Muslim Views, October 2018 by Muslim Views

Vol. 32 No. 10

SAFAR 1440 l OCTOBER 2018

Community celebrates legacy of Ash-shaheed Imam Abdullah Haron

This poignant photograph captures the courage and resilience of a family who suffered the loss of a beloved husband and father at the hands of apartheid’s killers. Imam Abdullah Haron’s widow, Mrs Galiema Haron, is flanked by (left) daughter Fatiema Haron-Masoet, and son, Professor Muhammed Haron, at the inaugural Imam Abdullah Haron Education Trust Bibi’s Kitchen 6km Family Fun Walk on September 30, 2018. Photo ABDURAHMAAN KHAN

Muslim Views appeals to the father pictured in the wheelchair at the IAHET Bibi’s Kitchen 6km Family Fun Walk to contact the editor at telephone 021 696 5404 to share his story of why he participated in the event to commemorate the life and martyrdom of Imam Abdullah Haron. The spirit this reader displayed on the walk bears testimony to the depth of love that he and members of the community hold for the memory and legacy of Imam Abdullah Haron. Photo KHADIJA JAFFER

INDONESIA TSUNAMI emergency “It’s a devastating situation, with bodies everywhere… rescue work is a race against time… We have launched an appeal for up to $1million” - Nanang Dirja, IR Indonesia country director

Muslim Views . October 2018

We need an integrated approach to social ills

Vol. 32 No. 10 l SAFAR 1440 l OCTOBER 2018

THE alleged rape this month of a six-year-old girl in a family restaurant is not a freak occurrence that evokes shock and horror. In important ways, it is emblematic of the scourge of the various social ills we face today. Its brazen nature and the unconscionable violation of the rights of the weak and vulnerable are indications of how criminal indecency in society pervades and tends to eclipse common decency. However, it is but a symptom that points to the broader phenomenon of moral degradation, lawlessness and poor governance that besets South Africans. Corruption is typically associated with the theft of funds and resources in government and the private sector. However, corruption is also linked to social ills like rape, kidnapping, gangsterism and the drug trade. In some instances, these are largely a function of greed and the criminality of individuals and syndicates who prey on the wealthy. In other instances, they are largely a function of systemic and governance failures produced by those in power. High level corruption invariably impacts on local communities, with tragic consequences. Such corruption denies resources and capacity to vital institutions, such as law enforcement and social welfare. More importantly, they sabotage the inherent potential for economic growth that benefits the majority of the poor. An ailing economy is a primary enabler of social ills. Corruption and poor governance essentially undermines broad-based economic growth that, inter alia, stimulates job creation. Instead, it creates an enabling environment for the classical outcomes of

unemployment, such as poverty, crime and poor health. However, corruption, crime, poverty and other associated social ills in South Africa are linked to policy and legislation in both the apartheid and post-apartheid eras. The communities besieged by gang violence and the impact of the drug trade on the Cape Flats, Westbury, Eldorado Park and other poor suburbs are cases in point. Researchers have shown that the promulgation of the Group Areas Act resulted in the fragmentation of extended family units. These family units provided an inter-generational social order and influence that aided in containing rampant criminality, a disregard for the law and a devaluation of human life. Forced removals not only destroyed this social cohesion but created in its place a dispersed mass of dislocated nuclear families. The youth of that generation sought and found meaning in thug life and gangs as surrogate families. The youth in these communities today are deeper in this despair and are easily lured by a criminal cash economy. Evidently, criminals are also smarter than the police. The impotence of the police and the power of the criminals are in stark contrast. The latter have diversified, become agile, transnational and very well networked. Criminals more easily outsmart law enforcement agencies that are incompetent and corrupt. For long, various stakeholders such as researchers and civic organisations have called for an integrated approach to crime. This involves legislation, policy and regulation that is enforced with a focus on the people’s interests. Instead, our police respond with violence and brutality to communities peacefully protesting against this state of affairs.

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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On Saturday, September 29, 49 years to the day that the late Imam Abdullah Haron, who was tortured and killed by the apartheid regime in 1969, was buried in Mowbray, Professor Muhammed Haron, only son of Imam Haron, was one of the speakers at Qibla’s annual Imam Abdullah Haron commemoration lecture held at the Western Cape College of Nursing, in Athlone. In line with the theme of the evening – the land issue – Haron pointed out that his family had still not succeeded in getting back their house in Claremont, from which they were evicted as a result of the Group Areas Act. He also explained their non-participation in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, asserting that it was the duty of the current government to open inquests into the deaths of those killed during the apartheid era. He added that due to their mother’s frailty, the Haron family does not feel it prudent to pursue an inquest into Imam Haron’s killing at this time. Photo TOYER NAKIDIEN

Patriot or terrorist? By James Matthews

They placed him in a prison cell This man who had a dream That every man should be father To his brother’s son And love should not be tempered by The colour of their skin Was he Patriot or terrorist? His concern for children not his own Made him keeper of his brother A widowed mother found in him courage And a woman wronged compassion Was he Patriot or terrorist? In a prison they placed him His guilt, his plea for justice That would not be a tyranny for most For his dream, he died Was he Patriot or terrorist? (Dedicated to Imam Abdullah Haron) This poem was published in 1972, in James Matthews’s first published collection of poetry, Cry Rage. The collection was banned by the apartheid regime in 1973. Mr Matthews was a reporter and columnist at Muslim News under the editorship of Imam Haron, and they had forged a close relationship. Mr Matthews later served on the editorial board of Muslim News. On October 3, 1969, days after Imam’s brutal killing at the hands of the apartheid regime, Matthews wrote ‘Tribute to a humble man’ for a special edition of Muslim News. It was later republished in a collection of short stories, titled, The Park And Other Short Stories. Eighty-nine-year-old Mr Matthews lives in Silvertown, Athlone in Cape Town. Muslim Views subscribes to the Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African Print and Online Media that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced. If we don’t live up to the Code, please contact the Public Advocate at 011 484 3612, fax: 011 4843 619. You can also contact the Press Council’s Case Officer on khanyim@ombudsman.org.za or lodge a complaint on the Council’s website: www.presscouncil.org.za

Muslim Views . October 2018

Fake food: a growing threat to halaal-conscious consumers KAMAL SALASA

FOOD fraud costs the global industry over R1 trillion annually. To put that into perspective, the annual worth of the global illegal firearms trade is around R166 billion and the global trade in heroin is estimated at around R600 billion. The Piromalli clan is a leading force inside the Callabrian mafia, thought to be one of the wealthiest, most powerful criminal networks in Italy. On their list of crimes is food fraud. The mafia has created a vast fake olive oil export operation. Why had the mafia taken an interest in producing and selling fake oil? Journalist Tom Mueller investigated this question for a segment on ‘60 Minutes’ and found that it was all about the bottom line – fake olive oil has a profit margin that is three times higher than that of cocaine, with far less risk associated with getting caught. It isn’t just the Italian mafia that has recognised the profitability of food fraud. The Institute for Global Food Security, in Ireland, says that the big drug cartels in Central and South America, as well as the triad gangs of SouthEast Asia, have also become involved in producing and trafficking fake food. Crime organisations have the resources, logistics and sales channels to get fake food to everyday consumers. In some cases, crimi-

substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, food packaging or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain. Food fraud is a significant safety risk – often, unknown substances are added to food products that may cause illness or death. An example of this occurred in China, in 2008, when melamine was added to milk to give the impression of a higher protein content than what was present. This resulted in the death of six babies from kidney complications, and the hospitalisaGirolamo Piromalli (1918-1979) was the charismatic tion of 54 000 more. boss of the ‘Ndrangheta gang in Calabria, Italy. His To qualify as food criminal empire is active to this day and fake olive oil is fraud there must be but a part of its interests. According to Slate Magazine intent and the mo‘Ndrangheta trades in ‘hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of illicit dollars around the world’ and has tive of economic ‘penetrated every single major financial center on the gain. This is critical planet’. Photo WIKIPEDIA because global food safety standards have traditionally nals are ditching illegal guns and focused on prevention of the unindrugs altogether in favour of the tended, like contamination of food lucrative fake food market. products with disease-causing bacteria or undeclared allergens. What is food fraud? When the intent becomes to unFood fraud is generally defined dermine the food system as a as the deliberate and intentional whole, experts warn that food

safety standards have simply not been sufficient. Let’s look at the 2013 horsemeat scandal in Europe as an example. Horsemeat from Romania and Poland traversed Europe through multiple distributors to find its way onto a major retailer’s shelves, mislabelled as beef. This was concerning because the retailer was up to the then current standards of food safety and management. Independent authenticity testing was not yet required; all that was required to ensure authenticity was a paper trail that was traceable. And paper trails are easier to manipulate than independent scientific test results. These and many similar incidents, both home and abroad, have prompted the changes in standards. The most subscribed to food standard globally, the Global Food Safety Initiative, has introduced the requirement to take steps like supplier audits and specialised scientific testing to mitigate the risk of food fraud. In South Africa, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has introduced the Agricultural Products Standards Amendment Bill to ensure that products are authentic and accurately labelled. These are encouraging developments but how effective implementation and enforcement will be remains to be seen.

Is the Halaal system vulnerable? The international Halaal industry is not immune to food fraud.

The international Halaal industry is not immune to food fraud. Last year, some of Brazil’s largest chicken processing companies were raided and were found to be committing many kinds of food fraud, including labelling rotten meat as fit for consumption, bribing government officials for various certificates and falsifying product documents. An independent poultry consultant said, ‘I travelled throughout the country about five years ago. It was clear to me that, at times, you just pay $20 and you get your Halaal stamp. Really, there should be more government control.’ Consider that Brazil exports poultry worth $3,2 billion to OIC countries, and also exports Halaal certified chicken to South Africa. South African Halaal certification bodies are well up to global standards yet there have also been some high profile cases of Halaal mislabelling here in the recent past. The question that one must ask is: how can our Halaal certification standards lead the way in helping protect us from food fraud? Kamal Salasa is managing director of Tokeid Biotech, a laboratory service that focuses on transparency and authenticity of consumer goods. Tokeid is also South Africa’s first Halaal testing laboratory.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Africa Halal Week attracts international buyers MAHMOOD SANGLAY

THE Africa Halal Week (AHW) programme from October 15 to 18, at the Westin Hotel, in Cape Town, is set to launch South Africa into the global Halaal economy. Wesgro says over fifty local exhibitors are registered for this event, including small, medium and large businesses. Denan Kuni, head of International Trade, at Wesgro, says it is particularly significant that small businesses are afforded the growth opportunity to reach international markets. The exhibition space is free and local enterprises in the Halaal market are urged to use this opportunity to expose their brands to an international audience of twenty buyers in twelve countries. These buyers are diverse and include the UAE, Kuwait, Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. The buyers are active in equally diverse economic sectors and represent retailers in Halaal commodities, foods, film and media, Islamic finance, tourism and modest fashion. The programme prepared for the visitors includes business networking opportunities, presentations on the role of industry and government and business-to-business trade expo sessions. There are also conferences on themes such as the African, Middle Eastern and European Halaal markets, modest fashion, tourism and the Islamic banking and finance industry.

Ruslena Ramli is head of Islamic Finance at RAM Holdings, a leading provider of independent credit ratings, research, training, risk analysis, bond pricing and credit information in Malaysia. Malaysia is also the world’s largest sukuk (shariah compliant bonds) issuer to the amount of US$ 90 billion. Ramli will meet and confer with various Islamic finance experts in South Africa. Photo SUPPLIED

The inaugural Africa Halal Week is a multi-pronged event showcasing the best that the Cape has to offer in a global economy where Muslim consumers are one of the fastest growing demographics. The global Muslim food and beverage market alone is roughly $2 trillion. According to Nezaam Joseph, director of Economic Policy and Planning at the Department of Economic Development, the Western Cape’s primary export

Franka Soeria is co-founder of Markamarie, a global platform for modest fashion, launched in Indonesia. Soeria has a background in music and public relations, and believes there is a growing international market for fashion designers who are willing to explore creative and tasteful modest fashion. Her mission is to promote modest fashion internationally and she will explore similar opportunities from designers and suppliers in South Africa. Photo SUPPLIED

is food and agri-processed products. To ignore this market ‘would be folly’ says Joseph. Due to a dynamic Halaal standards environment – partly due to diverse religious interpretations of Halaal – a uniform global Halaal standard does not exist. This presents a challenge for global Halaal exports generally, including South Africa. However, the provincial government has launched a project to

Dr Ziyaad Mahomed is chairman of the Shariah Committee at HSBC Amanah Malaysia Bhd. He is also associate dean of executive education and e-learning at the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia. He is of the view that there is great potential for cryptocurrencies in Islamic finance. Mahomed will be participating in the Africa Halal Week conference on the theme of Islamic finance. Photo SUPPLIED

clarify local certification standards and processes. Part of these processes is a gap analysis between the different global standards and those that exist in the Western Cape. ‘Government must supply market intelligence, particularly to Muslim SMMEs and to local industries so that they can adjust their offerings. ‘We must work with our certifying bodies to strengthen their

The global Muslim food and beverage market alone is roughly $2 trillion. According to Nezaam Joseph, director of Economic Policy and Planning at the Department of Economic Development, the Western Cape’s primary export is food and agri-processed products. To ignore this market ‘would be folly’ says Joseph. standards to meet global trends in the Halaal certification domain,’ says Joseph. The Halaal market has the potential to ease the pressure on the economy through, inter alia, job creation and showcasing South African Halaal products and services to a global audience.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Faith in the face of disability VANESSA RIVERA DE LA FUENTE

BRAZILIAN writer Paulo Coelho says in his novel, Brida, that life ‘is a dark night, we never know what will happen tomorrow, but we dream, we envision and we plan a tomorrow, because we have faith’. What Coelho’s fans know from his books, we Muslims know from our faith: Allah is the best planner. We never know what is going to happen with our lives because everything happens with the permission of Allah and for our enjoyment or learning. God has been generous with me: He has given me fabulous experiences that I never dreamed of and rough lessons that carved my strength and determination for greater purposes. Ms Soraya Salie, from Bonteheuwel, always told me that God reserves the most difficult tests, those that provide the most important lessons, for his most beloved creatures. Therefore I, as a Muslim, feel more than ever loved by God because, at this moment, along with other family and professional challenges, I’m losing the sense of hearing. Since 2016, I noticed that I was not hearing as well as before or evenly with both ears. I noticed some changes in my personal habits and my social behaviour: I was no longer hearing sounds that

Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente. Photo SUPPLIED

I had normally been hearing (the doorbell, for example), had the sensation I was hearing from just one ear, and going out and facing the noise in the street exhausted me. Preliminary tests confirmed a percentage of hearing loss and partial damage to the right ear. So, I’m a woman with a sort of disability. I am a disabled woman? Yes, I am. Disability does not have to be total to be a disability. I never thought of myself as a disabled woman and I still struggle to accept the idea because it makes me question my life expectations and feel vulnerable. I am a career woman in her

Religious communities should embrace disability as an opportunity to strengthen their ties around empowerment and practise equality and inclusion, embracing diversely able people with their full talents and potential. Source 123rf.com

early 40s experiencing hearing loss. What do I know about it? As a professional in the field of gender equality and human rights I know that, according to the UN, women with disabilities have been described as being doubly marginalised on account of their disability and their gender. They may be more vulnerable to social exclusion and often have limited social, political and economic opportunities. Women with disabilities may also be at greater risk of sexual and physical violence and abuse. Girls with disabilities often experience discrimination, for example, in education and family life. As a result of aging and the longer life expectancy of women,

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the number of women with disabilities is likely to be higher in many populations than the number of men with disabilities. Many older women with disabilities may lack access to services and support. As life expectancy increases, this challenge will become more evident across more countries. I am a Muslim woman facing disability. What do I know about it? I know that people with disabilities suffer discrimination in religious communities. Therefore, it is more difficult for people with disabilities to participate in religious life, find a partner, marry and start a family. As Juliana Claassens, Sa’diyya Shaikh and Leslie Swartz say in a paper on the topic, people with disabilities are seen as ‘people onto whom non-disabled people can project their own feelings. This process of disavowal can all too easily take on a religious dimension when the person with the imperfect body or mind can be seen to embody a form of divine punishment or as an object of pity – not as a person like other people, with a complex set of human qualities.’ I know that there are people who will say that it is a punishment I deserve and they will even be happy. But, for me, being a Muslim is not only access to religious life in a community. Above all, it is to appreciate life in its divine wisdom. Then I, who can no longer hear the doorbell as I could before, I

understand that this is an opportunity to surrender to the will of God, without questions and criticism on my part. I understand with gratitude, the love and divine wisdom of Allah that, some years ago, put me in an intimate relationship with a person with a disability. I realise, more clearly than before, that life demands courage, strength and a constant openness to learning. I understand with my heart that God is in everything and that He will be with me as long as I do what is best for me. Everything we live is to train us for what we will experience in the days to come. I am currently learning sign language but the lessons of all this go beyond: It is filling my life with the deep conviction that no matter how things unfold from here, in every situation yet to come, I will be okay, having a new reason to stay in my work and activism. Life is a dark night and may become a bit silent for me but I dream, I envision and I plan for tomorrow because I have faith. Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente is a social educator and communication 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

Muslim Views . October 2018

Masjid on bone marrow donor drive MASJIDUL-QUDS, in Gatesville, Cape Town, has embarked on a drive to increase the number of donors signed up with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR). The campaign – which profiles 31 local heroes who are either living with or are survivors of various forms of life-threatening cancers, who support or advocate for increased awareness of stem cell donations or who have had bone marrow transplants – was launched on September 21 and culminates with a gala breakfast event on October 21. The key thrust behind this unique collaboration is to improve the number of donor registrations and make information about bone marrow donation more widely available. This is of particular importance among the major demographic groups living in the vicinity of Masjidul-Quds, which is under-represented on the bone marrow donor database.

