Muslim Views, October 2014

Vol. 28 No. 10

MUHARRAM 1436 l OCTOBER 2014

Welcome to our returning Hujjaaj and their duahs

adakar and Abieda De Villiers of Woodstock, Cape Town, offer the traditional supplication before entering their home on returning from Hajj. The return of the hujjaaj is a momentous occasion for celebration. The traditional welcome of hujjaaj (here Hajji Sadakar is being greeted by one of his nieces, right) is particularly eventful not only due to the meeting of family members and friends after a relatively long absence but mainly because of the religious and spiritual significance of the journey. The celebration is marked by its importance as an occasion for those receiving the hujjaaj to request duahs from them. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said: ‘When you meet a returning hajji (on his way home) then greet him, shake hands with him and ask him to beg forgiveness of Allah on your behalf before he enters his home because his prayer for forgiveness is accepted since he is forgiven by Allah for his sins.’ (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, RA) This narration underscores the importance of supplication and the rank of the believer who has made the sacrifice for the greatest journey in life to praise Allah, proclaim His absolute greatness and submit to His Divine Will. Over the past years, this sacrifice includes the anxieties and uncertainties of Hajj travel, visas and accreditation for the vastly reduced numbers of pilgrims allowed to undertake the sacred journey. Yet, no returning hajji is spared the ongoing challenges of this world. In the Quran, Allah promises to test us, and this test is not waived for the hujjaaj. No natural laws are suspended due to a spiritual transformation. The arrival home is also the return to the routine of worldly responsibilities. The difference, however, is the consciousness and heart of the believer. Prayer and supplication remain the ultimate means of drawing close to Allah every day. The rituals of faith are the form in which we pray and supplicate. But it is our piety, our sincerity and our continued good deeds that render our supplications acceptance with Allah. This period of the returning hujjaaj and the new year on the Islamic calendar are opportune for serious reflection on the state of our souls and the world around us.

Photo M T NAKIDIEN / Text MAHMOOD SANGLAY

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Muslim Views . October 2014

alliances and increasing uncertainty are indicative of a world in which the truth is so diabolically perverted that little can be reasonably explained, even by seasoned analysts.

Yet, it remains the quest for this very abstraction that sustains the physical struggle for justice of any believer anywhere in the world.

And it is this very quest at Muharram that motivates the believer to seek the path of righteousness, spiritually and by physical means.

In emulating the noble example of Imam Husain, the believer embraces hardship and maintains firmness of purpose with courage and constancy.

And, where required, with extraordinary sacrifice.

It is not simply an ideal to give expression to our allegiance with Imam Husain in this way.

It is a necessary form of practising a E remember the Battle of living faith based on truth and Karbala on Muharram 10 submission only to Allah SWT. each year. And, each year, Any form of tyranny is antithetical to fresh wisdom is found in the events truth and righteousness and should be of Karbala coinciding with resisted. contemporary global developments. Imam Husain did so in his opposition The lessons of Karbala are of to Yazid’s politics of Damascus. universal and boundless We should do so in our opposition to significance. the expansionist politics of Isis in the The narrative of Imam Husain’s same region, and to the unholy sacrifice is the abiding inspiration for ferment in which imperial powers the advocates of truth and advance their interests by means of righteousness of all times since. And expedient alliances with traditional the advocates of tyranny usually cast enemies. The truth is never found with the advocates of these virtues as the those who cannot be trusted. evil ones and propagate falsehoods as The renewal at Muharram at this time truth. of turmoil calls for a vision in which the This is ever-evident today in the value of long-term sacrifices outweigh turmoil of the very geo-political regions short-term gains. extending beyond the precincts of It calls for integrity, honesty and Karbala. courage beyond words.

Isis was bred in an unstable political Karbala’s enduring lesson is that the environment, and its operations, since greatest battles are fought in the inception this year, has further minds and hearts of believers, and radically destabilised the region, then on battlefields. particularly Iraq and Syria.

When truth enters the heart and mind Much of the rhetoric by both the battle is won, even if the enemy supporters and opponents of Isis is kills every believer. marked by claims to the truth based Yazid, and his vast army, were on religion. vanquished in the battle for truth and The conflict between Iraqi Sunnis and they are, therefore, the ultimate losers.

