peace and blessings be upon our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW) who came as a grace and mercy to the entire universe.

Rabi ul Awwal means ‘The First Spring’.

According to the most reliable sources, the blessed birth of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) occurred on the early dawn of the 12th Rabi ul Awwal. His blessed birth was like the glorious sunrise giving splendid light to a dark world of injustice, idolatry and superstition.

Thus, it is a period of joy for the global Muslim ummah who will lovingly commemorate Moulood, in honour of the glorious birth and advent of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) as the greatest of all Allah’s creation and the final prophet to all humanity.

Allah majestically declares in His glorious Quran (33:56): ‘Verily, Allah and His angels place blessings on the Prophet. O believers, you also put blessings and salutations upon him with a (befitting) salutation.’

The Almighty states in surah 94, verse 4, ‘And We have exalted for you (O Muhammad) your remembrance.’

The blessed birth of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) was joyfully foretold by all the previous prophets to their respective communities.

The Holy Prophet Moses (AS) said to the Israelites, in Deuteronomy 18 verse 18: ‘And I (God) will raise them up a prophet, amongst their bretheren, like unto thee…’

The Holy Prophet Jesus Christ (AS) also said to his people in the Gospel of John 16:12, ‘I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you to all truth…’

True to these and many other prophesies which fit Nabi Muhammad (SAW) like a glove, he guided the world from the dark abyss of idolatry, superstition and immorality

to the light of truth and civilisation.

This miraculous revolution changed not only the face of Arabia but the course of human history.

The great historian, George Bernard Shaw, after studying the life of our Prophet, said, ‘If a man like Muhamed were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness.’

The Muslim world is currently groping in darkness, corruption and instability. Disunity and sectarian violence has resulted in the present turmoil, and Muslims globally have become the laughing stock and punching bag of the antagonistic American imperialist and Israeli Zionist states, and their allies, bent on smothering the rise of true Islam.

Whenever a Muslim state becomes ‘insolent’ and begins to form its own independent policy, in defiance of the ‘Super Powers’, it is brought back to its ‘right sense’ through military might.

The Muslim world will remain in subjugation of these anti-Islam regimes until we decide to change our own condition.

This blessed time is an ideal opportunity for the Muslim ummah, as we commemorate Moulood, to use as a unifying factor through the power of our supreme guidance (AlQuran) and the prophetic way of our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW). Unity is strength. Together we will stand and disunited we fall.

In recent times, we have been increasingly confronted with the issue of bidah. Annually the Wahabi proponents try to dampen the joyful

spirit of the Moulood commemorations by condemning the Moulood and many of our beautiful traditional practices.

This demands our attention; we need to clarify this notion, which is often grossly misunderstood.

What is bidah? We often hear the famous hadith: ‘The best speech is the Book of Allah and the best path to follow is the path of Nabi Muhammad (SAW), and the worst things are the innovations and every innovation is an error.’ (Sahih Muslim) Now let us ask, does this mean that everything introduced into Islam that was not known or practised by the first generation of Muslims, is to be rejected?

Our illustrious classical ulama do not accept such a literalist interpretation.

A major contribution of the great Imam Shafi’ (RA) in Usul-al-Fiqh, is his division of innovated matters into good bidah or evil bidah.

One of the most prestigious students of Imam Shafi’ (RA), the Egyptian Hadith master Harmala Ibn Yahya said, ‘I heard Imam Shafi say bidah is of two kinds: bidah mah-mudah (good and approved innovation); bidah madh-mumah (bad and disapproved innovation).

He used as his proof the statement of Sayyidina Umar (RA) about the congregational Taraweeh prayer in Ramadaan, ‘What a fine bidah (innovation) this is!’ (This is narrated by Imam Malik (RA) in his Muwatta and Sahih Bukhari.)

Another of our great luminaries, Hujjatul Islam Imam Ghazali (RA), says in his discussion of the adding

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of the dots and vowels to the Quranic script: ‘The fact that this is a bidah forms no impediment to this.