Who is SABMR? Founded in 1991, the SABMR is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and an internationally recognised registry. It has been the only registry in Africa supporting an active matched unrelated donor transplant programme. The SABMR has a team of highly trained individuals demonstrating the necessary skills, technical infrastructure and expertise

to those awaiting a stem cell match. The breakfast gala event on October 21 will profile each of the #31Heroes and provide a platform for the ongoing sharing of information, awareness and increasing the number of registrations with the SABMR.

How can you help?

to deliver services for patient searches, matching and co-ordination of procurement and harvesting stem cells. The SABMR further creates informational material, testing kits and avails a recruitment officer who is able to guide potential donors through the easy, two-step process.

Why the partnership? Masjidul-Quds, being a highly active, community-based Islamic institute in the Western Cape, is blessed with a large and diverse

congregation. However, recently, the increasing number of community members afflicted by various forms of cancer has sounded a call to action. In response, the Gatesville Mosque Institute has set up a partnership with the SABMR to increase awareness, make information more widely and easily accessible and, ultimately, increase the number of registered donors, particularly among populations of East Asian and African heritage.

Campaign Masjidul-Quds will partner with the SABMR as it promotes its 1 in 100 000 social media campaign. In addition, the MasjidulQuds Institute will, via its own social media network, launch a campaign called #31Heroes. This campaign seeks to profile a member of the immediate community who has made a difference, lived with a form of cancer, been a recipient of a bone marrow transplant, is registered as a donor or is a family member or support

The SABMR encourages potential donors to sign up with the South African Bone Marrow Registry directly. Any healthy person aged from 18 to 45 may register as a bone marrow donor. To join the registry, please go to www.sabmr.co.za, you may call 021 44 786 38, or you could email donors@sabmr.co.za. If you are unable or ineligible to become a stem cell donor, consider making a financial contribution to the SABMR. Please go to www.sabmr.co.za and click the ‘Donate’ button. By becoming a donor or by becoming a corporate or individual sponsor, you play an extremely important role in shortening the matching process for patients. You can contact The South African Bone Marrow Registry on 021 447 8638 or email: admin@sabmr.co.za or visit the website: www.sabmr.co.za For more information about the masjid’s campaign and the gala breakfast event, call 021 699 1999 or email: info@masjidulquds.com or visit the website: www.masjidulquds.com Issued by Masjidul-Quds.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Shaping the future of learners for 40 years Husami Educare, under the auspices of the Cravenby Muslim Educational and Cultural Society is marking its 40th anniversary this year. This is an edited version of the address by the secretary of the Board of Trustees of CMECS, DR ENAYETULLA MOWZER, delivered on September 8, 2018, at a gala event to celebrate the milestone.

IN 1970, the Cravenby Muslim Educational and Cultural Society (CMECS) was formed by eleven Muslim residents of Cravenby with the intention of purchasing land from the City of Cape Town to erect a masjid to serve the needs of the community. The first eleven founder members and trustees were M S Janjirker (Bhawoodien), Imam Hamza Khan Dalwai, Sayed Ahmed Ismail, Abdul Wahab Kootbodien, Jaffer Khan, Omer Khan, Ahmad Mahmood Pathan, Abdul Kadir ‘KW’ Parker, Abdurahman Ebrahim (Ulday), Faizel Hassan Sungay and Sharif Mohidien (Gire). The first meeting was held at the Mohidien residence. In 1971, four additional members were added to the list as trustees. They were Abdullah Moosa Vallie, Sayed Abdurahman, Shaikh Abbas Mukaddam and Sayed Ebrahim Sayed Mahmood.

Staff and administrators of the Husami Educare at the institution’s 40th anniversary function. In the back row, from left to right, are Saeeda Khan, Zulaikha Sayed, Zeenat Mukadam, Jamiela Mohamed, Rehana Parker, Asiya Cassim and Mubeena Parker-Ismail. In front are Faiza Johnson, Zainab Vallie, Fowzia Rahim (the first principal), Jahangir Khan (Educare sub-committee convenor), Mumtaz Bapoo (current principal) and Dr Yusuf Lalkhen (educational Photo ABDURAHMAN KHAN psychologist).

Plans for the masjid were drawn up and, on June 16, 1976, the foundation of Husami Masjid was laid in the presence of dignitaries and the Muslim community of the area. The masjid was opened in 1978. By this time, the community had grown and the CMECS decided to open a nursery school in 1978, under the leadership of A W Kootbodien, Hasan Natha, Abdul Gaffoor Kagee, A M Vallie, S A Ismail and M S Janjirker. Four teachers, Farhat Parker, Sharifa Powan, Kamrunisa Faki and Mumtaz Bapoo (nee Rumaney) were employed. Mrs Mymoena Sayed and Mrs M Badrodien, of Habibia Nursery, assisted in establishing the nursery and conducted teacher training.

The nursery soon started to grow and employed more staff. Amongst them were the late Hawa Tambe, Mrs M Vallie, Nazlee, Zulaikha Sayed, Sabera Peerbhai, Zainab Vallie, Firoza Salie, Fatima Mohammed, Jamiela Mohammed, Mrs Hamdulay and Sumaya Muller. In 1989, due to the demise of a few members, a new nursery subcommittee was formed comprising Dr E Mowzer, Dr N A Mowzer, Mr A M Vallie and Mr S Janjirker. This sub-committee also coined the motto: ‘Success through education’. It was also decided to change the manner of tuition to a more structured approach and the nursery school was converted into an educare centre. For this transformation to be successful, it became

necessary to further the training of the staff. The Muslim Assembly conducted classes in this field and the teachers were enrolled to further their education and training. The late Mrs Shireen Khan and her brother, Hasan Khan, of Shireen’s Play Centre, also assisted the educare sub-committee in running the centre in a more professional manner. At this juncture we also employed our first trained educare teacher, Mrs Fowzia Rahim, as principal and helped in setting up our systems to be more professional and competitive in the field of educare. During all this, strong alliances were built with Muslim Assembly Educare, Shireen’s Play Centre and also Siddique Mosque Educare. Apart from a few joint activities, we started an annual inter-educare sports day, which was a resounding success and took place for quite a few years. To boost our teachers’ levels of education, some staff members were enrolled at training college to study for their N levels. Fowzia Rahim and Mumtaz Bapoo even went further and obtained their Bachelor of Education degrees at University of the Western Cape. After the departure of Mrs Rahim, in 2001, Mrs Bapoo became principal of Husami Educare. A position she still holds. Whenever teachers left, they were replaced by trained educare instructors.

Amongst them were Mrs Faiza Johnson, Rehana Parker, Zaida Sungay, Juwairiya Samodien and Delaire Kajie. Our current staff members are Mrs Bapoo, Zeenat Mukaddam, Aasiya Cassiem, Faldielah Toyer, Mubeena Ismail and Vanessa De Klerk. Our administration secretary for the past 22 years is Mrs Jamiela Mohamed. In 2001, we were pleasantly surprised by an official visit to Husami Educare by the late former president, Nelson Mandela, and the then premier of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rasool. This event will always feature as one of our highlights in the history of Husami Educare. With the introduction of Grade Rs a few years ago at some schools, the number of children enrolled at Husami Educare has dropped. However, for the past three years, our numbers are steadily increasing. This is due to the fact that we follow the syllabus of the Western Cape Education Department and enhance it with the Islamic ethos which we adhere to strongly. The current sub-committee consists of Mr J Khan (convener), Yousuf Atcha, Rafiq Sonday and Asif Bapoo. As the former convener of Husami Educare – a post which I held for 27 years – I would like to pay tribute to all those mentioned in this article and especially to our founder members and trustees.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Shaikh Yusuf of Macassar: the early years DR AUWAIS RAFUDEEN

SHAIKH Yusuf of Macassar is undoubtedly regarded as one of the most prominent figures in South African Muslim history, and in particular, is seen as a major inspiration for the establishment and continued flourishing of Islam in Cape Town. One of his titles is ‘Al-Makassari’, that is, ‘of Macassar’. There is a Macassar region in South Sulawesi, an island in central Indonesia. It was there that Shaikh Yusuf was born in 1626. And there is a Macassar on the outskirts of Cape Town, named in his honour, where he passed away, in 1699. Between these dates, Shaikh Yusuf lived a very eventful life. From a young age, he showed a propensity for studying Islam, and sat assiduously at the feet of local teachers in South Sulawesi. Among them were Sayyid Ba Alawi ibn Abdullah and Shaikh Jalaluddin Aidid under whom he studied subjects such as Arabic, Islamic law (fiqh), Islamic theology (aqidah) and spirituality or Sufism (tasawwuf). We need to pause here. Islam was typically taught in Indonesia by teachers who followed the Ashari school of Islamic theology which, along with the Maturidi school, form the two branches of the Ahl Sunnah wal Jamaah (The People of the Sunnah and Congregation, or Sunnis). In Islamic law, they adhered in particular to the Shaafii madhhab,

which remains the dominant school of law in Indonesia. But perhaps, most importantly, Islam, in its historical unfolding in Indonesia, was suffused with Sufism. Those who brought Islam, and those who taught it, were almost invariably members and leaders of Sufi orders who integrated their teaching of aqidah and fiqh with Sufi practices. For example, Shaikh Yusuf’s early teacher mentioned above, Shaikh Jalaluddin Aidid, was also responsible for the establishment of a Sufi method known as ‘Tarekat Bahr al Nur’ (The Path of the Ocean of Divine Light), a school which continues in Indonesia to this day. In general, to be a Muslim in 17th century Indonesia was to be almost automatically connected to Sufism, and Shaikh Yusuf was no exception in this regard. In 1644, Shaikh Yusuf went to Banten (in present day Java) to continue his studies. He came into contact with its royal court and, notably, became friends with the sultan’s son, the future Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. The court sent Shaikh Yusuf on a delegation to Gujarat, India, to meet with the famous scholar, Shaikh Nuruddin Raniri, to resolve some religious questions. Shaikh Raniri had been to Indonesia before, namely to the island of Acheh, where he had attained great acclaim as a prolific scholar and Sufi master. Although he had returned to his native Gujarat, he still retained an

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Shaikh Mizjaji was a follower of Shaikh ibn Arabi, who was notable for his perspective that emphasised witnessing the workings of Allah through all things in creation. This was to considerably influence Shaikh Yusuf’s approach to the way he saw reality... immense influence in Indonesia. Shaikh Yusuf spent about two years in Gujarat and not only did he have the privilege of studying under Shaikh Raniri, he also studied under Shaikh Raniri’s own spiritual teacher, Sayyid Abu Hafs Ba Shaiban. Most significantly, he was inducted by Shaikh Raniri into the Qadiri order, the first of five orders in which he was given spiritual authority. From Gujarat, he sailed to Yemen in 1649 where he further pursued his studies and was inducted into two orders: the Naqshbandi order, by Shaikh Abdul Baqi al-Mizjaji, and into the Ba Alawi order by Shaikh Ali al-Zabidi. Shaikh Mizjaji was a follower of the famous Sufi, Shaikh ibn Arabi, who was notable for his perspective that emphasised witnessing the workings of Allah through all things in creation. This perspective was to considerably in-

fluence Shaikh Yusuf’s approach to the way he saw reality, including the various life situations in which he found himself. So, for example, when he was exiled to the island of Ceylon by the Dutch late in his life, he wrote that he found himself on Ceylon through the decree and wisdom of the Almighty! It should also be noted that the philosophy of Shaikh ibn Arabi was very commonly taught in this period, and was championed by many prominent ulama. One such champion was Shaikh Ibrahim Kurani, Shaikh Yusuf’s main teacher in the Hijaz (Makkah and Madinah), which was the region to which he next travelled, in 1654. Shaikh Yusuf initially spent about four years in the Hijaz, studying under its many teachers, and was inducted by Shaikh Kurani into the Shattarriyah Sufi order. But, despite his induction into all these orders, Shaikh Yusuf’s name was to become associated with one in particular: the Khalwati tariqah. In about 1658, he travelled to Damascus where he was initiated into this order by the imam of the Ibn Arabi mosque, Shaikh Abu Barakat Ayyub al-Khalwati. This shaikh was to become Shaikh Yusuf’s main spiritual guide, and Shaikh Yusuf reverentially refers to him as ‘Ashari’, ‘Shafi’ and ‘Khalwati’ thus reaffirming Sufism’s connection to orthodoxy and vice versa. Shaikh Yusuf himself had

achieved considerable spiritual renown by that time and when he was inducted into the order, he was given the title ‘Taj ul Khalwatiyyah’ (‘Crown of the Khalwatiyyah order’). He travelled back to the Hijaz in 1661 where, not only did he further continue his teachings but was taught in its holy precincts as well. He returned to Indonesia in 1667, now an acclaimed teacher and Sufi. His friend, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, requested him to become the court scholar to Banten, a post which he accepted. But Shaikh Yusuf’s return also coincided with increasing Dutch expansion into Indonesia. Sultan Ageng, together with Shaikh Yusuf, resisted this expansion and eventually Banten was attacked. Shaikh Yusuf, alongside 4 000 followers, put up considerable resistance but was eventually captured and exiled to Ceylon, in 1684. In Ceylon, he continued his spiritual and scholarly activities, writing a number of his Sufi texts while in captivity. But the Dutch were fearful of his considerable influence in the broader Indian Ocean region and he was finally exiled, with 49 of his followers, to the then remote outpost, ironically called the Cape of Good Hope, in 1694, where he was to breathe his last in this world. Dr Rafudeen is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies and Arabic at University of South Africa (Unisa).

Muslim Views . October 2018

Islamic art foundation banquet to showcase ‘unique genre of art’ SHABODIEN ROOMANAY

AN exciting and creative future awaits the world of Islamic Art in Cape Town. In a unique and progressive drive, the South African Foundation for Islamic Art (Safia) is spreading its wings. Many people have visited the art gallery situated at the Al Ikhlaas Academia Library to view and appreciate the exquisite works of splendid art, mostly by local artists, but now the next major step beckons. To take this leap forward and draw in many more highly talented and creative geniuses require resources, funding and manpower. And to place this drive high on the agenda, Safia has planned its inaugural fundraising arts banquet at the Islamia hall. Razack Abbas, the manager of the planning team and co-ordinator of the management board of Safia, has arranged a splendid banquet to be held on Friday, November 16, 2018. The theme of the banquet is ‘The art of the soul’. ‘We know that there is so much talent, particularly in Cape Town, that we have had to engage at a completely different level. This is a first for us and hopefully not the last,’ Abbas said. According to him, Safia has secured the Western Cape minister of arts and culture, Ms Anroux Marais, as its guest speaker and there will be a unique display of works of art by local artists in the minor hall at Islamia College. These will be available for purchase.

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An auction of one of Achmat Soni’s masterpieces will also take place and great entertainment, along with great food, will be part of the experience. ‘This is all in aid of creating a new space for gifted people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to indulge in the creative arts. There are so many whose genius would otherwise be wasted that we wish to draw in. This first banquet is but one small step to have a new conversation about what sits deep in our souls; and that is beauty,’ he said. Safia has been offering various workshops, amongst others, calligraphy sessions and workshops, some of which were in partnership with Awqaf SA and Sanzaf. A key personality and a driving force in the background has been Achmat Soni. This legendary and world-renowned artist is the founder of Safia and has thrown his full weight behind this event. ‘Islamic art is incredibly unique. Its foundation and creative spirit resides with the Divine and as Allah loves beauty, we create,

Razack Abbas, pictured at the Al Ikhlaas Academia Library Art Gallery in July 2017, shows some of his work in sacred Islamic painting. He has an interest in experimenting with sketching, oil painting and a variety of media and textures. Photo MAHMOOD SANGLAY

through His guidance, works of art that inspire and invigorate those who are appreciative of this Divine beauty,’ Achmat Soni says. The chairperson of Safia, wellknown Cape Town architect, Hassan Asmal, is equally excited and positive about the growth spurt of Safia. ‘We have a responsibility to promote this extremely unique genre of art to a larger interest group. This includes promoting the art form in the townships and setting up contacts with individuals and

art organisations in other African countries and the rest of the world.’ According to Asmal, members of the ambassador community and other delegates will be invited to the gala banquet. ‘We encourage our generous and supportive community to celebrate our renewed enthusiasm with us at this distinctive event. This will enable us to do more in the promotion and execution of Islamic art, Insha Allah.’ In another first, a photographic

competition will be launched at the gala event. With the advent of the ubiquitous smartphones, everyone is taking photographs. Safia plans to have monthly themes and will call for submission of photographs that will be showcased on the newly created Safia website. Monthly winners will be selected by the general public and the winners will be entered for an annual prize. For more information and for tickets at a donation of R250 each, please contact Nazeerah on info@safia.org.za or call her on +27 60 610 2670

Muslim Views . October 2018

‘The local motor industry will overcome its challenges’

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

Edited by ASHREF ISMAIL

ANDREW Kirby, chairman of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), and president and CEO of Toyota SA Motors, says he is confident that the local motor industry will overcome its major challenges and will grow substantially into the future. He was addressing delegates at the Naamsa Automotive Conference at the Festival of Motoring, at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and Conference Centre. The theme of the conference was ‘Paths to the future’ and a wide spectrum of speakers gave insight into many topics and focus areas that are highly relevant to the rapidly changing face of the global and local motor industries.