Shias sustains Isis and, ironically, it is Isis, the empire and every tyrant the same conflict that has always participating in this contemporary served the interests of the United dance of falsehood will ultimately be States. However, the traditional foes, subjected by the truth as idealised by the US and Iran, are in talks about Karbala. co-operation to defeat Isis in Iraq.

Imam Husain’s victory will inspire This confusion of shifting balances of fresh and new resistance to tyranny till regional power, perplexing emerging the Last Day.

Karbala is for the tyranny of all times

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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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From Ismail to Husain SADULLAH KHAN

E bid farewell to the old year by celebrating Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) commitment to Allah displayed through his willingness to sacrifice his patient son, Prophet Ismail (AS). We welcome the new year by commemorating the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) beloved grandson, Imam Husain (RA).

O Allah, Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim.

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Who is Husain Imam Husain is the son of Fatimah (RA), the daughter of the Best of Creation. The Holy Prophet said of her: ‘She is among the leaders of the women of Paradise.’ He confirmed her unique status in the following words: ‘Fatimah is part of me, her flesh is my flesh, her blood is my blood.’

Imam Husain is the son of Ali (RA) who was to the Prophet ‘similar to what Haroon was to Musa’ and ‘the moulaah (friend/ leader) to whomsoever the Prophet is the moulaah’. Indeed, Ali is like the sun, Fatimah like the moon and Husain a star in the galaxy of heroes.

Together with his brother Hasan (RA), Husain is considered as ‘leaders of the youth of Paradise’.

We will never forget how the holy Prophet descended from his pulpit to embrace and seat besides him one of them before resuming his khutbah nor how he prolonged his prostration in order not to discomfort the other who had climbed on his back.

The holy Prophet beseeched the Almighty: ‘O Allah, I love Hasan and Husain. Do love them and love those who love them.’

Allah attests to the purity of these five – Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Fatimah, Ali, Hasan and Husain (RA) – in the Holy Quran (33:33), while the holy Prophet confirmed, ‘Allah is at war with those who are at war with them and at peace with those who are at peace with them.’

We respectfully salute them as Imaam Shaf’i suggests: ‘O family of the Prophet of Allah, Allah has made love for you obligatory upon all believers; suffice it as a matter of unparalleled honour that no salawaat (salutation) is complete without saluting you.’

Ashura The tenth of Muharram marks a significant day in the Muslim calendar; it is the day on which, among other events, Allah saved Prophet Musa (AS) from the tyrannical Pharaoh. We thus fast (a recommended fast) in thankfulness to Allah; a fast considered second only to the obligatory fast of Ramadaan.

Subsequent to that, a significant event occurred on that day in 61 AH, an event that serves as a milestone in the history of the faithful – the martyrdom of Imam Husain at Karbala.

This was a martyrdom at the hands of those who claimed to act in the name of Islam yet unremorsefully and shamelessly were prepared to obliterate its true exponent; those who (like so many of us) are prepared to kill for Islam yet, are unable to live by it.

Yes, Imam Husain was martyred at the hands of those who would kiss the Black Stone because the holy Prophet kissed it yet, cut off the precious head of that dear grandson of the holy Prophet, a head that the Prophet had so often stroked and kissed with affection.

The lesson of Karbala Imam Husain’s martyrdom at Karbala provides evidence of the moral victory of right over wrong, of virtue over vice, of principle over compromise, of the oppressed over the oppressor, of the denied over the denier; the ultimate victory of blood over sword.

Karbala teaches humankind through the inscription of blood on the scrolls of human history how Imam Husain explained to the world by his death, through martyrdom, the meaning of life; that living is truly of value that offers itself for a cause greater than itself, that to die with honour is better than living in subjugation to corruption and injustice.

The lesson is not only in that he was prepared to fight for what is right but that he was willing to die for it – selflessness, not selfishness; humility not ego.

The great spiritual master, Khwaja Mu’inuddin Chisti said: ‘Husain is king, truly the king is Husain, the manifestation of faith is Husain and the protector of faith is Husain. Husain gave his head (was prepared to die) but not his hand (in allegiance) to Yazid. In reality, among the securers of the foundation of La Ilaaha Illallah is Husain.’