‘How many bidahs (innovated matters) are excellent. As it was said concerning the congregation of Taraweeh, that it was a bidah of Sayyidina Umar (RA) and that it was an excellent bidah. The evil bidah is only that which opposes the Sunnah.’ (Ihya uloomu-din) The great muhaddith from Makkah, the late Shaikh Muhammad Maliki Al-Alawi (RA) reminded us that not every new thing is bidah. Only if it contradicts a principle of religion, as though it is part of it then it becomes a misguided innovation. Otherwise, if it conforms to the spirit of shariah then it is good.

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani in his book (Al-Durar al- kamina fi’ayn alMi’at al- thamina) said that those people who call every new thing bidah, have failed to grasp the full meaning of the Prophetic saying, ‘Kullu bidatin dhalalah.’ (every innovation is an error).

O Muslims, I hope our khutbah has shed some light and cleared up the cobwebs and confusions in the midst of these annual controversies.

This tidal wave of Wahabi ideology has become a menace against our 320-year-old loving Cape Muslim community.

The only way to stem the tide of these Wahabis and their mercenaries is to recommit ourselves to the beautiful legacy we inherited from our illustrious forebears and great auliya whose mazaars and shrines form a mighty circle of protection around us, their children, here in the Western Cape.

O Muslims, continue to commemorate and celebrate your Mouloods with hearts of joy and love for your beloved Prophet (SAW). Uphold your gadats and dhikr programmes and everything that brings unity and mutual love.

Your rewards and blessings are with Allah.

May Allah bless the true ulama and all believers. Ameen.

Jumuah mubarak.

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Muslim Views

Muslim Views . December 2014

Positive and Effective Parenting

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Positive parenting for violence prevention FOUZIA RYKLIEF

HE motivation for this topic is that once again (and year after year) the 16 days of Activism against Violence against Women and Children Campaign has begun.

Let us not forget the violence against men. Research has shown that 70% of victims of violence are men. Then there is the violence perpetrated against children by mothers and other caregivers, sometimes resulting in a child’s death.

I thought it appropriate to share briefly the Parent Centre’s approach to violence prevention and some challenges that parents face.

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The Parent Centre’s role The centre has never embarked on a special campaign to prevent violence. It regards its overall aim as prevention through the promotion of Positive Parenting Principles and positive discipline (covered in previous articles in Muslim Views).

It has always been the aim to address this situation through ongoing support and guidance to parents throughout the life stages of the child.

It provides parents with educative principles and practical parenting skills, as well as supportive techniques offering emotional containment, affirmation and encouragement through individual counselling, workshops and once-off talks on all aspects of parenting and home-visiting to

vulnerable mothers.

There is a special focus on fatherhood and, to date, many fathers have accessed services offered by the centre as well as teen-parenting.

The parents’ role Children cannot grow up untended, and each step in their development requires the parents’ commitment to the parenting task. This task demands attention, discernment, effort and a clear understanding of the role of the parent and the needs of the child.

However, parenting is tough at the best of times and most parents do not seek help when they encounter normal crises during the developmental stages of children or when their parenting ability is affected by personal crises and/ or community problems.

An important goal of the parental task is to build strengths such as positive self-esteem, confidence and resilience in their children. These strengths can help children to manage challenges they may encounter as they develop. It is the child’s task to grow – physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually; it is the parent’s task to facilitate that growth.

The parental task is also to protect the child from harm, physically and emotionally, but not to prevent the child from experiencing the ordinary doses of frustration that reality imposes on day-to-day living.

Positive Parenting is about

developing empathy and building a healthy relationship with the child. I believe that for every child to become the best that he can be, he needs to be connected, initially to his carer, and later to those with whom he comes into meaningful contact. This is the basis for healthy emotional development, which can only occur through connections.

Parenting, as I see it, is where connection begins. It is this connection, this early relationship, that sets the foundation for future relationships the child may have; relationships free of violence.

It is through this connection that the child first experiences empathy. Someone who has experienced empathy is able to have empathy and, therefore, will not harm others.

Positive Parenting is about containment and discipline without violation while at the same time providing a safe environment in which children can explore and develop their unique attributes.

Facilitation of their children’s growth thus requires a safe environment, clear boundaries and, ideally, this safe space will also enable the child to reflect upon his/ her experiences.

General parenting challenges While most parents may want to do the best for their children, some who provide inadequate protection, nurturance and guidance to their children are often those parents who are themselves despairing, possibly depressed

and who may feel out of control of their own lives.