Kirby said that, in his view, there were five main challenges facing the South African automotive industry: responding to market changes; optimising regional integration; establishing infrastructure as an enabler; achieving global competitiveness; and developing an inclusive value chain. He said that the South African motor industry is undergoing its biggest disruption since the introduction of the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) in 1995, when the country exported only 11 000 vehicles and imported 20 000, to the situation today where it is projected that production this year will total 609 000 vehicles and exports 340 000 units. Kirby added that the market was changing fundamentally, driven by rapid technological developments in vehicles and the growth in digital media applications which were affecting customer behaviour as well as the overall automotive business environment, both wholesale and retail. When discussing the infrastructural challenges faced by the local industry, Kirby said that one of the most important was the introduction of cleaner fuels, which will permit the importation of cleaner burning and more fuel-efficient engines.

Delivering the keynote address at the Festival of Motoring was Andrew Kirby, the president of NAAMSA and CEO of Toyota (SA). Photo SUPPLIED

Most African countries still permit fuels to be sold which only meet requirements for Euro 2 or 3, at a time when many countries in Europe already require engines to meet Euro 5 or 6 standards. Paved roads are another aspect of infrastructure that require urgent attention when growing the vehicle market in SA, according to Kirby. He explained that only 21 per cent of roads in South Africa are paved, amounting to 154 000 kilometres with a further 140 000 kilometres of roads in the planning stage but few new roads are being built. He added that ports and the rail network are other infrastructural aspects requiring attention if the South African motor industry is to become globally competitive and producing a million or more vehicles a year. Kirby was also adamant about the need for making the motor industry far more inclusive through

empowerment and training initiatives in both down- and up-stream operations. Many impressive statistics came out of the presentation by Econometrix’s Jeffrey Dinham on the economic and socio-economic impact of the South African automotive industry. For instance, he extrapolated the industry’s contribution to GDP as 7,7 per cent with direct and indirect impact (R277-billion) amounting to 7,1 per cent and the extra 0,6 per cent coming from the induced impact of motor industry employees’ spend, underlining the importance of the automotive sector to the overall economy. Dinham added that the motor industry was the third biggest spender in South Africa after government and construction, while direct and indirect employment was estimated at 468 000 people. He said that the automotive industry is currently the fifth largest exporting sector in South Africa with exports valued at R271 billion, which equates to a 16,2 per cent share. The value of built-up vehicles exported amounted to R118-billion in 2017, while catalytic converters continue to make a big contribution to the total automotive exports as they account for 10 per cent of global demand. The economist also revealed

that the automotive industry makes a significant contribution to corporate social investment in South Africa, with the seven OEMs spending 2,4-billion on CSI projects over the past three years. The importance of growing automotive export markets into Africa and building up the continent’s motor industry was reinforced by Mike Whitfield, the vice-chairman of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) and managing director of Nissan SA, as well as in presentations by experts on the subject, like Dr Alec Erwin and Dr Martyn Davies. Davies is another person well schooled in the needs and potential of Africa for the automotive industry, in his position as a partner and managing director of Emerging Markets and Africa, at Deloitte. He is currently working closely with the AAAM and returned recently from another fact-finding visit to Nigeria. The overall message from the NAAMSA Automotive Conference is that the South African motor industry is on the cusp of another growth spurt at a time when the global automotive environment is undergoing its biggest upheaval in more than 100 years. Information supplied by Messe Frankfurt South Africa

Muslim Views . October 2018

Tips on parking safely ASHREF ISMAIL

YOU’RE probably thinking why the need to write about such a mundane topic as parking. Surely, if you were a driver for a few years, you would know how to execute the different parking manoeuvres, be it parallel, alley docking or diagonal parking. This article is not about teaching you how to park but, rather, creating awareness on the importance of parking safely and securely. With the high incidence of vehicle thefts and theft from vehicles, not to mention hijacking and now even kidnapping, your safety and that of your passengers is critical, and choosing to park in a safe area is paramount. Sometimes common sense is not very common! Here are a few things to consider when parking: l Always park in a well lit, secure, parking area that is covered by closed circuit security cameras and car guards with controlled entrance and exit points. l Ensure that the car park will still be open when you return from that late-night movie. l Choose to park on the ground floor and, if possible, as close to the staircase/ lifts and away

l l

from large pillars where criminals could hide behind. Reverse park into your bay; that way you can make a quick exit, in case of any sinister activity or emergency. Leave sufficient space on all sides so that a careless driver does not scratch or dent your vehicle when pulling into or out of his/ her parking bay. If you’re feeling uneasy about having to park next to a beaten-up wreck, it might be a good idea to take a cell phone pic so you have some evidence should you return to find your car damaged. Even if you’re driving the latest, state-of-the-art flagship German model, there is no harm in engaging a visible deterrent like a steering or gear lock. Be aware of suspicious characters lurking around when you’re parking, and keep your valuables safely in the boot instead of in the cabin. This goes especially for expensive items like laptop bags, handbags, cell phones and sunglasses. If, like me, you have a tendency to forget where or on which floor you parked, make a note of the floor and bay number on the parking ticket and keep the ticket in a safe place. Do not leave the parking ticket in the

l l l l

car. Having to find the parking office, stand in a long queue and pay a huge penalty, after a long, hectic day can test anyone’s patience. After paying your ticket, find your car keys and walk swiftly to your car, opening it as you approach so that you do not waste time fumbling in your handbag looking for your keys and giving prowlers ample time to pounce on you. If someone strikes you as being suspicious, turn back and ask for assistance from the security or car guard. A car key can make for an effective weapon, if held firmly with the metal key bit facing outwards. If you find that the car has been tampered with, do not get in. Call for help. Once you’re in the car, do not waste time checking your cell phone, changing the radio dial or applying make-up. Drive off and get out of dodgy areas as soon as you can. If you have to park in the street, park in an area where there is a lot of pedestrian or vehicular traffic instead of dark and dingy side road alleys, even if that’s the only parking space available.

With the high levels of crime, be wary of where you choose to park your prized possession. Photo QUICKPIC

l If you have to regularly park in dingy areas, it might be a good idea to ‘un-bling’ your car by removing flashy wheels, louvres, spoilers and other cosmetic addenda that make your car a magnet for hoodlums who may want to steal them to pay for their next fix. l Avoid parking in the same place every day, unless you have a specially allocated bay. Thieves could monitor your predictable movements and easily accost you. l In places like international airports, co-operate with security guards who want to check if the key is in the ignition. They are merely doing their jobs and

protecting your interests. The same goes for those pesky guards wanting to scan your driving licence on entering some town-house complexes. l In the worst-case scenario, should you return to an empty bay – where your car was parked previously – accept that it will be quite a traumatic experience. Remain calm and be grateful that you were not hurt. The car can be replaced. Report the incident to the police station, giving them full details as quickly as possible. The sooner you do that, chances are that a patrolling police car may spot your car before it is stripped and sold as spares.

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WIN A MODEL CAR! Send us high resolution pictures of your vintage classic and answer the following questions about your car. If your story is published, you will win a 1:24 scale model car for your desk or display cabinet, courtesy of Muslim Views! You could also be interviewed on Radio 786’s Saturday motor show, ‘In the garage’. Tell us the following about your vintage classic: • The make of the car, year and model. • How long have you had it? • What did you pay for it? • What is the mileage? • What are the best and worst features? • What is your fondest memory? What is your worst memory? • What modifications – if any – did you make and the cost thereof? • Tell us three interesting facts about the car. Send your answers and at least three clear photos to: ash@fmxafrica.co.za Your entry must reach us on or before Friday, November 2, 2018.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Buying a used car with confidence ASHREF ISMAIL

IN South Africa, with its challenging and under-developed public transport system, owning a car is a necessity rather than a luxury. It is also true that South Africans are in love with their cars and thus see them as status symbols and also extensions of their personality! Sadly, the cost of owning a car has always been prohibitive and had it not been for innovative financing deals and getting a company subsidised car, a new car will be out of reach for many bar the very affluent. With the current sluggish economy, made worse by the monthly fuel price increase, we will have to seriously re-think the way we move around. For many, thanks to the apartheid spacial planning, there is little choice. Commuting to work means travelling long distances, sometimes using different modes of public transport, to put food on the table. This means having to travel on the dreaded minibus taxis that are the bane of many road users. Commuter buses are slightly better in terms of safety and comfort. Long distance travel, thankfully, is

Buying a used car can be a frustrating and highly stressful affair but should not Photo SUPPLIED be if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with a reputable dealer.

much better, thanks to the luxury coaches plying their trade on the major arterial routes. If you are of the lucky ones who can afford to own your own car, the total cost of ownership is beginning to bite, and many people are looking towards buying a pre-owned vehicle as a viable alternative. The used car market can be fraught with expensive perils so if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re contemplating going the used car route, please keep the following tips in mind: l Decide for what purpose you want to buy a car: commuting,

weekend tourer, daily runabout, for business purposes or all of the above? These days, cars are called upon to do many tasks so a multi-purpose may be more suitable. l What is your budget, and think very carefully about this? Affordability extends way over the actual sticker price of the car and should include the cost of maintenance, wear and tear, insurance and depreciation. l You can find your pre-owned pride and joy in various ways so its best that you do your homework very carefully. You

can look for cars at reputable dealerships, auction houses, internet sites, newspaper classifieds and also through private sellers. With fuel prices ever increasing, you will come across many tempting gas-guzzling SUVs going for a song that will tug at your mid-life crisis strings but you know the adage: cheap to buy, expensive to maintain. A safe option is always to buy a good selling one- or two-yearold car from a well-known brand, with a full-service history that may still have a service/ maintenance plan and a warranty. This will give you peace of mind. If your budget does not allow you to exceed the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cheapieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; category, there are still bargains to be had but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to be very careful. Do your research on the particular make, go on-line and read ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reviews and be careful of low priced, niche vehicles that are expensive to maintain and difficult to re-sell. Take along a buddy who knows cars or is mechanically minded to check out the car top to bottom, inside out and from bumper to bumper. Remember, parts availability, customer

service and reliability and durability are factors that determine resale value so, unless you intend keeping the car forever, be warned. Should you opt to keep a car â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;foreverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; then there are some amazing bargains to be had from, especially, not-so-popular brands. And, if you or someone close that you know is mechanically minded, choosing to fix your car yourself could save you oodles of money. How are you going to pay for the car? Cash is always king but if you do not have so much money saved, and borrowing from friends or family is a schlep then you would have to consider approaching a bank. Go shopping for the best rate and try to pay off more than the monthly instalment to save on interest. Because it is a used car, once in your possession, take care of it. Any make or model, if taken good care of, will last long unless you bought a rust bucket on wheels with a dodgy history then Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on your own! Finally, some sage advice: if a deal looks too good to be true then walk away. Happy motoring!

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Muslim Views . October 2018

Al-Ghazali Festival Tour comes to South Africa ONE of Islamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest scholars, Imam Ghazali, will be the focus of a unique conference and workshop set to take place from October 17 to October 27, 2018 in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. The aim of the conference is to bring the works of Al-Ghazali to centre stage, making them easily accessible to the Muslim public. International scholars include Sister Virginia Gray Henry (USA), Professor Mustafa Abu Sway Shaikh Hamzah (Palestine), Maqbul and Shaikh Sharif Banna, and local speakers who will navigate his works, reflect on his teachings and share their insights. The conference has an important role to play in reviving the messages that Imam Ghazali gave to the ummah, and their relevance today. Imam Ghazali was regarded as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hujjatul Islamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the proof of Islam â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of the 11th Islamic century, and is considered one of the greatest scholars of Islam. He was a courageous academic who was not afraid to speak out. Today, there exists much confusion around the different approaches to Islam within the body of the ummah. The youth, in particular, are left puzzled as to what constitutes shariah and what its role is in their lives. Imam Ghazali has tremendous relevance to us today because of his ethos of the human heart being the centre of the universe. He was the rector of Nizamya University, in Baghdad, and walked away from this position

Shaikh Sharif Banna.

Photo SUPPLIED

into the desert because he felt that ritualism had come to dominate Islam. He felt that everything centres from the heart and that the true alchemy in human nature is turning the heart from bad to good. Already an acknowledged master of the shariah, he re-entered society as an accomplished and practised Sufi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a true gnostic. Al-Ghazali lived at a time when there was much political and sectarian strife plaguing the Muslim community. Likewise, in the current period we find various competing political and intellectual approaches pervading Muslim societies. We hope that engaging the works and ideas of Imam Ghazali and their relevance to contemporary challenges will inspire our community to renew their approach to the Islamic tradition. Given that Imam Ghazaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Professor Mustafa Abu Sway. Photo SUPPLIED

works are not easily accessible to ordinary Muslims, the conference aims to disseminate the distinguished scholarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teachings in the simplest form. Imam Ghazali challenged his students and readers with hypotheses that were quite shocking but that would make one think and improve oneself as a human being. An alchemist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in its popular understanding â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is a person who has the gift of turning base metals into gold. Imam Ghazali was a scholar with the ability to transform the baseness of the human personality into the golden divine, through works such as Ihya Ulum ad-Din. Imam Ghazali was also fully proficient in Greek and Roman philosophy, and he debunked its central tenets, proving that revelation was always going to be superior to human reason. Human

Shaikh Hamzah Maqbul. Photo SUPPLIED

thinking could never evolve, he argued, in an existential vacuum without awareness of the Divine. A man for all seasons, a scholar for all times, we hope that we will be able to contribute to this worthy idea of promoting the life, times and ideas of Imam Ghazali.

Launch of the Al Ghazali for Children project One of the key components of the project that is included in the tour will be the launch of the AlGhazali for Children project championed by publishers Fons Vitae (USA). The Ghazali Projectis, an adaptation of Imam Ghazaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ihya for children in story form, published a series of books with an interactive website. It aims to support Muslim parents, teachers and children in realising how to live by and embody

Sister Virginia Gray Henry. Photo SUPPLIED

the noble Prophetic character through self-observation and selfcorrection. The series aims to provide authentic, quality guidance through Ghazaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s systematic approach for developing virtuous character. He provides the entire family with a clear and simple map for living correctly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; according to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fitrah, oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innate, pure, true nature. Sister Gray Henry, who is the lead coordinator of the project and will be accompanied by Professor Mustafa Abu Sway, will be conducting a nationwide tour, including Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, running workshops for parents and teachers on how to implement the programme at schools or at home. For registration and other details visit www.hikmah.co.za or call 031 207 3871.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

Divorce by the wife through faskh or khul In part 8 of our series, ADVOCATE FATIMAH ESSOP presents additional ways in which a woman can initiate divorce.

IN the previous instalment, I discussed dissolution of a Muslim marriage through talaq tafwid. In this issue, I will discuss divorce initiated by the wife through the process of faskh and khul. Before doing so, I wish to highlight the recent findings of the Western Cape High Court with respect to the recognition and regulation of Muslim marriages. The court in its judgement has given the state two years within which to implement legislation for the recognition of Muslim marriages and divorce. However, the court did not grant any interim relief to those vulnerable Muslim parties who are married by Muslim rites only and these parties will continue to be disadvantaged for at least another two years or until the state does introduce legislation for the recognition and regulation of Muslim marriages and divorce.

Aside from the talaq pronounced by the husband, faskh is the next common form of dissolving a Muslim marriage in South Africa. Faskh is where the wife seeks a judicial dissolution or annulment of her marriage from a court, imam or Muslim judicial body on the basis of various legal grounds. In the classical schools of fiqh, there were numerous differences between the schools with respect to the grounds on which one could institute a faskh. These ranged from the Hanafi school having very narrow to nonexistent grounds, to the Maliki school having extensive grounds, with the Shaafii and Hanbali schools featuring in the middle of the spectrum. Some of the grounds that were regarded as a basis for a faskh in the various schools include: l impotence of the husband l failure to consummate the marriage after a certain period has elapsed l desertion by the husband l imprisonment of the husband l the husband’s failure to support (nafaqah) the wife l the husband suffering from insanity or mental illness and, in the Maliki school, abuse or harm (dharar), which includes physical, verbal or emotional abuse.

In many Muslim countries when the process of drafting divorce legislation is undertaken, the trend has been to adopt the more extensive Maliki schools grounds for divorce. Dissolution through a faskh requires a court process whereby the wife has to go before the court and prove her allegations. In South Africa, this takes the form of women appearing before a tribunal set up by various Muslim judicial bodies or before an imam. At some Muslim judicial bodies, a woman who is applying for a faskh is first required to undergo counselling with a social worker before appearing before the tribunal who will hear her faskh application. In most cases, the tribunal who hears the faskh application will consist of male ulama only. The woman will have to lead evidence on why she believes she is entitled to a faskh. She is not usually represented in these tribunals and has to prove her allegations based on whatever evidence and testimony are at her disposal. The faskh process can be quite daunting and humiliating for the wife, as she has to divulge very personal details about her husband and her marriage before an all male ulama tribunal.