The legacy of Husain The memory of Imam Husain excites the spirit; the very name of Imam Husain evokes the tradition of resistance against tyranny and inequity. His colossal struggle and monumental martyrdom is so poignant that it continues to serve as a beacon of light to all faithful freedom fighters.

In the words of Moulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar: ‘The killing of Husain is in fact the death knell of Yazid. Islam is revived after every such Karbala.’

For those consistently striving against injustice and oppression: ‘Every day is Ashura and every place is Karbala.’

This newspaper carries Allah’s names, the names of the Prophets and sacred verses of the Holy Qur’an.

Please treat it with the respect it deserves.

Either keep, circulate or recycle.

Please do not discard.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

The debate on open sacred spaces for women has always been open MAHMOOD SANGLAY INFORMED opinion, from diverse positions, has it that Dr Taj Hargey’s Open Mosque project offers nothing new or revolutionary. But it did offer ample bombast and offence to the Muslim leadership, the broader Muslim public and, particularly, Muslim gender activists.

Muslim Views contacted Hargey by telephone for an interview. He took offence when I addressed him as ‘Mr Hargey’ and demanded that I address him as ‘Dr Hargey’.

He added that I immediately apologise or else he would ‘terminate’ the conversation.

My immediate response was to ask if he would decline an interview if not addressed as ‘Dr Hargey’. He said ‘yes’ and when I attempted to engage him further, he said goodbye and thus the call ended.

This was followed by my email to him in which I explained that I have no problem addressing him as ‘Dr Hargey’ but that an apology is unwarranted.

I added that the request for an interview still stands. In the interim, he had already left South Africa for the UK but he replied – adding further censure of my ‘disrespect’ – and agreed to answer questions by email.

This paper’s interview comes after Hargey had succeeded in eliciting substantial media coverage with a project he presented as revolutionary to a target audience beyond the local Muslim community.

He gained international media coverage by fabricating a radical,

He added that he is not at all concerned that he has alienated the vast majority of gender activists in his campaign... false dichotomy: an enlightened, progressive and oppressed minority of Muslims in Cape Town versus a powerful, corrupt clergy supported by the majority of unthinking, close-minded and conservative Muslims. And, enter the emancipator Hargey to ‘redress their invidious plight’.

Of course, this is sensational media fodder, both local and international, and Hargey boasts of a substantial saving in his projected marketing budget as condemnation of his project is widely reported.

However, the imposed dichotomy does not hold because, in his unbridled arrogance, Hargey dismisses the actual discourse in the local community, its nuances and its history.

When asked to identify the members of the Open Mosque board, Hargey replied that their names would be announced once the ‘threats, violence and persecution’ ends.

He added that in the interests of protecting his professional reputation and personal integrity he intends to sue those who have labelled him a homosexual, Ahmadi, Qadiani or fraudster.

‘A previous legal suit in London awarded me substantial damages so I am looking forward to a similar outcome shortly in the South African courts,’ Hargey said.

The MJC told Muslim Views that it distances itself from calls for attacks and violent action against the Open Mosque.

Of the most striking responses of Hargey is his assertion that, even with the benefit of hindsight, he would adopt the same approach had he a second opportunity to launch his project.

His website proscribes ‘intraMuslim vilification’ yet he admits to no inconsistency in his labelling of Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) ulama as ‘donkey college’ graduates.

Similarly, he has no regrets that his campaign had not included any gender activist movements for whom he speaks.

‘Some female scholars were either too slow or too scared to come forward.

‘Remember, one does not wait for a slave to ask for his or her freedom before one does the right thing by embarking on an emancipation campaign,’ Hargey told Muslim Views.

He added that he is not at all concerned that he has alienated the vast majority of gender activists in his campaign and that they ‘seem to be piqued if not jealous because they are not in the front line in creating the first truly gender-equal and most inclusive mosque in South Africa’.

‘They need to get over this.’

Associate Professor Waheeda Amien of the Department of Public Law at UCT notes Hargey’s ‘condescending’ manner and the contempt he shows for local Muslim feminists who ‘have been working for decades on addressing gender inequalities within our Muslim community, facing much

ostracisation and even death threats’.

