Muslim Views, August 2018

Vol. 32 No. 8

DHIL-HIJJAH 1439 l AUGUST 2018

A stoic fighter for justice PROFESSOR EBRAHIM MOOSA

MOULANA Ihsaan Hendricks, past president of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and director of Al Quds Foundation passed away on Friday, August 10, after a long illness. At a moving ceremony on Saturday afternoon, in a packed Masjidus Salaam, in St Athans Road, Athlone, various ulama paid tribute to this unassuming and tireless fighter for the rights of the Palestinians and other oppressed people. After the Salaatul Janazah, the bier, which was draped with the Palestinian flag was carried out of the masjid to chants in support of freedom for the Palestinian people.

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Eid Mubarak Giving More Than Just Thanks

ON Friday, August 10, my wonderful, caring and justice-loving friend, Moulana Ihsaan Hendricks, passed away in Cape Town.

Moulana Ihsaan was born in Worcester, and trained as an alim at Darul Uloom Newcastle, in KwaZulu-Natal, and at the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, in Lucknow, India.

He was a stoic fighter for justice for all dispossessed people be they in South Africa, Palestine or anywhere in the world. He was passionate about two things: justice and knowledge. And true to the meaning of his name, he oozed the beauty of character, generosity of spirit and grace.

Contrary to what many might think of most traditional scholars, Moulana Ihsaan was an extremely open-minded person. He listened to different points of view. He strongly believed that traditional Muslim scholars needed the best exposure to new knowledge and experiences.

Moulana Ihsaan had the unique distinction of serving on the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) under the leadership of Shaikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

Apart from his work as past president of the Muslim Judicial Council and as founder of the Al-Quds Foundation, in recent years he set his sights on ulama-training. He established the Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali al-Nadwi Leadership Academy (Saanla), in Cape Town.

On April 6 to 7, 2018, Saanla hosted the Madrasa Discourses programme, in partnership with International Peace College South Africa (Ipsa) over two days.

In the two days I spent with Moulana, he spoke enthusiastically and fervently about the need for creative thinking in matters of theology and Islamic thought. He said our goal is to unlock the talent in religious thought by unlocking the minds with new approaches and questions.

Only a few days ago, on the day he was discharged from a long period of hospitalisation, we spoke about plans to begin in earnest the work of Madrasa Discourses in sub-Saharan Africa.

Moulana Ihsaan had a wide network of influence in Africa and he made me promise that we would work together on this initiative. Now it becomes my duty to honour the wish of my friend and begin this task in earnest, Insha Allah.

Moulana Ihsaan and I go back to when we were youth. His family in Worcester and my extended family, in the same town in the Boland, went back decades. I frequently visited Worcester and his late father was extremely caring and gracious to me.

When I returned from my studies in India, Moulana Ihsaan and his late father visited me in the Strand to consult me on his studies abroad.

Back then already, he and I were of one mind that it was fruitless and destructive to engage in the demonisation of different Muslim perspectives, especially the disastrous sectarian conflict and tensions between Sunni and Shia theological tendencies.

When he returned to South Africa after his studies abroad, we continued our friendship. I joined him at events at the various mosques at which Moulana Ihsaan served. He was a selfless man who served the community with qualities of humility and dedication.

I will miss him, his laughter, his sense of humour, brilliant mind, his humanity and the capacious knowledge he shared with all.

Go well my friend, hamba kahle, habibi Ihsaan!

Ebrahim Moosa is Professor of Islamic Studies at University of Notre Dame in the Department of History, and the Kroc Institute for International Studies in the United States.

Islamic Relief’s donors have more than just our thanks this Eid - they have the prayers and well wishes of over 3 million brothers & sisters in 33 countries who EHQHðWHG IURP \RXU 4XUEDQL

Muslim Views . August 2018

and noble social standing who sacrificed in distinct ways, by deferring to the authority of men of Allah, for the sake of Allah.

They were not just devoted in worship to Allah but demonstrated that, irrespective of class distinctions, they were eminent and crucial partners to prophets in realising the will of Allah.

The Prophet delivered his final message on Hajj at Arafah, admonishing men to be kind and just to women.

Ironically, it is in this very admonishment to kindness and justice that men contrive justification for the patronising treatment of women and for diminishing their full humanity.

Men typically foreground their authority over women and relegate their responsibility towards women.

They ignore that the physical presence of women in the Hajj and their full participation in all its basic rituals, alongside men, is a Divine affirmation of their right to worship like men and AUGUST is the month South their spiritual equality to men in the Africans celebrate women. This year, sight of God. August also coincides with the However, Muslim spaces for worship in annual Hajj. There are important most countries, including South Africa, lessons we can draw from the are either exclusively for men or significance of each of these events prioritised for men. in respect of the role of women.

In recent months, women in this Hajar (RA) is honoured as the figure country who expressed concern about that exemplifies the vital qualities of this unfair discrimination were severely faith and perseverance in the face of censured and subjected to vile abuse extreme distress. by ulama with grand titles who routinely It is particularly significant that it is a admonish ‘sabr’ by women in the face woman – marginalised by both gender of suffering and abuse at the hands of and ethnic origin – in whose footsteps men. pilgrims, both men and women, are Muslims need an agenda of gender required to walk and run. justice founded on the recognition of Hajar (RA) and her infant son were women for their Divinely ordained exhausted and left abandoned in a physical, intellectual and spiritual worth. desert without water or any form of Just as it is true that the feminine is support. Death was close. But Allah distinct from the masculine so is it true was closer. that the marginal state of women is a The abiding model of the exemplar, social construct that must be reformed.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW), is The voice of women is non-negotiable consistent in his recognition of the in this discourse. dignity of women and their entitlement In particular, it is vital in conversations to rights over men. about the meaning of gender equality, The Prophet’s first wife, Khadija (RA), social and biological roles and a deeper disrupted gender conventions by appreciation of gender differences and proposing marriage to a man 15 years similarities. These conversations are her junior. She remained committed to expected to be robust and to reflect him and his mission and gave all her diverse views because they must wealth in the cause of Islam. necessarily be inclusive of the ulama, Both Hajar (RA) and Khadija (RA) activists as well as other institutional respectively signify women of humble and civil society voices.

The voice of women beyond the Hajj

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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3

Reflecting on the days of Dhul-Hijjah

SHAIKH SA’DULLAH KHAN Photo SUPPLIED

SHAIKH SA’DULLAH KHAN THESE are the ten days and nights of special blessings and we are advised by the Prophet (SAW) to engage in constant remembrance of the Divine, to increase charity and to be occupied in extended good deeds. These days include Youm Arafah leading to Ayyaam-ut-Tashreeq, which includes Eid-ul-Adha.

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains: ‘The reason for the excellence of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is that the people can perform in them the main types of worship: prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage, which are not possible to be combined in other days of the year.’

Wuqoof (standing) on Arafah is the grandest day of the year. It is the D-day of pilgrimage as the Prophet intimated, ‘Al-hajju Arafah.’

This is where the pilgrims gather on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, in Urana Valley on the plain of Arafah, near Makkah.

They stand united in the simplest clothing, staying in tents, where all are witness to their equality. There is supposed to be neither distinction nor discrimination.

Arafah is said to be the place where Nabi Adam and Sayyida Hawwa reunited on earth after exile from paradise. Thus, at Arafah, the role of Adam and Eve, fore-parents of humankind, is celebrated – simply, solemnly, meaningfully. All pilgrims are reminded of their common origin, irrespective of nationality or social divisions.

These pilgrims come from every corner of the globe to perform the sacred rites of Hajj. Many of our community are there, all part of an international fraternity of pilgrims.

They have journeyed away from the routine of daily life and left all that is familiar as they move from Makkah to Arafah to Muzdalifah to Mina. These hujaaj (pilgrims) re-enact some of the significant elements, moments and aspects of our history.

They simulate Hajar’s running in search of water, Prophet Ibrahim’s preparedness to sacrifice his willing and obedient son, Ismail, Abraham’s pelting of the shaitaan, symbolically declaring war against evil.

All these identify us with the best of our past and the lessons we need to learn from our great legacy.

Those who are not on Hajj will be celebrating with the hujaaj the commitment and sacrifice of the family of Ibrahim, as passed on to us by Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The udhiyah is about sacrifice but is far more than just the shedding of animal blood. The underlying implication of Islam’s attitude toward ritual slaughter is not that of blood atonement but rather the act of thanking Allah for providing sustenance.

This is reflected in the personal sacrifice of sharing one’s possessions and food with fellow human beings for it is ‘neither the flesh nor the blood that reaches Allah but your righteousness that reaches Him’. (Quran 22:37) Rather than just the sacrifice of animals, udhiyah/ qurbaan evokes a higher level of consciousness, far beyond the mundane.

These are the days of Hajj – that Hajj which is a symbolic demonstration of Muslim unity and harmony, of equality and humility.

It is a perpetuation of the Abrahamic legacy, who first announced the pilgrimage, hijjul bayt (journey to the House). A ‘house’ whose grandeur lies at its centre, the Kaabah, a basic, simple, undecorated ‘cube’. The sides of the cubic Kaabah encompasses all directions while it faces no direction in particular; and yet all faithful take it as the direction of worship. ‘Turn your face towards the Sanctified House; and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it in prayer.’ (Quran 2:144) We reflect on the dimensions of Hajj and the significance of these days of the month of Hajj as we ponder over the unity demonstrated during Hajj and in the unifying direction of our worship towards the Kaabah.

May all this evoke in our conscience awareness of our inter-connectedness as an ummah, mindfulness of our common legacy and enhance our commitment to strive for a positive collective destiny.

Shaikh Sa’dullah Khan is the CEO at Islamia College in Lansdowne, Cape Town.

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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Muslim Views . August 2018

Cape Town Refugee Reception Office still closed despite court order A RULING by the Supreme Court of Appeal last year nullified a decision taken by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to close the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (CTRRO).

The court found that the director general had ignored relevant factors when making his decision and that there is a level of demand and need for the CTRRO that must be considered, referring to, among others, the backlogs in the office.

The Department of Home Affairs was given until March 2018 to reopen and maintain a fully functional refugee office in Cape Town.

However, despite the court order, the Cape Town refugee office is still closed.

The Legal Resources Centre was one of the organisations that appealed the decision on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers in the Supreme Court of Appeal, and in this interview with NURUDEAN SSEMPA, shares the latest developments.

Why is the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office still closed despite an order by the Supreme Court of Appeal to reopen it?

What has the Legal Resources Centre done about it?

The reason the LRC was given by the officials of the CTRRO is that the facility is still closed as they are waiting for a new building to be allocated to them by the Department of Public Works.

The Legal Resources Centre has launched a new case in which we challenge the CTRRO’s closure despite a Supreme Court of Appeal court order. In this case, the LRC is seeking a declaratory order in which a special Master must be appointed to oversee compliance with the respective court cases that are being disregarded by the Department of Home Affairs. The matter is still pending before the Western Cape High Court.

Based on your knowledge of how court processes work, how long will it take before the refugee office is finally opened?

We, unfortunately, have no way of ascertaining a timeline as the case of the DHA failing to comply with the court order is still pending before court. Further, according to parliamentary questions and

Cape Town staff of the Legal Resources Centre (LRC). The LRC is an independent, client-based, non-profit public interest law clinic that can assist asylum seekers and refugees with a range of legal services, including impact and strategic litigation to promote the constitutional rights of asylum seekers and refugees to health, education and equality.

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replies, the Department of Home Affairs only wrote to the Department of Public Works director general on January 22, 2018, submitting initial needs for office accommodation even though the Scalabrini Centre v Minister of Home Affairs case was delivered on March 19, 2013. In that same reply, the estimated date of occupation is set at October 1, 2018.

In 2011, the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office was closed, severely restricting refugee services in the Eastern Cape. The Supreme Court of Appeal ordered the Department of Home Affairs to reopen the Refugee Reception Office by July 1, 2015. However, this is yet to happen.

The continued closure of the Cape Town refugee office has made it hard for asylum seekers in the Western Cape to apply for permits and be able to support themselves and their families. This is a violation of their rights, which are enshrined in the South African Constitution. What would you advise the aggrieved parties to do?

The most important step is the DHA re-opening the RRO as this

will immediately address the challenge noted here. Further, the LRC is fully committed to utilising the most appropriate legal remedies available to ensure that due process is followed.

However, we are advising clients to be patient while the judicial process is running its course.

For newcomers and those who have the means to travel, we encourage them to travel to obtain asylum seeker permits at another Refugee Reception Office in Musina, Durban or Pretoria to avoid being undocumented for an extended period of time.

Why is the Legal Resources Centre interested in refugee issues?

The Legal Resources Centre is a public interest law firm with various focus areas of which one is a forced migration focus area. Asylum seekers and refugees have been identified as a vulnerable and marginalised group within South Africa that does not necessarily have access to monetary resources to pay for legal assistance.

Our work therefore focuses on ensuring that laws and policies and other implementations do not

undermine the realisation of the constitutional rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

South Africa has signed and ratified the UN Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. Therefore, South Africa has an international obligation to protect refugees and asylum seekers. The LRC is mandated to ensure that South Africa complies with these obligations and rights of refugees as envisaged in the Refugee Convention.

What other services does the Legal Resources Centre provide to refugees and asylum seekers?

The LRC can assist asylum seekers and refugees with a range of legal services, including impact and strategic litigation to promote the constitutional rights of asylum seekers and refugees to health, education and equality etc.

On an individual case-by-case basis, we assist with appeal hearings, submissions to SCRA, school letters etc.

The LRC is also aware of the difficulty that some asylum seekers have in obtaining their children’s birth certificates. Therefore, we

can provide assistance with intervening on their behalf and request the DHA to register the birth of their children.

Why do you think World Refugee Day is important?

World Refugee day, held annually by the UN Refugee Agency, is on June 20. This day is important because it commemorates the strength, bravery and perseverance of millions of refugees worldwide who have fled their countries of origin out of fear of persecution.

Various events around the world are hosted to raise global awareness of the challenges refugees face, and for the public to show support for families forced to flee their homes.

Do you have any last comments?

‘Human dignity has no nationality. It is inherent in all people – citizen and non-citizen alike simply because they are human. Such dignity entitled people within the country to work, be respected and protected by the Bill of Rights.’

(Justice Nugent in Minister of Home Affairs and Others versus Watchenuka and Other).

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Halaal industry needs regulation MAHMOOD SANGLAY

A COMPLAINT by a consumer against Food Lover’s Market in Access Park, Cape Town, raises important questions about regulation in the halaal foods industry.

On July 28, a shopper found a brochure claiming Food Lover’s Market was strictly halaal. However, the cheese section in the store at the time displayed pork.

The shopper brought this inconsistency to the attention of the store manager who was unable to explain it.

The complaint was reported to the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJCHT) and escalated to the head office of Food Lover’s Market.

The latter responded by clarifying that its brochure advertising its products was inaccurate in claiming the store was ‘strictly halaal’ when only some of its departments, namely, the butcher, bakery and hot foods departments, were certified halaal.

However, the pork was not displayed in the butcher and the cheese section was not certified halaal so the only breach was actually misleading advertising.

Food Lover’s Market acknowledged this, removed the pork, promptly apologised and agreed to take care to advertise accurately in future.

The MJCHT responded by suspending the Halaal certificate of the butcher, launched an investiga-

tion and cleansed the area where the pork had been even though it is not part of the butcher.

This incident raises many questions. Does the MJCHT certification specifically require the client to comply with advertising standards in respect of its halaal status?

Are media, marketing, advertising and communication practices part of routine halaal standards?

The MJCHT claims it has ‘an extensive list of well documented operating procedures’ but did not provide Muslim Views a copy of these procedures on request.

Thus, there was no way we could verify their claim or check if it included a requirement on accurate advertising.

The MJCHT also claims it regularly monitors and conducts both scheduled and unscheduled visits to stores.

However, Food Lover’s Market told Muslim Views the MJCHT conducts only unscheduled visits.

Furthermore, the MJCHT failed to respond when asked when last an inspection had occurred in the five years that the various departments in Food Lover’s Market had been certified.

Food Lover’s Market also could not confirm when last an MJCHT inspection of their premises had occurred.

The MJCHT told Muslim Views that when Food Lover’s Market was initially certified, there were no pork products on the premises.

Shaikh Achmat Sedick, director of the MJCHT, did not respond to key questions on the breach by Food Lover’s Market, in Access Park, Kenilworth.

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Does this mean that the MJCHT would have declined halaal certification to Food Lover’s Market if pork products were present at the time?

It is evident that many Halaal certifiers, including the MJCHT,

do supply Halaal certificates to one department of a retailer that sells pork products in another department.

Hence it makes no sense for the MJCHT to point out that there was no pork in the store when the butcher was initially certified. It is irrelevant.

The MJCHT also points out that no contamination – due to the presence of pork in the store – had occurred.

Why would there be a concern about contamination if the pork was in an area separated from the halaal certified butcher?

It also makes no sense to ‘Islamically cleanse’ the area where the pork had been if that area requires no halaal certification or if there was no stipulation not to sell pork at the store.

All speculation in this instance would have been obviated if the MJCHT had simply disclosed what standards were issued to Food Lover’s Market.

It is particularly significant that the store too was unable to confirm if the MJCHT had issued it any kind of documented standards.

This lack of transparency erodes trust and confidence in a process that inherently involves the public interest.

The most important concern about this incident, however, is the investigation conducted by the

MJCHT. The credibility of any investigation conducted by a supplier into the public interest mandate of its own client is immediately compromised due to an obvious conflict of interest.

Is the MJCHT competent to conduct the investigation?

Can we trust the MJCHT to publicly disclose any irregularities or failures, systemic or otherwise, that may implicate itself or its client?

The MJCHT was asked if it would support an independent investigation into the breach by Food Lover’s Market.

The certifier was also asked if it would support the establishment of an independent entity to regulate Halaal certification and adjudicate complaints on Halaal.

There was no response to these questions.

The breach at Food Lover’s Market is clearly not an isolated instance. The problem is widespread across South Africa and it involves all Halaal certifiers. There is no independent entity to regulate and investigate complaints by the public or any other stakeholder in the Halaal industry.

This is a matter for the Interim Halal Coordinating Committee which is tasked, inter alia, with the responsibility of overseeing the integrity and growth of Halaal in the interests of all stakeholders, including the public.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Bo-Kaap, a living heritage MISHKAH COLLIER

FOR the community of Bo-Kaap, the Bo-Kaap transcends the tourist image of the colourful houses; it is the intergenerational families who live there and the memories that they have forged within its spaces.

Bo-Kaap is more than just a place; it is the embedded landscape of the spatial memory and cultural identity of its current and past residents; it is the inscribed space of our forefathers.

The call for Bo-Kaap as a heritage site, therefore, includes the safeguarding of its people – the people who make it more than just a heritage site but a living heritage.

Bo-Kaap attracted many emancipated slaves after the abolition of slavery in 1834 for reasons that surpassed just the cheap rentable accommodation.

The newly emancipated Muslim slaves, in particular, had a sacred connection to the slopes of Signal Hill that is recorded from the 18th century but could very well have dated back before then as Muslim slaves had lived in the Cape since its colonisation in 1652.

Before 1804, the only religion that was allowed to be practised publicly was that of the Dutch Reformed Church.

This ban on the public practice of other religions gave way to a number of everyday and sacred Islamic practices being held on the

The past few months have brought the community in Bo-Kaap together in protest and prayer in the streets of the oldest residential suburb of South Africa to secure their right to the city and to keep their unique heritage and practices alive in the place of its origin.

Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

slopes of the mountain, out of sight of the formalised city.

Before freedom of religion was granted and houses were constructed on the slopes above Rose Street, Signal Hill already posed as an area of deep Islamic significance, as a site of both prayer and burial.

In the 1790s, after the State’s rejection of the petition for a mosque site, the Muslim community performed the first recorded Jumuah prayer in a disused quarry, just off what is today known as Chiappini Street.

Thereafter, Bo-Kaap became home to the first mosque in Southern Africa, established in secret in

1794 in a house in Dorp Street.

Auwal Mosque outwardly became the focal point of the Muslim community after 1804, until other mosques were established in the Cape, and even after that.