She bears the onus of proving why she must be granted the faskh, which makes faskh divorces difficult to obtain. It is noted that in some instances, the husband refuses to appear before the tribunal at the faskh hearing, and this frustrates the process even further. On being granted a faskh, the divorce is considered irrevocable and the wife has to complete her iddah period. She is entitled to retain her mahr and is entitled to maintenance from her husband during her iddah period. Another form of divorce that can be initiated by the wife is khul, where the wife can divorce her husband without any grounds of complaints against him. For instance, she wishes to divorce her husband as she no longer loves him or no longer finds him attractive. This is a divorce by redemption where the wife can request a divorce and, in return, provides her husband with compensation, which usually takes the form of returning part or all of her dower (mahr). If her mahr was deferred, she can forgo her right to her deferred mahr in addition to foregoing her right to maintenance during her iddah. This form of divorce finds support in the Quran, Surah Baqarah verse 229, as well as in the Hadith literature, which records an incident when the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) allowed a wife to

return the garden her husband had given her when they married, in exchange for her divorce from him. The khul divorce is irrevocable. If the husband agrees to the terms of the khul then he will pronounce a talaq on those terms. Alternatively, a court, imam or Muslim judicial body will order him to do so, once they have settled the amount of the compensation payable by the wife. There are differences of opinion on whether the husband’s consent is required for khul. The dominant position in classical fiqh holds that the granting of khul was dependant on the husband’s consent. However, in recent times, this condition has been removed in various countries that have legislated the Islamic laws of divorce. For instance, Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan allow a woman to unilaterally apply to a court who can grant khul without the husband’s consent. Both faskh and khul are forms of divorce that the wife can initiate The former (faskh) is fault based and the latter (khul) is nonfault based. In the next article I will discuss further issues pertaining to 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.

Companions for those embracing Islam AMINA WAGGIE

DEEN Companions, a non-profit corporation in the process of incorporating, is a social support structure for those who have reverted or are in the process of reverting to Islam. The corporation, started by Ahmad Rashidi, 31, in April, 2016, helps reverts overcome social loneliness and issues associated with the adjustment to their new lives as Muslims. One of the corporation’s objectives is to help reverts become confident and productive members of the Muslim community as well as the larger community. The main focus is on integrating reverts into the wider Islamic community with the aim of strengthening the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood between them. Deen Companions also provides a space for new Muslims to socialise and communicate with other Muslims so that they can feel part of the Muslim community and increase their social circle. The corporation also provides new Muslims with mentors who act as guides and serve as pillars of support. The mentoring programme run by Deen Companions is aimed at helping to emotionally support and spiritually uplift new Muslims, and many have benefitted from this programme, and continue to benefit. Reverts who would like to be mentored should forward their contact details to Deen Companions via email or social media platforms. Once received, the head of the social ambassador portfolio at the corporation will contact the

One of the corporation’s objectives is to help reverts become confident and productive members of the Muslim community... revert to arrange a meeting between the Muslim and the mentor. The mentor will meet and befriend the revert at times to which both parties have agreed. The mentor will then set tasks and goals for the new Muslim to complete in order to progress. The mentor will also be a companion to the new Muslim, offering an ear to listen, sacrificing time to meet and teach the new Muslim the basics of the deen, like taking wudu and performing salaah. The mentors are dedicated to providing special care and support in a manner most suitable (given their personal circumstances and backgrounds) to the new Muslims, in order to help them grow in their new faith. In order to become a mentor, an applicant has to complete an application form and undergo an interview conducted by a member of Deen Companions. Within a few days of the interview being conducted, the applicant will receive an email indicating whether the application was successful or not. Successful applicants are required to attend a workshop in which three modules are covered, providing the candidate with the skills and abilities required as mentors. After the workshop, the candidates have to take a competency test based on the three modules covered in the workshop. The pass requirement for the test is 75%.

Successful candidates will be provided with graduation details, after which they are expected to sign an agreement form and start the induction process, wherein the mentors get assigned mentees. Aside from the mentoring programme, there is also a social aspect to Deen Companions where new Muslims meet other Muslims, creating a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in a safe, relaxed and Islamic environment. Deen Companions holds monthly social events where members will be introduced to each other. This is done so that new Muslims have access to a larger support system because, in most cases, many of those who revert to Islam are shunned by their family members and communities, and therefore feel extremely lonely. Deen Companions is always looking for new members and mentors. Those who would like to volunteer or join the corporation, donate towards their cause or simply learn more about Deen Companions, can find them on the following social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, under the handle Deen Companions. You can email them at deencompanions@gmail.com or whatsapp 061 027 6821.

Deen Companions was started in April 2016 in response to the need in the community for a support network for reverts. Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views . October 2018

Habibia Archery Club reviving the sunnah Thaakirah Booley is pictured at the Habibia Archery Club charity Shoot-o-thon, which was held at Habibia Primary School, in 2017. The event raised over R100 000 for Islamic Photo ISMAIL REGAL Relief.

IT is related by Abu ash-Shaikh and Ibn Abi Dunya, on the authority of Abu Huraira (RA), that the holy Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Learn the throwing of arrows, and do not be averse to it for the area between the two targets holds a garden of the gardens of paradise.’ Habibia Archery Club, now in its third year, is playing its part in continuing the sunnah of archery that has been part of the Islamic tradition since the time of the Beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW). From humble beginnings, the club was started in August 2016

with just a few members under the leadership of Imam Abdullah Haron’s grandson, Jehad Shamis. Archery is a social sport. People of any age and from many walks of life enjoy it. Almost every age group can participate. The sport has many health benefits, including improving hand-eye co-ordination, building strength, improving confidence and increased focus and relaxation. The beginners’ classes take place on the field of Habibia Primary School. The males practice on Tuesday evenings, and on Wednesday evenings, the ladies’ intermediate classes take place in the Habibia Soofie Masjid hall. Together with a group of dedicated individuals, the club has grown from strength to strength to become a large family that has

achieved much over the past two years. Habibia Archery Club has joined forces with Islamic Relief to promote Charity Week. Charity Week, a volunteer-led campaign set up by students and volunteers, is built on the vision to inspire young Muslims to become active, socially engaged and united. Islamic Relief uses the funds raised by Charity Week to deliver sustainable projects to children worldwide. This year’s theme is about growth. The club has taken inspiration from the environment, and the way in which we, as humans, can both nurture it and destroy it. #habibiaarcheryclub #archery4orphans #revivethesunnah #CW2018 #CWSA Issued by Habibia Archery Club

Warriors of Hope tackle the charity challenge STAFF REPORTER

A VOLUNTEER organisation whose primary focus is to provide the patients and their parents at Red Cross Children’s War Memorial Hospital with basic toiletries and food, took on a new challenge this year. Warriors of Hope (WoH) was one of the organisations that assisted Islamic Relief South Africa with its inaugural Charity Week from October 1 to 7. Charity Week has been a regular Islamic Relief Worldwide annual campaign in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia and Qatar with particular focus on orphans. WoH launched its series of Charity Week events with a ladies’ dhikr at Masjidul Quds, in Gatesville, and rounded it off with

a soccer tournament in Athlone, on Sunday, October 7. Zeenat Parker, chairperson and founder of WoH, said the members of the organisation were very excited to be part of a global event. ‘It is a week-long event where different organisations and institutions organise events to raise funds for orphans and vulnerable children all over the world,’ said Ms Parker. Elaborating on its primary mission, Parker said the aim is to assist in making the children’s stay at Red Cross and similar institutions as comfortable as possible. They do this by providing parents of the patients with basic necessities. ‘During their stay in hospital, they often have no access to basic toiletries and food,’ she pointed

out. ‘We therefore try to provide these necessities as a relief while they go through an already trying time.’ WoH works closely with The Friends of the Children’s Hospital Association to ensure that the relevant and most needed areas are addressed. The organisation also provides chaplaincy support to the patients and their parents. WoH also has a range of other projects connected to the hospital, including a baby food and toiletries drive, bringing books alive with reading days, establishing a permanent library, fun craft and activity days, sandwich distribution and toy room replenishment. A dhikr is also conducted every Thursday. Recently, the organisation added Bramble Way Primary

School, in Bonteheuwel, as one of its projects. A team of WoH members facilitates a life skills class at the school every Friday, aimed at increasing the self-confidence and self-worth of the Grades 6 and 7 learners. Parker is hopeful that with greater support, the organisation will be able to achieve its longterm goals, which are continually assessed. Apart from continued operational and spiritual support to Red Cross Hospital, WoH is working towards raising funds to purchase medical equipment, wheelchairs and other health aids. They plan to extend this service to other hospitals. WoH also hopes to expand its network of schools, businesses and affiliates. The organisation relies on com-

munity support via its various fundraising drives and activity days. It ran its first ‘Cupcake Mania’ fundraiser this year, and hopes to make it an annual event. It is also in the process of initiating the Warriors of Hope Buddy network. WoH is a registered non-profit organisation – NPO No. 188-526. To find out more about the work of WoH or to pledge financial and volunteer support, you may make contact via email: woh.cpt.za@gmail.com; visit the Facebook page: /warriorsofhopesa; or follow them on Twitter: @RCHWarrior. The banking details are: Warriors of Hope, First National Bank Cheque Account, Branch code 210046, Account number 62483596288.

ERRATUM

It’s ‘Ahmedi’ and not ‘Ahmediyah’ Masjid

Moegamat Gielmie Hartley, chairperson of the Cape Malay/ Melayu Cultural Society (right) recently travelled to Melaka, in Malaysia, to receive two copies of a book on Hang Tuah, written by his teacher, Haji Mokhtar bin Hj Yahya (left). Hang Tuah was a legendary warrior (panglima) who lived in Melaka during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah, in the 15th century, and is considered to be one of history’s greatest silat (Malay martial art) masters. Haji Mokhtar is the president of Persatuan Seni Silat Pukulan Melaka. During the visit, Mr Hartley also received the latest copy of an anthology of poems by Abdul Lattiff Abu Bakar, former vice chairman of GAPENA (the Malay writers association). Photo SUPPLIED

IN the obituary of Hazrat Pir Abdul Latief Shah al Qaderi, published in the September 2018 edition of Muslim Views, it was stated: ‘His early education was at Grassy Park Ahmediyah Masjid and Madrassah.’ His son, Muhammad Fazl-urRahman Rawoot, pointed out to Muslim Views that the original article submitted for publication had stated the name of the masjid as ‘Ahmedi’ and not ‘Ahmediyah’ as it appeared in the article. In a letter to the editor, he declared: ‘My father was not associated with the Ahmediyah group and we hope this error can be corrected.’

He continued: ‘As the eldest son, I wish to get the correct history published and not have something printed that will draw question to his life work.’ The name of the masjid, as it appeared in print, was changed in accordance with various website listings, as well as the label on Google Maps. However, in following up on Mr Rawoot’s letter, we have confirmed that the actual name that appears on the building is ‘Ahmedi’. Muslim Views expresses its apology to the Rawoot family and the Muslim Views readership for the error.

Madrasah teachers to be honoured

Moulana Muhammad Kamalie, secretary of Madrasah tul Madina, said the aim of the event was to honour and show appreciation to madrasah teachers who are serving the deen at grassroots level. ‘By honouring our madrasah teachers, it fulfils our obligation of showing gratitude to the persons who taught us the basics of our deen.’ Moulana Kamalie added: ‘We wish to, through events like these, support our madrasah teachers and thereby raise their morale and levels of teaching. Going forward, we are dedicated to ensuring that our madrasah teachers are upskilled and empowered.

AFTER the successful hosting of the inaugural Madrasah Teachers’ Awards last year, Madrasah tul Madina will follow it up with another on Sunday, November 4. The event will again be held in the Glendale High School Hall, in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, and starts at 10.30am and ends with a luncheon. Awards will be presented in three categories: Madrasah of the Year; Madrasah Teacher of the Year; and Lifetime Award. Madrasahs and teachers are nominated by their madrasahs and peers. The judges are totally independent.

For more information call: 021 376 2827, 083 948 5436, 081 803 8538, 060 419 3254 or email: madrasahtulmadina99@gmail.com

Muslim Views . October 2018

Jabal Noor: where revelation first occurred SALIM PARKER

JABAL Noor, the Mountain of Light, is one of the most famous mountains on earth. Though it pales in significance as far as height is concerned (it is only 640 metres high compared to Table Mountain’s 1 085 metres) its historical importance diminishes the dizzying height of Mount Everest to much less than the smallest anthill. It is from within one of the caves on this mountain that illumination emanated whose radiance was to bring enlightenment, freedom for the oppressed, rights for women, consideration for the poor and orphans, and guidance for all of humankind. The first revelation of the fastest growing religion on earth was on this mountain. It led to prayers five times a day, compulsory congregational prayers once a week, fasting from dawn till sunset for a month, paying zakaah once a year, and performing Hajj once in a lifetime. It was the pathway to a complete way of life of Islam, the religion of peace. Jabal Noor is situated a few kilometres north of the Haram in Makkah. It is not part of Hajj or Umrah but due to its close proximity to the Haram and the Hajj sites of Mina and Arafah, it is always on the itinerary of all pilgrims. Some, due to ill health or other reasons, travel to the base of the mountain and from there attempt to imagine the mountain during the time of the Prophet (SAW). Jabal Noor looks different to the surrounding mountains. Its unusual summit resembles one mountain on top of another. Its location at that time made it a very lonely place and it is difficult to comprehend why anyone would want to undertake the still arduous journey from Makkah to there. There is no immediate water source close by, and, other than a few thorn shrubs, no vegetation. All Muslims want to be as close

The shape of Jabal Noor resembles a mountain on top of another.

to their history as possible and that is why the mountain is a very popular place of ziyarah, of visiting. The roads leading to the mountain are invariably clogged, and just walking from the parked vehicles to the base is a very steep climb. Many do not even get to this point. From the base, unlike the time of the Prophet (SAW), there are now more than a thousand steps leading to the top of the mountain. This cement and concrete pathway is constantly worked on by an array of unemployed labourers

Age is no barrier when it comes to following the path of Nabi Muhammad (SAW). Photo SALIM PARKER

who, along with a number of beggars, invariably get rewarded by climbers. The climb is not easy and even a fit, young man can take up to two hours to get to the top. The large number of pilgrims trying to reach the summit leads to the walkway being frequently clogged. Temperatures can regularly reach close to 50° Celsius in Makkah’s summer. Most pilgrims then attempt to climb the mountain a few hours before the first morning prayers and are then rewarded with witnessing the sunrise from there. Many elderly pilgrims are absolutely determined to get to the top of the mountain and get to the cave where the first revelation took place. They inevitable reach there, even after having stopped frequently along the way. These days, there are a number of areas to rest and to buy refreshments along the pathway. The satisfaction evident on especially the elderly after having followed in the footsteps of their beloved Prophet (SAW) to the top of the mountain is truly a sight to behold. There has been a number of controversies associated with visiting the mountain. There have been a number of injuries when visitors fell, and it is conceivable that people can even die while trying to climb. There is also a view that pilgrims indulge in prohibited acts, such as associating partners with Allah when in the cave and thus acts like these should be strongly discouraged. Many fatwas have been passed indicating that climbing Jabal Noor and visiting the cave is not a Sunnah as it was not done by the Prophet (SAW) during His Farewell Pilgrimage (when he was

Photo SALIM PARKER

very close to it) and was not done by the Sahabah (Companions) nor the caliphs who succeeded him. The authorities have previously strongly discouraged visits to Jabal Noor but never banned them. This was exacerbated in April 2018 when a decision was taken to ban all visits. The religious authorities acknowledge that there is nothing wrong with visiting any religious site not prescribed as Sunnah if the intention is to observe and learn, and not to worship it. They, however, used the possi-

bility that some may perform acts of shirk as justification to ban everyone, even those who merely want to be present in the same space, and walk on the same soil that their beloved Prophet (SAW) did. In July, 2018, the ban was lifted and pilgrims could again ascend Jabal Noor, the Mountain of Light, to witness the place where the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Nabi Muhammad (SAW). Allah wa’Alam. Allah knows best.

The joy of reaching the summit of Jabal Noor knows no bounds. Photo SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views . October 2018

Poetic translation does justice to Qasidah Burdah SHAIKH FAKHRUDDIN OWAISI, a senior lecturer at International Peace College South Africa (Ipsa), reviews Bashir Sacranie’s translation of Qasidah Burdah.