Amien says it was Muslim gender activists who proposed the limitation guaranteeing gender equality in the freedom of religion clause in the constitution.

Amien calls Hargey an ‘outsider’ and ‘entirely disingenuous to engage human rights rhetoric’ without consulting key gender activist movements such as the Muslim Youth Movement, Shura Yabafazi, Recognition of Muslim Marriages Forum, the Claremont Main Road Mosque, in Cape Town, the Brixton Mosque, in Johannesburg, and the organisers of the Eid Salaah For All, in Durban.

Dr Fatima Seedat of the Gender and Religion Programme at the University of KwaZuluNatal’s School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, says it makes ‘advocacy sense’ to consult gender activism stakeholders but that each group is at liberty to direct its own initiatives.

She says there are some commendable initiatives that address the public prayer spaces for women and that these are not ‘rushed or easily executed nor do they rely on sensational media opportunities’.

‘Raising the question of male monopolies on religious authority and sacred space is meritorious.

However, when that same male authority is used to tell women how they should manage their struggles or what they should be striving for, then initiatives like

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Hargey’s also backfire on women,’ says Seedat.

Both Amien and Seedat agree that Hargey has undermined the Muslim gender activist agenda by rendering them more vulnerable due to his ‘ill-advised pursuit of sensation’.

Hargey’s enlightened minority versus the corrupt clergy may be a false dichotomy but this does not mean all is well with the state of women in South African Muslim society.

However, the response of some ulama in the Western Cape and in Gauteng refuting Hargey’s charge of male chauvinism creates an opportunity for direct engagement between the traditional Muslim leadership and Muslim gender activists in South Africa.

It is an opportunity for proactive engagement by Muslim gender activists to set the agenda for redress.

The MJC told Muslim Views that its mosques are open to women and that ‘gender-related matters should be given its discourse in society’.

Moulana Abdul Khaliq Allie added that MJC membership is also open to women ‘with expertise’.

Recent writings of journalist Farhana Ismail, post-graduate student Safiyyah Surtee and others may be hopeful prospects of an ongoing conversation, imbued with reverence, for a possible redress of patriarchal sacred spaces.

The lack of inclusion of Muslim women in key spheres of public life – not only in masajid – is a pertinent social concern that must be confronted, particularly with the Muslim religious leadership.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Study of Islam at UJ Conference Report

Thinking through Isis in the context of Syria and Iraq JAMEEL ASANI and KUNNUMMAL ASHRAF

STUDY of Islam in the Department of Religion Studies at University of Johannesburg (UJ), in collaboration with The Afro-Middle East Centre (AMEC), conducted a public seminar under the title ‘Thinking through Isis’ on Monday, September 29, 2014.

Attended by about 80 people, the seminar was conducted in the context of recent developments in Syria and Iraq where Isis (Islamic State of Iraq and Sham) has captured large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria and declared what they claim to be an ‘Islamic State’ under the leadership of Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, whom they regard as the caliph of the entire Muslim ummah.

This new development came as a surprise to those following the regional developments in West Asia, and the subsequent escalation of violence in the region created immense public debate around Isis.

The seminar was an attempt to think through Isis rather than responding to the demands of ongoing public debates.

The organisers chose this title ‘Thinking through Isis’ to assert the idea of critical thinking and the value of academic discourse in responding to contemporary issues.

Three papers were presented and a lively discussion followed each presentation.

Dr Shahid Mathee (Lecturer, at UJ), spoke about ‘Isis and Con-

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(From left to right) Omar Shaukat, Dr. Shahid Mathee and Kunnummal Ashraf present their papers at the UJ conference.

Photos SUPPLIED

ceptions of Caliphate’, Omar Shaukat (Research Fellow at AMEC) presented a paper on the ‘Politics and history of Isis’ and Kunnummal Ashraf (a PhD candidate in the Department of Religion Studies) presented a paper titled ‘How (not) to talk about Isis and violence’.

Jameel Asani from Department of Religion Studies concluded the discussions in the seminar and Mahlatse Mpya (AMEC) moderated the seminar.