The formal establishment of the Tana Baru Cemetery, in 1805, furthermore solidified the overall significance of Bo-Kaap as an attractive site for the many newly emancipated Muslim slaves after the abolition of slavery.

Towards the end of the 17th century, the slave population in the Cape was predominantly from India, Madagascar and Indonesia.

Due to the spread of Islam across the coastal towns from which they

were captured, these slaves were most likely newly practising Muslims who brought Islam to the Cape.

Islam became an attractive religion to the diverse slaves, as it was a religion that played no part in racial oppression. As a result of those two factors, the Cape Muslim culture as we know it today developed in Bo-Kaap as a culmination of Islamic practices within the diversified cultural milieu of the Cape slaves from the 17th century onwards.

Auspicious Islamic socio-cultural events like rampies sny, tamat and Thursday night gadats were inaugurated at Auwal

Mosque, rendering both Auwal and Bo-Kaap of great Islamic and cultural significance to Cape Town, and South Africa at large.

Despite modernisation and the urban pressures of gentrification, many of those religio-cultural events that are unique to the Cape are still practised in Bo-Kaap today.

This religious and cultural heritage of the bulk of the residents has a direct influence on the appropriated use of the social and public spaces within Bo-Kaap.

‘Lived space’ can be used to explain the idea that people articulate spaces through the manifestation of cultural practices, creating place rather than becoming subject to it. Resultant to that, the streets in Bo-Kaap become the place where many traditional public activities take place, transforming the atmosphere of the street as they occur.

Practices that take place in the streets of Bo-Kaap like the janaazah where the street shuts down in order to give preference to the funeral congregation carrying the body to the mosque, children taking cakes to their neighbours during Ramadaan and the festivities that come with Eid are all cardinal to its communal life and are integral to the spatial quality of the street.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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Muslim Views . August 2018 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Bo-Kaap went on to suffer numerous injustices under British occupation and, later, the apartheid regime, when the community was left to fight the oppressive injustices of the Slums Area Act and, later, the Group Areas Act, both of which were used to forcibly remove many people by expropriating their homes.

The expropriated row of houses between Rose Street and Buitengracht Street, which was built in the early 19th century, was the first to be demolished.

These properties have since been consolidated into larger erven and exclusively serve the commercial city.

Due to its location abutting the city, Bo-Kaap has a high locational value, which has attracted the interest of private developers and foreign buyers.

This has caused a rapid increase in rates and land value.

This results in mounting financial pressure on low to medium income families that have resided there for generations.

The resultant pressure is for these families to sell their ancestral homes and move to the outskirts of the city.

Inner city neighbourhoods like Bo-Kaap and Woodstock have recently been undergoing gentrification under the guise of ‘urban renewal’, which is seen as the rejuvenation of deteriorated urban neighbourhoods into trendy districts.

Gentrification, however, brings about the loss of residents’ ancestral homes, their sense of commu-

nity and a social history that has manifested within these spaces over centuries.

Gentrification has since caused an increase in contemporary developments in Bo-Kaap that does not benefit the community in any way.

This new mixed-use typology requires an increase in building height to accommodate a more diverse building programme in order to capitalise on the profit that can be made by renting out these spaces.

The increase in height has since caused an increasing obtrusion to the humble, low-level fabric of the Cape urban vernacular houses of Bo-Kaap.

The past few months have brought the community, young and old, together in protest and prayer in the streets of the oldest residential suburb of South Africa to secure their right to the city and to keep their unique heritage and practices alive in the place of their origin.

As the oldest remaining low-income black community in the city, Bo-Kaap is a testament to the struggles of all other marginalised and displaced communities whose cultural identities are in threat.

Moving forward, we need to stop the persistent social injustices that continue to remove marginalised communities from their ancestral homes in and around the city. By protecting these significant cultural spaces we can build an inclusive and diverse city.

Mishkah Collier is a candidate architect who presented her research on the evolution of the architectural and urban fabric of Bo-Kaap in relation to its changing social practices at a conference in London last month.

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SPCA Top Dogs set to break records in Cape Town Marathon

These runners will be donning a custom-made, six-man sausage dog suit in an attempt to set a new world record. With Cape of Good Hope SPCA fundraising officer, Natasha Johannes (centre), they are (from left) Cape of Good Hope SPCA Board member Ayoub Banderker, Ashraf Rahiman, Muhammad Sanglay, Muhammed Asgar Dalvie, Nadeem Sanglay and Mohamed Ebrahim Rawoot.

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THIS year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, to be held on September 23, will be a spectacular event, made even more eye-catching thanks to the efforts of six daring athletes with a sense of humour as big as their hearts!

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA will see their very own board member, Ayoub Banderker, leading the charge with his team of Top Dogs as they test their endurance all for the love of animals.

Not content with simply competing in the Sanlam Cape Town

EID Mubarak MAY THE ALMIGHTY BRING YOU HOPE, FAITH & JOY ON THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASI ON. EID UL ADHA

021 555 0909 Shop 10, Entrance 1, Canal Walk, Century City, Cape Town

Marathon, Banderker, along with Ashraf Rahiman, Muhammad Sanglay, Muhammed Asgar Dalvie, Nadeem Sanglay and Mohamed Ebrahim Rawoot, will also be attempting to set a brand new Guinness World Record attempt on behalf of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA as well as raising funds for the animals in its care.

How you may ask? Well, these men will be donning a custommade, six-man sausage dog suit as they pound the pavement.

Yes, you read that right, a sausage dog aka dachshund cos-

tume will be running past other athletes as they compete in one of the world’s most esteemed road races.

Indeed, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is Africa’s only IAAF Gold label status marathon.

You can stay updated with all the latest Top Dogs news by following https://www.facebook.com/CapeofGoodHopeSPCA/ Also show your support by donating at https://www.givengain.com/ap/ct mworldrecord/

MUBARAK

MAY HAPPINESS and BLESSINGS

BE U PO N YO U A L WA YS EI D UL A D H A Shop 100, Entrance 4, Canal Walk, Century City, Cape Town

021 551 0216

10

Muslim Views . August 2018

Video series on depression AMINA WAGGIE

ACCIDENTALMUSLIMS.COM launched their depression series online on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, with the aim of creating dialogue around the topic and to challenge the stigma associated with people who suffer from depression.

The series was inspired, and initiated by, Yacoub Abrahams, previous director at Develop South Africa and currently the business development manager for AccidentalMuslims.com.

Abrahams became involved as a volunteer for AccidentalMuslims.com in January 2018. He has been active in event planning and managing events with the team but this depression series is the first series in which he is actively involved.

The series was launched due to Abrahams’s own personal challenges that he faced as a Muslim who suffered from depression, and he felt that it was something he would like to share with the community so as to encourage others to seek help.

‘I thought that by telling my story I was doing a service to my community because I believe that many people are going through the same or similar challenges that I have faced and find it hard to speak out about their depression.

Because of the stigma around depression, people are afraid to speak out.

Yacoub Abrahams (left), who was diagnosed with depression and began the depression video series, together with Khalil Aleker, project manager at AccidentalMuslims.com, interviewed Dr Jeetesh Ranchod, a medical practitioner. This interview is featured in the online video series and can be found on the AccidentalMuslims.com facebook page.

Photo YACOUB ABRAHAMS

The series is aimed to give hope,’ said Abrahams.

The series runs over ten episodes, the length of an episode varying from four minutes to about 15 minutes, and the episodes are all available on the AccidentalMuslims.com facebook page (listed below).

On the launch of the series, for the first episode, Abrahams introduces himself as someone who suffers from depression and acknowledges that he had to take certain steps to attain help. He speaks openly about his suffering and the difficulty he had trying to talk about his depression in the past.

Abrahams connects with the viewers as many can relate to him

and, after viewing the episode, many people contacted AccidentalMuslims.com to give their feedback and praises for this series, which is seen as much needed by the community.

After the first episode was aired, the response was so great that Adam Dean, from Johannesburg, after seeing the episode, created his own video commending Abrahams for ‘coming out’ and speaking about his own personal journey.

The next few episodes feature interviews with specialists who are experienced in dealing with people suffering from depression.

‘Many people don’t know that other illnesses stem from depression so people may not actually re-

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alise that they are depressed. So that’s my objective also of coming out and speaking about it because people may very well not know that they are depressed,’ said Abrahams.

The episodes that follow the first are interviews that were conducted by Abrahams, and the questions asked are his personal questions. He visited a life coach, an occupational therapist, a general practitioner, a clinical psychologist, a behavioural specialist, a Muslim debt councillor and a psychiatrist, all of whom are able to assist him on his journey to recovery.

‘The process that I have gone through is over a period of more than ten years. I started with going

to a psychologist then a life coach.

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time and effort and money in seeking these services because I have been feeling this way for a long time, like many people do.

‘It was only recently that I was diagnosed with depression where I actually went on to medication.

So through this series, people can use my experience and they can speed up the process and it can possibly be a lot cheaper for them; they’ll save time and money.

‘Ultimately, this series is about learning and sharing experiences and creating dialogue around depression.

‘Many people think that if you suffer from depression then there’s something wrong with your imaan but it has nothing to do with that.

It is a sickness that needs serious medical attention and people shouldn’t be afraid to seek help,’ said Abrahams.

This series is just the start of many series and discussions about anxiety and depression that the community needs to have. People can send their questions to AccidentalMuslims.com through their social media platforms and they will pose them to the professionals in confidence.

You can email them at info@accidentalmuslims.com or find them on the following social media: Facebook.com/AccidentalMuslims; Instagram.com/AccidentalMuslims and Twitter.com/accidentalmslms

Muslim Views . August 2018

11

67 fun-filled minutes creating math and literacy materials AMINA WAGGIE

LEARNING in Reach hosted a classroom ‘Maker Space’ where teachers and volunteer businesses made resources for Early Childhood Development (ECD) classrooms while also raising funds for 67 ECD classrooms, on Mandela Day, July 18, 2018, at Workshop 17 at the V&A Waterfront, from 9am to 4pm by appointment.

The classroom resources that were created at the Maker Space, accompanied by training in how to use them, will equip ECD and Grade R teachers with materials that will enable them to deliver more engaging hands-on lessons for the children in their care.

Leanne Reid, the project manager at Learning in Reach, founded the organisation with two others, Jacquelyn Price and Andrea Britt, in 2016, and since then has made remarkable changes and developments within the Lavender Hill and surrounding ECD centres. Reid has always been involved with community and outreach work for many years.

Her passion to help others was driven by her love for her two children, whom she’d like to see grow up in a world where the education received, by both those in privileged and underprivileged areas, would be of equal standing.

‘The quality of education that is being delivered in marginalised communities is still a far cry from the education that privileged children are getting. We are going to continue perpetuating inequality

Leanne Reid, founder of Learning in Reach, hosted this ‘Maker Space’ project for Mandela Day and it was a Photo SUPPLIED great success.

through our education system until we level the playing field,’ said Reid.

‘I have never met a woman like Leanne. She’s driven and determined to really make big changes to the educational system. I speak for all the other principals when I say that Leanne has really made a huge difference in all our lives and we are truly grateful,’ said Mishkah Omar, the principal of Little Castle Educare, in Seawinds.

Learning in Reach is a nonprofit organisation (NPO), which focuses mainly on Lavender Hill, Seawind, Hillview and Montagu Village, and their focus is on that geographical area so that they can

monitor progress and see the impact they make over time.

The organisation currently works with 30 ECD centres, in the above mentioned areas, five of which are registered. The main objective of the organisation is to ensure that the remaining 25 centres meet the requirements to be registered with the Department of Social Development by the end of 2019. The organisation currently has a partnership with Rise Against Hunger, that provides the ECD centres, who are not receiving a grant, with meal packs. This is a great help for them as they can save the money that they would’ve spent on food, and put it towards

things they need to meet their registration requirements.

Learning in Reach doesn’t only provide funding to these centres, they also provide training, workshops and support to the teachers.

Although Learning in Reach’s focus is mainly on ECD, they also look at the broader community and run income-generating projects for parents. They try to give as much support as they can to the families to better improve their lives so that they may move out of poverty.

Mandela Day Maker Space Every year, this being the third, Learning in Reach supersedes their

previous year’s Mandela Day fundraising events, and this year has to be the most creative and resourceful of them all.

For Mandela Day, people want to get involved and do something with their hands. They want to be able to spend their time making or doing something useful that will benefit someone else. As there is a need for resources in the ECD centres, Learning in Reach found this Mandela Day to be a great opportunity to have an event where people could come and help make classroom materials which these ECD centres in Lavender Hill desperately need.

‘These materials they don’t currently have, and they are quite easy to make, and we’ve always wanted to do it with the teachers and so this opportunity [Mandela Day] came up and I thought it was something that also brings different businesses and the ECDs together doing something creative for the children,’ said Reid.

In 2016, when they were first established, they had a crowd funding campaign for Mandela Day. In 2017, they went to boardrooms and people wrapped books with a motivational message for each child, they will be running that initiative again in literacy month, which is September.

There were many sponsors who came on board for the event, and the event was a great success.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

The imam with a vision for black Muslim leaders MAHMOOD SANGLAY

SHAIKH Abu Bakr Thapelo Amad served as imam of the Protea South jamaat khana in Soweto and was featured in the February 2017 edition of Muslim Views in our Imam Narrative series as the imam with a phobia for ‘biryani charity’.

The article evoked significant reader response due to the provocative views espoused by Imam Thapelo about racism and prejudice among Indians in the Muslim community. Over a year later, Amad is councillor and chief whip of Al Jama-ah.

Signs of this departure from his role as cleric, however, were evident then already. However, a departure from Muslim public life did not preclude an interest in public office, as a politician. This emerged after his fellowship as advocacy and policy researcher at the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute (Asri), in 2016.

Muhammad Cajee, executive director of Asri, says Amad was one of his most impressive 2016 graduates, and describes him as bold, visionary and willing to serve. The experience inspired him and he spent an additional year working for Asri in 2017 and benefitted from leadership training.

The leader of Al Jama-ah, Ganief Hendricks, was recruiting members in Soweto and Amad was recommended to him as a potential candidate. Even though Amad was then branch chairperson of the EFF, he called Hendricks and expressed an interest in

Thapelo Amad was inaugurated as councillor of the City of Johannesburg on March 20, 2018. Pictured on the occasion were, from left, Calvin Wax, Chief of Whips; Vasco Da Gama, Speaker of the Council and Councillor Abu Bakr Thapelo Amad.

Photo LILLIAN KOLISANG

political office with Al Jama-ah.

The two met around October 2017 and Amad signed up as a member of the party. Thus, Amad was personally mentored by the party leader.

Al Jama-ah attracted Amad because it is founded on the universal values of Islam, which are inclusive and which advocates transformation in the interests of social justice. The EFF, he says, talks left and walks right and fails to remain faithful to their own policies.

The ANC, as a liberation movement, has failed to implement their revolutionary ideals and thus betrayed the oppressed majority.

He believes that, unlike the ANC and the EFF, Al Jama-ah offers

him an opportunity to grow as a public servant.

Amad was appointed proportional pepresentative of Al Jamaah on March 1. When the vacancy in the position of councillor in the City of Johannesburg arose, Hendricks saw fit to appoint Amad.

On March 20, he was inaugurated as councillor and chief whip for Al Jama-ah in the City of Johannesburg. ‘This was also an opportunity to appoint a Black African Muslim to our most senior council position to address complaints that Muslims are largely racist and discriminate against them because of the colour of their skin,’ says Hendricks.

Hendricks adds that Amad has the appropriate vision for a united

Muslim community under the leadership of black African Muslims. This vision is clearly a radical departure from the present state of South African Muslims. Black Muslims are routinely marginalised on mosque committees, in Muslim NGOs and leadership positions generally in the broader Muslim community.

Al Jama-ah, says Hendricks, will redress these injustices by creating the space for black Muslim political leadership. In addition, says Hendricks, we owe black African Muslims an apology for subjecting them to racist treatment in the past.

Amad points out that the DA was never an option for him, and the analogy he uses is significant.

Even a drop of urine in a large pool of water may not be visible or significant but the water remains polluted.

The DA is compromised by its apartheid past and remains an untransformed relic of apartheid, according to Amad.

He is also fiercely critical of the DA’s public support for Israel in Johannesburg. Amad says he approached Muslims in the DA in order to interrogate their loyalty to a party that supports the occupation but none of them were willing to engage him. And the DA, says Amad, has more Muslim councillors than any other party in Johannesburg.

He says Al Jama-ah’s independence guarantees the freedom to table motions without allegiance to any other party and to influence decisions in a council where there is no outright majority.

He refers to Al Jama-ah’s bylaws motion on Early Childhood Education by way of example.

Such motions hold the ruling mayor accountable and enable monitoring and policing of compliance with by-laws and delivery on commitments made by the City.

Councillor Amad now lobbies for extended hours and more human resources for clinics at local level.

It is six months since Amad joined Al Jama-ah and he has not abandoned his role as imam. He appears to be the first emerging black Muslim leader with both a religious and a political vision and mission.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

13

Opel’s new ‘Grandland X’ takes international awards

Winning hearts and awards, is Opel’s new Grandland X. Photo QUICKPIC

Ashref Ismail, who shares monthly motoring news with Muslim Views’ Photo SUPPLIED readers.

Compiled by ASHREF ISMAIL

THE sport utility vehicle (SUV market) is continuously growing, and almost every brand, Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls Royce – yes, you read right, even Rolls Royce – boasts an SUV offering of sorts.

Called SUVs, sports activity vehicles (SAVs) or cross over vehicles (COVs), this highly practical, ‘goanywhere, do anything’ vehicle segment is proving to be very popular amongst young and old and people with large and small families, given the vast array of sizes, engine capacities and options on offer. Practical, full of innovative technologies and every model with its own distinctive character, choosing one basically comes down to price and brand loyalty.

Opel, with its long existence, is no stranger to this trend with its XFamily consisting of the Grandland X, Crossland X and Mokka X. However, the Opel SUV family is not only impressing customers with its diverse quality and class-

leading features, it is also winning accolades from highly critical overseas publications in a highly competitive segment.

Thousands of readers of the Off Road magazine and its sister publication, SUV Magazin, have just voted the sporty and elegant

Opel Grandland X as the best car in its segment in the 2018 Off Road Awards. It is the first time that readers could vote for their favourite in the 2WD-SUV segment.

The Opel Grandland X left no fewer than eleven competitors

from all competing brands in its wake.

But the dynamic newcomer is not the only Opel model to convince the readers of the two magazines. The Opel Crossland X also impressed with its stylish appearance and flexible configuration possibilities, and finished third in the same category as its bigger brother Grandland X. The two latest additions to the Opel SUV family are thus continuing the off-road success story of Opel’s Mokka X. This robust and attractive adventurer is a two-time winner in the sub-compact SUV segment (in 2013 and 2014).

There are good reasons for Opel’s serial success in the SUV category: All three models offer driving pleasure and practicality in addition to numerous technology and comfort highlights, such as Forward Collision Alert, LED headlights and AGR-certified ergonomic seats, while also delivering outstanding German engineering, build quality and value for money – packed with features according to Opel’s new international pay-off line: ‘The future is everyone’s.’

Additional information supplied by Opel (SA).

14

Muslim Views . August 2018

World premiere of Subaru VIZIV Tourer Concept Compiled by ASHREF ISMAIL

SUBARU may not roll off everyone’s tongue as easily as some of the better known brands but ask the many owners of this niche brand and they will swear, ‘Once a Subaru driver, always a Subaru driver.’

What is the secret behind this small but sporty, high performance motor manufacturer?

Having built its reputation on the famous Boxer engines that did duty and went on to win numerous World Rally Championship (WRC) races, Subaru has built up a significant number of loyal followers around the world with its WRX, STi, Legacy and Impreza, Forester, Outback and XV brands. Less successful was the Tribeca SUV range.

To showcase its future design philosophy, Subaru Corporation recently unveiled the Subaru VIZIV* Tourer Concept at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show.

Since the debut of the Subaru VIZIV Concept in 2013, Subaru has produced a series of themed concept models embodying the brand’s vision for the future of making cars that deliver enjoyment and peace of mind to its customers.