THE Qasidah al-Burdah is undisputedly the most renowned poem in praise of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This genre of poetry is called madih in Arabic, naat-sharif in Urdu and ode in English. The Andalusian, Imam IbnSayyid al-Nas compiled 100 such poems by the Sahabah in his Minah al-Mad’h. Thereafter, poets and lovers in every generation of Muslims composed such poems yet, none achieved the fame of the glorious Burdah. Why so? Perhaps it is due to the sincerity of its composer, the 12th century Egyptian poet-scholarmystic, Imam al-Busiri, who had been afflicted by paralysis. When all means to heal failed, he decided to plead to the Almighty through His Beloved Prophet (SAW) by composing an ode praising the Prophet (SAW). Upon completing the poem, he was honoured by the vision of the Messenger (SAW), who asked him to recite the poem he had composed. Busiri recited the poem and when he got to the part, ‘How many illnesses were healed by his touch’ the Prophet (SAW) rubbed his blessed hands and cloak (Ar. Burdah) over Busiri’s body. When

the dream ended, Busiri found himself completely healed, and the poem became known as Qasidat al-Burdah. The famous Egyptian writer, Zaki Mubarak, wrote that no other Arabic poem had such an impact in cultivating the eloquence of the ummah, refining their morals and enriching their knowledge of the seerah of the Prophet (SAW) as the Burdah. Numerous translations of the Burdah have been undertaken in English. The earliest attempt is that of James W Redhouse (Glasgow, 1881) then Shaikh Faizullah Bhai Luqman-Jee (Bombay, 1893). Thereafter came the translations of Fayazuddin Nizami (Hyderabad, 1953), Professor Nicholson (Hague, 1962), Professor A R Anjum (Lahore, 1982), Abdur-Rahim Zerruque (Sri Lanka, 1975), Thoraya Allam (Cairo, 1987), Stefan Sperl (Holland, 1996) and Khanqah-eShaikh Zakariyya (Johannesburg, 1995). I also have the translations of Imam Hamza Yusuf (USA, 2004), Dr Abdal-Hakim Murad (UK, 2009), Syed Hassan Bukhari (Delhi, 2011), Professor Paul Smith (Australia, 2012), Aziza Spiker (USA, 2012), Abdul-Aziz Suraqah (UK, 2015), Mostafa Azzam (Canada, 2016) and Shakeel Qadri (UK, 2018). I did a translation of the Burdah with Nigerian scholar Shaikh Muhammad Jamiu (Cape Town, 2011). The most recent translation of the Burdah I have is by Bashir Mahomed Sacranie, of Malawi, enti-

tled The Cloak of Mercy: English Translation and Poetic Rendering of the Qasida Burda by Imam alBusiri, printed in Cape Town (2017). With the Burdah already having about 20 English translations, what does this addition offer? To start off, Sacranie acknowledges that many translations by competent scholars exist. But he rightfully observes that none were in ‘rhyming, lyrical poetry ... that would better capture the spirit of the original’. He endeavoured to

do that. And does so admirably! This for me is an amazing accomplishment, long awaited by Burdah lovers. He may not be aware that two other translators of the Burdah (Azzam and Smith) have tried to do the same before him but there is a difference. Smith translates every couplet of the Burdah in the same rhyme. Azzam does the same with every quatrain. While this is a beautiful endeavour, it is an arduous task to maintain the same rhyme throughout the entire poem. In trying to do that, the beauty and flow in the translation is sometimes lost. Sacranie passes over this predicament and does not maintain the same rhyme for the entire poem. He translates every couplet in its own rhyme, thus conveying to us the beauty of both the meaning and the wording of the Burdah. For example, the famous chorus lines of the Burdah (Moulaya Sallim wa Sallim…) are normally translated as: ‘Oh our Lord! Send your Blessings and Salutations forever!/ On Your beloved One, the Best of your creation!’ Sacranie translates them thus: ‘O Lord, let Salutations ’pon your Servant rain!/ Your beloved, he, the Best in creation’s domain!’ Beautiful indeed! Let’s look at a few more couplets. Azzam translates the opening lines of the ode as: ‘Is it from thinking of neighbours past in Dhu-Selemi/ That you have mixed blood in tears that flow from your eyes steadily?’

Sacranie writes: ‘Is it because Dhi-Salam’s environs you recall/ That blood stained tears down your cheeks roll?’ Smith translates verse 38 as: ‘Surpassing all prophets in form and qualities/ Who they don’t touch in wisdom or generosity’ Sacranie does it more beautifully: ‘Of the Messengers of Allah all; He’s of the station fore/ In form, nobility, compassion, kindness and infinitely more!’ Verse 156 is translated by Smith as: ‘O flesh, don’t despair for any great sins; slips of foot/ Mortal sins are venial sins in the Almighty’s Mercy’ Sacranie renders it: ‘O soul mine! Despair not the myriad dark deeds done/ No sin’s too great for the pardon of the Merciful One’ In short, Sacranie succeeds beautifully in conveying the message of the Burdah in English, in a form that makes it easier to remember and recall. In doing this, I excuse him for sometimes not being accurate in his renditions. Apart from that, the spirit of the verse is certainly relayed to the reader. Another feature of Sacranie’s work is that he presents the English transliteration of each verse, thus making it easier to recite in Arabic as well. I concur and conclude with Sacranie’s own words: ‘The Qasida Burdah, if recited with perfect intention and conviction, will invoke Allah’s Mercy and bring comfort, relief and succour to the distressed and beleaguered.’

Muslim Views . October 2018

Summitting the Mountain of Light

The snaking path up Jabal Noor.

All who undertake the walk should summit well before Fajr, the time of the morning prayer, writes DR SALIM PARKER. ‘I AM going to climb Jabal Noor.’ It was a statement of fact, a firm assertion that it was a decision that was not to be debated. It was a few days before Hajj and the group she was travelling with had decided to climb the famed mountain the next day. She was in her early thirties and though not an athlete, was not an invalid. The plan was that everyone was to have an early night and be up and ready by two in the morning when the buses would fetch them. The buses would reach the base of the mountain within half-an-hour and the hour-long climb should, theoretically, commence about thirty minutes later. All who undertake the walk should summit well before Fajr, the time of the morning prayer, and then admire the sunrise from the top. Most would try and get into the Cave of Hira and try to perform prayers in there, where the Prophet (SAW) received his first revelation. She was so determined to go, except, she was quite sick. When

she consulted me, she had a raging fever and was coughing quite badly. I assured her that she would be fully recovered by the time Hajj started. All she had to do was to take the dispensed medication as prescribed and rest. ‘Give me three days of rest and you’ll have five days of Hajj,’ was my standard advice. ‘I need to be better by tomorrow,’ she stated as a matter of fact. ‘We are climbing the mountain tomorrow and I must go. I have been exercising for a few months and I am quite sure that I’ll make it to the top,’ she continued. ‘I want to walk up the mountain and experience what my beloved Prophet (SAW) did, what he saw, and sit in the cave where he found seclusion. I have looked forward to this trip for so long and will not miss it for anything in this world,’ she added. ‘Your health comes first,’ I replied. ‘Remember that the climb is not part of Hajj. It is currently very hot, and even in the early hours of the morning the temper-

All ages ascend the mountain, always stretching out a helping hand. Photo SALIM PARKER

ature will be more than thirty degrees. It is not an easy climb and during this time of the year, with millions in Makkah, the congestion makes it even more difficult. ‘You most likely will not even get anywhere close to the Cave of Hira. We all have our plans for how we want our complete journey to be. I know your heart says that it wants to ascend those steps that our Prophet (SAW) paved so many hundreds of years ago. If you cannot follow in his footsteps tomorrow, it will not affect your Hajj at all. If you are well a day or two after Hajj then maybe you can attempt it then.’ She was in tears now. ‘That will not be possible,’ she replied. ‘Our flight departs the day after Hajj finishes. I am going tomorrow. I hear you are a good doctor. Please make me fit for tomorrow.’ I smiled. ‘Healing is only through the will of Allah,’ I replied. I knew it took a few days to recover from the infection that she had. We reflected on the number of essentials of the journey that are not part of Hajj. Visiting Madinah and the Mosque of the Prophet (SAW) are not part of the fifth pillar of Islam. ‘You once lamented about not visiting the City of Light one year, Doc. I am going to feel as deprived, as empty as you felt if I do not go to the Mountain of Light. I know that the climb is not part of Hajj but, just as visiting Madinah enhances and compliments the journey, so many of us have been really looking forward to tomorrow,’ she said. She described how their spiritual leader had explained the first revelation in detail to them and, totally enthralled, the fire for the whole group’s intention to visit the mountain had been ignited. ‘Let’s see how you are tomorrow morning,’ I advised. Deep down I already knew the outcome. As expected, she was one of the first waiting for the bus. ‘I am feeling fine, Doc,’ she told me, even though her pale demeanour and slightly sweaty forehead indicated otherwise. ‘Besides, you are with me so if anything happens to me, I’ll be in good hands.’ I must admit to the dread of trying to carry a sick person down the mountain, and merely smiled. The bus set off and we soon reached the base. The walk from the parking area to the beginning

Photo SALIM PARKER

of the steps up the path was unbelievably steep and that alone discouraged a number of pilgrims from going any further. There are a number of shops and convenient sitting areas at the base and one of the group leaders was to stay behind with them until the rest finished the climb. Nothing was going to stop her though. I looked around and noticed that the vast majority of climbers that morning were elderly. A group of geriatrics looked all in their eighties and more than half of them were using walking aids, with a sprightly looking ninetyyear-old urging them on. ‘Look at them Doc,’ she said. ‘Nothing is going to stop them. I feel humbled by their efforts.’ She had a bit more colour to her skin, and definitely had more energy and determination now. ‘Just take it slowly,’ I advised, half unnecessarily as she was assisting and encouraging the slower walkers. The climb proceeded steadily with the fitter members of our group reaching the top within thirty minutes while the rest were there after about an hour. There are numerous sections where a slip could lead to serious falls and injuries but the bond between fellow pilgrims is such that each one had at least five others being their guardians to lighten their journey. Even though we summitted early in the morning, the entry to the cave was congested and many could not enter it at all, despite at-

tempting to do so. We performed Fajr on the mountain and witnessed the sunrise over the mountain. Despite what the Saudi religious authorities fear, we did not observe anyone engaging in prohibited activities. Everyone was just grateful to be able to follow in the footsteps of the torchbearer of our beautiful religion. Despite the congestion and crowds, the serenity and calm of the isolated mountain was palpable and it was impossible not to be deeply moved by the experience. The spiritual reward was certainly worth the physical effort. The descent was slow due to the high temperature, and the excited group could not contain their enthusiasm when we finally reached our hotel. Though the group leaders advised everyone to rest, they were all still recounting their experience by midday in the foyer of the hotel. She looked completely exhausted when I happened to get there to attend to a sick patient – exhausted but completely content. She thanked me profusely and started talking about the days ahead. ‘Don’t worry Doc. I am going to follow your instructions. I want my five days of Hajj. There are four days left so I am now going to have my three days of rest.’ For more Hajj Stories visit www.hajjdoctor.co.za. You may contact Dr Parker via e-mail: salimparker@yahoo.com

Pollution leads to other primates being attracted to the famed mountain. Photo SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views . October 2018

Rejuvenating waqf through smart contracts In the second part of his article on Blockchain and waqf, DR FARRUKH HABIB discusses the application of smart contracts in rejuvenating the waqf institution.

THE institution of waqf always played a pivotal role of sustainable economic development in Muslim society throughout the history of Islam. It was an integral element of the financial empowerment programme of the people that actively contributed in the financial inclusion, poverty alleviation and fruitful, mutual community initiatives. However, recently, this important institution of waqf has been generally neglected by the Muslim community for various reasons. And, there is an array of issues and challenges facing waqf in the contemporary world. Even with the inception of Islamic finance a few decades ago, waqf has been struggling to rejuvenate its past glory. There are many reasons that could be attributing to this dilemma. For instance, there is a lack of comprehensive data and historical records. This situation leads to weak transparency and public disclosure

A smart contract can easily satisfy common contractual conditions and minimise exceptions both malicious and accidental. How a smart contract works. Source HTTPS://WWW.THESECURITYBUDDY.COM/BLOCKCHAIN/SMART-CONTRACTS-AND-BLOCKCHAIN/

of waqf institutions. Subsequently, there is little scope for proper audit and compliance practices. Moreover, most of the time, good governance structures and wellplanned development and business strategies are ignored in such institutions. In addition, legal and regulatory challenges in every jurisdiction are considered to be some of the major issues with the waqf institutions in the contemporary world.

Using smart contracts for waqf Nick Szabo introduced the idea of ‘smart contracts’ in 1994 to establish contract law through elec-

tronic commerce protocols and to design business practices among strangers through computer programmes on the internet. He stated: ‘A smart contract is a set of promises, specified in digital form, including protocols within which the parties perform on these promises. (Szabo, 1996, Smart Contracts: Building Blocks for Digital Markets) A smart contract is actually a computer programme or algorithm that automatically executes when pre-defined conditions are met. In other words, it is a generalpurpose computation that typically takes place on a distributed ledger or blockchain.

In this respect, it is more generic than a traditional contract because it can be any kind of algorithm. A smart contract can easily satisfy common contractual conditions and minimise exceptions both malicious and accidental. It does not need intervention, hence it minimises the need for trusted intermediaries. Subsequently, its usage would reduce fraud loss and lower arbitrations, enforcement and other transactional costs. It can be effectively used in waqf. For instance, a waqf deed can be converted into an algorithm or code. The algorithm or code can then be inserted in the Blockchain platform in the form of a smart contract. The execution of the smart contract is automated and it can pre-

vent the waqf property being used outside of the stipulations of the waqf giver. In this way, the waqf deed can be protected and adhered to. This is a simple example of where waqf can benefit from the application of a smart contract. From the macro perspective, the use of smart contracts could further enhance the performance and efficacy of the waqf institution, due to improved compliance and audit mechanisms. Incorporating smart contracts could also reduce the cost, while further increasing the security, transparency and traceability of the waqf funds. It is strongly believed that with the firm fiqhi foundations of waqf, an innovative approach consisting of technological advancements, like blockchain and smart contracts, towards its restoration will ensure that the waqf institution could dynamically participate in the societal and economic development of the whole Muslim world. Such remarkable initiatives will also crystalise the ethical and social dimensions of Islamic finance in a robust manner. Dr Farrukh Habib is an Islamic FinTech expert, a senior advisor, HalalChain, and researcher at International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA).

Muslim Views . October 2018

Health File

Living with chronic pain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; osteoarthritis TASLEEM RAS

The over-reliance of modern medicine on pills. Dr Tasleem Ras.

Photo SUPPLIED

medications put her at risk of increased side effects as they mix in her body. My first concern is that the pain medication she is requesting may not interact well with her medical condition or with the medication she is taking. While the paracetamol is safe if taken correctly, many patients feel that it is a very weak painkiller, yet research in the USA indicates that for the type of arthritis Aunty G has, paracetamol is as effective as much stronger medicationâ&#x20AC;Śif taken as prescribed. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not too worried about the paracetamol so make a mental note to counsel Aunty G to take her doses every six hours, and that she will only see a full effect by the third dose.

I am hesitant to prescribe diclofenac for Aunty G. This medication, while having good painkilling and anti-inflammatory effects, also has the bad effect of pushing up the blood pressure. When this happens, it could act on her heart and worsen her angina. It will also have a direct effect on her kidneys, making it difficult for this organ to perform its function of filtering toxic substances from the blood. Unfortunately, this applies to all the other common anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen as well. Another mental note: no anti-inflammatory for Aunty G. The third painkiller, Tramadol, is a bit trickier. It is called an opioid, so has similar effects to morphine and codeine. The reason it is tricky is because I know from local and international research that painkillers like Tramadol are ex-

Photo 123RF.COM

tremely addictive, with about 15 per cent (or 1 in 7) of patients who use these medications regularly becoming addicted. I will have to assess Aunty G very carefully for the risk of addiction, as well as other psychological issues like depression and anxiety, as this can increase the risk of addiction and worsen her pain. The last thing to consider is whether Aunty G would benefit from seeing my colleague, the physiotherapist. Not many people know that physio and occupational therapists play a huge role in managing long term pain. The physiotherapist will assess the muscle and ligament strength around the knee joints. She will most likely apply some therapy to release the spasms in the muscles around the joint, and prescribe some exercises to improve the strength and flexibility of the mus-

cles and ligaments. Well-functioning soft tissues, as we call them, play a key role in supporting and stabilising troublesome joints, and Aunty G would do well to follow this valuable advice. The physiotherapist might consider a walking aid but with Aunty Gâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feisty personality, I suspect she is going to refuse this, as it will â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;make her look oldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Nonetheless, walking sticks really help to stabilise arthritic joints and lessen the weight that they carry. As I sit with Aunty G discussing her treatment options, I am reminded that despite all the technological advances in medicine, we do not have a machine to measure pain! At that moment, I realise that my ears and my heart are my most important tools, allowing me to connect with the struggles she experiences on a daily basis. Doctor Tasleem Ras [MBChB (UCT), FCFP (SA), MFamMed (UCT), PhD candidate (Health Sciences Education)] is a senior lecturer and postgraduate programmes convenor: Division of Family Medicine, UCT. He is also a family physician at the Nurture Harmony Addictions Clinic.

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S my knees, doctor. They pain so much that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even do my gardening anymore.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Aunty Gadija (not her real name) is a 62-year-old patient whom I see regularly at the day hospital for her hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina. Today, maybe because her pain was so bad, instead of just asking for her medication, Aunty G spoke about her painful knees. Stiff and painful in the morning, they slowly get better after she has moved a bit and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;warmed them upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. When I examine her knees, I notice that they appear more knobbly than usual, and glancing through her folder, see that a colleague had asked for x-rays some time back, and confirmed a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. This degenerative joint condition is one of the leading causes of loss of function in our ageing population. Aunty G knows all of this, and begs me to write a prescription for paracetamol (Panado), diclofenac (Voltaren) and Tramadol, as this has helped in the past. As I sit and contemplate what to do next, a few scientific issues cross my mind. Aunty G has high blood pressure and angina, and she takes five tablets every day, with an additional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;under the tongueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pill when she has chest pain. Additional

Halaal Trust

Muslim Views . October 2018

Grappling with diabetes: a stepwise approach to controlling your disease DR ZARAINA SOLOMONS

DIABETES mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by persistently elevated blood glucose levels secondary to either a lack of production or resistance to the hormone insulin. There are different types of diabetes mellitus. Type II diabetes mellitus, previously known as adult onset, occurs most commonly and accounts for 90 per cent of all cases worldwide. This type of diabetes occurs in the older population and is characterised by ineffective use of insulin. These patients are often overweight or obese and have other cardiovascular risk factors. To a lesser extent, we see Type I diabetes mellitus, previously known as juvenile onset or insulin dependent diabetes. The hallmark of this disease is absence of insulin production, and patients are often diagnosed in childhood. Lastly, there is gestational diabetes, which is a temporary condition that arises in pregnancy but confers a long-term risk for Type II diabetes. According to the World Health Organisation Global Report on Diabetes Mellitus, the number of individuals living with the disease has increased fourfold since 1980. There was an estimated 422 million adults living with the disease in 2014 and this increase is reflected in an increase in the associated risk factors, such as obesity and being overweight. When diabetes is poorly controlled, it has dire consequences for health and, in addition, these complications

Dr Zaraina Solomons.