They may be preoccupied while they struggle with difficult circumstances, which could interfere with their emotional and physical availability, as well as their cognitive ability to think about their children’s needs. Or, some may not have had good models to emulate in their own parents or were victims of neglect or emotional, physical or sexual abuse.

However, parents in relatively secure circumstances or those with more favourable histories may also feel unsure when they face the normal and common problems of children as they grow through the various developmental stages.

The milieu of violence that children grow up in, particularly in gang-infested areas, and the high rate of domestic violence, impact on the parents’ ability to be focused on the children’s needs. A chronic conflictual relationship between parents, especially those who are divorced, affects children deeply as they are often caught in the middle. Such children could present as depressed and discouraged.

The impact of materialism pervades society on all levels and can influence family values. A parent may maintain that ‘I must give all that I never had’ or he/ she may give too much, in compensation for the lack of time and attention given to the children.

The advances in technology, which are positive on the one

hand, present parents with many challenges as children are also exposed to harmful practices in this field.

The current competitive environment and over-structured lives of children can result in increased prevalence of stress and anxiety in children.

Conclusion We are deeply encouraged by the response of parents to the positive parenting principles covered in the workshops attended.

Parents attend group sessions on parenting because they feel a need for assistance in coping with the challenges presented by children as they grow through the normative developmental stages.

‘The Parent Centre work helps to promote peace in the home (ultimately leading to peace in the world) and to prevent violence against children through providing effective parenting support, information and training services (antenatal and postnatal home visiting; counselling; support groups; teen parenting training; positive parenting training; fatherhood training) to parents and caregivers.

‘These services enhance their capacity to cope with the demands of parenting/ caregiving; their understanding of children’s development and needs; their ability to establish caring and nurturing parent/ caregiver–child relationships and use non-violent methods of discipline.’ (Venecia Barries, Director of the Parent Centre)

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Muslim Views . December 2014

From Consciousness to Contentment

The barakah of time: does time really fly?

JASMINE KHAN

S we draw nearer to the end of 2014, we hear a constant refrain of, ‘Oh my word, where has the time gone?’ ‘I cannot believe it is the end of the year,’ and ‘time really flies’.

Does time really fly or do we?

Are we so busy trying to do more, focusing too much on earning a living and neglecting to have a life? A more appropriate question would be, ‘What were we doing while time was passing?’

Our lives are ruled by the call to prayer but, increasingly, today we are ruled by cell phones, emails and deadlines.

Even when our work is done and we are supposed to have time off, we are ruled by the television.

We are afraid to miss an episode of our favourite soapie or series.

We have just entered the new Islamic year, and we send out good wishes to our family and friends yet, how many of us actually ponder the significance of the year that has passed?

Come the end of December and we are very aware that a new year is about to start, and we wonder where the time has gone.

Could it be that we are not really fully conscious of every valuable moment given to us by Allah?

I was at Three Anchor Bay to sight the moon for Muharram, thinking, how wonderful to witness the coming in of our new year. Alas, the moon was not sighted but that was not the cause of my disappointment; it was the fact that there were so few people there.

There could have been about thirty, as opposed to the 300 and more for the sighting of Ramadaan and even more for Eid. I wondered if the ushering in of Muharram, one of the sacred months, besides being the start of another year, is of so little consequence.

We are days away from the end of 2014. Since any new year is traditionally a time for resolutions, perhaps we should be pondering on what we have achieved, not for the dunya, but for our akhirah.

Allah constantly tells us in the Holy Quran, ‘…for those who reflect.’ How can we possibly reflect if we are constantly in motion, our minds busy with a multitude of thoughts and ‘to do lists’? Let us now resolve to be a little more conscious of what we do with our time.

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Muslim Views

Fajr is now very early and some of us may want to take another few minutes in bed.

However, when you hear the sound of the birds heralding the dawn of a new day, it will make you happy to be alive.

This is the quietest time of the day and an excellent opportunity to still our minds and look into our hearts.

Instead of hurtling into the day, take the time to go into the children’s room and watch how peaceful they look.

Wake them gently and marvel at their innocence in sleep – before they start getting on your nerves with their demands.

Who knows, when they open their eyes and see Mom or Dad, or both, smiling at them, there may be a change.

Children love their parents and love nothing more than to be noticed.