Designed on a tourer theme, the Subaru VIZIV Tourer Concept unites Symmetrical AWD layout powered by a Boxer engine with Subaru’s wealth of expertise in offering driving performance, practicality and safety to deliver new value in a tourer form,

Subaru reveals its new design language with the Concept Tourer VIZIV Photo QUICKPIC

enabling drivers and passengers to fully savour the enjoyment of travelling by car.

In anticipation of widespread future deployment of automated driving technologies, advanced driver-assist functions combining the next-generation EyeSight system with other devices have been installed in the car to reduce driver fatigue on long journeys and enable active enjoyment of driving with peace of mind.

Subaru’s design and development will advance in the directions indicated by the VIZIV Concept models as the company continues to make cars that deliver enjoyment and peace of mind.

The name VIZIV has been coined from the phrase ‘Vision for Innova-

tion’.

Main specifications of the Subaru VIZIV Tourer Concept: Body size (overall length × width × height): 4 775mm × 1 930mm × 1 435 mm Wheelbase: 2 730 mm Tire size: 245/40 R20 Seating capacity: 4 Evoking successive generations of Subaru touring wagon models that have paired superior driving with high levels of practicality, the Subaru VIZIV Tourer Concept has been designed based on Subaru’s shared ‘Dynamic x Solid’ design philosophy.

The hexagonal grille is the starting point for a rigid, forward-thrusting body that combines with four powerfully defined fenders to highlight the enjoyment of driving while con-

veying a sense of security.

Capacious luggage space at the rear offers utility and practicality.

The VIZIV Tourer Concept is filled with a crossover mix of values to enhance active lifestyles, expressing the enjoyment and peace of mind that Subaru delivers to its customers.

Subaru has teamed advanced driver-assist technologies scheduled for launch around 2020 with the high performance offered by the Boxer engine and symmetrical AWD to create a tourer symbolising the enjoyment and peace of mind to be expected of its cars.

By also incorporating further enhancements to EyeSight driver-assist technology, radar, and highly accurate GPS and navigation systems, Subaru continues to pursue ultimate levels of safety with the aim of eliminating automobile accidents.

‘Confidence in Motion’ expresses the Subaru brand’s global statement, signifying a crossroad for the company. Subaru is a brand driven by its own vision of what mobility should be, never aiming to be all things to all people.

Incorporating technological ingenuity and engineering excellence, Subaru is about having the confidence and peace of mind to go anywhere. Celebrating 25 years in South Africa since 1992, Subaru in South Africa stands for enjoying life through exploration and continually embarking on fresh adventures.

Subaru EyeSight®, the awardwinning driver assist technology developed over the past 20 years by

Subaru engineers is a cutting-edge driver-assist technology that monitors the road ahead, recognising potentially dangerous driving situations and assisting the driver to reduce the occurrence or completely avoid forward collisions.

The system does this by detecting the presence of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and other potential hazards up to 110 metres in front of the vehicle. Using data from the stereo cameras, the engine, brakes and transmission, the system has the following functions: Pre-Collision Braking; Pre-Collision Throttle Management; Lane Departure & Sway Warning; and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Subaru Southern Africa is wholly owned by Toyota Tsusho Corporation Japan and local subsidiary Toyota Tsusho Africa, represented by thirteen dealerships and three standalone service centres in Southern Africa.

It imports, distributes and markets the Subaru brand consisting of Impreza, XV, Forester, Outback, Legacy, WRX, and WRX STI, products of Subaru Corporation of Japan.

The first Subaru’s were imported into South Africa in 1992.

The vehicles are unique for their Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive™ and Boxer® engine combination technology, providing the highest level of active and passive safety, in world-class comfort, on all road surfaces and in all weather. *Additional information provided

by Subaru (SA)

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Muslim Views . August 2018

15

Over R1bn invested in Opel South Africa OPEL Germany has set up a wholly owned subsidiary – Opel South Africa (PTY) LTD – which has invested over R700 million into parts, warranty and service plans for Opel customers in Southern Africa.

IN addition to the German investment, Opel’s South African dealership network has announced a R20 million investment in corporate identity facility upgrades to bring the new Opel dealerships in line with the brand’s international ‘look and feel’.

Local listed giant, Unitrans (which has the distributor rights for Opel in Southern Africa), elected to employ local signage contractors to roll out the new Opel brand identity and improved customer experience centres.

‘Opel wants to stimulate additional local job creation and support local business, and our local suppliers met the German required standards,’ said Brian Hunter, general manager of Unitrans Opel Southern Africa.

There are currently 35 fully operational Opel dealerships with more expected to

open over the next 60 months as the brand regains its traction locally.

Brian Hunter added: ‘We are delighted that investment in the Opel brand in South Africa has now exceeded R1,5 billion when one combines the investment of Opel International, the Unitrans Opel distributor and the group of Opel dealers. We estimate that this investment now employs over 1 000 people.’

Having been in South Africa for over 80 years, Opel is one of the oldest car brands operating in the country, and the brand has built a solid reputation over the years.

The South African Motoring Guild voted the new Opel Astra as the South African ‘Car of the Year for 2017’ after the new Astra was awarded ‘Car of the Year’ for 2016 in 12 European countries, as well as ‘Overall European Car of the Year’ for 2016.

Opel won the prestigious ‘Car of the Year’ award in South Africa on a few previous occasions as well – in 1991 (Opel

Monza), in 1994 (Opel Kadett) and in 1995 (Opel Astra).

Opel offers German engineering and build quality, plus luxury level specifications that exceed the offering of the brand’s com-

petitors and has adopted a new pay-off line to communicate this positioning to customers around the globe as the ‘democratisation of innovation’: Opel – the future is everyone’s.

16

Muslim Views . August 2018

Opel reinvents itself in South Africa Compiled by ASHREF ISMAIL

FOLLOWING the disappointing departure of Chevrolet from all right-hand-drive markets in 2017, Opel Germany has come to the rescue of local fans of the world-famous brand by investing over a billion rand to continue operations in South Africa, which will include, sales, service, repairs and warranties.

Unitrans, a local listed company has been awarded the distributor rights of the Opel brand in Southern Africa.

While Chevrolet’s departure has created confusion among brand loyalists, with Isuzu also going its separate way, Opel is adamant that they’re here to stay.

Opel Germany concedes that South Africa is an important market for the brand and through their presence here, which will see more than 1 000 people being employed, plan to strengthen their brand acceptance in the neighbouring states as well.

This will also see the current, local 35 Opel dealers committing R20 million to introduce its new corporate identity, bringing it in line with the international brand’s ‘look and feel’ that now incorporates improved customer experience centres.

The local arm is adamant that more

branches will open in the next five years as the brand regains lost ground.

The Opel brand is no stranger to South Africa, having been around for over 80 years with some notable nameplates such as the Kapitan, Record, Kadett, Monza and, of course, the Astra, building a solid reputation amongst local fans of the brand.

The Opel brand won numerous ‘Car of the Year’ titles, both locally and internationally, and who can forget the Opel ‘Boss’ and ‘Super-Bosses’ that reigned supreme on our local racing tracks, thus building up an enviable reputation for economy and high performance.

Given their current line-up of vehicles, it is easy to see that Unitrans will remain confident about increasing market share since it has only one major brand to concentrate on, and if they can get ‘bums-onseats’, many people will begin to appreciate what an understated brand Opel actually is.

To reinforce its emphasis on exceeding standards in build quality and luxury level specifications that exceed those offered by its competitors, Opel has adopted a new pay-off line to communicate this positioning to customers around the globe as the ‘democratisation of innovation’: ‘Opel – the future is everyone’s.’

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Muslim Views . August 2018

17

Election results mark the rise of political consciousness by the Pakistani people JUNAID AHMAD

THE fever-pitched aura around this year’s elections in Pakistan was for good reason: a palpable feeling of transition from the old to the new was in the air.

Meanwhile, the Western mainstream (and alternative) media, as well as much of Pakistan’s elite English media, advanced an atmosphere of hysteria and moral panic at what they called ‘Pakistan’s dirtiest elections’ ever.

We were told to believe that the Pakistani military, which undoubtedly has been involved in the political life throughout the country’s history, indeed directly ruling the country for half of its history, was the sole factor for which the corrupt and ruthless politicians of the two parties, who believe it is their birthright to play a game of musical chairs with each other, looting and plundering as much as possible before they are removed and get their next turn – were rejected in these elections.

Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), or the ‘Movement for Justice’, the political party of the iconic cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan, has swept this year’s national elections.

They are the single largest political party in the country’s National Assembly, and has even made inroads in Pakistan’s major city of Karachi, where they have displaced the once all-powerful Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), which, mafioso-style, with rampant intimidation, ransoms and murders, ran the streets and political life of Karachi since their inception in the 1980s.

Imran Khan has been a persistent bull in attacking the political class of all the major political parties for their utter indifference to the plight of the poor and the bulk of the population. As he said in his initial victory speech, ‘I believe a society should be judged not by the lifestyle of its rich but of its poor.’ The first component of Khan’s ‘manifesto’ (if we can call it that) is to make Pakistan a ‘welfare state’ that delivers social justice to its people, and not simply be a playground for the elite.

This, of course, is anathema to neo-liberalism and international finance capital, where countries of the global south are merely sup-

The leader of Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Imran Khan, will lead the government after his party won the most seats in the National Assembly in the recent elections.

Photo ALEEM ZAHID KHAN/ 123RF

posed to prostrate themselves and their resources for Western elites and their native ‘friends’ in these formerly colonised countries.

The maddeningly hysterical reaction to Khan from the liberals demonstrated quite clearly, for a while now, how the purse strings of the civilian ‘democrats’ have been tied to their subservience to Washington, Riyadh and even New Delhi.

It’s not emphasised enough, but Pakistan’s decision to refuse to participate in the criminal Saudi war on Yemen in 2015 was a turning point. It was the beginning of the process of deepening decolonization, since the Saudis, Americans, etc. have always expected Pakistan to dance to their tune.

It is Imran Khan’s consistent and principled position against AfPak theatre of the ‘war on terror’, his constant emphasis on a political solution rather than a military one, that had the liberals mocking him as ‘Taliban Khan’.

It was a cheap shot, since the bulk of the population agreed with Khan that American drone strikes are illegal and immoral, that the occupation of Afghanistan will definitely generate a Pashtun resistance, and that if Pakistan gets involved, militarily, in this imperial enterprise, it will face disastrous consequences.

He was proven correct, with the enormous increase in militancy and terrorism throughout the country.

There is a deep psycho-cultural schizophrenia amongst the secular moderns of Pakistan that believe the West can do no wrong, and

that we must self-orientalise ourselves as lazy, corrupt, backward, unchanging and static.

The livelihoods of the country’s comprador liberal class depends on regurgitating this imbecilic narrative so they can position themselves as the ‘enlightened few’ among a ‘herd’ of backward fundamentalists.

From the native elite who despised Khan both for his emphasis on decades of ravaging and plundering of the country by the elites at the expense of the suffering majority, as well as from arch-rival India which saw Nawaz Sharif as merely a cog in their expanding role as a sub-imperialist power, someone who would toe their line reflexively on whatever issue it may be – the shock and hysteria to Khan’s astounding victory was understandable.

From the word go, Khan has emphasised Islam as a religion that demands social justice, and offers what the liberation theologians call ‘a preferential option for the poor’.

Time and time again he emphasises how Islam can only be made relevant if it is able to empower and uplift the marginalised and downtrodden, and to speak truth to power.

But there is also a larger story here that is perhaps the most important point to capture. Western hegemony is in severe crisis. Even more bluntly, ‘whiteness’ is in severe crisis.

We see this in wars, refugee crises and elections of semi-fascists within the West itself. The old liberal international order defined

and shaped by the West is collapsing.

Khan’s victory is yet another clear symptom of this crisis, of a world re-orienting in myriad ways and a de-centring of the West. And though Pakistan’s native elite may deem their population as backward and stupid, the consciousness of the ordinary Pakistani has shifted dramatically over the past two decades.

They have obtained a political consciousness that recognised that justice, fairness, accountability and transparency were not on the agenda of the civilian ‘democratic’ politicians for which they were required to fight and die against the ‘rogue,’ ‘evil’ military establishment.

It is in that transformation of the subjectivity of the ordinary Pakistani that Imran Khan and PTI could miraculously do so well in these elections, and break through a deeply entrenched, retrograde political system with its dynasties, clans, kinship networks and all.

The most perplexing part of the story of the rise of Imran Khan is that most of these developments are staring ordinary Pakistanis in the face but a Westernised native elite remain oblivious to them.

And this is why they didn’t know what hit them when Khan’s PTI won the largest number of seats in parliament, since they are both cocooned from reality and so invested in a hegemonic Western project on which they and their goodies depend.

Hence, the victory of Imran Khan is a victory of the political and, relatedly, astute geopolitical consciousness of the Pakistani people.

The frenzied reaction by Khan’s haters in Pakistan and India was expected but virtually all Western media’s virulence emanates from what Freud may have called the ‘unconscious’ – the inability to decolonise oneself sufficiently so that you understand how the peoples of the global South, of the nonWestern world, have been trampled upon.

It is an ‘unconscious’ that cannot fathom an Oxford Englishspeaking graduate that affirms his people, their culture, and desires improvements therein – and rather ‘ungrateful’ to the British who ‘educated’ him.

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‘Education,’ as Chomsky points out, ‘is a form of imposed obedience.’ Khan must have missed class the day this truism was underscored.

Khan is not following that script.

In a nutshell, from whatever angle you want to look at it, his victory represents the intensification of imperial decline, since Pakistan was always expected to be a loyal client state of the US; so was Turkey.

The problem with these countries now, like Iran, is not that human rights abuses are often inflicted by the state. This is the pretext used to discipline countries who fall out of the orbit of US control.

The non-Arab pillars of the Cold War American-Zionist architecture of control of the Arabs are seemingly slipping away. Iran did so in 1979, and has suffered the consequences for its disobedience – though, ironically, it is probably now as formidable a regional actor as it has ever been, largely due to the arrogance, incompetence and butchery of American-ZionistSaudi manoeuvring in the region since 2003.

Whatever else Khan and PTI deliver, and it will require massive support and activism to actually live up to any broad notion of social justice and sovereignty, their victory represents a continuation of a process that was negated by colonialism: the writing of Muslims into a history, into a present and into a future.

Vulgar orientalism denied that and decried Muslims’ stagnation – so that Muslims become a people without a history and, hence, irrelevant.

The Western mainstream media’s bitterness at Khan’s victory, hence, should not be taken personally. It should, in fact, give us a clue to how panicky Western elites have become at developments all across Eurasia, from China, Russia, Iran, Turkey and now Pakistan.

Junaid S Ahmad is secretary-general of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST) and director, Centre for Global Dialogue, School of Advanced Studies, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan.

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18

Muslim Views . August 2018

Conference based on documentary AMINA WAGGIE

RENOWNED speakers from all over the world came together to discuss the three themes presented in the Freedom documentary, which was launched earlier this year in South Africa by Halis Media, co-hosted by AccidentalMuslims.com.

The Peace Conference took place at Islamia Auditorium, in Cape Town, on Sunday, July 15, 2018. The aim of the conference was to unify the ummah while simultaneously bringing the attendees closer to Allah through the themes that were discussed on stage, which gave a deeper understanding into the guidance of Allah for those who revert to Islam.

The first speaker of the conference was Dr Yusuf Abdu-Jobbar, lecturer and programme director at the College of The Prophet’s Mosque, al-Masjid an-Nabawi, in Madinah, who spoke on the first theme of the documentary, which was titled ‘A free world’.

His talk consisted of three parts. The first part was about the historical evolution of how people arrived at the current concepts of freedom. He did this so that the audience could understand the origin of the concept of freedom.

He then moved on to talk about modern day freedoms and took a look at the supposed free world that people live in today. Lastly, Abdu-Jobbar gave the audience a

Samuel Shropshire, co-founder of Muslim Voice for Peace and Reconciliation, was one of the speakers at the Peace Conference held on Sunday, July 15, at the Islamia Auditorium, in Cape Town. He spoke about his journey to Islam.

Photo TASHREEQ LASKER

reminder and some tips on how to be a free agent in the complicated world that people live in today.

The reality of modern day freedom is that people are suffering.

People are free to harm themselves, kill themselves, damage their own, and other, families.

One of the effects of freedom is alcohol addiction. It has over 240 million people who are physically dependent on it, and 3,3 million people have died from alcohol-related diseases and incidents. These are the effects of alcohol in this

free world.

Abdu-Jobbar then went on to reveal the shocking statistics of suicide rates all over the world, the highest being in Western countries, while third-world and more underdeveloped countries have significantly lower suicide rates.

The following theme, titled ‘The search’, was presented by Hassan Abdallah Mkwinda, director of the Africa Islamic Propagation Centre.

Mkwinda gave a brief breakdown of what Islam means and

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what it means to be Muslim. He explained the most frequently asked question by both Muslims and non-Muslims, which is ‘Why have we been created?’

His answer was simple. He recited an ayah from the Quran, Surah Dhariyaat (chapter 51), verse 56, and translated it for the audience as, ‘Human beings and the jinnkind were created for the reason to serve, worship Allah.’

He then went on to explain the importance of doing one’s own research on Islam, even if one is Muslim. He stressed the importance of learning and searching continuously.

The third theme was presented

by Shaikh Badee Uzzaman Cader, director of Markazul Quran Was Sunnah, whose topic was ‘Liberation’. He gave a detailed explanation of what liberation truly means, what it entails and implies to the believers. He also spoke of its shariah meaning and what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) want from the believers.

‘Islam is that specific and special religion which has brought about, not only honour, glory and status to the believer but it rid the ummah, the people of Makkah, from a great sense of ignorance and injustice that they used to find themselves in at that time. Allah gave liberation through Islam,’ said Shaikh Cader.

Samuel Shropshire, co-founder of Muslim Voice for Peace and Reconciliation, spoke about his journey to finding Islam and how

he realised that it was the only true religion.

Shropshire spoke from personal experience as he delivered his talk on the fourth and final theme, ‘The realization’.

Shropshire introduced himself to the audience and then spoke about his life as a Christian, the trials he faced and the challenges that were thrust upon him.

‘Even though I was taught in school about the Holy Trinity, there was something in my heart that didn’t click with that, that didn’t understand it.

‘People were trying to explain it to me in very funny ways, for example, it’s like an egg, there’s a shell, there’s yolk and there’s egg white; or it’s like a banana, you peel it and it’s got three parts inside. But despite hearing these explanations, my heart couldn’t accept it.’

He had nearly lost everything, even the ‘American dream’ that he had been living, and it was when he was at his lowest, suffering from depression and contemplating suicide that Allah showed him a way out, a door that he had no choice but to go through because all other opportunities seemed closed off to him.

It was after this that he found what he had been searching for his whole life. ‘I was searching, I was looking for more. I’m very grateful that God worked through some circumstances in my life that brought me to Arabia, where I found Islam,’ said Shropshire.

Muslim Views . August 2018

19

Muslim women and South African women’s month VANESSA RIVERA DE LA FUENTE

AUGUST is South African women’s month and I would like to take this important event to share some reflections on our role as Muslim women in the pursuit of social justice in the societies in which we live.

Whenever we talk of Muslim women, two dominant discourses reach my ears. The first is about women of the past who may serve as role models, such as Aisha, Fatima and Khadija (RA).

This perspective, which I call the historical approach, presents an ideal woman with qualities we should strive to develop, values that make a more comfortable life possible, and a deepening of our imaan (faith). These values include wisdom, loyalty, courage, justice, perseverance, faith, independence and generosity.

The second discourse is based on stereotypes, and presents Muslim women as passive and without initiative. I call this the objectification approach, which says that Muslim women are oppressed, and sees us as objects without voice or power, subject to the tyranny of the hijab (headscarf), and in need of someone to save us from the bondage of religion and from men, who, incidentally, are all terrorists.

The historical approach gives fair honour to Muslim women of the past. Without them and thousands of Muslim women in recorded religious history who are rarely named, it would have been

Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente.

Photo SUPPLIED

impossible to develop Islamic civilisation and expand our faith.