Photo SUPPLIED

tend to impact harshly on the mental and economic wellbeing of the patients and their surrounding families. This increased burden has resulted in diabetes being a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Living with diabetes is daunting but the aim of disease management is to lower the blood sugar level to prevent the onset of complications. Diabetes can often be debilitating in that it can result in damage to the eyes, kidneys, peripheral nerves and blood vessels. These complications manifest as blindness, paraesthesias of the feet, kidney failure and may progress to heart attacks, strokes and gangrene of the limbs, often resulting in amputations. The following stepwise approach should be adopted to better control your disease: l Early recognition or diagnosis in individuals with multiple risk factors or associations via routine screening. These risk fac-

The number of people living with diabetes has increased fourfold since 1980. Image courtesy WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

tors include sedentary lifestyle, increased body mass index (BMI), a positive family history in first degree relatives, other cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and an elevated cholesterol. l Understanding the disease process as well as the treatment options available. In-depth discussions should be had with

your managing physician at the time of diagnosis regarding the way forward, and a mutually beneficial treatment plan should be drafted re: lifestyle modification, oral agents versus injectable insulin. l Lifestyle changes should be prioritised. Increasing physical activity in patients who previously led a sedentary

lifestyle is highly recommended. Guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes per week and supplemental repetitive resistance training in the absence of contra-indications. Patients are also advised to make healthy food choices, often in collaboration with a trained dietician. Patients who smoke should be encouraged to stop. l Blood glucose monitoring should be done daily depending on the type of diabetes, to aim for blood glucose measurements of between 4-10 mmol/L, this can be determined using a home glucometer readily available at most pharmacies. l Screening for associated conditions to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events in addition to screening for complications that may arise secondary to poorly controlled disease. This involves urine testing, HBA1C monitoring, screening of feet as well as retinal screening for eye disease. l Regular visits to your physician until an acceptable glycaemic level is achieved with follow ups six-monthly or yearly thereafter. Even though diabetes is a lifelong condition with a myriad of complications, if managed correctly and timeously, the ability to live a normal, healthy life is possible. Long-term glucose control will ensure the prevention of complications and mortality. Dr Zaraina Solomons, MBChB (UCT), FCP (SA) MMed (Stell) is a specialist physician at Melomed Gatesville Hospital.

Muslim Views . October 2018

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Sanzaf bursary applications now open Sanzaf regional manager, Shafiek Barendse, being interviewed by Voice Of the Cape representative, Taliep Samaai, in Paarl. Sanzaf hosted a Ghaatamal Quran in Paarl as part of our Muharram events, and to commemorate the opening of our revamped offices to make our operations in the Boland more efficient. Photo SANZAF COMMUNICATIONS

THE South African National Zakah Fund (Sanzaf) is dedicated to providing an intervention to communities caught in the cycles of poverty and vulnerability. One aspect of this is Sanzaf’s commitment to a direct investment in education and development. With this as our focus, Sanzaf expended R27,7 million on the Sanzaf Education, Empowerment and Development (Seed) programme, which was invested in a number of initiatives, ranging from early childhood development to Islamic studies, and development projects aimed at enabling beneficiaries to become financially independent and self-sustainable. The tertiary education tier of Seed allows beneficiaries who qualify for zakaah to apply for a bursary to help them achieve their dreams and aspirations. In the Western Cape, Sanzaf

On Saturday, September 29, 2018, Sanzaf hosted a Children’s Sports Day at Cravenby Sports Ground as part of our Muharram activities in the Western Cape. Soccer, cricket and softball were the games of the day as girls and boys alike enjoyed a fun day out and were treated to a SAPS dog show, and refreshments. Photo SANZAF COMMUNICATIONS

bursary students currently attend University of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of the Western Cape and University of Stellenbosch. Sanzaf is pleased to announce that 2019 applications for bursaries are now open and potential candidates may apply online at www.sanzaf.org.za.

Sanzaf expands Seed programme with value added mentorship programme On Friday, September 28, Sanzaf hosted their annual fundraising dinner with proceeds going towards projects and programmes. The dinner also saw the launch of the Sanzaf Future Leaders Programme which is a value add service to the well-established Sanzaf bursary programme. The Sanzaf Future Leaders Programme is a collaboration with

Sanzaf hosted a Muharram programme at Masjid Al Munowar, in Retreat, on September 18. Close to 100 children participated in an educational and inspirational programme, after which they received party packs and a meal, which they shared with the parents present. Photo SANZAF COMMUNICATIONS

the In Light Foundation, with the aim of sourcing industry mentors in various disciplines to enhance the development and performance of Sanzaf bursary students. The mentors’ role is to help guide students academically and through job shadowing, intern-

ships and workplace programmes. This is done with the intention that once the students have completed their studies, they have a better chance of gaining employment and will be better prepared to enter the workplace. We invite suitable candidates to

become mentors for our Sanzaf Future Leaders Programme: Are you a career professional wanting to make a difference? Do you want to inspire a student to achieve? Become a career mentor and help build our future leaders! Volunteer as a Sanzaf career mentor and help shape a student’s future. Please visit www.sanzaf.org.za and fill in our online form or email communications@sanzaf.org.za or call 021 447 0297 for more information.

Muslim Views . October 2018

Reflections on Transformative Living

12 habits of highly happy people: living with wellness – Part 1 AFROZ ALI

EVENTS do not create happiness. Your happiness will be decided by how you respond to life. I wrote ‘12 habits of highly resilient people – lessons from challenging times’ in the last two editions of Muslim Views, a complementary pair of articles to this 3-part article. A key factor that determines our resilience through challenging times is our ability to be centred upon our purpose and to persevere, being able to bounce back from stressful situations that may endanger our efforts if left unchecked. The underpinning force behind resilience is how you respond to life, and this response is the state and level of happiness that you will consciously experience. Happiness is difficult to explain. We can measure the effects of happiness but these effects can be misleading because similar effects can be experienced in the fleeting nature of pleasure or temporary joys we may feel during an exciting moment or event. Happiness is not about any moment or the expressions of laughter, smiles and joy due to an event. It is the state, at any given moment, of being able to see the good and the positive in them, and genuinely accepting them. Therefore, interestingly, a person can be in a state of happiness even in a chal-

Afroz Ali.

Photo SUPPLIED

lenging situation. Just like centredness with grace defines resilience during challenging moments, a sense of contentment by embracing the good defines happiness in any moment. It is not just positive thinking, like a mantra, to make oneself feel ‘happy’, it is being able to appreciate and accept the good or the positive in any given situation. An example would be when a couple has an argument. Both persons can become defensive to prove themselves right, which often leads to one or both parties coming out of the argument bruised and feeling upset.

If, on the other hand, the couple understands that conflict is a realisation that they are distanced from one another and therefore unable to see each other’s point of view, and if they act out of this understanding to appreciate the argument as an opportunity to not only reconnect but bond even closer then each spouse will understand the other’s pain or disagreement and therefore respond in a manner that brings them closer. Each spouse will come out of the experience feeling healed rather than bruised, enriched rather than upset and closer rather than distant. The entire experience in the second type of response would be happiness. The mindset that a happy person possesses does not just happen, it needs to be nurtured through constructive habits that are lived and maintained through time. To repeat, happiness is not a constant experience of excitement and joy; pursuing such ‘happiness’ will only keep you unhappy. Happiness, contentment and centredness are found even in the darkest hours but only if we have been maintaining our wellbeing. So, every moment is an opportunity to be happy, whether one is facing a challenging situation or celebrating an exciting event. One should not wait for the right moment to be happy; every moment is right to be happy. Just like resilience through chal-

lenging times, people who are content and happy make effort to embrace life on its terms, and constantly seek to be responsive rather than reactive to what life offers. The 12 habits of happy people I will share in this 3-part series are key to being happy and content.

1. They have clear purpose of life One of the key ways to be able to live the present moment with mindfulness is to know the direction in which your life is headed. Happy people are in charge of how, and why, the journey is to be undertaken. And they choose not to be slowed down by negative people, temporary setbacks or a lack of immediate results. The next time you are walking, observe where you are looking; you will not be staring at your feet, you will look ahead. If you have a purpose as to where you are walking, you could even visualise the next turn before you get there. You will not be easily tripped, even though you are looking ahead; this is because your focus ahead is built on the solid foundation of awareness, without looking, where your feet are planted. This is the same with life: if you have clarity of purpose, you can visualise the destination of your journey, and you will not be distracted by temporary setbacks,

just as you do not lament for hours about tripping over a small stone.

2. They seek the good and see the good A secret of life is that there is good in everything. Much of the secret of happiness lies in being able to identify this good and focus on that rather than the possibly not so good. It is no wonder that those who see the good in other people are often a joy to be around. And that is another secret: happiness is contagious. A small but important part of happiness is the natural tendency to smile. The next time you are in a shopping centre or in public transport, smile at others. More likely than not, they will smile back. Another regular habit happy people possess is being open to see the lighter side of things – in an appropriate manner. They do not make light of things nor do they laugh at others but they see the lighter side of it and are able to laugh at themselves. 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.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

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Islamic Relief and Jamiat SA deliver Syrian aid SHANAAZ EBRAHIM-GIRE

BETWEEN March and May 2018, Islamic Relief South Africa funded an emergency food distribution programme targeting vulnerable families in Eastern Ghouta, Syria. The project, jointly funded by the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, directly benefitted 30 050 individuals living in the besieged area, and families who had been evacuated to Idlib and Aleppo. Since the outbreak of the conflict, Eastern Ghouta has faced increasing financial and logistical restrictions, which have placed communities at incredibly high risk of starvation. Classified by the United Nations as ‘besieged’ in 2013, locals have been left suffering the effects of severe food shortages and sharp increases in food and fuel prices. In February 2018, the situation in this region reached critical levels. A number of military incursions resulted in the death of at least 250 people and more than 1 000 casualties. With life hanging in the balance, Islamic Relief South Africa responded with the distribution of cooked meals and bread to vulnerable families. For families like Abu Abdul Rahman and his three children, who live in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, living under siege has been traumatising and challenging.

An Islamic Relief aid worker delivering bread to the elderly in Eastern Ghouta. Photo ISLAMIC RELIEF SOUTH AFRICA

‘The situation in the area is very bad. The children and women are suffering the most. Food is scarce and when available, it is very expensive. We have become used to eating only one meal a day because I cannot afford to buy food in the city,’ he said. With shelling and airstrikes between rebels and Syrian government forces ongoing, Abu Abdul Rahman recalls how vulnerable he felt when he could not provide for his young family. ‘In those desperate times, I felt like dying. It was heartbreaking to hear the hungry cries of my children. I could not do anything to

ease their pain and it was too dangerous to leave them alone to go search for food.’ According to Irsa CEO Yusuf Mohamed, the Islamic Relief Syria team experienced ‘great difficulty’ delivering aid to the trapped families. ‘Because of the urgent need on the ground, we were determined to reach families. Our team operated late at night and during the early hours of the morning. ‘They could only use tunnels and had to turn off their vehicle lights to ensure the safety of families. We found families hiding in bunkers and underground shelters,

which had become their permanent residence.’ Abu Abdul Rahman and his family were one of the families to receive assistance through this project. ‘Islamic Relief delivered cooked food and bread to our door. Because of the fighting, we could not leave our shelter.’ In the first phase of the emergency food distribution, 4 335 families were identified in Eastern Ghouta. Each housedhold received cooked meals, meat pies, bread packs and breakfast meals. A further 1 675 families received food baskets that could feed a family of five for one month. The food basket consisted of essentials such as rice, cooking oil, lentils, sugar, pasta and margarine. The food distribution programme was later extended to include refugee families in Azaz and Aleppo who were evacuated from Eastern Ghouta following an intensification of the conflict.

Islamic Relief inside Syria Limited access to food, water and healthcare remains a concern for humanitarian organisations and government alike because more than half of those displaced are children. Sadly, the future of Syria’s youth remains uncertain. Official statistics from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) puts the number of

people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance at 13,1 million, including more than five million children. Islamic Relief has been responding to the crisis in Syria since 2011, working on the borders to provide people caught up in the violence with essential humanitarian aid. Since 2012, it has been working deep inside the country to reach vulnerable families. The details of this latest project are detailed in a comprehensive donor report. ‘On behalf of Islamic Relief Worldwide, I would like to thank our partners and donors for their continued support. You have helped us save lives in Syria. Your zakaah and other charitable contributions has helped deliver aid to Syrian families and refugees who were forced to flee their homes as the conflict escalated,’ Mohamed said. ‘We pray that God accepts your efforts, Insha Allah. Please continue to keep the millions of Syrian families in need in your prayers as airstrikes continue to target besieged communities. Together we can help the people of Syria and displaced families survive and create a better future.’ For a copy of the project report, email the IRSA Donor Relations officer at sumayah.francis@islamic-relief.org.za or call toll free during business hours on 0800 111 898.

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Discussions with Dangor

Muslim Views . October 2018

The quest for an indigenous Islam in South Africa Muslims of Malay and Indian origin were the pioneers of Islam in South Africa, writes EMERITUS PROFESSOR SULEMAN DANGOR.

FOR some years now, there has been a call from indigenous â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Black Africansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (as the term is used in the Statistics South Africa Report) who have embraced Islam for the indigenisation of Islam. In my view, the late Imam Essa al-Seppe was one of the pioneers of this call. I recall having interviewed him several times on Radio Ansar on this subject. He chose the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;emerging unorganisedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Muslim community to refer to Black African Muslims. Muslims of Malay and Indian origin were the pioneers of Islam in South Africa. After the arrival of Muslims from the East at the Cape in the 17th century, Islam spread among the slaves of African, Indonesian and Indian origin who came to form the nascent Muslim community at the Cape. According to the late Achmat

Davids, they were influenced in their practices by different faith communities and so a syncretistic form of Islam developed at the Cape. Nonetheless, Malay culture became the dominant culture at the Cape in succeeding years. In Natal, there were two distinct categories of Muslim immigrants from India: indentured labourers and traders. Resources provided by Muslim traders enabled the propagation of Islam in this province. Black Africans who embraced Islam began to adopt the ways of Indian Muslims, for example, in terms of dressing and diet. However, with the social transformation in South Africa after 1994, communities began a process of introspection. This led to the discourses on Africanisation, indigenisation, African Renaissance etc. The call for the indigenisation of Islam, which has grown louder in recent years, has to be understood in this context. The objections to domination by Muslims of Indian origin who expect Black African Muslims to imitate them with regard to dressing (e.g. kurta), food and language

(learning through the Urdu medium at darul ulooms) are intended to strip Islam of its identification as an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Asianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; religion, and could be viewed as a seminal step towards indigenisation. According to Shaikh Hamza Mbele, following the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Indianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interpretation of Islam was estranging Black African Muslims from their families and communities, the majority of whom are not Muslim. He claims that the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traditional societal normsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, including rites of passage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; birth, initiation, marriage (lobola) and death rites â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are in keeping with Islamic teachings and traditions. In early African societies, pork and carrion were not permitted, ritual purification, circumcision and aqiqah were all practised and children inherited from their parents. Even the attire of men and women met Islamic requirements. The only major differences between Islam and African Religion, according to Shaikh Hamza, are in matters of aqidah (doctrine). For him, indigenisation effectively means the return of Black African Muslims to their traditional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;African waysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

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This position is shared by a sector of the Black African Muslim population. In fact, a few who believe there is little to distinguish between Islamic and African traditions have severed their ties with Islam since they consider it unnecessary to embrace Islam. However, this approach is not shared by all Black African Muslims. According to Dr Tahir Sitoto, of the University of KwazuluNatal, while Black African Muslims reject the mode of Islam of the early diaspora communities, specifically Indian and Malay, they are now confronted with new challenges: the arrival of foreign nationals. While some Black African Muslims identify themselves with indigenous African groupings, such as the Murabitun and the Tijaniyya Sufi orders, others are wary, arguing that even these groups â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;carry their own baggageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The exposure of Black African Muslims to Salafi and Shia doctrines have complicated the matter further. An interesting issue that Dr Sitoto raises is whether the Indians and Malays who arrived here earlier (in the 17th century at the Cape and 19th century in Natal) can be said to be still adhering to the traditions of their ancestors or those extant in India. The fact is that many young