Do you drive to work and stress about the amount of traffic? Allow for the fact that we all have to get to work, and not everyone is feeling as good as we are. When irritation starts to build, we need to breathe in with La illaha, and exhale with illallah.

This effectively cools the emotions.

Walk into your place of employment with a smile and a cheery greeting. Your colleagues may think you are crazy but remember that smiling is a charity.

When your boss moans about an unfinished report, consider that he may be under pressure and not in a space to handle it.

Think of how you react when your partner or children do not finish what you have asked them to do. Allow him his rant, and then calmly explain your position; this will defuse the situation.

For those who are at home and have people constantly calling or visiting with complaints about issues in their lives: be firm and tell them you cannot spare the time right now.

If you don’t, your energy will be drained, and when they leave or end the call, you will wonder where the time has gone, and you still have so much to do.

Time itself comes from Allah.

When we accept our lives as a blessing as well as a trust from Allah, we can tap into the barakah of time.

Time is not an asset that can be banked; we are each given an allotted span of time, and it is up to us how we use it.

When we try to do more than we are capable of or look back and regret what we did not do, we miss out on the baraqah of time. It is important to feel good about what we achieved instead

of stressing about what could not be done.

Being fully conscious of what we are doing, be it for the boss or our families, will lead to a feeling of contentment and joy at time well spent.

If, during the day, we have offered a silent prayer of thankfulness for actually being able to do our work, we will have served our Creator. At the end of the day, we can devote time to our families before slipping into bed, having made full use of the baraqah of the day.

This year, we celebrate the birth of our beloved Rasul (SAW), just three days into 2015. It is ironic that while the rest of the world do their best to be in a state of unconsciousness, we will be experiencing a heightened consciousness and appreciation of what we have, insha Allah.

Ameen.

FOR ALL

Muslim Views . December 2014

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Decay and restoration

With each metre of descent, Earth’s history unfolds like a giant art-mural, the canyon walls ablaze with layers of coloured strata, writes Doctor M C D’ARCY.

(Top) Mud-brick masjid, Djenné.

Photo WIKIPEDIA

ECAY starts the moment after creation. Age withers everything. Mountains become sand. And sand crumbles into dust.

Over billions of years, the mighty Colorado River, in the USA, whittled deep down into the hard earth, its rushing waters pulverising giant boulders into pebbles, inexorably creating the vast empty chasm of the iconic Grand Canyon, the biggest in the world: 446km long, 29km wide and 1 800 metres deep.

Sporadic flash-flooding of the Fish River, in our neighbouring Namibia, scoured out the Fish River Canyon, the second biggest ravine on earth: 160 km long, 27 km wide and, in places, almost 550 metres deep.

I’ve seen both.

The voids beyond their rims are awesome. It makes one reflect how small we are in the vastness of the universe and how little we know of its dynamics.

Questions inundate the mind.

Answers are few. For those so inclined, it can be deeply humbling and incandescently spiritual.

Many years ago, I descended the Grand Canyon on a mule that crossed its legs as it navigated the Bright Angel Trail, a narrow gravel path snaking down the precipitous canyon walls.

You look down and gasp; below the mule’s belly, and your foot in the stirrup, there’s a whole kilometre of emptiness.

With each metre of descent, Earth’s history unfolds like a giant art-mural, the canyon walls ablaze with layers of coloured strata laid down eons before when the mighty Colorado River was a mere trickle in the primordial forests where dinosaurs roamed.

Their excavated skeletons are now exposed and exhibited in the states of New Mexico and Utah.

Their sizes boggle.

Most natural museums have specimens.

A gigantic articulated replicadinosaur skeleton moves and roars in the entrance hall of the British Museum of Natural History – absolutely stunning.

The South African Iziko National Museum in Cape Town’s Company Gardens is also well endowed with an array of fossils from the Karoo; knowledge on your doorstep. They are worth school and family visits.

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Fish River Canyon.

A visit last year to the Fish River Canyon renewed awe.

Down deep on the dry bed of the sporadically flowing Fish River, only a few pools of water remained.

The steep quarried canyon walls clearly attest to the river’s violent history when it too rushed down and scoured deep into the earth.

Aeons past, its waters assuaged the thirst of massive dinosaurs (the word dinosaur originates from ‘giant lizard’).