Muslim women have been active agents of progress, social justice and equity for the Islamic community. For example, Asma bint Abu Bakr and Umm adDarda are highlighted as scholars.

Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, is mentioned as an example of good government in the Quran, as are Radiya, in India, Safiyya Jatun, in Syria, and Amina bint Ismail, in Malaysia, who were excellent leaders for their peoples.

My question is: Why are we not hearing about Muslim women of recent history more often? How is Islam honouring all those Muslim sisters of modern times who contribute to the building of a nation?

How are we, as communities, ensuring the empowerment of today’s Aisha or Bilqis?

This notion of caliphate as described in the Quran implies equality between man and woman.

It is involvement in public space, and equal freedom. It is the responsibility to choose, manage and participate in society. However, nowadays, it is not easy for women to take our place on earth as caliphs...

Allah gave each member of humankind a part of the caliphate on earth, a share of responsibility and leadership to make the creation fruitful. Allah says to the angels in the Quran, ‘I’ll put a successor,’ and without distinction, He has created humankind with the same freedom and duties. Therefore, the role of women in the Muslim community is not only an issue to reflect historically but it should be done without delay.

This notion of caliphate as described in the Quran implies equality between man and woman. It is involvement in public space, and equal freedom. It is the responsibility to choose, manage and participate in society. However, nowadays, it is not easy for women to take our place on earth as caliphs.

Although worship is a duty and a right of every Muslim, we have limited access to the mosque. We face reduced participation in community meetings and decisions even though the Quran gives women the power to participate fully. Allah and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) trusted women as educators, counsellors, mediators or leaders. When our sisters point this out, the response is often dismissive.

There are many traditions (hadith) that show that women could ask questions directly and offer their opinions in matters of religion, economic and social issues, which makes it clear that it is not Islam but some people’s opinions that are preventing us from taking the place we deserve by right and filling our roles as Muslims whole-

heartedly.

Limiting the contribution of women in the community and/or remaining indifferent and doing nothing to facilitate our inclusion as caliphs is ignoring the basic teachings of the Quran: social justice, freedom and reason.

The contribution of Muslim women must be honoured in all times of history, not only in the past. Making visible the contributions of women is an ethical duty for Muslims if they believe in societies based on justice, compassion and equal opportunities. This implies valuing the diversity of Muslim women.

While not all of us have the same talents, tastes and abilities, all of us are called to contribute.

And this recognition must start within ourselves. As Muslim women, we must empower ourselves and each other around this caliphate we have been given. No one will do it for us.

We must acknowledge that our role in history is being written today as we take back our caliphate without hesitation. Islam has honoured women, and women have honoured Islam. It is in our hands to create a new legacy for the future.

Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente is a social educator and communications specialist, journalist and research consultant. She is also an independent scholar on women’s studies, religion and politics.

Your comments and feedback are valued. Email her at: vrivera.de@gmail.com

20

Muslim Views . August 2018

The Book of Love: shining brightly SHAFIQ MORTON

WHEN we pick up a copy of Shaikh Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ninowy’s latest book, The Book of Love, we expect it to be a serious tome, with seriously weighty content. Serious the book is, indeed, but when the first page opens, we see a sentence resting upon a page.

At first glance, it defies the senses. We expect books to be full of words, chapters, meandering paragraphs and lush descriptions.

Instead, we are confronted by little bunches of words, like cherries tantalisingly placed in a bowl.

And then we read, and then we realise that The Book of Love has few words but actually says a lot more – a lot. In fact, as one dives deeper and deeper into its pages, and its meanings, it becomes a big ocean – or as a Sufi shaikh always used to say – a Mercy Ocean.

Shaikh Ninowy, a scholar of classical training and tradition, has skilfully and strategically placed a series of aphorisms, or sayings and quotes, over 322 pages. A summary of his thoughts on a number of issues over the years, it has no particular order but still creates a coherent whole.

Normally, when I buy a book, I get excited. I’m old fashioned. I hate the distant, digital feel of tablets. I like to look at a book’s texture, design, paper and even smell. For me, a book is still a tactile experience.

As a hard cover on high quality

paper, The Book of Love feels just right. As a bibliophile, I also have a strange habit – I sometimes read a book backwards or randomly open it at any page. So it should come as no surprise that the first page I opened in The Book of Love was page 122, and not page one. I came across aphorism #57: ‘Islam is a religion that came to give life, not to take it away.’ I glanced across to #58: ‘It is never about fatwa, but about taqwa…’

Interestingly, both were things I had actually heard Shaikh Ninowy saying. They have always struck me because so few have been able to bring the inherent poetry of classical Arabic into their English as has Shaikh Ninowy – who hails form a scholarly family from Aleppo. Paging forwards, this time, I stopped at #73: ‘This Din of ours is a Din of love – no love, no Din. The Beloved sent his Beloved out of love, with love, for the sake of love.’

This Rumi-esque statement enjoys resonance in this world of sectarian hatred, and speaks to the spirit of shariah, which aphorism #81 certainly does: ‘Love is a moral law… it connects you to the soul of the universe, gives wings to the heart, unlimited skies to the mind, and life to life itself…’

Undeniably, the aphorisms are a tapestry woven together with experiential wisdom. We catch a whiff of Quran here, Hadith there, with Shaikh Ninowy holding the needle and thread. The Book of Love is a companion, a very acces-

sible and readable companion – but it’s also framed as a classical text, the hub of a multi-layered commentary that will be filled out by sharh, or explanation.

Each aphorism in this book, therefore, is a door to another – as one travels from room to perfumed room. It is a refuge for the soul, and an escape from the undesirable human urges that drive us. But more importantly, The Book of Love is a book of wasatiyyah, the celebrated Quranic middle way. However, wasatiyyah, or moderation in all things, is not a capitulation or a watering down of the core values of belief. Wasatiyyah is totally, uncompromisingly, absolutely, about love. Wasatiyyah is love, and love is wasatiyyah. It is truly, unselfishly, loving for others what you love for yourself. This is a key to the Nur ul-Muhammadiyyah, the Prophetic light – a light of love and knowledge that awaits every soul on this earth.

The Book of Love is an extraordinary book written for extraordinary times – an era where confusion is the king, ignorance the queen and Mr Nafs the treasurer. The Book of Love shines a light that shrinks the contemporary darkness. It is a book for everybody and a mercy to all.

The Book of Love is published

by Madinah Institute, 2018.

This article is based on a talk given at the official launch of the book at the Academia Library.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Dr Yusuf Vaizie: a founding father of the Irish Muslim community AHMED HAJJ

‘On 23rd January (Friday) 1959, a general meeting was held at Koinonia House with the purpose of deciding whether or not to form an Islamic committee (quasi-Dublin Islamic Society), which would organise Friday Namaaz/ Salaat (Prayer), Eid Namaaz/ Salaat and some lectures.

‘Thirty-three Muslim students from various countries attended the meeting. The matter was discussed and a vote was taken to finalise whether such a committee was necessary or not. It was unanimously accepted by the students that a committee should be formed.’

These were the minutes of the first ever, formal meeting of Muslims in the history of the Republic of Ireland. Thirty-three students, mainly from South Africa, gathered for what would be the beginning of the Irish Muslim community.

Students from South Africa went to Ireland – to mainly study medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland (RCSI) – from as far back as the early 1950s due to the horrendous apartheid government, which systematically crippled any window of opportunity for Blacks to study or work in any top tier profession.

The South Africans predominantly lived in a Protestant hostel called Koinonia House, where initial congregations were organised to observe some of the five daily prayers within the main sitting room of the accommodation and

Dr Yusuf Vaizie, originally from Durban, graduated as a dentist in Dublin and worked tirelessly to establish the roots of the Muslim community in Ireland.

Photo SUPPLIED

then, subsequently, in the basement when the numbers of participants grew larger, which eventually led to the inauguration of the Dublin Islamic Society (DIS), in 1959.

Amongst those who participated and partook in this blessed gathering was Dr Sayed Yusuf Vaizie. Born in Durban, he was a renowned personality across the Irish Muslim community for his continuous meritorious commitments across a myriad of different projects.

During Vaizie’s student days, the RCSI previously forbade any performance of religious activities until the DIS, with the help of the RCSI registrar at the time, Dr Harry O’Flanaghan, obtained permission for performing Eid prayers in the college hall.

With the passage of time, Jumuah and Eid prayers were observed in a ballet school. The first Eid dinner for the community was held in a place formerly called Molesworth Hall and the first recorded Taraweeh was held in the

British Council Meeting, on Leeson Street.

In 1963, the DIS established a collaboration with Federation of Students’ Islamic Societies (Fosis) UK. Vaizie was an active member of the DIS as a volunteer and an executive member, taking on the role as chairman in 1968. He helped organise communal events and would actively remind Muslim students towards acts of goodness, such as attending Jumuah prayers.

To do so, he would sometimes even go to the local dance hall to remind the Muslims who used to indulge in vice at the cost of one shilling! He collaborated alongside Muslim students from diverse nationalities to establish the first mosque in Ireland by working on the necessary documentation and raising some initial funding.

In 1976, the dream became a reality when successive members of the DIS, under the leadership of Dr Ahmed Goolam Mohamed Adam, opened the mosque at No 7 Harrington Street.

Vaizie possessed stalwart characteristics, such as passion, determination and a no-nonsense attitude to anything other than perfection in refined manners.

Years after graduating as a dentist from RCSI, Vaizie collaborated with Shaikh Muhammad Yusuf and Dr Rashid Ibrahim to found the first Quran school in Harrington Street, which subsequently moved to IFI Dublin Mosque after the establishment of the latter.

He further established a Quran school in Naas.

Although he was neither a speaker of the Arabic language nor had received any formal education in Islamic studies, he strove to enrich the lives of others by whatever portion of knowledge he possessed.

The imperativeness of inaugurating these indispensable Quran schools was to allow future generations of Muslim youth to spiritually connect to Divine revelation, to learn the basic axioms of Islamic practices, to harness ethical values and instil virtuous principles as per mainstream Islamic ethos.

Vaizie was involved in teaching the Quran within the community since the 1970s up until recently, when his illness due to old age prevented him from continuing further. He persisted in working for the Irish Muslim community ever since that blessed Friday night gathering almost 60 years ago until his final breath on July 4, 2018.

The initial meeting in Koinonia house, in 1959, paved the way for a myriad of different community facilities and initiatives, such as mosques, Islamic cultural centres, Muslim student associations, youth projects, charity organisations and community volunteering.

As the pioneers in their community, they will, Insha Allah, share the reward in all the good that comes after them. May Allah The Most Beneficent have mercy and be pleased with Dr Yusuf Vaizie and grant him a place in the highest level of paradise.

Source: www.islam21c.com

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Janatul Mualla – the second most important graveyard SALIM PARKER

JANATUL Mualla is also known as the Cemetery of Ma’la and Al-Hajun. It is located close to Masjid al-Haram, and near the Mosque of the Jinn, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Today the cemetery appears barren, a large anonymous burial ground with neat geometrically aligned dividers evident throughout, all surrounded by a white stone wall.

Loose stones indicate the locations of graves but there are no forms of any identification and no indication of the historical importance of this graveyard.

Janatul Baqee, in Madinah, is considered by many to be the most important cemetery in Islam.

Janatul Mualla is older than Janatul Baqee and is considered the second most important graveyard in Islam.

The history of Janatul Mualla can be traced to several generations prior to the birth of Nabi Muhammad (SAW). As it was situated close to the Kaabah, it was considered a sacred place and a number of dignitaries were buried there prior to the advent of Islam.

At the beginning of the sixth century, the Quraish tribe was the dominant force in Makkah. They established Janatul Mualla as their own private burial ground. Many members of the tribe, and especially members of the Prophet’s (SAW) Banu Hashim clan, were buried there in the decades leading up to the birth of Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

During the early years of Islam, before Nabi Muhammad (SAW) was forced to emigrate to Madinah, several important early Muslims were also buried in Janatul Mualla.

These include Abdul Muttalib, Nabi Muhammad’s (SAW) grandfather, Abu Talib, the uncle of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and the father of Ali the fourth caliph, and Qasim, the son of the Prophet (SAW) who died in infancy.

One of the most important Muslims buried there is Sayyidatina Khadijah, the first wife of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). She passed away in Makkah in 619 AD, the same year as his uncle, Abu Talib. They were the last two major figures to be buried in Janatul Mualla before the Hijrah, when the Muslims undertook the journey to Madinah.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) frequently visited the cemetery before the Hijrah.

In Madinah, the Maqbarat Al Baqee (Janatul Baqee) was established and this became the cemetery of choice for the Muslims.

Many domes and structures were built or rebuilt over famous graves over the years.

Books of the previous centuries describe visits to particular graves.

In the late 18th century, a particularly orthodox group came to power in the Arabian Peninsula.

They held the view that visiting the graves was akin to idolatry and declared such acts as against the spirit of Islam.

When they seized control of Makkah, they set out to systematically destroy any structure that resembled a shrine in Janatul Mualla. This included any identification markings.

The burial site of Sayyidatina Khadija, the first wife of Nabi Muhammad (SAW), was destroyed by an ultra-orthodox group when they ruled Makkah in the late 18th century. Today, the grave is indistinguishable from all the others in Janatul Mualla.

Photo WIKIPEDIA

Even the house in Makkah where the Prophet (SAW) was born was not spared. Only the Grand Mosque and the Kaabah was spared. The Ottoman sultan sent in his army to ward off this group and some of the structures were rebuilt.

Makkah and Madinah were recaptured by the orthodox group in 1925 and all shrines and forms of identification were destroyed in Janatul Mualla and Janatul Baqee.

This occurred despite an outcry by the international Islamic community.

Some sectors of the Shia community till this day mourn the destruction of shrines in Janatul Baqee as Yaum e Ghamor (Day of Sorrow). The Shia continue to protest the Saudi government’s demolition of these shrines.

In Janatul Mualla, which was once filled with brilliant marble and white stone grave markers, and domed shrines which marked the tombs of Khadijah, Abu Talib and others, there are no longer such structures. Till today, both Janatul Mualla and Janatul Baqee are mere open landscapes with

only demarcated walkways evident and loose stones indicating the sites of graves. There is no form of any identification evident.

There are a number of texts which identify the graves in Janatul Baqee but very little evidence remains about the exact locations of those in Janatul Mualla.

As the latter is situated very close to the Grand Mosque, pilgrims often go to this graveyard. It is divided into two sections, with most of the older graves towards one side. Most pilgrims stand at the fenced perimeter and make a

general greeting at the family of the Prophet (SAW) who are buried there.

It is very easy to reach Janatul Mualla from the Haram. There are no restrictions to going to the cemetery but entering it is not easy unless a burial is taking place. It is very easy to view the whole graveyard from virtually everywhere along the perimeter, though.

Despite the seemingly barren appearance of Janatul Mualla, it is a reminder that many historically significant Muslims are buried there.

Janatul Mualla, the second most important cemetery in Islam, contains the graves of Sayyidatina Khadija, the first wife of Nabi Muhammad (SAW), Abdul Muttalib, Nabi Muhammad’s (SAW) grandfather, Abu Talib, the uncle of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and the father of Ali the fourth caliph, and Qasim, the son of the Prophet (SAW) who died in infancy.

Photos SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views . August 2018

25

Islamic perspectives on nutrition MOULANA MOHAMMED LUQMAAN KAGEE

ISLAM is a universal religion comprising perfect legislation for all aspects and for all types of life. Muslims believe that the laws of Islam, contained in the Holy Quran and in the Prophetic Sunnah, are suitable for every era of civilisation.

These laws consist of an immense variety of categories pertaining to daily life, on a level that interact with each individual as well as with communities and with society.

Moreover, these Islamic regulations seek to address the basic needs of human beings.

The emergence of Islam in Makkah witnessed the city as a matrix of wealth and property.

The Makkans were a proud and arrogant nation.

They used to oppress the poor and the weak amongst them, and were stingy by nature.

What is more, they would treat their idols better than they treated other human beings. Their prejudice was based on the ideas of social classification, which they imbibed and practised as a community.

The Makkan surahs of the Quran and the Hadith on this subject corroborate the proposition that the rich classes exploited the poor. Surah al-Takathur also indicates the Makkans’ devotion to wealth and riches in the early days of Islam. Hence, we find in the

Numerous Quranic verses mention nutrition, nutritional concepts and various kinds of foods with nutritious value. The Journal of Religion and Health consists of scholarly explications on these topics. An article in the journal mentions that 64 keywords and 257 verses on nutrition were identified in the Holy Quran...

Makkan surahs much emphasis on feeding of the indigent and maintaining social justice.

Islam aims at maintaining a society based on religion, morality and social justice. It seeks to solve the economic problems by means of its moral teachings as well its legislation. Hence, the Quran’s repeated emphasis on the feeding of the poor. The whole Surah al-Maun is devoted to this theme.

Likewise, the Encyclopedia of Religion highlights this practice amongst the foremost Muslims in Makkah. As a result of their acceptance of Islam and their observance of its teachings, they recognised that Islam is ‘the name of a total way of life and does not merely regulate the individual’s private relationship with God’.

Therefore, the aim of my present study is to establish a system for studying nutritional verses of the Holy Quran and practice of these verses existing in the

Prophetic Sunnah, as well as to determine all subject matter related to nutritional concepts. (See footnote) Numerous Quranic verses mention nutrition, nutritional concepts and various kinds of foods with nutritious value. The Journal of Religion and Health consists of scholarly explications on these topics.

An article in the journal mentions that 64 keywords and 257 verses on nutrition were identified in the Holy Quran.

The writer of this article cites the following keywords in respect of the Quranic discourse regarding lawful and unlawful food, and conceptualisations of nutrition: halaal, haraam, eating, drinking/ water, bread, seed, meat, poultry, cattle, cow, camel, sheep, pig, egg, legume, lentil, dairy, fruit, vegetables (onion, cucumber, pumpkin), fruits (banana, palm/ date, grapes, fig, pomegranate), oil, fat, olives,

suet, cedar, camphor, ginger, mustard, honey hunger, obesity, leanness, thirst and salt.

There also exists a vast collection of scholarly research, including dissertations on the scholarly outlook concerning the dire need for food security and the significance of eating food with good nutritious value.

These aspects of human co-existence and mutual harmony are elaborated on in my Master’s study conducted at University of the Western Cape, entitled: The implementation of Islamic perspectives on nutrition in the context of Muslim faith-based organisations in Cape Town.

Numerous verses of the Holy Quran highlight the significance of both food and nourishment as great blessings from Allah. These verses also consist of instructions involving food and its consumption, as well as the importance of social giving.

These matters are directly linked to the concept of nutrition, which is an important Islamic teaching that is essential for our survival and our prosperity in harmony with the rest of creation.

The Holy Quran contains some guidelines for health promotion amongst human beings.

It appeals to the entire human race in its address to them concerning their nutrition, as well as the types of food that they consume: ‘O people! Eat of what the earth contains of lawful, pure foods and do not emulate the footsteps of the devil. Surely, he is an open enemy to you.’

There remains a great need for Muslims to produce scholarly research in the area of humanities and food security, with particular focus on the contributions that Muslim organisations have rendered with regard to the alleviation of poverty during the last few decades.

In this way, Muslims will be truly proud of the distinguished heritage that their predecessors imparted here in South Africa.

Only then will the Muslim community be able to establish a foundation for future generations.

Moulana Mohammed Luqmaan Kagee is assistant imam at Habibia Soofie Masjid, Cape Town, and has submitted a Master’s thesis at University of the Western Cape, entitled: ‘Islamic Perspectives on Nutrition in the Context of Muslim Faith-Based Organisations in Cape Town’.

26

Muslim Views . August 2018

The need to be on Arafah again

They had lost their second child a few minutes after the birth, writes DR SALIM PARKER. THEY had performed their obligatory Hajj and were extremely grateful for having been the guests of Allah. Only our Creator knows whether it had been accepted but we all go on this journey knowing that Allah’s mercy is infinite and, on the day of Wuqoof, standing at the peak of Hajj on Arafah, more of His subjects are forgiven than

on any other day.