Omar Shaukat gave the historical context of the emergence of Isis. His paper focused on the history and politics that created an entity called Isis. He spoke about the emergence of what the experts call ‘militant Islam’, which emerged in the eighties as a response to the Soviet aggression in Afghanistan.

It was in this context that the primary idea of global militant Islamic networks started to develop, especially under the name of Al Qaeda with the leadership of Osama Bin Laden. The militant Islamic networks later morphed into many forms in different regions. They also underwent significant ideological and strategic

changes in tactics and ideology.

The militant Islamic networks of Iraq were the direct response to the US-led invasion, and the emergence of Isis is a later development rooted in the ideological and strategic shifts in Al Qaeda.

Shaukat presented fresh insights into the history of Syrian uprisings and how external forces tried to hijack the rebellion against Bashar Al Assad, especially the militant Islamic networks in Iraq. This is the historical context of the emergence of Isis as a socio-political phenomenon.

The Assad regime crushed all the stable opposition that wanted a democratic transition and it also gave a chance to Syrian rebels to join under a stable opposition group like Isis.

Shaukat also spoke about the history of US intervention in the region and how it enabled the condition of the present-day crisis in Iraq and Syria. He also warned that US strikes against Isis will only worsen the situation of the US’s strategic position in West Asia.

Dr Shahid Mathee focused on the idea of the caliphate invoked in the theological discourse of

Isis. His presentation gave a historical background to the debates on caliphate in Islamic theology from scholars such as Al- Mawardi to Ibn Khaldun.

Mathee argued that branding Isis as Khawarijites does not seriously focus on its theological base. He also spoke of the way in which Isis has used this available pool of debates on caliphate in Islamic political thought to legitimise their own way of practising it.

Mathee’s presentation was also an attempt to show the tension in Islamic political thought regarding the position of the caliphate and religious authority.

He concluded his presentation by saying that a serious interrogation in the historical development of Islamic theology is needed to understand the ideology of militant Islamic groups like Isis.

Kunnummal Ashraf spoke about the frameworks in which public debates on Isis are embedded. His paper was an attempt to think about the ‘commonsensical’ notions of public debate on a militant Islamic movement like Isis and violence.

Ashraf’s presentation was

more about the problem of frameworks that are used to understand Isis than on the real situation in which Isis works. He dealt with the way Isis-related violence is perceived in the media and how that obscures the systemic dimensions of violence.

He also spoke about the problem of the political position in which Isis has located itself. He argued that there is always a possibility in the political culture of anti-colonial violence that either leads to democratic transition or to barbarism.

His presentation tried to understand the political position of Isis in relation to the marginalised and colonised people and communities of the global South.

It also called for a renewed conversation on Isis beyond the urgency of media and the dominant trends in public debates.

The presentations were followed by lively discussions with various questions raised. These included the dilemma of political violence, the role of Empire, the future of North Africa and Middle East, the problems of conspiracy theories in analysing political events, the use and abuse of Islamic theology, media and Islamic militancy as well as Isis and its relationship to Al Qaeda.

In short, the seminar tried to open up new vistas of thinking about global politics and Muslimrelated political issues. It also asked for the need for careful thinking to respond to political issues in the Muslim world beyond what one presenter called the ‘fake sense of urgency’.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Is Israel guilty of genocide in its assault on Gaza?

ON September 24, a special session of the Russell Tribunal critically scrutinised Israel’s 51-day assault on Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, from the perspective of international law, including the core allegation of genocide.

The process involved a series of testimonies by legal and weapons experts, health workers, journalists and others, some of whom directly experienced the military assault.

A jury composed of prominent individuals from around the world, known for their moral engagement with issues of the day, assessed the evidence with the help of an expert legal team of volunteers that helped with the preparation of the findings and analysis for consideration by the jury, which deliberated and debated all the issues raised – above all, the question of how to respond to the charge of genocide.

The Russell Tribunal on Palestine was inspired by the original Russell Tribunal, which was held in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War. Convened by the great English philosopher Bertrand Russell and presided over by Jean-Paul Sartre, those original sessions assessed charges of war crimes committed by the United States in Vietnam.