Herds of strange animals, swarms of insects and flocks of Pterodactyl birds darkened the skies by their sheer numbers.

An encyclopaedia of diverse fossils is embedded all over the dry Karoo scrubland that extends up beyond the Gariep (Orange) River into Namibia.

Man, in the trappings of the Khoisan, genetically one of the most ancient races on Earth, came much later.

Their families were comforted in nippy winters by the hot springs that bubble from the old Fish riverine bed at Ai Ais. In reconstructing the history of the Earth and the origin of life, it is pertinent to ask about the creation, lives and demise of these ancient denizens.

What are the views? How can divergent opinions and evidence be explained and reconciled with science and belief by modern man in his quest for knowledge and truth?

Our children will ask these questions. Mine already have.

Are we equipped to reply?

Calm discourse is the key to this

Photo M C D’ARCY

philosophic excavation. Fanaticism and intolerance are both toxic. As yet, there is no milliondollar final answer to the conundrum.

At UCT’s Summer School, last year, I was fascinated by a series of lectures on Science and Religion by Professor Anwar Mall of the Department of Surgery, UCT. He is giving another series of lectures at the next UCT Summer School. Those with open minds and philosophical savvy would, I am sure, enjoy them as I did last time.

Our everyday lives are no different to the Earth’s cycles of creation and decay. The 4 000 year glorious Egyptian Civilisation was only a match-flame in time.

In 1967, just after the Yom Kippur War, when the Egyptian army was crushed by Israel, I stood, a lone tourist, in the shadow of the first Egyptian pyramid ever built: the Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Zoser (ca. 2667 to 2648 BC), at Sakkara.

I marvelled at the millions of bricks that went into its creation.

Physician and architect of the pyramid, Imhotep, is buried adjacent to his innovative pyramidtemple masterpiece.

He celebrated the glory of the Egyptian Civilisation, its boundaries reaching out to the Levant to the north and to the Land of Kush awash with gold to the far south.

On that visit, I witnessed Egyptian humiliation and the crumpled decay of Zoser’s glorious Step Pyramid. Happily, the ghost of Imhotep must have stepped in.

On my following visit 20 years later, the picture had changed for the better.

Under the guidance of men like Zahi Hawass, Director of Egyptian Antiquities, the pyramid complex was being restored and resurrected for the benefit of mankind in his quest for historic narrative and art.

Incidentally, Zahi Hawass was here a few years ago for a lecture sponsored by The Egyptian Society of South Africa; a fantastic lecture by a very interesting archaeologist.

In an aside, he related about one of the dangers of archaeology, not quite like the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie but interesting.

There was an archaeological site right in the centre of a small village in Egypt. The deep excavation went along a tunnel and was stopped at a door-like wall, possibly leading to a tomb.

Zahi was summoned for the final opening of what might be an ancient tomb. The ‘tomb’ wall was demolished with great excitement and a little apprehension.

When the last blow was struck to allow access to the ‘tomb’ they were met with a blast of foul air and a waterfall of excrement.

They had excavated right into the long-drop toilet of one of the villagers.

Let’s breathe in some clean air.

Often, our local masajid are built in snail-time but neglected to decay in rocket-time.

Many houses in American suburbs are made of wood.

Timber is plentiful and costs less than bricks and cement. Timber is also easy to prefabricate in sections allowing rapid construction.

Watch the musical-movie Oklahoma and see how quickly a wooden house can be erected when ‘many hands make light work’. A barn-like structure can be erected in less than a week.

Decoration and art-trimmings take a bit longer.

Most community masajid need only a simple central barn rectangle, some peripheral ablution facilities and madrassah siderooms. The motto is: use what is available and employ your collective savvy.

Let’s take a lesson from what they do in Mali, north-west Africa, where the earth is bleak, sandy and decimated by man and goat. There’s not a substantial lumber-tree in sight.

The elders of Djenné, in Mali, looked down.

(Top) Dinosaur head in rock.

Photo WIKIPEDIA

The solution to masjid-building was right under their feet.

They smiled and used the local clay to construct what is now known as the largest mud-brick masjid in the world.

This treasured gem was built using the principle of many hands make light work.

And brilliantly, after the rainy season melts the mud, the masjid is annually restored by the community coming together over a weekend and having a festival of fun and restoration of their place of worship.