We are often taught that to doubt such a divine gift would in itself be sinful and so, as long as repentance is sincere and the beseeching for forgiveness is from the heart, all of humanity present on that day on Arafah will flow from that vast plain as free of sin as a new-born child.

This couple lacked nothing as

far as worldly material was concerned: well-travelled, relatively good jobs and deeply religious.

Their Hajj was immensely fulfilling and spiritually uplifting.

I was privileged to have treated their illnesses before the five days of Hajj and ensured that they would be at their prime medically and physically during, undoubtedly, the most important journey of their lives.

Hajj can be an incredibly taxing journey on the body and spirit.

Somehow, this humbling exposure to the harsh desert, the humidity, the hellish heat, the crowds and the inevitable breakdown of transport infrastructure leads to the harnessing of a deeper, inner strength and resolve.

They experienced that and returned home as true ambassadors, echoing the call that Nabi Ibrahim (AS) first sounded thousands of years ago for all Muslims to undertake the Hajj once in their lifetime, if possible.

They had a beautiful son. They had lost their second child a few minutes after the birth. Even though they knew well in advance that their second gift would not survive outside the comforting nurture of the mother’s womb, no amount of mental preparation can ever soften the devastating effect of seeing your child breathing the last breath in your arms just after adhaan and iqama were made in her ears, and just after her name was given.

They would forever remember a person, not just a baby, who had passed away after gracing the loving embrace of grateful parents.

They accepted what their Creator had destined for them. Yet, there was something that they desired, that they felt that they still needed to do.

They needed their own form of closure, their acceptance. They needed to be back on Arafah, back amongst the millions converging from all corners of seemingly different countries and nationalities

unifying in their ihraams to stand at the time of Wuqoof.

There were multiple obstacles in their way, though. South Africa is only allowed a certain number of pilgrims annually. The rules allow for applications every five years. The reality was that the waiting list plus those who had never gone for Hajj before, and were added to every year, would shift them down lower on the list.

They knew that they could not take the place of those on whom Hajj was obligatory, and would never deprive anyone by taking their places. They were also aware that our Prophet (SAW) had performed Hajj only once. Yet, the desire to perform Hajj again was intense and they explored all other avenues.

They performed a very fulfilling Umrah but it did not have the dhikr on Mina, the standing with outstretched hands on Arafah, the wonderful rest on the hard surfaces of Musdalifah or the symbolic pelting at the jamaraat.

There was no way that they could go with the official South African quota that year as only two thousand had been accredited and twenty thousand were on the waiting list. They went to the embassy and asked how they could be assisted.

The Saudi officials there could not fathom why people would want to repeat an obligation that was mandatory only once. They were asked to write a letter explaining why they wanted to go, and heard nothing for a while. But they persisted.

Initially, they were advised to use a certain company but this turned out to be a dead end. They would gently enquire about any progress or any news but this was not easily forthcoming. They, however, remained positive and continued their prayers every day for their dream and wish to be realised.

‘Stick to the truth,’ I recall advising them. There is nothing more

touching than the truth. Truth elicits kindness, the kindness that, in an adaptation of an old phrase, elicits compassion that lets the deaf hear and the blind see.

I know of cases where people have approached the officials pleading that they want to perform Hajj and who swore that they had never been to the Hijaz when a cursory inspection of their passports revealed two Hajj visas.

This led to marked scepticism but, as always, the truth prevails.

They received news, literally about a week before Hajj was to commence that they had been granted courtesy Hajj visas, and at last their dream was to come true.

It was not the end of their uphill battle though but they were prepared to face all obstacles.

Finding accommodation so late proved difficult. They were prepared to stay anywhere but even that took some effort. Communication and service issues with their agent led to an agonisingly long journey from Jeddah airport to their decidedly basic apartment in Makkah.

The intolerable heat and waiting in ihraam with the prospect of an Umrah so close in distance but yet so far away in time would have frustrated most. But they were young, they were patient and they were set on their mission.

Late that evening, after their Umrah, I had the pleasure of meeting the couple who exuded immense appreciation for the calling that they were about to answer.

I met them on Arafah again. It always amazes me that, no matter how busy we are as doctors attending to the sick, no matter how many other matters demand our attention, we always meet those who seem to entrench their enthusiasm and spirituality on our minds.

He was in tears when we greeted but his silence spoke volumes of what was going through his mind. I have often on Arafah been blessed to be in the presence of those who said absolutely nothing but yet conveyed everything – a son kissing his mother’s hand, a daughter hugging her cold and distant father for the first time in decades, the tender wiping of tears by a husband from the cheeks of his wife. No words are spoken but the messages of love, affection and compassion reverberate.

Way too soon the day was over and the sun started to set. There was always that one more prayer, one more humble request, one more atonement that had to be taken care of. We, along with millions others, started flowing from the vast plain of Arafah towards Musdalifah, praying that all our previous transgressions were in the past and that we would, Allah willing, never repeat them.

They walked with the group that I was leading. As we walked past Jabal Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy, I knew exactly what they were feeling and thinking for with each step that we took away from the foot of that mountain, the force that attracts one there in the first place was intensifying.

Labbaik!

For more Hajj Stories visit www.hajjdoctor.co.za. You may contact Dr Parker via e-mail: salimparker@yahoo.com With each step taken away from Arafah, the desire to one day return intensifies.

Photo SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views . August 2018

27

Kagiso launches new Islamic fund MAHMOOD SANGLAY

KAGISO Asset Management launched a new product on June 18 for the shariah compliant market, namely the Islamic Global Equity Fund. Abdulazeez Davids, head of research at the company, presented the fund to investors and the media on July 31.

Davids says a team of nineteen analysts and associate analysts do research for their Islamic funds although their shariah compliant team comprises five members. The experts on Kagiso’s shariah Board are Mufti Taha Karaan, from Cape Town, Mufti Zubair Bayat, from Durban, and Mufti Ahmed Suleman, from Gauteng.

This board is tasked with the responsibility of conducting an independent analysis of the Islamic funds in the Kagiso stable and to ensure that it is compliant with shariah investment guidelines.

The standard that Kagiso employs in the shariah screening process is global, namely, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). This is an independent international Islamic organisation that develops, issues and maintains global accounting, auditing, governance, ethics and shariah standards for the Islamic financial industry. Kagiso uses this standard for screening purposes.

The Kagiso Islamic Equity fund invests mainly in South African listed equities but can invest up to

Kagiso Asset Management head of research, Abdulazeez Davids, right, discusses the Islamic Global Equity Fund with a financial advisor, Mohamed Jaffer, of Mojaff Photo MAHMOOD SANGLAY Financial Services.

30 per cent in global equities. The fund is ideal for investors looking to invest for maximum capital growth that can tolerate above average risk.

The Kagiso Islamic Global Equity fund has a similar risk profile as the Kagiso Islamic Equity fund and invests exclusively in equities listed outside South Africa. The Kagiso Islamic Balanced fund is a medium risk fund that is suitable for investors wishing to save for retirement. This fund is compliant with Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act. Kagiso’s greatest challenge since its first Islamic fund was

launched is educating investors on why it is important for their money to be invested in a shariah fund. The key perception is that shariah funds deliver inferior returns compared to conventional funds.

Islamic funds are proving to be popular among investors in South Africa. In March this year, Bloomberg reported brisk trade in South Africa’s debut sale of Islamic bonds. The demand from investors was four times the amount on offer.

South Africa approved rand-denominated sukuk in April and was the first non-Muslim African

country to issue a sovereign shariah-compliant bond when it sold $500 million of securities in 2014. The rand sukuk sets a benchmark for local corporate issuers to tap the market, according to National Treasury.

Bloomberg also reported that South Africa is increasing sukuk issuance in domestic and foreign markets, and is raising US$3 billion in international markets. Islamic bonds generally attract foreign investors but there is growing interest from local investors.

Generally, over the past two decades, investors and fund managers had to contend with the Asian financial crisis, the technology bubble and the 2008 global crisis. Advances in technology have significantly impacted on global economies and influenced political shifts. The world’s top companies since have been replaced by others.

In such conditions, seasoned fund managers apply their stock picking skills and business vision in order to navigate market disruptions. Low cost capital flooded markets through the intervention of major central banks. This resulted in high liquidity and unprecedented and unsustainable levels of debt.

When markets exhibit such volatility, Islamic fund managers like Kagiso are required to invest responsibly in terms of permissibility and risk. Companies of choice must not be significantly

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geared but must also comply with tayyib requirements, such as no or low risk to the environment and good corporate governance practices.

These criteria are over and above the conventional ones for halaal investment in businesses that do not trade in alcohol, gambling or interest-bearing investments.

At present, it appears that Kagiso is not investing in any sectors that are part of the local and global Halaal economy such as halaal foods, tourism, hospitality and pharmaceuticals. Are they of no interest to Kagiso?

Davids explains that while they do have some indirect exposure to companies that service the local and global Halaal economy, there are no listed companies that exclusively focus on those sectors as their core businesses.

According to the annual State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, South Africa has attractive prospects for growing its interest in the local and global Halaal industry. For example, the Western Cape is investing R1 billion in a Halaal Industrial Park.

Kagiso recognises this as a prospective investment market and is an active participant in the Western Cape Halaal Consultative Forum.

While we have not seen anything spectacular yet, Kagiso has identified this market as a potential source of investment into their shariah compliant funds.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Health File

The holistic nature of Prophetic medicine DR SHAAMILAH SULEMAN

IT is well known that, while never claiming to be a physician, the Prophet (SAW) has been reported as having given advice on a number of simple ailments, sicknesses and illnesses that he encountered during his lifetime.

These were all faithfully recorded and collected and have come to be known as ‘Prophetic medicine’.

To put it simply, the Prophetic medicine has been divided into ‘physical medicine’ for treatment of the physical body, and ‘spiritual medicine’, which encompasses the treatment of the soul. Each of these is seen as equally important in the achievement and maintenance of good health.

When giving advice on healthrelated matters, the Prophet (SAW) would reference the physical, spiritual or a combination of both treatments.

In his daily life and acting under Divine guidance, he was able to set broad guidelines for the use of household remedies (like honey), the usefulness of dietary discretion, herbal remedies (e.g. the black seed/ Nigella sativa) and also gave valuable advice on preventative health measures, such as avoiding areas afflicted by epidemics or infectious diseases.

In addition to this, he used prayer, duah, incantations and recitation of Quranic verses to in-

Many of us become depressed because our bodies are not receiving enough nutrients, and such an imbalance affects our whole being.

Hence, Allah commands us to eat wholesome foods (tayyibat) produced naturally from the earth...

Dr Shaamilah Suleman.

Photo SUPPLIED

voke blessings on persons afflicted by certain ailments. This is widely seen as the epitome of holistic health management.

It must be acknowledged that, in Islam, our physical bodies have rights over us: that we take care of our health, optimise our nutrition, get enough quality sleep and exercise regularly. These three – diet, sleep and exercise – are the pillars of good physical health.

Chronic ailments, such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety and general immune function can all

be improved or made worse depending on what is eaten, how much good quality sleep is had and how much exercise is done.

Sayyidatina Aisha (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘Verily, your own self has rights over you so fast and break your fast, pray and sleep.’

(Sunan Abi Dawud 1369) One of the most important aspects of bodily health is to eat nutritious, wholesome and natural foods. Ibn Rajab reports that classical Arab doctors would say, ‘Diet is the foundation of medicine and gluttony is the foundation of illness.’ (Jami’ al-Ulum wal-Hikam 2/468) Many of us become depressed because our bodies are not receiving enough nutrients, and such an

imbalance affects our whole being.

Hence, Allah commands us to eat wholesome foods (tayyibat) produced naturally from the earth.

‘O you who believe, eat from the wholesome things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him that you worship.’ (2:172) Much of the industrial, massproduced food in our age is highly processed and stripped of its nutrients.

These foods contain too much sugar, salt, chemicals and other harmful additives. We should take gradual steps to eat less of these foods while adding more fruit, vegetables, healthy fats and proteins to our diet.

We also need to avoid extravagance with food and overeating. A well-known hadith regarding healthy eating habits describes how we should divide the stomach volume into thirds and fill it accordingly with 1/3 food, 1/3 water and 1/3 air.

This is a simple yet incredibly effective guide to portion sizes, and goes a long way to preventing/ managing obesity and diseases that are sensitive to diet. An example is the amount of sugar contained in the foods we eat and that which our children eat.

Have you ever looked at the ingredients and dietary allocation table on a box of cereal? I have noticed a profound improvement in the behaviour of my own chil-

dren by restricting their sugar intake. Even something as seemingly innocuous as fruit juice or a low fat, sweetened yoghurt can be harmful due to the sugar content, and excessive intake can affect behaviour, focus and attention.

In addition to diet, we need to make sure we get enough quality sleep and exercise. Allah SWT created the night for us to rest, and our bodies need it to heal and recharge our energy reserves.

As a doctor, I worked for many years in a busy state hospital emergency unit and found that with inadequate sleep I was not always able to give adequate attention to my work or obligations outside of work.

Lack of sleep is proven to affect the immune system, mental state and general wellbeing. This has been a contentious issue in recent years in the health sector, culminating in a campaign to improve the working hours of the junior doctors.

Therefore, practising the Prophetic traditions related to sleep as a nightly routine, as part of healthy sleep hygiene, will strengthen the body and aid the healing process, among many other benefits.

Muslim Views . August 2018

29

Obsessive compulsive disorder: a tic of the mind?

DR SURAYAH ZARDAD

OBSESSIVE compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the more prevalent psychiatric disorders that often goes unrecognised and hence untreated.

It can be extremely disabling and interferes significantly with the individual’s ability to function effectively. It has been popularised in television series like Monk so it tends to conjure images of cleanliness and excessive washing of the hands in the layperson’s mind.

But what it fails to capture is the all too often debilitating distress that accompanies this condition. OCD is also much more than just excessive hand washing. And while we all, from time to time, have the urge to double-check that the stove has been switched off or that the doors have been locked, it does not mean that we all suffer from OCD. In other words, when do everyday preoccupations become the disorder that we recognise as OCD? In essence, OCD has two components, namely, obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, images or urges that increase anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive and ritualistic behaviours, which may decrease anxiety.

The individual with OCD may recognise that the obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours are excessive and irrational but may still not be able to resist them.

The analogy of the stuck gramophone record is very apt,

Dr Surayah Zardad. Photo SUPPLIED

with the individuals being stuck in some sort of mental loop, with the obsessions going over and over in their minds.

The person with OCD is unable to break free from the thoughts or resist the compulsions. The thoughts or images intrude into the individual’s mind, even though he doesn’t want them and they are highly anxiety-provoking.

Usually, compulsions are performed in an attempt to make the obsessions disappear. In fact, OCD may be described as a form of magical thinking, where words, thoughts and rituals are believed to have the power to influence your external reality.

In many instances, the ‘cause and effect’ between events is irrational and subject to an inner per-

sonalised logic e.g. ‘If my shoes don’t face the door, my grandmother will die.’ In these persons’ minds, things need to be done in a very specific way to prevent a catastrophe from occurring.

Persons with OCD often experience both obsessions and compulsions, although one may occur without the other. It typically starts in childhood or adolescence but it may have a later onset.

The illness tends to wax and wane but a subset of patients can have a deteriorating and chronic course. It can also appear for the first time in the postpartum period.

In the latter instance, the mother may have images of infanticide i.e. throwing the baby down the stairs. She may also fear that the baby may die suddenly. This may lead her to avoid holding the baby or she may need to check up on the baby many times at night to make sure he is still breathing.

The specific content of the obsessions and compulsions vary widely from person to person.

However, there are certain recognisable categories of symptoms such as: l fears of contamination and cleaning compulsions; l obsessions with symmetry and counting, ordering and repeating compulsions; l forbidden or taboo thoughts, such as aggressive, sexual and religious obsessions and related compulsions; l thoughts or images of harm and avoidance or checking compulsions.

Some common obsessions and compulsions include the following: l worry about contamination i.e. dirt or germs affecting self or others often via relatively benign methods; l sexually explicit or taboo thoughts or images e.g. paedophilia or sexual assault; l blasphemous thoughts or images, usually in a religious person; l worry about religious or moral correctness, to the extent that it interferes with everyday functioning; l excessive double-checking of things such as doors or appliances; l repeatedly checking that relatives are safe; l spending an inordinate amount of time cleaning or disinfecting the surroundings; l senseless rituals, like counting to prevent a catastrophe from occurring; l hoarding junk items such as old newspapers in case they might be needed at a later time.

How then do we differentiate ordinary preoccupations from OCD? The frequency, amount of time consumed by the obsessions and compulsions i.e. more than an hour a day and the extent to which the symptoms cause distress or interfere with a person’s life are pointers that help make the distinction between OCD and occasional intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours common in the general population.

Individuals with OCD vary in the degree of insight they have regarding the accuracy of their symptoms. Many individuals have good insight but insight, paradoxically, is not sufficient to prevent the symptoms from occurring.

Others have poor insight, and less than four per cent of OCD sufferers have absent insight or ‘delusional’ OCD. In the latter instance, it is important to distinguish this from a psychotic disorder. Given the bizarre nature of the symptoms, many patients think they must be morally defective for having these thoughts. They experience a great deal of shame in relation to the symptoms and thus avoid seeking help.

Many people unnecessarily suffer in silence for many years before consulting a health professional for treatment.

It can be seen, therefore, that OCD is a cunning and wily opponent. Little wonder, therefore, that it has been described as the dance with the devil.

It has the uncanny ability to find an individual’s weakness with unerring ease, and attack him from that angle. That is why religious people often have blasphemous thoughts and gentle people will have violent imagery etc.

And when the individual seems to overcome the first wave of OCD, it finds a way of reasserting itself, even in individuals with good insight and intelligence.

Dr Surayah Zardad (MB.ChB; FC Psych) is a psychiatrist at Melomed Bellville Hospital.

Muslim Views . August 2018

31

Dissolution of a Muslim marriage by divorce In part 6 of our series, ADVOCATE FATIMAH ESSOP discusses the talaq.

ALTHOUGH disliked, divorce is permissible in Islam and couples are not expected to remain in unhappy or destructive marriages. So, if they have exhausted mediation then they can exercise various divorce options.

The Islamic laws on divorce are quite complex and for the most part are not recognised or regulated by the South African legal system. Divorce proceedings will usually occur before an imam or one of the Muslim judicial bodies within the community.

In Islamic law, there are different legal processes for men and women when instituting divorce proceedings as well as differences of opinion amongst the mathaahib. I will only be dealing with talaq in this article.

The most common form of divorce, which is initiated by the husband through a unilateral pro-

nouncement of divorce, is known as talaq.

There is a recommended process to follow when pronouncing a talaq. The husband in person or his representative should make the pronouncement that he is divorcing his wife in clear and unambiguous words, either orally or in writing.

The talaq cannot be pronounced when the wife is menstruating so the husband has to wait for his wife to be in a clear period of her menstrual cycle.

A husband does not require a reason for wanting a divorce although jurists classify a divorce without a reason as morally reprehensible (makruh).

There is difference of opinion on whether the wife needs to be present or know of the pronouncement of talaq as it is a unilateral action by the husband.

I would strongly advise couples that, when drafting their Muslim marriage contract, they should include provisions on the procedures that the husband will adhere to in the event of a talaq.

For instance, the talaq pronouncement must be done verbally in the presence of the wife and one witness after the parties have undergone mediation and some form of counselling, and that it should then be confirmed in writing by the husband and deliv-

ered to the wife.

In most Muslim countries today there is legislation that requires official notice and registration of the talaq with the shariah court or other registration body. In Cape Town, it is common for the talaq pronouncement to subsequently be confirmed by an imam or Muslim judicial body in the form of a certificate.

Once the first talaq pronouncement is given, a husband has to wait three months (the wife’s iddah period) before the divorce becomes final. During that period the parties are encouraged to reconcile as the first talaq is considered revocable.

Once they reconcile, they can continue to live together as husband and wife, and if the husband once again decides to pronounce a second talaq, the wife has to enter into a three-month iddah period again.

If the parties do not reconcile during the three months then the divorce becomes final and irrevocable.

A divorce cannot become final if it is discovered that the wife is pregnant during the iddah period.

