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Muslim Views . April 2019
Status of Black Muslims the focus of historic conference
Unisa-based academic, Nwabisa Nadia Sigaba (left), and amir of the Western Cape Shura Council, Shaikh Ismail Gqamane (right) are among the speakers who will be addressing the historic first South African Black Muslim Conference. Photos GIVEN MALULEKA (left) & ABDUL LATIEF ROSSIER (right)
ASLAM MXOLISI TAWANA
DURING the early 1950s, legendary Islamic scholar and political activist Imam Abdullah Haron took the message of Islam to the indigenous Black people in the townships of Langa and Gugulethu, in Cape Town. Since then, Islam has spread to many other townships in the country with African people embracing the deen of Islam in great numbers. In fact, in a recent Sunday Times article, an academic study was reported wherein it was found that the growth of Muslim numbers is mostly experienced in the Black townships and rural areas. This confirmed that everyday people in these areas are becoming Muslim in their thousands.
Within these new Muslim communities, challenges peculiar to their environments are being experienced that needs attending to in the best way by these communities as they understand their own circumstances. The pioneers of Islam in the kasi (a colloquial term for ‘township’) were the first-generation Muslims who learned Islam from the Malay and Indian communities but also sent their own children and grandchildren to various Islamic universities to study Islam and to plough back into their communities. In addition, they also sent, and continue to send, their other children to university to study secular education in order to enable these second-generation Black Muslims to return and take charge of the af-
The historic first South African Black Muslim Conference is being led by Tshwane-based alim, Moulana Zaid Langa. Photo SUPPLIED
fairs of Black Muslims within the kasis and rural areas. With the return of these graduates in various fields of Islamic theology and secular education, the time has come for these graduates to take over the affairs of Muslims within their communities. This prompted the idea to have an annual Black Muslim conference where indigenous Muslims of Azanian (South African) origin could come together to discuss issues affecting their communities throughout the country. The inaugural South African Black Muslim Conference will therefore take place from April 19 to 21, 2019, in Soweto, Johannesburg The theme of this first conference will be ‘Black Muslims in the post-apartheid South Africa’.
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The aims of the conference are to outline the status of Black Muslims in South Africa; to share ideas and expertise on how to improve the conditions of Black Muslims, economically, socially and educationally; to adopt a national programme of action to implement the decisions of the conference; and to encourage the culture of taking charge of our own affairs. The topics to be discussed at the conference are the state of Black ulama in the townships; Black Muslims and economic development; the social status of Black Muslims in South Africa; the development of Muslim women in the townships; and Black Muslims and education. The conference is being led by the highly respected Tshwanebased alim, Moulana Zaid Langa, who is the amir of the conference.
To address the topics, the creme-de la-creme of Black Muslim speakers from around South Africa and the African diaspora have been sourced to deliver papers covering the various topics. These include highly respected ulama, like Moulana Fuad Lobi, Shaikh Abdul-Qadr Nkosi, Shaikh Ismail Gqamane, Hafidh Raheem Nkumane, and highly acclaimed political activist and poet, Ebrahim Bofelo. Former student activist turned businessman and amir of the Galeshewe Muslim Association, Aslam Mxolisi Tawana; Unisabased academic, Professor Amina Ngubani; amir of the Gauteng Muslim Shura Council, Sidi Mohammad Gadimang; political activist Mamohale Moloi; IBM-based IT expert Fatima Thekoane; community activist and marriage counsellor, Abdusalaam Motaung; teacher and youth activist, Essa Khambule; and Unisabased academic, Nwabisa Nadia Sigaba are also on the list of presenters. President Cyril Ramaphosa has also been invited to address the gala event of the conference. There is overwhelming support from many quarters of the general Muslim community in South Africa for this conference. There is also a positive vibe and anticipation within Black Muslim communities throughout the country and everyone is looking forward to this historic conference. Aslam Mxolisi Tawana is a panelist at the conference and part of the organising committee.