We must learn. A country-wide week of festivities and communal repair and resurrection of masajid and madrassahs would empower communities for these structures can be used for post-school time studies, both religious and secular.

Costs would be contained.

Rapid construction also minimises bureaucracy and the disappearance of collected funds.

Of this, Wikipedia says: ‘Annual repair of the mosque is almost a festival and the entire community of Djenné takes an active role in it. In the days leading up to the festival, the plaster is prepared in pits.

‘It requires several days to cure but needs to be periodically stirred, a task usually falling to young boys who play in the mixture, thus stirring up the contents.

Men climb onto the mosque’s built-in scaffolding and ladders made of palm wood and smear the plaster over the face of the mosque.

‘Another group of men carries the plaster from the pits to the workmen on the mosque. A race is held at the beginning of the festival to see who will be the first to deliver the plaster to the mosque.

‘Women and girls carry water to the pits before the festival and to the workmen on the mosque during it. Elderly members of the community sit in the market square watching the proceedings.

Music and food is included during the festival.’

Decay and restoration are central to art, culture, religion and even scientific theories. It is vital that we address this paradigm.

More next time.

Muslim Views

40

SPORTS-TALK

Muslim Views . December 2014

The next time you read about a ‘servant’ of the game, check to see if s/he

‘Servants of the game’ need to front up to social injustice As in other social spheres, sport is about fitness, team-spirit, the joy of participation, and the sweet taste of achievement. In capitalist-apartheid South Africa, oppressed sportspersons understood that sport was also an arena in which to contribute to the destruction of the revolting oppression by the tiny, oppressive, super-wealthy minority, writes YUNUS OMAR. VERY time I read about a great ‘servant of the game’ I want to throw up.

Award-winning scribes do nothing to analyse what it is they are actually writing and asking us to believe.

As it’s the end of one year and the start of another, it’s quite useful to look back and ask how it is that we got to where we are.

For those of you brave enough, and wise enough to go back further than just one year, there might be a few surprises in store.

We’ve just been told (again), this time by President Jacob Zuma, that our playing fields are not yet level.

We know that.

We worked for that to happen during the anti-apartheid-capitalist struggle.

We continue to do so.

Some correctly realised that apartheid in South Africa was a local manifestation of capitalist oppression in our part of the world.

And so the real fight was to undo the revolting oppression by the tiny, oppressive, superwealthy minority, and replace the system with one that gave expression to the real needs and aspirations of all people.

Now that sounds political. It is.

So, on a weekday afternoon, after a solid day’s work in the boiling Cape Town sun, grizzled bricklayers would pack up on the building-site and rush for the bus to take them to cricket-practice at Green Point Track, or at Rosmead in Claremont, at local pri-

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Muslim Views

mary schools in Hanover Park... you’ve got the picture.

There they would join teachers and students, accountants, preachers and imams... people from the oppressed communities.

In the then Transvaal (pieces of which are now Gauteng, NorthWest Province, et al), the same would be happening.

It happened in Natal, in the Eastern Cape, in South-Western Districts... it happened wherever people decided to act out their impulses to participate in sporting activities in order to give expression to their physical, mental and social desires.

The local fruit wholesaler would provide a flatbed truck on which heaving hands would load the matting-wicket, lifted by stumps held on either side of the rolled-up wicket, on which we played.

For those who have never seen a matting wicket and what a cricket-ball does off its surface, let’s just say that it was a lively, throat-seeking exercise for any bowler prepared to bend his back and hurl down that cherry to you.

These were the days before helmets.

You were lucky if you could afford your own batting gloves and pads.

Owning a bat was beyond the means of most local cricketers who can truly say that they were ‘from the loins of the workingclass’.

Let’s mention a few of the names with which the great game of cricket was graced in Cape Town.

Gasant Abed was fondly known ‘Tiny’. It’s like calling Danny de Vito ‘Giant’.

The Abed brothers were a cricketing phenomenon in Cape Town, South Africa, Africa and the world. They graced cricket fields in all parts of the world, and they came from Muir Street, in District Six. Not too long ago in this very newspaper, Mogamad Allie wrote a moving tribute to a wicketkeeper, Salie ‘Lobo’ Abed, who ‘stood up’ to fast-bowlers on a matting wicket. He was quite superb.