Subsequent tribunals included the Russell Tribunal on Latin America, which investigated the military dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

The first Russell Tribunal proceedings on Palestine, convened in the wake of Israel’s 2008-9 assault on Gaza, were held in four sessions, from 2010 to 2012.

It should be acknowledged

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The Russell Tribunal on Palestine, inspired by the 1967 inquiry into American war crimes in Vietnam, examined the case, writes RICHARD FALK.

that this latest undertaking was never intended to be a neutral inquiry without any predispositions.

The tribunal was held because of the enormity of the devastation and the spectacle of horror associated with high-technology weaponry attacking the civilian population of Gaza, which was locked into a combat zone that left no place to hide.

The tribunal was also a response to the failures of the international community to do more to stop the carnage or even to condemn Israel’s disproportionate uses of force against an essentially helpless civilian population that included the targeting of a variety of legally forbidden targets, among them UN buildings used as shelters, residential neighbourhoods, hospitals and clinics, and mosques.

Although the tribunal proceeded from the assumption that Israel was responsible for severe wrongdoing, it made every effort to be scrupulous in the presentation of evidence and the interpretation of applicable international law, and relied on testimony from people with established reputations for integrity and conscience.

Among the highlights of the testimony were a report on damage to hospitals and clinics given

by Dr Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor serving in a Gaza hospital during the attacks; Mohammed Omer, a widely respected Gazan journalist who daily reported from the combat zone; Max Blu-

menthal, a prize-winning journalist who was in Gaza throughout Protective Edge and analysed for the jury the overall political design that appeared to explain the civilian targeting patterns; and David Sheen, who reported in agonizing detail on the racist hatred expressed by prominent Israelis during the assault, which was widely echoed by Israelis in the social media, and never repudiated by the leadership in Jerusalem.

The jury had little difficulty concluding that the pattern of attack, as well as the targeting, amounted to a series of war crimes that were aggravated by the commission of crimes against humanity.

These included the imposition of collective punishment upon the entire civilian population of Gaza, in flagrant and sustained violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

A further notable legal finding was the rejection of the central Israeli claim that it was acting in self-defence against rocket attacks from Gaza.

There are several reasons for reaching this conclusion: under international law, the claim of self-defence cannot be used in justifying response to resistance mounted by an occupied people, and from the perspective of international law, Gaza remains occupied due to persisting Israeli control despite Israel’s purported ‘disengagement’ in 2005 (more properly characterised as a mili-

tary redeployment).

The rockets fired from Gaza were at least partly a response to prior Israeli unlawful provocations, including the mass detention of several hundred people loosely associated with Hamas in the West Bank, and the incitement to violence against Palestinians as revenge for the murder of three kidnapped Israeli settler children.

And finally, the minimal damage done by the rockets – seven civilian deaths over the entire period – is too small a security threat to qualify as an ‘armed attack’, as is required by the UN Charter to uphold a claim of selfdefence.

At the same time, the jury did not doubt that rocket fire by Palestinian militants into Israel was unlawful, as the rockets were incapable of distinguishing between military and civilian targets.

Much of the concern in the jury deliberations before and after the proceedings themselves was how to address the allegation of genocide, which has been described as ‘the crime of crimes’.

The jury was sensitive to the differences between the popular and political uses of the word ‘genocide’ to describe various forms of collective violence directed at ethnic and religious minorities, and the more demanding legal definition of genocide, which requires compelling evidence of specific ‘intent to destroy’.

The testimony made this issue complex and sensitive.

It produced a consensus on the jury that the evidence was sufficient to make it appropriate to give careful consideration as to

whether the crime of genocide had actually been committed by Israel.

This was itself an acknowledgment that there was a genocidal atmosphere in Israel in which high-level officials made statements supporting the destruction or elimination of the Gazans as a people.

Such inflammatory assertions were at no time repudiated by the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or subject to criminal investigation, let alone any other official proceedings.

Furthermore, the sustained bombardment of Gaza, under circumstances where the population had no opportunity to leave or to seek sanctuary within the Gaza Strip, lent further credibility to the charge.

The fact that Operation Protective Edge was the third largescale, sustained military assault on this unlawfully blockaded, impoverished and endangered population also formed part of the larger genocidal context.