Muslims of Indian or Malay origin no longer feel bound by their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ancestralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; traditions and have embraced change. They are attracted to what may be loosely termed as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;global Islamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This is evidenced by the exceeding number of visits in recent years by international speakers at the invitation of the younger generation of Muslims. These speakers who are considered to empower men and women, have begun to shape the minds of the youth away from the Islam followed by their parents and grandparents, focusing on issues that are relevant to them or of interest to them. The seminars and workshops are attended by a number of Black African Muslims as well. This raises the possibility of the emergence of an indigenous Islam, unlike one envisaged by those advocating it currently and that will include both Black African and diaspora Muslims â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a possibility that Dr Sitoto hinted at. Given all of the above, it would be fair to argue that the quest for an indigenous Islam is in the embryonic stage and that Black African Muslims are still negotiating their identity. There is no consensus on what constitutes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;indigenousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Islam at this stage, and there is no certainty as to what shape and form it will take in the future.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

Ethnic cleansing and the siege of Sarajevo AMENA KHAN-HAYAT

BOSNIA is where, in days of yore, the great Abrahamic religions existed side by side, and where the great empires of Europe resided, which accorded it a political and cultural history distinct from any other country in Europe. On a recent visit to the country – a land where crimson roses bloom and turquoise blue lakes reflect the sunlight through its clear waters, where fast-flowing rivers and cascading waterfalls abound, where mountains soar to lofty heights and where the simultaneous calls to prayer resound from high-rising minarets of the Ottoman era – the grisly past of a people remains beguiled, until you visit the tunnels of Sarajevo and Srebrenica. In Sarajevo, on April 6, 1992, amid Bosnia’s international recognition as an independent state – breaking away from Yugoslavia – the Bosnian Serb paramilitary forces, under the direction of Serbia, took up armed positions in the city, bringing the local Croats, the large majority of Bosnian Serbs and the Muslims out in protest in the streets of Bosnia’s capital. The rapturous chants of ‘We want to keep Bosnia as one,’ were met with rounds of gunfire. Decades of trust between these integrated communities had to be destroyed; a comprehensive approach was required. More than a week earlier, a ter-

ror campaign by the Serbs had already been mounted in several Muslim towns, forcing the Muslims out of their localities, and many were gunned down. With bodies strewn in the streets, and with Muslims portrayed as fundamentalist and jihadists, the Serbs were admonished to defend themselves against their Muslim neighbours and, finally, through Radio and Television Belgrade’s propagandist rhetoric, the Muslim threat was made real. By radicalising the local Serbs and causing the Muslims to flee, the scene was set for the ethnic cleansing of the Muslims. The ideology of Serb nationalism was at play. The dream of a greater Serbia had been envisaged. Against this background, the siege of Sarajevo began. Taking up position in the hills of Sarajevo, the local Serbs surrounded the city, including its airport, and indiscriminately targeted the population with sniper, mortar and shell attacks. Thrown in at the deep end, the local government forces, numbering 3 500, began mounting resistance. Cut off from all supplies, it was only after the completion of the tunnel in 1993, which led to the UN-manned airport (the only role of the UN personnel, it would appear, was to guard aid convoys), that smuggled arms and intermittent humanitarian aid could reach the besieged population.

Subsequent to the initial attacks, the Muslim and Croat forces reorganised themselves. Despite the enormous disparity in numbers, a virtual impasse prevailed with occasional retreat by the Serb soldiers. Had the Muslims been adequately armed, the war might have ended sooner; it might have ended differently. But it was not to be. Western statesmen resolutely opposed arms provision to the Bosnian government. Douglas Hurd, the British foreign secretary, staunchly defended his view that if the arms embargo against the Bosnians were lifted ‘it would only prolong the fighting’. (The arms embargo was introduced against the former Yugoslavia in 1991 but, despite Bosnia being recognised as a member state by the UN, the embargo stayed in place.) Having their own armament factories and stockpiles of the former Yugoslavia, the embargo had no effect on the Serbian war effort. For the Bosnians, it spelt a death sentence. Incidentally, long into the war, western statesmen were still describing the fighting in terms of a ‘civil war’ or ‘a breakdown in law and order’ or even as ‘warring factions’. Not only were efforts made to eliminate a people but also its history. The State and University Library, and the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo with its priceless collec-

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tion of manuscripts, mosques and architectural marvels from the Ottoman era were destroyed by concentrated shelling. The West turned a blind eye to the gross atrocities by the Serbs in Bosnia, despite numerous foreign eyewitness reports, including a report by the UN personnel in neighbouring Croatia. When, finally, images of emaciated prisoners in Serb-run camps flashed across the world on TV screens and newspapers, a muted response by western politicians followed. Despite this stark evidence, the West remained resolutely opposed to the Bosnian government acquiring weapons. However, plans for a settlement for Bosnia, which would seek to cater for the demands of its three ethnic groups – the Serbs, the Croats and the Muslims – began to emerge. In the first of the four proposed plans – the Vance-Owen Plan (October 1992) – the document allotted to each group, cantons with ethnic labels and, moreover, with boundaries that had yet to be finalised. This had its predictable outcome: a revived competition for territory, stimulating ethnic violence, which resulted in the collapse of the Croat-Muslim Alliance, which was the only effective safeguard against the Serbs. The Vance-Owen Plan, along with the arms embargo, fatally impeded Muslim resistance to the Serbs. (Incidentally, the Croat-

Muslim Alliance was restored in March, 1994.) The rejection of the VanceOwen Plan was met with the Owen-Stoltenberg Plan, where negotiators blatantly acceded to Serb demands. Rejected, it was followed by a proposal in May 1994 by a ‘Contact Group’ comprising European countries. The plan gave the Serbs 49 per cent of the territory, where they might be permitted to make confederal arrangements with Serbia; the 51 percent went to the Federation. Towards the end of December, 1994, a four-month ceasefire, initiated by the former American president Jimmy Carter, took effect, which ushered in the American presence in the war. Subsequent to the termination of the ceasefire, Sarajevo suffered one of its heaviest bombardments since the onset of the war. Finally, on May 25, 1995, NATO responded with air strikes. In retaliation, the Serbs bombed Tuzla, a UN designated ‘safe area’ for displaced Muslims, which suffered heavy casualties. In addition, the Serbs seized UN soldiers and personnel, resulting in the immediate ending of air strikes. The Serbs continued shelling civilian areas, including the main hospital in Sarajevo. The siege of the city remained in force. In the second part the focus shifts to the war in Srebrenica.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

Muslim Hands 4th karamat tour to raise funds for local orphanages

Buses were packed with participants during the previous Muslim Hands karamat Photo SUPPLIED tour.

MASNOENA ALLIE ISAACS

BACK by public demand, Muslim Hands brings you our fourth karamat tour on a luxury bus on Sunday, November 4, 2018. Tickets are R250 per person which includes lunch. Your participation will help raise funds for various local orphanages in urgent need of upgrade and improvements. There is a staggering number of orphan children locally, and there is no greater impact you can have than caring for the innocent, deserving and vulnerable children. At Muslim Hands, you can help sponsor orphans and help provide them with a quality education, food and healthcare. You can sponsor a local orphan monthly at R700 or R8 400 annu-

ally. International orphans can be sponsored at R600 monthly or R7 200 annually. The karamat tour will commence from the karamat of Hazrat Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi Siddiqi (RA), which is situated at Habibia Soofie Saheb Masjid, in Rylands. The second stop will be at the shrine of Shaikh Yusuf (RA), in Macassar, where we will have a breakfast break. We will then make our way to the third karamat; that of Sayed Abdul Malik (RA), in Vredehoek, then onto the karamat of Sayed Jaffer (RA), in Bakoven. Fifth will be the karamat of Sayed Mahmud (RA) in Summit Road, in Constantia, before we arrive at the karamat of Shaikh Abduraghmaan Matebe Shah (RA), in Klein Constantia, where we will

break for Dhur salaah and lunch will be served. Our last and final stop for the day will be at the karamat of Sayed Abdul Aziz (RA), in Muizenberg, before we make our way back to the vehicles at Habibia Masjid, in Rylands. Some karamats have been declared national heritage sites, with all having historical and religious significance. One of the prominent shaikhs in Cape Town recently referred to Cape Town as ‘Madinatul Awliyah’. Karamats are not mosques, they are religiously neutral, which means all genders, religions and denominations are welcome to visit. Thus, our tour is open to people of different faiths. Many karamats are hidden away in Cape Town’s mountainous forests. The Cape karamats are unique and are reflective in many ways to the people of the Cape. They have their own mysterious aura that you can feel resonating from a vast tonal base, deep within the earth.

The cause Orphan care is at the heart of the work carried out by Muslim Hands. We believe providing children with security and a high standard of education will help tackle the root causes of poverty, and empower generations to come. Children have many different needs – from having love, stability and care to hope for a future filled

Participants enjoying lunch during the previous Muslim Hands karamat tour. Photo SUPPLIED

with opportunities ahead. Muslim Hands addresses many diverse aspects of looking after orphan children and provides them with holistic care at their most vulnerable time. An estimated over 200 million children worldwide have experienced the loss of a parent. Many of these children come from disadvantaged backgrounds. When losing a parent, access to education, the sustenance of nutritious meals, the protection of shelter and the chance of a secure future all become an almost impossible dream.

Therefore, the responsibility of care for the orphan falls on all of us. Who could be more deserving of our help than the child who has no one? Muslim Hands sponsors over twelve thousand orphans in more than twenty countries. Tickets for the karamat tour are available online at quicket.co.za or at the Muslim Hands office, at 1 Carnie Road, Rylands or on the Muslim Hands website: www.muslimhands.org.za. Contact Muslim Hands today on 021 633 6413. Muslim Hands – united for the needy.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

Focus on Finance

Mistakes to avoid on your tax return this year

earned, capital gain and losses, rental income for properties should be declared on both spouses’ returns with the combined total amount. The Sars system will calculate the split, assuming you have indicated to Sars that you are married in community of property.

HASSEN KAJIE, CA (SA), a director of Nexia SAB&T, based in the Cape Town office, and AYSHA OSMAN, CA (SA), National Technical Manager for Nexia SAB&T, in the Centurion office, advise on the types of mistakes to avoid when submitting your tax return.

TAX filing season is still open and the SA Revenue Service (Sars) is waiting for returns. Avoid making these mistakes to make your experience somewhat less painful.

because it was taxed by the person paying them, they do not need to declare this. Sars still requires that you declare it.

Not declaring your bank account

Making arithmetic errors or errors in transferring figures from one schedule to another contribute a great deal in a taxpayer not receiving a refund or having to pay a large sum of money over to Sars.

If you declare on your tax return that you don’t have a local savings or cheque account at any bank in South Africa, and this statement is incorrect, you may be liable for an administrative penalty.

Not declaring all your investments Sars gets information directly from banks and investment houses. If you don’t declare your investments, Sars will levy penalties and it could trigger additional assessments.

Not declaring income that has already been taxed Many taxpayers leave out their additional income thinking that

Making number errors

Misspelling names If your name or that of your spouse or your children, is misspelt and does not match the tax identification number on record, that error will cause the system to kick you out. You will not be able to complete the tax return.

Not double-checking your IRP5 Make sure you obtain your IRP5 from your employer this year and check and verify if all the information is correct before attempting to submit the return. If you notice any errors which

Hassen Kajie

Aysha Osman

might need to be corrected, ask your employer to rectify it. Your employer must resubmit it to Sars via EasyFile. You will not be able to change the pre-populated fields on the return.

an employer to an employee up to the rate of 355 cents per kilometre, regardless of the value of the vehicle.’ If you do opt for a travel allowance, make sure you have a letter stating the company vehicle value and calculation of the fringe benefit from your employer. Also ensure you have a proper logbook for business kilometres travelled and an invoice to prove the purchase price.

Not declaring rental income This will catch up to you when you sell the property one day, as transfer attorneys submit information directly to Sars. It is important that you keep all relevant documents as long as you own the property.

Not claiming a tax-free reimbursement for business travel Taxpayers forget that instead of a travel allowance, they can get reimbursed tax free for business travel. According to Sars: ‘Where the distance travelled for business purposes does not exceed 12,000 kilometres per annum, no tax is payable on an allowance paid by

Not keeping proof of medical expenses You won’t be able to get a refund for medical expenses that are not covered by your medical aid if you don’t have the supporting documents and slips as well as proof of payment.

Not doubling up if you are married in community of property If you are married in community of property, all interest

Spending your tax refund too soon Do not spend your tax refund (especially when only estimates were done) before a final completion letter is received from Sars. 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.

Muslim Views . October 2018

A touch of the Levant in the Cape northern suburbs

Rustic touches with white wicker chairs against dark wood tables and floors at Photo DILSHAD PARKER Coco Levant.

DILSHAD PARKER

THE Levant is an old term referring to countries of the eastern Mediterranean. The use of the term in the name of this new eatery in Parow, in the northern suburbs, Coco Levant, conjurs visions of a traditional middle eastern setup with rich warm colours and the expectation of a menu filled with unusual dishes inspired by the cuisine from the area. We visited on a Saturday morning, during September, and were met with a somewhat different looking space. They have borrowed from a more Greek influence, and the feel of the restaurant was more spare with cleaner lines. White walls and wooden parquet flooring juxtaposed dark topped tables and an eclectic mix

of rustic white wicker and more modern designer chairs. Two larger tables, suitable for groups, had bright pillows against the wall, which lent some of that middle eastern flavour. One of the tables was occupied by a group of ladies having breakfast and the other by a man busy on his laptop. He seemed to be a guest of the hotel in which this restaurant is located. The New National Hotel is a small, recently revamped hotel situated on Voortekker Road, just about two blocks from Parow Centre. It’s an unexpected place to find a hotel but there seem to be some recent refurbishments happening on the Voortrekker Road corridor and this may well be a part of it. Much like the upliftment of the Woodstock area around the CBD has improved the area, one hopes

Brunch for three at Coco Levant, in the northern suburbs. Photo DILSHAD PARKER

the same will happen here. We decided to take a seat in the far corner of the restaurant, near a glass door where there was more light so I could take some decent photographs of our food – I know, job hazard. Our waiter took our order for cappucinos while we mulled over the menu and decided what to order. He was friendly enough but seemed a bit inexperienced and tentative, and wasn’t able to make recomendations. The cappucinos were strong but really good and we enjoyed them while waiting for our meals to arrive. They had just opened in June so were running some opening specials. We opted for a scrambled eggs and sausage breakfast special at R25 for Taufeeq, the Signature breakfast, at R70, and Chicken Kebab, at R60, for us.

I had wanted the Mediterranean breakfast, which included falafel with an assortment of dips and veg sides but they were completely out of falafel – disappointing for a Mediterranean restaurant to run out of a staple like that. There were burgers, pasta and even curry on the menu, which the waiter said was popular. And for an old school touch, I spotted jaffles as an alternative to a toasted sandwich. Zulfi’s breakfast was generous, with two fried eggs, mushrooms, fried tomato, macon and a potato rosti. But his eggs were undercooked and his two slices of toast came with margarine instead of butter. While I realise butter has become really expensive, this is a not a compromise I feel any restaurant should make.