Many musallees who frequented Mount View Masjid over the past decades would not have known that the quiet man who stood around after Jumuah to greet old friends in wheelchairs was one of the greatest wicketkeepers to have donned ‘the gloves’.

The sadness of that non-recognition is only clear when we look back.

Racist academics, businesspeople, educational institutions and politicians put their collective minds together and fashioned a state in which violence was at the heart of their vision of paradise on earth.

When a colonial army is defeated, as the English and Dutch were, it should be the case that the indigenous people rule themselves.

Not so South Africa.

We had pencils pushed through our hair (just a few sunrises ago) to test whether God had made us white or coloured. If our forefathers came from India as indentured labourers, we were (and still are, in case this is not known) called ‘indian’.

Those who claimed lineage from the Malaysian archipelago were called ‘cape malays’.

(And no, the lower-case letters in the designations of people are not an accident. Imagine accepting a lower-class station in life

puts her/his neck on the block to speak out and act against oppression. If not, replace the word ‘servant’ with ‘lord’. with its accompanying upper-case letter to start off the insulting word. Imagine that.)

And so the Abeds and the Majolas, the Majiets, the Solomonses and the Timols, the O’Connells and the Abrahamses all played their cricket on substandard fields, with sub-standard facilities, with cricket-gear and other essentials paid for from working-class pockets which were never properly filled by the wealthy who had stumbled on to the idea of under-employment.

Under-employment is simple: employ people with the necessary skills but pay them well below what they need to make their way in the world. Keep them completely dependent on being employed by you.

And it’s really simple. All you need is a reserve army of unemployed people and you can threaten anyone by saying: ‘You’re completely replaceable whenever I feel like doing it to you.’

The biggest hitter of a six I’ve ever seen is a man called Saait Majiet.

He also happened to be a glorious Number 8 for Primroses in the City and Suburban Rugby Football Union, and graced the non-racial SARU (the South African Council on Sport – SACOS-aligned South African Rugby Union) team over many years.

He was a gem but his true greatness lies in the fact that he plied his trade amongst the oppressed, when he and others could so easily have gone where people of lesser priciple went.

Every time a unit of SACOS ran out to play, it cocked a fist at the Verwoerds and Bothas and their collaborationist lackeys in our own communities.

Let’s end this piece where we started: ‘servants of the game’.

In the mid-1980s, mourners and activists on the Cape Flats jostled each other to carry the bier of a fallen community man, killed by the apartheid riot police outside St Athan’s Road Masjid, in Athlone, during a massive rally against the brutal regime.

As thousands walked with the bier, passing just a few blocks down Thornton Road, word came through that a cricket match was underway at Clover

Crescent.

Hundreds of mourners peeled off and began running towards Clover Crescent, across Klipfontein Road.

Why? All sports fixtures had been cancelled out of respect for a fallen community man. But those who played racial cricket (euphemistically called ‘normal cricket’) were going about their game as usual.

The point is that not just sportspersons ran to their field to stop the game.

The oppressed knew what a powerful tool sport was in the hands of the oppressors.

On page 3 of this edition, the late Professor Dennis Brutus’ life is remembered.

Brutus and others recognised that sport on the international stage was where nations displayed their superiority and guile.

The anti-apartheid sports movement devastated racist South Africa with international boycotts and banning of South African teams from participating at the Olympics, at the Soccer World Cup and the like.

True servants of the game came from the oppressed. They still do.

The true heroes, the ‘servants’ of the game, recognised, and still do, that the admiration they get from adoring spectators is a responsibility that must be taken up. Servants serve. Servants are often super-exploited. But ‘those who serve’ are part of the global oppressed who continue to roar in the streets across the globe.

The next time you read about a ‘servant’ of the game, check to see if s/he puts her/his neck on the block to speak out and act against oppression.

If not, replace the word ‘servant’ with ‘lord’.

Sports-Talk supports the sportspersons and sports-lovers who will transform society for the good of all.

We’re tired of politicians telling us that the playing-fields are not level. We know that.

What we need are people-centred economic policies that serve and benefit the people.

The sacrifices of those who played before us demand of us that we, too, become ‘servants with and of the oppressed’.

Aluta.