The divorce will only become final after the birth of the child.

During the iddah period the husband has to continue maintaining his wife.

The Quran sets a limit on the

number of times a husband can make a divorce pronouncement and then reconcile, and stipulates: ‘A divorce is only permissible twice; after that, parties should either hold together on equitable terms or separate with kindness.’

(2:229) Hence, irrespective of the amount of time that has passed, once a third pronouncement of talaq is made, the divorce is irrevocable and final (talaq ba’in).

Once the divorce becomes irrevocable, the husband and wife can no longer reconcile, may no longer live together, the husband no longer has to maintain the wife (unless their marriage contract stipulates otherwise) and any outstanding dowry (mahr) must be paid.

The parties can also no longer inherit from each other. The parties are furthermore not allowed to remarry one another, unless the divorced wife enters into a bona fide nikah with another man and they divorce; only then will she be allowed to remarry her first husband.

The practice of a triple talaq (talaq bid’a), where the husband pronounces three talaq pronouncements in one sitting or in immediate succession, has been the subject of huge debate and judicial difference of opinion.

Once the triple talaq is pronounced, the divorce is considered irrevocable. The triple talaq is normally pronounced in order to avoid the period of reconciliation or sometimes it is simply pro-

In Cape Town, it is common for the talaq pronouncement to subsequently be confirmed by an imam or Muslim judicial body in the form of a certificate. nounced impulsively. This is clearly contrary to the spirit and purpose of the shariah and is highly prejudicial to the wife, who can be left stranded and out on the street without any notice simply by her husband declaring, ‘I talaq you, I talaq you, I talaq you.’

While many scholars would regard the triple talaq as legally valid, it is considered morally reprehensible, even sinful by some, precisely because of the great harm that it may cause.

Some scholars, like Ibn Taymiyah, have ruled that the triple divorce pronouncements are, in law, actually equal to one.

In the next instalment of this series, I will continue my discussion on talaq as well as other forms of divorce.

Advocate Fatimah Essop has a degree in Islamic Law and Arabic from International Peace College South Africa (Ipsa) and is currently a PhD candidate in Law at UCT.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

Reflections on Transformative Living

TWELVE HABITS OF HIGHLY RESILIENT PEOPLE

Lessons from challenging times – Part 1 RESILIENCE is less about ‘positive thinking’ and less about fearlessness; it is more about your mindset toward realistic thinking and rising above your fears.

Both challenging times and times of joy are important lessons of life.

They are like mentors, placing the right circumstances at the right moments in our lives. And the hope is that you will have learnt your lessons from past events of difficulty or joy, and should apply them to this new experience that you now face.

In this first of a two-part article, let us learn from the lessons of challenging times. We will return in another piece, to lessons to be learnt from times of joy.

A crucial, life-changing quality needed through any difficult situation – financial loss, divorce, death of someone close – is resilience. Internationally acclaimed psychologist Emma Seppala, in her book The Happiness Track describes resilience as: ‘The ability to quickly bounce back from the stressful situations you face every day…’

An addition to this description of resilience would be the ability to remain centred to a purpose and persevere ahead. The power of purpose is a key driving force

that maintains us at or close enough to our centre, rather than lose hope and direction, both of which are forces that spin us off our circle of life.

A wheel off-centred will cause a bumpy ride ahead. Being centred helps us to gracefully ride out the storms of life, and this centre is called resilience.

Resilience is underpinned by realistic thinking, not just positive thinking, and certainly not that kind of positive thinking that can be a mantra of affirmations detached from your very real suffering.

Similarly, fearlessness, charging ahead, is rarely the answer. Without adequate self-care and working to transcend your fears, building courage, fearlessness will only lead to regret and possibly hardened cynicism with one’s life.

Here are 12 key qualities that help us ride the storm of challenges. If we appropriately learn the lessons of hardship we face, these 12 qualities will see you through your dark storms and bring you to an illuminated path toward a fulfilling and memorable life. None of these qualities are easy to habitualise into our lives.

In this article, we share the first six habits of highly resilient people.

Accepting what is: Difficult times teach us that nothing is per-

fect and challenges will come but they will also go. After each difficulty, comes ease. Through each difficulty, one grows. A good way to accept what is, is by deferring to seek to know right now why it was so. Acceptance does not question in haste but understands the event as is, well beyond our capacity to change results.

Living in the present: Acceptance alone is not sufficient because it can cast one’s mind constantly into the past to replay the events that hurt you, or into a future where there is supposedly no pain.

The past can never be undone, and replaying it in your mind will cause you despair.

The future that has not yet arrived can only be of help if you embrace the present, and worrying about it will only cause you anxiety. By being resilient, you live the present. A resilient person learns from the lessons gradually; they do not hastily expect to know now. They move from the fight or flight tension of the difficulty, to rest and digest the moment.

Avoiding the blame game: Putting your energy into blaming others as a way to move forward only robs you of precious time. Blaming yourself makes you into a selfserving victim. And both, self blame and blaming others, keep you enslaved to the past, not al-

lowing you to move forward towards the good that awaits.

Acknowledging negative feelings: One of the causes of the blame game is not accepting the very real negative feeling you undergo when you have to face a challenging trial. We are also hardwired to reinforce negative thoughts. But, feeding such thoughts and succumbing to it only leads to not accepting the reality that faces you, and, worse, a slippery slope into depression and despair.

Denying them altogether will make the negative feeling stronger.

The remedy is acceptance, by paying attention to those feelings and acknowledging those feelings.

Speaking to a trusted person, prayer and meditation, and physical exercise help build resilience against the crumbling feelings of negative emotions.

Responding with virtue to others’ foulness: The toughest acts in the midst of hurt and trial is to respond to others virtuously. Abusive language used toward you will not resolve a conflict by firing back a similarly weighted expletive.

Calling out such behaviour and then silence and moving on will bring far better results. Roughness and anger will never bring the pleasant results gentleness will.

Make no mistake: virtue is not gullibility or weakness but it is a strength, particularly in the midst of perceived weakness.

Replacing over-thinking with self-care: Over-thinking what has transpired will hardly give a better understanding of what has been.

Seeking to understand, progressively, and which includes lessons for your self, is different from over-thinking.

Over-thinking leads to seeking to blame, seeking a perfect solution which does not exist, and asking irrelevant questions that tie you into an emotional knot. To build resilience, find ways to relax and care for your emotional and possibly spiritual injuries.

Our emotions teach us about ourselves. Listen to your inner self and learn the lessons that make you a better person. From prayer and meditation to physical exercise and meeting with good and trusting people all provide a nurturing ground for self-care.

Part 2 of this article will appear in the next edition of Muslim Views.

Imam Afroz Ali is the founder of Transformative Living based in Sydney, Australia, and is an advisor to Al-Ikhlaas Academia Library & Resource Centre based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Muslim Views . August 2018

33

The awqaf nazir: glad to be of service HISHAM DAFTERDAR

MUSLIMS are generous with their money, and that is because they have faith. Donating is at the forefront of Muslims’ consciousness albeit not spending much time to understand the social issues or to assess the pressing needs before they commit money and property.

They only hope that their donation will make a difference, forever.

Creating a waqf is a very passive way of giving, and donors find it more convenient and ultimately more effective to entrust their awqaf to others who are working in the field.

The waqif (founder of the waqf), through a deed, determines the objectives of the waqf and its management and succession processes. The nazir (waqf manager), as agent of the waqif, holds the title of the waqf property, exercises legal control and is bound by fiduciary responsibility and moral obligation to protect and administer the waqf for the benefit of the beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the waqf deed.

While a waqf can be managed by an individual, a corporate structure has obvious advantages. The corporate entity allows the segregation of duties and allocation of responsibilities according to areas of

specialisation.

The waqf deed is a shariah-compliant legal document that expresses the waqif’s wishes regarding the consignment of his property and the disposal of its usufruct. The question is: should the waqif focus on awqaf values or on establishing a strong compliance deed to ensure that the nazir does the right thing?

The answer is: he needs both.

The first thing that must be considered in any waqf deed is its goals.

Awqaf values and compliance need to be aligned and complementary.

If the focus is only on compliance, the nazir will be restricted to do only what is allowed in the waqf deed, while an awqaf value-based deed will help the nazir to uphold the values of awqaf and guide him when he faces ethical issues.

The authority of the nazir to act and make decisions on behalf of the waqf carries an immense responsibility, and his duties are wider and more onerous than they were assumed to be. Awqaf can be a high maintenance sector and the task of the nazir is delicate.

Awqaf stakeholders are many and of varied interests. There are beneficiaries, customers, employees, volunteers, local community, government and other groups, with different interests and multiple touchpoints.

The nazir has to understand the importance of looking good in front of all these stakeholders. The challenge for the nazir is to balance values and compliance so that all stakeholders’ concerns are addressed. He should have the ability and discretion to respond to their needs as they arise rather than slavishly follow approved directives that, hopefully, will fit those needs.

While abiding by the waqif conditions, the nazir should be able to navigate through many layers of social needs, to interact with people with disabilities and other underserviced groups, and to weigh and manage multiple and sometimes competing priorities.

The nazir should have good communication and relationship skills. How he interacts with the different stakeholders is crucial.

None of the stakeholders gives the nazir a free pass. A small, rare issue with a disgruntled beneficiary can mushroom to a full-blown event, putting the entire awqaf sector on the line.

If the nazir is talking to a waqif, he should be able to give the status of the waqf and report on his activities in administering the waqf. If he is talking to beneficiaries, he has to ascertain their continued eligibility and assure them that they are getting their fair share of the waqf.

And if he is talking to clients, he

has to follow up on their problems and make sure that their issues are resolved. Every interaction of the nazir with the waqf stakeholders through the different touchpoints should promote satisfaction.

Awqaf is about beliefs, values and ethics, and these are the parameters of the nazir’s behaviour.

The emphasis on ethics is that it is part of religion. Ethical conduct is at the core of all relationships and this means that the nazir has to be straightforward and honest in all professional and business dealings.

Awqaf nazirs have moral responsibility to act in the best interest of the waqf, and it is all about realising the conditions of the waqifs, protecting the corpus of the waqf and making sure that beneficiaries are served and supported.

Nazirs are respected and trusted not only because they comply with the terms of the waqf deed but because they behave with integrity and honesty.

The nazir has the primary responsibility for prudent management of assets in his custody. He has to wear different hats, and one of those is to be an investment specialist. As such, nazirs are expected to have a certain level of business skills and investment knowledge to support their role in monitoring the safety and performance of assets under their control.

Awqaf nazirs are shouldering their responsibility to develop assets in their custody and are acquiring skills to advance their investment and asset management knowledge.

These skills can only lead to better projects, more innovation and higher profitability.

Any nazir will tell you that the role has evolved beyond the traditional duties of oversight. The nature of the task has changed, and the role of the nazir has become quite complicated. Everything looks blurry when it comes to understanding the waqf, understanding the beneficiaries and other stakeholders, understanding the business environment, understanding the technology, and understanding the competition.

The nazir acts as the principal point of contact between all stakeholders and so he should be proactive and responsive across everything. No one goes to university to become a nazir, yet there is a tendency to overrate his ability, wisdom and insight.

Therefore, the nazir should develop professional skills that enable him to balance the limited resources of the waqf against the infinite needs of the beneficiaries.

Hisham Dafterdar (CPA, PhD) is the chairman of Awkaf Australia Ltd.

ajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is compulsory on those that can afford the sacred journey. But there are those who save for this ultimate journey all their lives, yet cannot make it. Or there are those who barely make it and have thing to spare for food and/ or other necessities. Still there are those that serve our community at our Masajid and Madaris – muezzins and imams – that will never make it unless they are sponsored.

H

Awqaf SA has launched the Hajj Waqf Fund to assist or subsidise the indigent hajee.

Contribute to the Hajj Waqf Fund and be part of this sadaqah jariyyah initiative.

34

Muslim Views . August 2018

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

Give hope by entrusting your qurbani to Sanzaf

As part of Sanzaf Operation Winter Warmth Project, the team held a distribution at AZ Berman Primary, in Mitchells Plain, on August 1, where they distributed winter packs, food and party packs to over 1 450 learners. Each winter pack contains a jacket, scarf and beanie. You can donate a winter pack for R250 and help someone less fortunate. Many school children are not fully equipped to face the cold winter months, Sanzaf aims to ease their plight by providing warm clothing to not only Photo SANZAF COMUNICATIONS school children but also the elderly this winter.

SANZAF COMMUNICATIONS

EID-UL-ADHA is a time when Muslims across the globe commemorate the sacrifice of Nabi Ibrahim (AS) through the ritual sacrifice of qurbani. The charity of the qurban is a beautiful sunnah. It is one of the most embracing charities that brings tremendous blessings to the one who performs the sacrifice in obedience of Allah SWT. Sanzaf’s annual Operation Qurbani allows the public an opportunity to practise the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) through qurbani and ensures that their sacrifice meaningfully sup-

ports the needy in South Africa and the Southern African region.

Meat from the sacrificed animals is distributed to the needy and destitute and used in Sanzaf’s monthly feeding programmes in and around the Western Cape.

Sanzaf has a proven track record of facilitating the amaanah of qurbani placed on us and ensuring that all sunnah are carried out with regard to treatment, storage and sacrifice of the animals. In addition, we ensure all sacrifices are performed in accordance with standards set out by the Society for the Prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCA).

Last year, your sacrifices allowed us to provide food to thou-

sands of families in South Africa, Malawi and Mozambique. Our offices across South Africa facilitated the qurbani of 1 256 shares, which were distributed in over 127 needy communities, and used in the fund’s monthly food programmes.

In Malawi and Mozambique, over 7 000 shares were sacrificed, reaching 22 893 families. This year, needy beneficiaries from the Athlone, Mitchells Plain, Elsies River, Retreat and Manenberg will benefit by receiving fresh meat from Operation Qurbani.

This year, you can complete your qurbani from just R550 per animal in Malawi and Mozambique.

Sanzaf Qurbani operations at Saratoga Farm, in Philippi, on the day of Eid-ul-Adha last year. Sanzaf encourages donors to attend and witness their sacrifice on the day of Eid-ul-Adha. Madaris and dawah centres from rural areas Photo SANZAF COMMUNICATIONS attend to witness and learn about qurbani.

Local qurbani is available for only R1 950 per sheep (equal to one share) and R9 500 for a bull (1 bull = 7 shares). In addition, R15 of each qurbani will be donated towards the Masjid Waqf Fund, which assists mosques in disadvantaged areas.

The public have the option to witness their sacrifice and also keep one third of their meat for their own use. Sanzaf encourages our loyal donors to attend the qurbani activities at Saratoga Farm, in Philippi, and witness their own sacrifice.

To purchase your qurbani, visit any of our offices, call 021 638 0965 or visit www.sanzaf.org.za As part of our continued efforts to create awareness about Islam, Sanzaf will once again

invitemadaris and dawah centres from rural areas to witness the proceedings on Eid-ul-Adha and the days of Tashreeq as a form of dawah.

A live outside broadcast via Radio 786 will be conducted and attendees will be treated to warm meals on the day of Eid-ul-Adha.

Be sure to join us as we celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.

Sanzaf will also host a Women’s Day celebration on Saturday, August 18, at Ghousia Manzil, from 2pm. The event will include talks by inspirational women leaders from our community and a delicious treats and tea. Tickets are R250 per person and funds raised go towards Sanzaf programmes and projects.

Visit www.sanzaf.org.za for more information.

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Muslim Views . August 2018

35

The Muslim Hands Big Aid convoy distribution MASNOENA ALLIE ISAACS

IN Ramadaan 2018, Muslim Hands experienced the true spirit of giving, caring and the generosity of the South African community at its very best.

The Big Aid Convoy took on the challenging task of sending containers of rice and flour from South Africa to Turkey for the benefit of the Syrian refugees, initiated by Muslim Hands UK and adopted by Muslim Hands South Africa.

Initially, the intention was to fill at least ten containers of rice and flour, however, the overwhelming response of Muslim Hands supporters throughout South Africa resulted in a total of 29 containers being filled.

The average weight of each container was between 20 and 35 tons, which amounted to a total of 714 tons.

Eleven mosques and 20 drop off points spread throughout South Africa participated in this rice and flour initiative.

Muslim Hands takes this opportunity to thank all the mosques, imams, caretakers, committees and musalees for their participation and assistance, which contributed to the success of the Big Aid Convoy.

On June 20, 2018 all 29 containers, 12 from Cape Town, 13 from Gauteng and four from Durban were loaded onto the vessel

Imraan Roomaney (standing, left), Muslim Hands South Africa manager, with other members of the South African and Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) delegation at the distribution.

Photo SUPPLIED

and went on a sea journey of 30 days, arriving at the Port of Mersin, Turkey, on July 19, 2018.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) gladly endorsed the campaign.

The president of the MJC, Shaikh Irafaan Abrahams, and Moulana Yusuf Sayed, the Head of the Saaberie Chishty Islamic Organisation, based in Lenasia, Johannesburg, accompanied the Muslim Hands South Africa manager, Imraan Roomaney, to the Syrian border for the hand-over ceremony, which took place on Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

Muhammad Usman Ali, Mus-

lim Hands Turkey country manager assisted in the coordination, logistics and distribution of the food aid along with several Muslim Hands volunteers, The Turkish Red Crescent and The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The distribution of the aid took place on the Turkey and Syrian border, in a city called Hatay.

There are about 5 000 families living in this refugee camp – called Yayaylidagi Refugee Camp – and have been living in this camp for the past five years.

Muslim Hands UK had a successful Big Aid Convoy campaign

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President of the Muslim Judicial Council, Shaikh Irafaan Abrahams (centre) with Photo SUPPLIED the Syrian refugees.

as well, and managed to ship 34 containers from UK to Turkey.

On receiving the food aid of rice and flour, they left the distribution area jubilant and excited.

Apart from the distribution that took place on the border, 25 trucks went into Syria to distribute food aid to the needy families in conjunction with The Turkish Red Crescent.

Muslim Hands continues our commitment to assist the suffering refugees wherever they may find themselves, and it is your donations that help make this positive impact on thousands of people, not only in South Africa but

throughout the world.

We appreciate your continued support, and once again convey our deepest gratitude for your generosity to Muslim Hands.

Call Muslim Hands today on 021 633 6413 to contribute towards our projects.

You may donate online at muslimhands.org.za or visit our office at 1 Carnie Road, Rylands, Cape Town.

Muslim Hands wishes the entire ummah a blessed day of Eid. We make duah that Allah SWT shower His blessings and grant khair and barakah to you and your loved ones this Eid, ameen.

36

Muslim Views . August 2018

Seminar to take unique angle on the Prophet (SAW) A SEMINAR that will offer a completely unique perspective on the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and allow you to see how the Prophet addresses our daily challenges, and inspire you to excel in confronting these challenges, will be held in Cape Town on Saturday, August 25.

Presented by Islamic Relief South Africa and Accidental Muslims, the seminar will be conducted by Dr Hesham al Awadi, a specialist in the Seerah (the study of the life of the Prophet).

Dr Hesham al-Awadi was born in Kuwait and educated in the United Kingdom. He completed his Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in the field of Middle Eastern politics and history at various British universities, including University of Cambridge. He also has a diploma in Islamic studies from Institute of Islamic Studies, Cairo.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is an inspirational role model for anyone who wants to be extraordinary. At this seminar you will learn how the beloved Prophet (SAW) shaped his personality as a child, dealt with the universal challenges of adolescence while a teenager, and then emerged as a leader in his community as a young adult.

CONNECT WITH US

CAPE TOWN

At this seminar you will learn how the beloved Prophet (SAW) shaped his personality as a child, dealt with the universal challenges of adolescence while a teenager, and then emerged as a leader in his community as a young adult...

The seminar will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, and there is an early bird special price of R120 per person.

For tickets and further details contact Khalil Aleker (072 244 3668) or Yacoub Abrahams (082 444 4210) or email: info@accidentalmuslims.com The event is open to all but seats are limited.

Documentary to raise funds for mosques PENNY Appeal presents an exclusive screening of One Day in the Haram, a documentary directed by Abrar Hussain. One Day in the Haram is the extraordinary story of the Haram in Makkah, a place so revered that non-Muslims are forbidden from even setting foot in it.