My chicken kebab came with two well-sized, minced chicken kebabs, grilled chunks of green peppers and tomato, some potato wedges and a small bowl of tzatziki. This was served with a traditional unleavened Saj bread. The kebabs were tasty, not spicy but well flavoured with herbs. I found this dish dry, though. Upon mentioning this to the chef, he offered hummus and garlic mayo, which did make a difference. The breakfast special which Taufeeq had was good value for money, and the sausages, which I am fussy about, was spicy and tasty. I did manage to swipe a piece while he wasn’t looking. I also liked that their takeaway packaging was eco friendly. I think this restaurant has potential but they would need to work on their offering a bit. I found the menu quite standard and would have liked to see more authentic dishes available. I am keen to try their falafel and will visit again, perhaps on a week day to make sure I get some. It is great to have another fully halaal option in the northern suburbs, though, of which there are precious few. This review is independent and meals were paid for. Dilshad Parker is founder and author of www.hungryforhalaal.co.za

Muslim Views . October 2018

Light from the Quran

True strength lies in weakness IBRAHIM OKSAS and NAZEEMA AHMED

IN reflecting on our disposition as human beings, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, in his Quranic tafsir, Risale-i Nur (Treatise of Light), indicates that man resembles a delicate and petted child in the universe. There is great strength in his weakness and great power in his impotence. It is through the strength of his weakness and through the power of his impotence that other beings have been subjected to him by Allah Almighty. Bediuzzaman advises that if we understand our weakness and we make duah verbally and by state and conduct, and if we recognise our impotence and we seek Allah Almighty’s help, since we have made shukr by exhibiting our weakness and impotence, we can achieve our aims, and our desires are subjugated to us in a way far exceeding what we can achieve with our own power. However, we sometimes wrongly attribute to our own limited power the attainment of a wish that has been obtained for us through the duahs offered by our unexpressed need. Bediuzzaman cites the following examples to illustrate this matter. He draws attention to the fact

that it is the strength in the weakness of a chick that causes the mother hen to attack a lion. And its newly-born lion cub subjugates to itself the savage and hungry lioness, leaving the mother hungry and the cub full. So we are asked to acknowledge the strength inherent in weakness as well as the manifestation of Divine Mercy, which are worthy of notice. Just as through crying or asking or looking unhappy, a child subjugates the strong to himself, and is so successful in getting what he wants, he could not obtain one thousandth of it with a thousand times his own strength. That is to say, since weakness and impotence excite compassion and a sense of protection towards him, the child can subjugate heroes to himself with his tiny finger. Should such a child with irrational conceit deny the compassion and accuse the protection by saying, ‘I subjugated these with my own strength,’ he will be quite foolish. Bediuzzaman then cites what Qarun expresses in Surah AlQasas, and if, like Qarun, man says, ‘I have been given it on account of the knowledge I have’ that is, ‘I gained this through my own knowledge and my own power’ in a way that demonstrates ingratitude and denies his Cre-

ator’s mercy and accuses His wisdom, man will deserve a punishing blow. This means that man’s authority and human advances, and the attainments of civilisation have been made subject to him by Allah Almighty not through his attracting them or conquering them or through warfare but due to his weakness. Man has been assisted by Allah Almighty because of his impotence. They have been bestowed on him by Allah Almighty due to his impoverishment. He has been inspired with them due to his ignorance. They have been given to him due to his need. And the reason for his advancement is neither strength nor the power of knowledge but the compassion and kindness of the Sustainer and Divine mercy and wisdom: they have subjugated all these things to him. So yes, what clothes man, who is defeated by pests like eyeless scorpions and legless snakes, in silk from a tiny worm, and feeds him honey from a poisonous insect is not his own power but the subjugation of the Sustainer and the bestowal of the Most Merciful, which are the fruits of man’s weakness. Bediuzzaman appeals to us by saying that since this is the reality of the matter, we have to give up

our egotism and arrogance. Through seeking Allah Almighty’s help, we should proclaim our impotence and weakness at the Divine Court and, through our appeal and duah, we should express our poverty and need. We must show that we are His slave. We should say as in Surah Al Imran: ‘Allah is enough for us, for He is the Best Disposer of Affairs,’ and rise in degree. Furthermore, Bediuzzaman advises us to adopt the following approach and say: ‘O my Sustainer! Since this is the way to be saved, I forego my own will in Your way, and I give up my egotism then Your grace may take me by the hand out of compassion for my impotence and weakness, and Your mercy may take pity on my need and be a support for me, and open its door for me.’ However, we should not say: ‘I am nothing. What importance do I have that the universe should purposefully be made subject to me by an Absolutely All-Wise One, and universal thanks are required of me?’ For sure, we are as though nothing with respect to our nafs and bodily form but from the point of view of duty and rank, we are an observant spectator of this majestic universe, a discerning reader of this book of the universe, a supervisor of these creatures full

of wonder at their glorifications, and, like a supervisor of these beings,we are full of respect for their ibadah. Thus, with regard to our vegetable physical being and our animal soul, we are a deaf particle, a contemptible atom, a needy creature and a weak animal who is departing. But being perfected through the light of imaan, which comprises the radiance of Divine love, and through the training of Islam, which is enlightened, with regard to humanity and servitude to Allah, we are like a king. And so we can say: ‘My Compassionate Sustainer has made the world a house for me, the sun and moon lamps for it, and the spring, a bunch of flowers for me, and summer, a table of bounties, and the animals He has made my servants. ‘And He has made plants the decorated furnishings of my house.’ Bediuzzaman concludes his reflections on this matter by issuing the following caution. If we heed Satan and our nafs, we will fall to the lowest of the low. But if we heed truth and the Quran, we will rise to the highest of the high and become the most excellent pattern of the universe, Insha Allah.

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Muslim Views . October 2018

From Consciousness to Contentment

Listen to the sound of silence JASMINE KHAN

HAVE you ever listened to the sound of silence? Probably not because we live in a world of constant noise. When you start your car, does the radio come on or are you subjected to deafening music when you travel to work in a taxi? How about trying to have a relaxing meal and the restaurant deafens you with its choice of music? Even when you make a call and you have to hold, music is played into your unwilling ears or a voice drones on and on, ‘Your call is important to us.’ This got me wondering: what are we afraid of that we must constantly be bombarded by sound. Why do we avoid silence? Are we afraid of silence? We seek closeness to Allah and often complain that we cannot connect with our Creator. Do we realise that Allah cannot be found in noise and restlessness? Not only is Allah the friend of silence, silence is the language of Allah. See how in nature trees, flowers and grass grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We know that all things are possible for Allah, and He is always aware of us but can we be aware and in

touch with our Creator in the midst of all the noise? When we allow ourselves moments of genuine silence, we can truly appreciate sound, not loud, pointless, nerve-wracking clatter but sounds that have value, substance and a reason to be listened to. Allah filled the world with silent places for humanity to discover and enjoy, and it’s in the still quietness of those places that we can appreciate the favours of Allah. The rhythmic sound of rain falling on roofs has a special sound that is comforting; the sound of waves crashing onto the shore makes one realise how insignificant we are in the greater scheme of things. In the quietness of predawn, we hear the birds sing as they greet another day before the noise of traffic assails our ears. It is in silence that the song of a lone bird can be enjoyed and its whereabouts revealed without the aid of one’s eyes. It is also in silence that the relative size of a fish jumping in a lake can be determined by the sound of its splash. With the frenetic pace of life, you may say that it is not possible to have periods of silence but, to access silence, all we have to do is cease action for short periods.

It appears that we only feel valued when we are in constant motion; perhaps it is time to accept that we are of value to Allah, and, as such, we need to appreciate the wonderful beings that we are. We should take a lesson from nature. It is possible to bring the stillness of nature into one’s innermost being. Silence has the ability to soothe the soul and calm a troubled spirit. Once experienced, it becomes not an occasional luxury but a necessity as vital as sleep, food and water. The beauty of silence can be found in daily life, and we can use it to clear mental and emotional clutter in the following activities: Take a walk. Power walk or stroll, it doesn’t matter. Regardless of the weather, dress appropriately and get moving. Leave your cell phone on silent. Choose a safe and serene route. If you have to walk with someone, be silent and savour the sounds of nature. Fishing is therapeutic. Relax, savour the silence and yet, hear the sounds of the water. Initially, try to be alone for a few minutes. Arise earlier and appreciate the dark before dawn. Silence at the time of Fajr is healing and rewarding; it is the time when the angels change shifts. Look up at the night sky and see the unrivalled spectacle of the stars; better

than any spectacle on the blaring television. If sleep doesn’t come immediately, breathe deeply and let the cares of the day fall away as silence lulls you to sleep. We can also bestow the rewards of silence upon others. ‘A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.’ (Rachel Naomi Remen) Silence relieves stress and tension. Florence Nightingale believed that ‘Unnecessary noise is the cruelest absence of care that can be inflicted on sick or well; needless sounds could cause distress, sleep loss and alarm for recovering patients.’ Noise pollution has been found to lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks, it raises stress levels by activating the brain’s amygdala and causing the release of the stress hormone cortisol, according to research. Just as too much noise can cause stress and tension, research has found that two minutes of silence is more relaxing than listening to ‘relaxing’ music, based on changes in blood pressure and blood circulation in the brain. Silence replenishes our mental resources. The ceaseless demands of life place a burden on the pre-

frontal cortex of the brain, resulting in mental fatigue. However, in the silence of nature, the brain can restore its finite cognitive resources. In silence, we can tap into the brain’s default mode network. In silence, the default mode network of the brain is activated. When the brain is disengaged from external stimuli, we can tap into our inner stream of thoughts, emotions, memories and ideas. Engaging this network helps us make meaning of our experiences, empathise with others, be more creative and reflect on our own mental and emotional states. Default mode activity helps us think deeply and creatively. Herman Melville wrote, ‘All profound things and emotions of things are preceded and attended by silence.’ We often find being still in body and mind difficult. Living this modern life makes it difficult but it is a skill, and can be done. It will take practice, repetition and discipline, all requirements necessary for developing a skill. The self-discipline required to develop it yields tangible value: peace of mind, lower stress, mental focus, even richer worship and prayer. Try it, and reap the benefits of listening to the sound of silence.

Art’s for All The enchanted calligraphy of Faheem Jackson

Muslim Views . October 2018

The arts of the Muslims are diverse, differing from China in the East to Morocco in the West, writes DR M C D’ARCY.

‘THE Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit, Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Not all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.’ (Omar Khayyam, 1048-1131 ACE) For Faheem Jackson, these words from the Rubaiyat of the Persian polymath, poet, mathematician and astronomer, strike a chord. For a calligrapher, letters and words have a deeper meaning than mere putting pen to paper. A calligrapher has to have the patience of Job. The skills needed to expound the glory of the letters in an artistic arrangement require the proverbial 10 000 hours of practice. A deep love of mathematical measurement is essential before the arrangement of alphabetical symbols can turn into artistic poetry. Incidentally, Omar Khayyam’s poetry, which included the 75 verses from the Rubaiyat translated by Edward Fitzgerald in

1859, was merely a hobby. East or west, the Rubaiyat is still the champion best-selling poem in history. Omar Khayam is also credited with devising algebraic mathematical quadratic equations. The narrow perception that calligraphy is the only Islamic art worthy of note is fallacious. The arts of the Muslims are extremely diverse, radically differing from China in the East to Morocco in the West. It’s many facets include architecture, carpets, clothing, silk and wool embroidery, metalwork, jewellery, sculpture, stonework and its great, eye-catching gem: calligraphy. Poetry and storytelling, medicine, and sciences ranging from astronomy to zoology, also fruited from the minds and hands of Muslims. All of these fields should be credited as Islamic arts. I first met Faheem Jackson at the Islamic Library complex, in Lansdowne. At long, paper-covered trestle tables, young boys and girls were practising the fundamentals of Arabic calligraphy. Bamboo-pens charged with black India ink slid silently over white paper; their concentration was pin-drop intense. Gliding in white thobe between the rows, Faheem stopped now

Faheem exercising his steady calligraphy hand.

and then and whispered a guiding note. That impressed. Children were thoroughly enjoying the birth of a new challenge in life; that was magical. Thirty-six-year-old Faheem hails from Bryant Street, in Cape Town’s iconic Bokaap. Schooled at St Paul’s Primary School and, subsequently, at Darul Islam Islamic High School, Faheem developed an intense passion to pursue a career in art and graphic design but the road in this direction was somewhat bumpy yet interesting. He memorised the Quran under the tutelage of Shaikh Yusuf Booley. A woodcarving scholarship to Indonesia followed, lasting for six months. A love for silat, the Malay-Indonesian martial art, developed and is still a passion. Faheem’s father desired that his son be a ‘shaikh’ but that was not to be. Faheem was off to Syria and, fortuitously, he landed up in Damascus, in a flat right above an ‘Islamic art’ workshop. The flashing blue, yellows and purples of mother of pearl wood inlay work dazzled him. It rekindled his childhood yearning for a life in the arts. The silky flow of the Arabic letters is mesmerising, enabling the calligraphy artist to fashion a great variety of eye-appealing scripts,

Photo M C D’ARCY

Faheem Jackson is a budding calligrapher with a stellar future. Photo M C D’ARCY

easy to meld into mosaics of letters to adorn paper, cloth, walls and domes. Faheem was easily rehooked onto the calligraphy genre. It had first emerged as a child, when he admired the art while writing the liturgy of ghadat and Quranic verses. In Damascus, he studied the local Arabic. He also copied the calligraphic styles from calligraphers’ writing on blackboards. Their skill at fashioning figures using the Arabic letters were to be marvelled at. He intensely studied the works of the Syrian, Persian and Turkish master calligraphers. When moving fingers write with Kalam Javi Java reed pens that swirl jet black India ink over pristine white sheets of paper, and when the hands move on, there are wonders to admire and stimulate the senses; that’s the mystic magic of Arabic calligraphy. Faheem found this mystique in the handwritten Qurans of the leg-

endary Qadi Abdusallaam, Tuan Guru of Tidore, who was exiled to the Cape and imprisoned on Robben Island, in the late 18th century. On release from imprisonment, he became the founding father of the first mosque in South Africa, Auwal Mosque, in Dorp Street, Bokaap, almost on the doorstep of Faheem’s birthplace. Faheem explained: ‘The skill and fortitude of Tuan Guru inspired me. I’m sharing the art of calligraphy so that others can value the art and be part of the tradition of fine calligraphy. Doing that, I learn more than I teach. In this field, I am up to the challenge.’ It is clear that for Faheem this art sings. It plucks the heartstrings of those who relish beauty and spirituality. It is akin to those who savour the perfumed essence that the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam radiates to those who emote its words.

Faheem Jackson’s calligraphy motif: a striking composition with great colour sense. Photo M C D’ARCY

Muslim Views . October 2018

Qibla hosts annual Imam Haron commemoration

Qibla hosted its annual Imam Abdullah Haron commemoration event at the Western Cape College of Nursing hall, in Athlone, on Saturday, September 29. The panel of speakers to commemorate the killing of Imam Abdullah Haron 49 years ago, on September 27, 1969, were from left, Dr Mahmoud Patel (UWC), Prof Muhammed Haron (University of Botswana), Imam Achmad Cassiem (Qibla) and Judge Siraaj Desai. Significantly, the event was held on the same date, September 29, that Imam Haron was laid to rest in Mowbray, in 1969, the evening that Cape Town and surrounds experienced possibly its worst ever earth tremor. Photo TOYER NAKIDIEN

YUSUF ABRAHAMS

Professor Muhammed Haron, left, presenting the 11th Imam Abdullah Haron Memorial Lecture at the Academia Auditorium, in Imam Haron Road, Lansdowne, on Wednesday, September 26. On the right is Mary Burton, a trustee of the Imam Abdullah Haron Education Trust, which organises the annual lecture. Titled ‘Imam Abdullah Haron: a man for all seasons’, Professor Haron’s lecture not only took us through the period of Imam Haron’s detention and murder but also introduced the audience to the broader circle of family, friends and community who were affected by those events, and the people who supported the family during that period. Occasionally slipping into the Malay patois and spicing his talk with bits of humour, Professor Haron showed why he felt his father was a man for all seasons. Imam Haron was a community leader driven by his religious convictions, who was as at home on the mimbar as he was on the sports field, a man who performed a nikah in English and who supported Muslims who wanted to pursue a career in the arts. Here was a man who did not talk about the work he did in the community but a man who was outspoken in his condemnation of the unjust apartheid laws. Photo ABDURAHMAN KHAN While the brutal killing of Imam Abdullah Haron, in September, 1969, at the hands of the apartheid regime, is still fresh in the memories of an earlier generation, the inaugural Imam Abdullah Haron Education Trust Bibi’s Kitchen Fun Walk, on Sunday, September 30, 2018, was also an opportunity for later generations to learn of the imam’s sacrifice for the sake of justice, and to embed the legacy of his struggle in the consciousness of the people. The walk, which started at Islamia College, in Imam Haron Road, Lansdowne, was a fitting reminder as well of Imam Haron’s community spirit and his interaction with young and old. Photo ABDURAHMAAN KHAN

SATURDAY, September 29, marked Qibla’s annual Imam Abdullah Haron commemoration event at the Western Cape College of Nursing in Klipfontein Road, Athlone. Imam Haron was martyred at the age of 45 while being detained for 123 days in solitary confinement. Professor Muhammed Haron, son of the late Imam, was the first speaker. He pointed out that the Land Claims Committee had not returned their house from which they were evicted under the Group Areas Act. He also expressed the view that it is the present government’s duty to re-open inquests into the deaths of all those who were killed during the apartheid era. He thanked Qibla and Imam Cassiem for their unstinting support over the years, saying that Qibla was the one organisation that had rallied and stood up for his father for many decades. Judge Siraaj Desai, the keynote speaker, addressed the question, ‘Is housing a political issue in South Africa?’ He argued that it is a political issue because for more than 300 years the indigenous people were systematically dispossessed by colonial apartheid. ‘The situation today with regard to housing is unassailable. Nobody is attempting to redress spatial apartheid. We are not giving content to our constitution, rendering it worthless. Nothing has changed for the majority of people in this country. We live in townships, as before, with the poor still having to travel great distances to work.’

Doctor Mahmoud Patel, a lecturer in law at UWC and a social activist, addressed the ‘Difference between legality and legitimacy in relation to the land issue’. He said people often referred to the Land Act no. 27 of 1913 when discussing land dispossession but should go back to the Glen Grey Act of 1894 when the parliament of the Cape Colony, headed by Cecil John Rhodes, established a system of individual (rather than communal) land tenure. Patel argued that the constitution protected the private property of the minority for the past two centuries i.e. the law has failed our poor over the years. He attributes this failure to the fact that South Africa had a negotiated settlement in 1994 and not revolutionary change. Therefore, we must strive for legitimacy and not merely legality for a just distribution of land. Imam Achmad Cassiem, exRobben Island prisoner, summarised the major issues raised by the speakers, pointing out that there was no democracy in South Africa. He stressed that we should become ambassadors for justice, and peace would follow. In conclusion, he listed five definitive characteristics of a revolution: There must be mass participation and action; a heightened consciousness of the masses; a radical change of attitude; a shift in the power-base of society; and sacrifices to achieve revolutionary ideals. Two poems, ‘The Imam! Was he a patriot or terrorist?’ delivered by Mujaheda Soeker, and ‘Africa, my land!’ presented by Yohali Ilonga, a learner at Trafalgar High School, received warm applause.

PR IC E: R2 50

Join us on a spiritual fundraising tour and help support local orphanages in urgent need of upgrade and improvements.

Date 4th November 2018 Time 7.30am to 16.30pm The price of R250 includes a tour to 7 Karamats in a luxury tour bus and lunch will be served.

KARAMAT TOUR 2018