Despite these factors, there were legal doubts as to the crime itself.

The political and military leaders of Israel never explicitly endorsed the pursuit of genocidal goals, and they purported to seek a ceasefire during the military campaign.

The tribunal convincingly documented the government’s goal of intensifying the regime of collective punishment but there was no clear official expression of intent to commit genocide.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

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Gaza is unsustainable beyond 2020 MAHMOOD SANGLAY

DIANA Buttu, a CanadianPalestinian human rights lawyer, and former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), visited South Africa for a national lecture tour from October 6 to 14.

Buttu’s lecture tour covered talks in Durban and Johannesburg and included the universities of Johannesburg and KwaZulu Natal.

The Cape Town tour included a keynote address by Buttu at the 35th annual International Crime Stoppers Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, on October 13.

She addressed the role of such forums to call on governments around the world to be held accountable for their violation of international law.

She referred specifically to Israel’s violation of international human rights law in its latest attack on Gaza as a matter for the International Criminal Court.

Buttu commented that crime in Palestine is insignificant as a domestic social problem but that the international human rights violations of Israel have a huge impact on Palestinian social, economic and political life.

On October 12, Buttu spoke at the International Peace College South Africa where she focused on the kind of action needed most to support the cause of the Palestinians.

She said that this is a critical period for Palestinians because Israel ‘has been allowed to get away with’ unilateral action such as expelling the Palestinians in

Diana Buttu, a Canadian-Palestian human rights lawyer, addressed attendees at International Peace College South Africa, on October 12.

Buttu is accompanied by Moulana Ihsaan Hendricks of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC).

Photo YOONIS ALLIE

1948, seizing the West Bank since 1967, constructing Israeli-only colonies and roads and the closure of the West Bank, Gaza, Hebron and Jerusalem.

‘Palestinians are the most resilient people that you will ever meet,’ said Buttu, ‘but this resilience is being tested, challenged and pushed.’

It is easier for South Africans to visit Jerusalem than for Palestinians from either Gaza of the West Bank because Israelis have

instituted a complete closure of these areas by means of the wall and checkpoints.

The closure of Gaza is a measure they have now ‘perfected’ says Buttu. Palestinians have to apply for an Israeli permit to visit holy sites and families. These permits are usually denied.

‘It is now one of their dreams to be able to leave the Gaza Strip to visit Jerusalem.’ Fewer than 30 percent of permits are granted, usually to those privileged to hold

foreign passports while the indigenous population is denied this right.

Palestinians desperate to get to Jerusalem do extraordinary things such as trying to get around checkpoints, dig tunnels and scale an 8-metre-high wall, risking their lives and safety.

The checkpoint between the 15km road from Ramallah to Jerusalem takes one-and-a-half hours of humiliation as teenage soldiers order subjects to remove shoes in rain and mud, repeatedly pushing personal possessions through security checks and being herded through checkpoints like cattle. This is the experience of the ‘privileged few’ who are fortunate enough to be granted permits, says Buttu.

Israel sees Palestinians as a demographic threat. In August, soon after the Gaza massacre, Israel announced that it will confiscate 4 000 more acres of Palestinian land.

As the recent meeting between Netanyahu and Obama took place, Israel announced its plans to build an additional 2 610 homes for Israeli settlers on Palestinian territory. It also announced the forced removal of 12 500 Palestinians from their homes to make room for Israelis.

‘This summer was the most difficult,’ says Buttu as she recalls that 20 000 tons of bombs were dropped on Gaza, killing 2 131

Palestinians, of whom 521 were children.

Over 20 000 homes, 60 medical facilities, masajid and schools were destroyed. Even before the last attack on Gaza, 17 500 Palestinians were displaced from the attack of 2008-9.

‘A child of seven has lived through three massacres in Gaza,’ she noted.

She posed the question, ‘Can Gaza be rebuilt?’ And she answered in the negative.

According to a 2012 United Nations report, by 2020 Gaza will be ‘unlivable’.

The reasons are: First, of the 1,8 million Gazans, 80 percent are refugees who need permanent settlement.