For the first time in history, witness the inner workings of the Haram, as seen through the eyes of the workers, over a full day period. Director Abrar Hussain spent over a year researching different aspects of the Haram to bring you the most complete and compelling vision of the Haram ever produced.

Packed with knowledge and never before seen footage, this is a film that anyone with even a passing interest in Islam must see. All proceeds go toward Penny Appeal’s ‘The Mosque Project’, which is aimed at refurbishing and improving masjids and musallahs in impoverished and township areas.

Many of these facilities lack basic necessities, such as access to water, flooring and sanitation facilities – all of which are imperative in areas of worship.

The project also aims to recreate the concept of masjids and musallahs being the centre of the

The project also aims to recreate the concept of masjids and musallahs being the centre of the community, as well as being spaces of safety, knowledge, guidance and care to surrounding individuals, and, more importantly, the youth... community, as well as being spaces of safety, knowledge, guidance and care to surrounding individuals, and, more importantly, the youth. Tickets are available via Quicket (www.quicket.co.za) or privately to your door or inbox.

Penny Appeal was established in 2009 to provide poverty relief across Asia, the Middle East and Africa by offering water solutions, organising mass feedings, supporting orphan care and providing emergency food and medical aid.

The South Africa office has

been in operation since January 2018, and has since aimed to transform lives and empower communities around the world, helping to break the poverty cycle and build brighter futures.

Our work and our teams continue to grow considerably, allowing us to launch many new campaigns and work in even more crisis-hit countries. To find out more about Penny Appeal and related projects, contact 031 11 00 537 or email hello@pennyappeal.org.za

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38

Muslim Views . August 2018

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -

Qurbani: your sacrifice saves lives SHANAAZ EBRAHIM-GIRE

‘THAT they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of cattle. So eat of them and feed the poor.’ (Quran 22:28) Every Eid-ul-Adha, Islamic Relief South Africa (Irsa) is at the forefront of distributing qurbani meat to some of the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Last year, through your generous support, we were able to provide the highest quality meat to an incredible number of families living in desperate circumstances.

We organised 149 923 qurbanis and distributed 532 287 meat packs to 2 937 161 people in a staggering 33 countries.

Our teams know that for many people, sadly, this could be the only taste of meat they get all year.

Umm Abdo fled her home in Syria after pulling her little boy from the rubble of a destroyed building and now lives in a camp.

‘We now spend our Eid living under the trees… Is this really Eid?’ Siham, from Idlib, is in the same situation, struggling to give her children a normal life in the refugee camp.

‘I think they haven’t tasted

meat since last year’s Eid. ‘It is just not possible to have meat anymore.’

Both mothers were among those who benefitted from our qurbani distributions last year.

This year, Islamic Relief plans to distribute meat packs to 3,5 million vulnerable people across 33 countries, including Syria, the Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Somalia, Malawi and Myanmar.

Back home, the South African office will be implementing Qurbani operations locally and in neighbouring Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

According to Norman Moyo, the head of programmes Irsa, only the best quality animals are sourced from local farmers for the annual programme.

‘We make sure that the most vulnerable families are prioritised for qurbani distribution. Animals are transported and slaughtered humanely, complying with shariah and halaal standards,’ Moyo says.

Marketing coordinator, Mohammed Bock, explains that ‘Because Islamic Relief manages the whole transportation and logistics network, this makes qurbani through us affordable to all.’

Therefore, your donation to Irsa will not only bring happiness to those less fortunate but will allow them to enjoy Eid without

worrying about how and what they will feed their families.

‘Eid-ul-Adha is supposed to be a joyous occasion but sometimes we feel as though we do not have much to celebrate,’ 24-year-old Chisomo Lamiyoni, from Malawi, said.

‘Last Eid, we received five kilograms of meat from Islamic Relief and the whole house was alive with happiness.

‘It was the first time we had had meat in two years, and for an entire week we did not have to worry about looking for food or going to sleep hungry. Since we lost our parents, Allah has made Islamic Relief our breadwinner and we hope and pray that they continue to help us.’

We invite you to share the love of Eid, by giving qurbani. Islamic Relief’s qurbani service starts from R795 per sheep or goat in Somalia. A goat will cost you R895 in Zimbabwe and, in Lesotho, a share in a cow will cost R1 950. In South Africa, a sheep and/or a share in a cow will cost R2 300.

For a detailed qurbani price list, visit Islamic Relief’s website: www.islamic-relief.org.za or send a message to the Irsa donor relations number on 073 154 5369.

Tips for the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah As we enter the first ten days of

this blessed month, our hearts and prayers are with those undertaking the holy pilgrimage of Hajj during these days.

While many of us are unable to make the blessed journey this year, there are still many ways for us to reap the blessings of this month.

The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are often referred to as the best ten days of the year.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.’

(Bukhari) Here are some tips so we can all make the most of these blessed days: Read the Quran: Reading the Quran is a good deed, and Allah SWT especially loves the good deeds done in these days.

Read as much as you can, even if only a few verses each day.

Increase nawaafil prayers.

There are a number of extra prayers you can observe during the day to increase your worship and good deeds.

Make lots of dhikr. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days so recite a great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed dur-

ing them. (Ahmad) Tahmeed: Al-hamdu Lillah (All praises be to God) Tahleel: Laa ilaha ill-Allah (There is no god but Allah) Tasbeeh: Subhaan-Allah (Glory be to God) Istighfaar: Use these blessed days to seek forgiveness for all our wrongdoings.

Fasting: It is sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah because fasting is one of the best of deeds.

In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward for it.’

(Bukhari, 1805) The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Fasting the day of Arafah expiates the sins of two years: the past one and the coming one.’ (Muslim) Give as much as you can in charity in these blessed days.

Preserve ties of kinship. Maintaining the ties of kinship is from the best of deeds due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): ‘Whoever would like his provision to be increased and his lifespan to be extended, let him maintain the ties of kinship.’ (Bukhari) Shanaaz Ebrahim-Gire is the communications manager of Islamic Relief South Africa.

Email shanaaz.ebrahim@islamicrelief.org.za.

Wishing all a joyous

Eid Mubarak

Discussions with Dangor

Muslim Views . August 2018

39

Is unity amongst Muslims a pipe dream?

Some believe that since Halaal certification is a big money spinner, there is a turf war between certifiers, writes EMERITUS PROFESSOR SULEMAN DANGOR.

THE disunity that has plagued our communities in the past has not abated. While some community leaders have been campaigning incessantly for unity, sectors of our communities remain disunited and, in several instances, our disunity has been exacerbated.

To begin with, we do not have a single Halaal certifying authority in the country. It is not unreasonable to have different certifiers in each of the provinces – particularly since it is easier for them to monitor abattoirs and companies in their region – provided they are in agreement on the permissibility of consuming specified products.

Unfortunately, they are not, resulting in confusion in the minds of consumers and sometimes even conflicts within families, where family members differ on which products are suitable for consumption.

With new certifiers entering the market from time to time, the potential for disagreement increases.

No doubt, Halaal certifiers are performing a very valuable service by ensuring that we are protected from consuming haraam products.

Is it not possible to have a type of agreement between certifying authorities that will not create doubt in the minds of consumers?

Some believe that since Halaal certification is a big money spinner, there is a turf war between certifiers.

We do not have a single ulama body in South Africa though there is an umbrella body that probably represents the majority of ulama in the country.

There is more than one ulama body in virtually every province.

This in itself is not a problem and it is natural for them to differ on several fiqh issues since the Muslim population in South Africa is dominated by the Shaafii and Hanafi madhahib. Even minor differences among ulama in aspects of aqidah should be expected.

However, some ulama bodies operate in silos. So, even when it comes to the observation of auspi-

cious occasions, they prefer not to follow the consensus of the majority. Consequently, we end up with families observing these occasions on separate days.

We also have a situation when a member of an umbrella body does not endorse a statement or action by its parent body, thus constraining it from taking measures that could prove beneficial to communities.

Sadly, several ulama have exploited these differences, thereby creating more tensions in their communities.

If their disputes were confined to their own circle, that would have been in order.

But some have reached the courts and are exposed in the media, which does a great discredit to the community.

Furthermore, the disputes have spilled over into the public domain, causing confusion with regard to certain specific matters as well as disillusionment with the ulama.

We do not have a common approach to government. Some of us support it though we may be critical of corruption and incompetence among government officials.

However, others among us see it as the personification of evil and will have no truck with it. This is selfdefeating.

Good or bad, it is our government. And the freedoms that we enjoy under our present government I doubt are shared by any on this continent and even in the majority of Muslim countries.

Our contradictory relationship with government is not in our best interests. While we have a right to express our disagreements with government on local and international issues, we have to demonstrate loyalty to our country and partner with government on matters that will improve the lives of the majority of our citizens.

We cannot be seen to be concerned only with issues affecting Muslims. On matters relevant to other faith groups or the citizenry in general, we have to act in concert with the representatives of these sectors.

This brings us to the issue of identity. We have to wear different caps at different times, depending on the circumstances. So, while we are Muslim, we are also Indian, Malay, African, White, Arab and South African. It is important to learn to negotiate these identities.

We should also take into account the fact the some of us have family members belonging to these diverse ethnic categories and it is simply not possible to be con-

cerned with a specific category only. Identifying with only one group leads to a fracturing of the community.

Our mimbars focus mainly on matters relating to ethics and morality, which is important given the increasing unethical and immoral practices in the community.

Unfortunately, some ulama are using their platforms to humiliate, condemn and discredit those whose views they consider ‘unacceptable’ – including those of fellow ulama. Even ulama respected globally are not spared. The language that is often used is condescending, abusive and denigrating.

There are a number of groups that have splintered into factions.

Each faction vies for public support. This factionalism has a negative impact on the community. It has often divided families and friends who now view the other as ‘misguided’.

All attempts at reconciliation in the majority of cases have failed.

Since some of the ulama are themselves implicated in the stand-off, the chances of reconciliation appear remote.

In my view, there are three main factors obstructing or preventing unity: fear of losing the support of followers, financial considerations and ego. Unless community leaders overcome these ‘impediments’, unity will remain a pipe dream.

40

Muslim Views . August 2018

Positive and Effective Parenting

Teaching children the value of money FOUZIA RYKLIEF

ON numerous occasions I’ve observed parents and grandparents overindulging their children or grandchildren. As a grandparent, I have also been guilty of this.

I know that most parents want the best for their children and want to do the best for their children. Sometimes, ‘the best’ means that you must give children whatever they want or give them what you did not get as a child.

Some parents’ guilt for being a single parent or for working long hours or because the children have gone through trauma, such as divorce, may make that parent reluctant to implement limits, resulting in the child being overindulged and allowed to reign.

Teaching financial responsibility is an important parental duty.

Children learn how to live from us and they also learn values through examples and experience.

Distinguish between needs and wants Even if you can afford it, don’t buy every time they ask for something they ‘want’ but do not need.

Buying children something they want when they want it gives them the impression that there is an endless supply of money. It could also encourage materialism.

There are special occasions for

gifts, such as birthdays, when the child can get what he wants within reason. It is helpful to say, ‘This is how much we can spend on…’

Parents can help children avoid developing a sense of entitlement when they do not give in to the children’s demands.

Also, when parents explain that the money they earn is enough to cover basic needs such as food, rent or bond payments, saving for a rainy day, a car or an expensive household appliance that is needed, the children learn that there isn’t an endless supply of money.

They learn that financial planning is important and that saving for something that one wants and/or needs (a new stove, perhaps) is an important value. It also teaches them to avoid debt.

Including older primary school children in a few family financial discussions is a good way to demonstrate the kinds of choices adults face. For example, the cost of a family holiday depends largely on where you go. Would they rather spend a week at the beach or two weeks in the mountain?

Teenagers should participate regularly in family financial discussions. They still needn’t know every detail, such as total family income or the size of the bond but they should know what pressures are on the budget.

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Involve the child in exploring ways of raising money when she wants an item the parents cannot afford. For example, the child can contribute by saving part of her pocket money, doing small odd jobs around the house (over and above the agreed upon chores for which they do not get paid but serve as part of their contribution towards the smooth running of the home).

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something badly enough to go after it themselves. Children need to learn that one has to work for something one wants and, at the same time, they learn to manage money.

Teach money management by giving children pocket money.

Children between six- and sevenyears-old understand basic math so they should be able to manage a small amount of money.

Start by helping them make a list of things they will use the money for. This opens communication about money and about saving, and provides an opportunity to share your values.

Most children are ready for regular pocket money when they start school. A weekly schedule is probably best. The amount you give them depends on what you expect them to buy.

With a little extra money at their disposal, children in primary school could become serious shoppers. Help them learn to compare quality and prices of similar items.

Allow them to make small choices on their own, such as gifts for friends or toys for themselves.

As they mature, give them more say in buying clothes for school and leisure, pointing out why one purchase may be a better buy than another because of quality, appropriateness or price. This will help them with making intelligent choices in the future.

Encourage children to save.

Create an incentive. For example, a child wants an item that pocket money will not cover; say to the child that for every rand she saves, you will match it with a rand. Besides teaching a child to save, this also teaches the child to delay gratification.

Developing social responsibility All of the above help to develop a child’s character. Avoid lecturing and don’t induce guilt by saying, ‘You should be grateful.’

Children learn values when they experience them. Therefore, parents need to make the effort to live the values they want their children to learn, for example, appreciating the value of one’s possessions, the effort that went into saving to acquire those possessions and to look after those possessions.

Expose children to the compassionate gestures people do for others or tell them about it. If you are not involved in any such activities yourself, think about getting involved, no matter how small.

Even the few coins you drop into a collection tin at the mall will help teach social responsibility.

When you do this, explain why you are doing it.

Fouzia Ryklief is a social worker registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).

Muslim Views . August 2018

41

42

Muslim Views . August 2018

Focus on Finance

Medical expenses you can claim back from tax

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, provide some insight into the medical expenses the taxpayer can claim back.

MEDICAL expenses are nothing to cough about. Private medical treatment is increasingly, year on year, pushing the limits of medical aid scheme benefits and our wallets. It is an outlay few can avoid. Luckily, certain medical expenses come with a bit of tax relief in the way of tax credits.

A tax credit is a non-refundable rebate. This means that a portion of your qualifying expenses, in this case medical related spend, is converted to a tax credit, which is deducted from your overall tax liability (the amount of tax you have to pay Sars).

You can’t carry any unused credit over to the next tax year and it won’t ever result in a negative amount or stand-alone refund from Sars. This means that if you don’t earn an income but do contribute to a medical aid, you can’t claim the medical credit.

But many people are unsure of what medical expenses are allowed, and even more unaware of the medical aid tax credit calculations used.

If you are not only paying for your own medical expenses but also for those of your immediate and sometimes extended family too, it is important to understand what Sars considers as dependants.

Who Sars considers as dependants for medical expenses claims Sars sees the following as dependants: l A spouse (husband or wife) l A child and the child of a spouse (e.g. son, daughter, stepchild or children, adopted child or children) who was alive during any part of the year of assessment, and provided that on the last day of the year of assessment he/ she was unmarried and: l a minor, i.e. under the age of 18, or l under 21 years of age but partly or entirely dependent on you for maintenance and not yet liable for normal tax themselves, or l under 26 years of age but partly

Hassen Kajie

Aysha Osman

or entirely dependent on you for maintenance, not yet liable to pay normal tax themselves and a full-time student at a publicly recognised educational institution, such as a university or technikon. l Any other member of your family who relies on you for family care and support (e.g. mother, father, sibling, mother- or father-in-law, grandparent or grandchildren) l Any other person recognised as a dependant in terms of the rules of a medical scheme or fund.

Tax deductible medical expenses Medical aid contributions Sars calls this rebate the ‘Medical Schemes Fees Tax Credit’ and it applies to the fees paid by a taxpayer to a registered medical scheme for you (as the taxpayer) and your dependants.

The credit (for 2018) is a fixed monthly amount of R303 for you as the primary member, a further R303 for your first dependant and R204 for each of your additional

dependants.

If John pays for medical aid for himself, his wife and his three children, his tax credit will be calculated as follows.

R303 for John + R303 for John’s wife + (R204 x 3) for his three children = R1 218 tax credit per month.

John’s tax liability is therefore decreased by R1 218 per month.

Note that this is a flat rate per month and doesn’t take your taxable income into consideration.

If you are paying your contributions via your employer, i.e. as a deduction from your salary or wages, your employer is obliged to use the credit system to adjust your PAYE tax accordingly.

If not, completing the medical aid contributions section of your annual tax return will apply the permitted credit for your advantage.

2017/2018 year of assessment (March 1, 2017 – February 28, 2018) R303 per month for the taxpayer who paid the medical scheme contributions; R303 per month for the first de-

pendant; R204 per month for each additional dependant(s).

2018/2019 year of assessment (March 1, 2018 – February 28, 2019) R310 per month for the taxpayer who paid the medical scheme contributions; R310 per month for the first dependant; R209 per month for each additional dependant(s).

Please read the next issue of Muslim Views as we will be tackling the additional medical aid deductions available to individuals for qualifying expenses.

If you require help completing your tax return, or require a tax practitioner to submit your return for you.

Please contact any one of our Nexia SAB&T branches nationally.

Please note that the above is for information purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. As each individual’s personal circumstances vary, we recommend they seek advice on the matter. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure accuracy, Nexia SAB&T does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or errors contained herein. If you are in doubt about any information in this article or require any advice on the topical matter, please do not hesitate to contact any Nexia SAB&T office nationally.

Can you afford to retire Does your business give you a false sense of security regarding your retirement?

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Muslim Views . August 2018

43

Let’s go to Mexico

A bright and busy eatery for a quick bite.

DILSHAD PARKER

HALAAL Mexican food is not always that easy to find. Except for the mexican menu options at Spur and the recent arrival of Tortilla Modern Mexican – of which there is only one halaal branch – options have been kind of limited.

We now have a new player in the market. Guacamole Fresh Mexican, at Canal Walk, is offering an authentic Mexican experience, fast food style, and judging by the queues there the weekend in July that we went, I reckon they are here to stay.

We dropped by on Sunday for

Photo DILSHAD PARKER

a quick pick up on the way home.

Mistake! How on earth was I going to eat nachos that had got cold. Cold and congealed melted cheese is not my idea of appetising. Suffice to say it was eaten on the way home in the car – but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The deli style, build your own eatery can be found in the Canal Walk shopping centre food court.

It is bright and colourful with a few tables for eating in.

The menu is quite simple: four bases to choose from, either Burrito, Nachos, Warm Bowl or Salad. Fill it with your choice of protein – chilli con carne mince, pulled beef or pulled chicken (veg-

Who can say no to some cheesy nachos?

etarian options are available, too).

Top it with an array of topping choices and pay. Prices from R65 for veg to R70 for pulled beef.

We bought nachos with chilli con carne mince. I topped it with jalapenos, salsa, corn, cheese, fresh coriander, guacamole and sour cream. They put this under the grill to melt the cheese. We

Photo DILSHAD PARKER

also added a pulled beef burrito with rice, corn, refried beans, chilli sauce and, of course, guacamole.

The nachos used proper corn nacho chips so it doesn’t get soggy as quickly as them Dorittos. (Yes, you know you use them too when you make your nachos at home).

The mince was okay but I felt it lacked a bit of flavour and heat.

But, on the whole, I really enjoyed it.

The burrito was also good, quite generous and also a bit on the mild side.

The only thing about pulled meat is that you sometimes get a big, stringy piece in your teeth and it pulls half the filling in the burrito out with it. Otherwise, mucho enjoyable.

For a takeout meal, R70 for a burrito is a bit expensive. But it is in the same region as what Kauai charges, although Kauai does use free-range chicken. The nachos portion, at R65, I found to be a tad on the small side. I would buy again but not that often.

They have some side options, like mexican slaw and cup of corn, and kids-size options, too. Sadly, the home-made Mexican lemonade was finished so I didn’t get to try it. I did have it at a later stage, on a second visit, and found it quite a tart drink.

If you like lemon-flavoured drinks, like me, you will enjoy it.

It’s not overly sweet and goes down nice and dry.

For a sweet ending, they have churros with chocolate sauce, at R25. I haven’t had them yet but I’m a big fan of this Mexican treat.

So I’ll be seeking my sweet ending at Guacamole soon again.

This review is independent and meals were paid for. Dilshad Parker is founder and author of www.hungryforhalaal.co.za

44

Muslim Views . August 2018

Light from the Quran

The true nature of human progress IBRAHIM OKSAS and NAZEEMA AHMED

SO much information today, whether in the print or electronic media, aims to draw us to seek that seemingly elusive emotion called happiness.

The search and yearning for happiness is used by advertisers to sell various commodities to alltoo-willing consumers as well as the offering of ‘formulae’ to attain happiness by those who occupy the health and wellness space.

In his contemporary Quranic tafsir, Risale-i Nur (The Treatise of Light), Bediuzzaman addresses the true nature of human happiness and progress in this world.

Bediuzzaman contends that since Allah Almighty has created humans on the ‘most excellent of patterns’, and since humans have been given very comprehensive abilities, we have been cast into an arena of trial and examination, which is this world, in which we may rise or fall to stations, ranks and degrees from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high.

As human beings, we have been sent to this world as a miracle of Divine Power, the result of creation, and a wonder of divine art.

Thus, for us in this world, two roads have been opened before us which lead to either infinite ascent or infinite descent. This means

that our capabilities and capacities can lead to either great progress and happiness or dismal decline.

Bediuzzaman says that the reason for this is that, as human beings, we are in need of most of the varieties of beings in the universe and that we are connected to them. Our needs spread through every part of the world, and our desires extend to eternity.

As we want a flower so we want the spring. As we desire a garden so too do we also desire everlasting paradise. As we long to see a friend so too do we long to see the All-Beauteous One of Glory.

Thus, because of all these endless needs, we have to seek refuge at the court of the Absolutely Powerful One for it is Allah Almighty who will close the door of this huge world and open the door of the hereafter, and who will remove this world and establish the hereafter in its place.

Thus, for humans in this position, the only true object of worship will be one in whose hands are the reins of all things, who sees all things, and who is present everywhere, who is beyond space, who is exempt from impotence, free of fault, and far above all defect, an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Compassionate One of Beauty, an All-Wise One of Perfection, Allah Almighty.

Bediuzzaman shares with us that if we are the slaves of Allah Almighty alone, we will earn a place superior to all creatures. But if we hold back from this servitude to Him, we will become an abased slave to impotent creatures.

If we rely on our egos and own power and we abandon reliance on Allah Almighty and duah, and we deviate into pride and boasting then we will fall lower than an ant or bee in regard to goodness and good action, and we will become weaker than even a spider or a fly.

As human beings, we have two aspects: one is that of goodness, good acts and positivity. The other is the aspect of destruction, nonexistence, evil, negativity and passivity. With regard to the first aspect, we are lower than a bee or sparrow, and weaker than a spider or fly.

With regard to the second aspect, which is destruction and evil, we surpass the mountains, earth and skies; we took on a burden before which they expressed their impotence and from which they shrank.

When we commit evil and destruction then our evil overwhelms everything and our destruction spreads. With regard to destruction, we only have to look at the state of the world, the environment and morality today to witness the level and scale of

destruction wrought by the hands of humans.

For example, kufr is an evil, a destruction, an absence of affirmation. But that single evil comprises insulting the whole universe, belittling all Allah Almighty’s most beautiful Divine Names, and abusing all humanity for these beings have elevated positions and important duties; they are Allah Almighty’s officials.

But kufr dismisses them from their position of being officials charged with duties, and reduces them to the level of futility and being the playthings of chance.

So too, through kufr, it insults the Divine Names, the inscriptions, manifestations and beauty, all of which are to be seen throughout the universe. And it casts down the one who holds the rank of vicegerent of the earth, known as man, to a position more powerless and needy than the lowliest animal.

Humans, by assuming the ‘Supreme Trust’, rose to being higher than the earth, sky and mountains and even gained superiority over the angels.

Bediuzzaman summarises this discussion by saying that with regard to destruction and evil, the evil-commanding nafs may commit infinite crimes but, concerning goodness and good, its power is extremely little and partial. Yes,

humans may destroy a house in one day but it cannot be built in a hundred days.

However, if the nafs gives up egoism and seeks good and existence from divine assistance, and if it foregoes evil and destruction and relying on itself, and through seeking forgiveness becomes a true slave of Almighty Allah then it will manifest the meaning of the ayah in Surah Al-Furqan, ‘Allah will change their evil into good.’

Its infinite capacity for evil will be transformed into an infinite capacity for good. It will acquire the value of the ‘Most Excellent of Patterns’ and ascend to the highest of the high. This constitutes true progress and happiness for a human being.

Thus, we see Almighty Allah’s munificence and generosity! Although it would be justice to record one evil as a thousand and a single good deed as one or not at all, Allah Almighty records a single evil as one, and a single good deed as ten, and sometimes as seventy or seven hundred or even, sometimes, as seven thousand.

In conclusion, Bediuzzaman conveys that from this discussion we will understand that to be sent to Jahannam, which is so dreadful, is retribution for the deed and pure justice, while to be sent to Jannah is the pure generosity of Allah Almighty.

46

Muslim Views . August 2018

From Consciousness to Contentment

The iddah is a waiting period JASMINE KHAN

THE iddah is quite possibly the least understood aspect of Islam, and for many, open to many interpretations.

It is important that we realise that there is wisdom behind whatever Allah commands. It is for our ultimate benefit, even if we cannot immediately see what it is.

The period of iddah is incumbent on women whose husbands have died, as well as those who have been divorced.

For widows, Allah has mandated in the Quran: ‘Widows shall wait, keeping themselves apart (before they remarry) for a period of four months and ten days, after their husbands’ death. When they have completed this set time, you will not be blamed for anything they may reasonably choose to do with themselves. Allah is fully aware of what you do.’ (2:234) Women who have lost a life partner are favoured by Allah’s mercy. They are allowed to grieve for longer than the three days prescribed for others. Not only does it allow the widow sufficient time for expressing grief at the loss of her life partner and giving her time to heal, it stresses the solemn nature of marriage, and serves as a mark of respect and honouring the departed one.

Seclusion and contemplation helped her to work through her anger issues...

Keeping herself in some form of seclusion protects the widow against unwanted and unlawful attention from men, and safeguards her against defamation and slander.

Men are forbidden to make advances to a woman under iddah, and it is reported that Nabi Muhammad (SAW) advised widows to be extra modest in their appearance and not to wear any fragrance during this period.

All of this point to the fact that a woman should not only be but also appear to be in a state of mourning so that her social circles do not get a chance to say a negative word about her.

In the case of divorce, the Quran states: ‘Such of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the iddah, if you have any doubts, is three months, and for those who have no courses (it is the same): for those who carry (life within their wombs), their period is until they deliver their burdens: and for those who fear Allah, He will make their path easy.’ (65:4) The last part of the above ayah is significant; Allah makes it easy

for the one who fears and obeys Allah. In most cases, divorce is resorted to when there is unhappiness, incompatibility and even abuse so it is never a happy situation.

Nevertheless, the actual talaq is a trauma and a blow to the woman. I know of someone who railed against having to do the iddah; she asked several people why she had to do it and received no satisfactory answer. Finally, she opened the Quran and saw the verse which said that women past childbearing age must also stay in for three months.

She was trying to draw closer to Allah and decided to obey. Within seven to ten days, she had found what the purpose was for her.

Seclusion and contemplation helped her to work through her anger issues and she realised what a mercy Allah had granted her to just be quiet and focus on healing.

At the same time, her cousin, a non-Muslim, also went through a divorce, and, years later, her cousin still felt extreme anger towards her ex-husband.

I asked Shaikh Ninowy to explain the concept of iddah to me.

What he told me was rather novel and provides food for thought. He said that in the happiest and most successful marriages there are sometimes periods of strife and discord. The waiting period for the woman gives her the chance to place these incidents into perspective in the overall condition of the marriage; it gives her the opportunity to forgive certain hurts that she felt.

He also said that, who knows, the departed one in the barzakh could also be doing the same thing and working through certain things that he had done or had failed to do. This gives both parties the chance to resolve and heal so that when they are reunited in the akhirah, it will be as if they had just met.

Someone suggested to me that there is another type of iddah, the period after performing the Hajj.

In former times, people used to jealously guard themselves from any type of frivolity or pursuance of the pleasures of the dunya for forty days after returning home.

People would want to be in the company of the hujaaj because it was said that they carry the barakah of Makkah with them for that period. I really like this concept although it has no shariah basis – none that I could find, anyway.

One could see this also as a waiting period, waiting for the impact the pilgrimage had on you to integrate itself into your very being, and to cling as long as possible to the feeling of heightened awareness and spirituality.

The fact that in today’s accelerated lifestyle and work demands it is not always possible to take such a period should not really matter if you are determined to hold onto the feeling.

You can do so even while going about your daily tasks; all it needs is a determination and an intention to do so.

What it comes down to is reflection. In several places in the Quran, Allah addresses us as people who reflect. All these forms of iddah invite reflection and contemplation of the mercies our Creator has gifted us with.

The rules pertaining to iddah of death and divorce are clear; as Shaikh Alexander, of Gatesville Masjid says, ‘We do not go against the rules of Allah, and Allah has the last word.’

‘It is not befitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decreed by Allah and his Messenger, to have any option about the decree. If anyone disobeys Allah and his Messenger, he is indeed clearly on a wrong path.’

(Quran 33:36)

Art’s for All

Muslim Views . August 2018

47

Colour-bursts of floral hues You will be treated to stunning painted vistas of papyrus reeds and lily blooms along the Nile that have survived from ancient times, writes DR M C D’ARCY.

THE rains have fallen. Spring is around the corner. The flowers of the Cape will soon blossom into a riot of colour. A million cell phone pictures of this heaven-sent manna will be clicked.

Will the images last forever or will they die when the batteries fade? Another medium renowned for its longevity over hundreds, if not thousands, of years, across time and adverse storms of sand and dust, is painted pictures.

Go into the graves of the pharaohs of Egypt and you will be treated to stunning painted vistas of papyrus reeds and lily blooms along the Nile that have survived from ancient times. Many are as fresh as if they were painted yesterday.

With modern paint technology, your very own flower paintings could outlast those on the painted walls of the imperial Egyptians.

Some thirty years ago, I looked through the window of an art shop in Wynberg. The paintings on display were breathtaking. I had always been interested in art but then I knew that I had to paint flowers like that. I walked into the shop. ‘I want to paint flowers like those,’ I said to the shop assistant.

‘What kind of paint would you like?’ she asked.

I only knew about watercolour and smelly oil paints. ‘I’m asthmatic ,’ I said. ‘I don’t like the strong smell of oil paint.’

‘Well,’ she said somewhat sternly, ‘You will paint with acrylics!’

I’d never heard of acrylics.

‘What’s that?’ I mumbled.

‘It’s water-based paint,’ she replied firmly. ‘It won’t affect your chest.’

I bought paints and brushes, canvases and a palette. I was convinced that I could paint just like those artists on the walls. I was on the path of being an artist!

But it was a long road ahead and I have still not learnt all about paints and floral subjects. I’ve enjoyed the journey though.

Some brief notes about paints will, I hope, encourage everyone not to be deterred by the technical

This vibrant acrylic rendering of proteas oozes warm colours on a graded opaque brown background.

Painting and photo M C D’ARCY (circa 2005)

My acrylic medley of arum lilies is arranged in a strong, triangle shape, its colours cool and somewhat transparent.

Painting and photo M C D’ARCY (circa 2005)

side of painting. Nothing about it is written in stone. Experimenting is part of the pleasure of messing about with colour. You will soon find that you are appreciating the joys and blessings of colour and the magic of colour vision.

I must emphasise that painting is not as expensive as you might imagine. You can get started with painting with student-grade acrylics for the price of a pizza or two. Professional grades are more pricey but they have a greater load of pigment and longer permanence.

Acrylic-based paints can be

mixed with water. The brushes can be cleaned with soap and water; no need for stinging turpentine as is used with oil painting, no irritation of your lungs and dryness of your hands.

Acrylics dry quickly so there’s no waiting days for a layer to dry, as with oil-based paints, before you can paint over the first layer.

(In summer, acrylics can dry too quickly, hampering shading techniques but that can be overcome with special drying retarders.)

It is not necessary to buy all the colours of paint on display in art shops. I made that mistake and,

thirty years later, many tubes have still not been opened.

It is important to understand that with a reasonable knowledge of colour mixing you can attain all the colours imaginable but it will take time, practice and patience.

Some colours, such as red and orange, will be warm. Others, like pale blues and greys, will be cold.

Colours, such as black and intense purples, have dark tones.

Pale yellows and delicate pinks have light tones. Some colours, such as black and purple, are opaque (no light shines through them from any base colour). Others, like pale yellows and some greens, are transparent and will let the underlying layer shine through.

The two accompanying paintings that I painted 15 years ago show many of the features of paint and paintings that I have discussed

above. The arum lily painting, with its strong triangle presentation, has cool colours, some with transparent hues. My rendition of proteas is warm overall with more opaque hues.

These simple notes will blow away your fears that you cannot be an artist because it’s too technical and expensive. Remember, that as far as paints are concerned, acrylic paints are less expensive than oils. It is also water-based, easy on the lungs and environment. And, with colours such as white, yellow, red, blue, burntumber and burnt-sienna you can mix any colour your heart desires.

Tuition will help.

Look at paintings. Ingest the world around you. Splash paint on canvases and walls; your creative juices will flow and the paintings will boost your enjoyment for many years to come.

48

Muslim Views . August 2018

MAY 17, 1952 – JULY 17, 2018

Saait Magiet - denied the world stage by apartheid MOGAMAD ALLIE

AN all-rounder in all ways imaginable – that’s Saait Magiet, who was denied his rightful place in the international sporting arena by the cruel system of apartheid.

As a cricketer, he was equally effective as a very quick and dangerous opening bowler and, as a batsman, he could tear apart any attack irrespective of the situation in which he found himself. As a fielder, he also ranked among the game’s finest.

As a rugby player, he was equally good as eighth man, flank and, when the situation demanded, he could even operate effectively at scrum half or fly half.

His skills and leadership qualities on the rugby fields saw Magiet being selected to captain the City and Suburban Rugby Union team in SA Cup matches under the banner of the old SA Rugby Union (Saru).

He was widely regarded as one of the finest loose forwards in the Saru ranks, and there is consensus that had he moved to the Green Point Track-based WP Union, he would have been a shoo-in for national colours. However, his loyalty to the Primrose rugby and cricket clubs precluded such a move from even being considered.

Such was the respect he commanded from his peers that legendary Saru loose forward Edgar Siljeur was moved to comment thus when hearing about Magiet’s passing: ‘Saait was a great friend both on and off the field. He was surely the best and most versatile sportsman produced during the Sacos era.’

High praise indeed coming from a man who himself was equally adept as a rugby player and cricketer.

It was as a cricketer that Magiet won universal recognition as one of South Africa’s best during the apartheid era.

The fact that he was handed his first-class debut as a callow 19year-old alongside established stars like elder brother Rushdi, Braima Isaacs, Neville Lakay, Viccie Moodie, Coetie Neethling and Owen Williams, among others, showed how highly regarded and talented he was.

And it was in only his second game, away to Eastern Province, that a young Magiet provided a sign of things to come scoring a typically swashbuckling 89 and joining Gertjie Williams to register

Saait Magiet in typically belligerent mood in a WPCB club game against Metropolitan, at Rosmead, as wicketkeeper, Ernest ‘Guppy’ Tobin, and Keith Dixon can only watch in amazement. Notice the corrugated iron stand and the basic scoreboard on Photo SUPPLIED the B field in the background.

a record eighth wicket stand of 133 after Lefty Adams’ side was struggling at 151/7.

He would go on to represent WP 67 times, 15 as captain, over a period of 20 years, as well as leading the SACB national team in 1987 and in 1991.

While his batting statistics of 2 650 runs (including three centuries and 15 half-centuries) scored at an average of 29,12 appear unflattering, the bouncy matting wickets and later green top and often uneven turf pitches coupled with slow outfields are major mitigating factors.

As an opening bowler, Magiet was devastating, often ripping through the opposition with a combination of pace and swing as manifested by his 171 first class wickets claimed at a meagre average of 12,99.

Paying tribute to Magiet, Vincent Barnes, his former WPCB teammate who is now Cricket SA’s High Performance manager, says the talismanic all-rounder was always regarded by his teammates as the ultimate safety net.

‘As long as Saait was playing, we didn’t have to worry. If we lost wickets up front, he would contribute with the bat; if we strug-

gled for wickets you just gave him the ball.

‘The world never got to see this immensely talented sportsman because of apartheid – a principled man who sacrificed so much for the cause of non-racial sport. He did it so that others could achieve what so many of us couldn’t.

‘There are so many sportsmen, myself included, who are deeply thankful for Saait’s contribution to shaping and influencing our careers.

‘He was without doubt one of the best cricketers I played with or saw in action, and I don’t easily dish out compliments of that nature,’ said Barnes.

Cricket commentator Aslam Khota, a former Transvaal opening batsman and wicketkeeper, was often on the receiving end of Magiet’s match-winning performances.

‘Saait had stamina, and combined speed with craft as a pace bowler. He was a devastating stroke-maker and often changed the game in favour of his team.

Opposing teams knew that you were never done until you had Saait’s wicket!

‘Ask all the players of that era whether they had seen a batsman

strike the ball harder and further than Saait. Intimidating and brutal in execution, he knew exactly where he was aiming – not just brute strength. Wickets? Throw the ball to Saait, and he seldom gave it back.’

Had his generation, and those before them, had the opportunities (including coaching, training facilities, playing against top quality opposition), Magiet would no doubt have made his mark on the international scene just as players in the post-apartheid era, like Makhaya Ntini, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, JP Duminy, Hashim Amla, Paul Adams, Kagiso Rabada and others have done.

While his impact on the sports fields around South Africa was immense, Magiet made an equally important contribution to the sporting side of the anti-apartheid struggle when he and brother Rushdi, turned down a lucrative offer to play for a South African Invitation XI against Greg Chappell’s sanctions-busting International Wanderers side, in 1976.

The stance of the Magiets, particularly that of Saait, who was widely regarded as one of the country’s top players, was crucial, coming as it did at a time when a

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significant number of former Sacboc players had been lured into the trap of playing ‘normal sport’ when the apartheid society was still decidedly abnormal.

The roles of Imam Abdullah Haron, a Primrose supporter, and Livingstone High School in shaping their political consciousness and inculcating the principles of anti-racism were clearly manifested in their decision.

The farcical sporting dispensation was part of the government’s plan to beat the highly effective international sports boycott.

Had Magiet taken up the offer which came at a time when, at the age of 23, he was in his prime, his clout was such that many more would have followed and damaged WP in the same way that particularly Transvaal and Natal were decimated by defections.

Things may also have turned out differently for the talented all rounder had he honoured a contract organised for him by another Sacboc legend, Cecil Abrahams, to play for Strathmore, in Scotland.

As it turned out, Magiet returned the signed contract to the wrong address.

Abrahams, who had by then established himself in the Lancashire League, was moved to seek an opportunity for Magiet to fulfil his rich potential after observing the all rounder at close quarters during the season he spent coaching and playing for WP as a professional in 1975.

‘It would be a great waste if a player with all his natural ability did not experience playing in England, where his ability would show even more,’ Abrahams wrote at the time.

As someone who was privileged to have watched and admired Saait Magiet in his prime, whether as a cricketer or rugby player, one can only but wonder what might have been for one of South African sport’s unfulfilled giants.

Unfortunately, viewing his beautifully crafted work of art was restricted to those who had the good fortune to view it at the local exhibition while it was denied the chance to be showcased in the galleries of the world.

Mogamad Allie is a veteran sports journalist, and also provides radio and digital media coverage of sports and current affairs for the BBC’s world service. He is the author of ‘More Than a Game: History of the Western Province Cricket Board 1959-1991’.

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