Second, 90 percent of the water supply in Gaza is poor and undrinkable. Third, the electricity supply in Gaza is insufficient due to a rationing of fuel for electricity generation imposed by Israel.

Finally, it is due to the blockade imposed by Israel since 2006 prohibiting essential goods and services.

While commending financial aid and the consumer boycott, Buttu calls for pressure on the South African government to impose sanctions on Israel.

She said that Israel has listed the BDS movement as the same kind of strategic threat as Iran.

Legislation to criminalise support for the BDS in Israel is being considered. This is an indication that the broader boycott movement is effective.

Reiterating the resilience of Palestinians Buttu concluded, ‘We have survived for six decades and we will continue to do so.’

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Muslim Views . October 2014

The Cape-Malaysian hajjah of uncommon valour MAHMOOD SANGLAY

THE impact of apartheid on the lives of people have been documented in some unusual ways. One such case is that of Hajjah Rabiah of Malaysia. Her story is part of a chapter in a joint publication by the South African High Commission in Malaysia and Limkokwing University.

The book Going Forward: South Africa and Malaysia Cementing Relations was published in 2008 and edited by Muhammed Haron.

However, Hajjah Rabiah’s story is also part of a larger narrative in which she emerged as an extraordinary victor over adversity. This narrative remains vibrant in the encounters she had with notable South Africans like Moulana Ihsaan Hendricks, Shaikh Faaik Gamieldien, Shaikh Sadullah Khan and Shaikh Abduragmaan Alexander.

This story is recorded in the collaborative volume because she exemplifies, in important ways, the human challenge of displacement and settlement between two lands whose relations are influenced by political dynamics.

A chapter in the book features the departure of a number of families from South Africa to Malaysia in 1960. This emigration followed an announcement

by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of what was then known as the Federation of Malaya.

The Prime Minister visited Cape Town that year to personally observe the state of ‘Cape Malays’ under apartheid. What he found was distressing enough

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to persuade him to offer immigration privileges to South Africans of Malay origin as a way out of the yoke of oppression.

Thus, three families, comprising 19 people, accepted this invitation in 1960 and undertook a journey to Malaysia via Indonesia and Singapore.

They were led by one Abu Bakr Abrahams. Among them were Hajjah Rabiah and her family, including her five children Jesmina, 7, Sieraajoedien, 6, Feroza, 4, Hajira, 3, and Riedwaan, 2.

Before disembarking in Singapore, the group unsuccessfully attempted to contact the Indonesian foreign mission to arrange a reception for them.

Instead, they were stranded upon arrival, were confronted with the cultural shock of a suspended pig’s head in a cheap hotel kitchen and vacated immediately to seek accommodation in a masjid.

This kind of experience, followed by various other challenges, caused Othman Abrahams, Abu Bakr’s younger brother, and his family to abandon the repatriation project within six months and return to apartheid South Africa.

Abu Bakr almost followed suit were it not for the moral support of a second group of repatriates who had arrived in 1962.

Hajjah Rabiah’s husband was another who became disillusioned with the repatriation project.

During this period he returned to South Africa to visit his ailing mother.

However, Hajjah Rabiah was committed to remain in Malaysia because the ‘Federation was Mus-

For seven years, from 1964 to 1971, she campaigned to obtain Malaysian citizenship in order to re-unite her family lim territory’ and she ‘desired to have her children nurtured within Malay culture’.

Hajjah Rabiah’s main source of support was then lost and she was compelled to care for her five children alone. In 1964 she was remarried to Hajji Achmat Othman, a Singaporean national. The latter cared for her and her children.

His love and kindness enabled her to educate her own children and to bless her with another daughter, Rahmat bint Ahmad.

Two siblings of Rahmat died in infancy.

But matters were further compounded when, in 1965, Singapore seceded from the Federation and she was forced to follow her husband and leave Kuala Lumpur.

The best arrangement was to move the four children from her first marriage to Johor Bahru, a

town reasonably close to where she had been displaced with her husband in Singapore. In this way, she could remain, albeit with great difficulty, in contact with her children.

For seven years, from 1964 to 1971, she campaigned to obtain Malaysian citizenship in order to re-unite her family.

With the support of the retired Tunku, she petitioned the Minister of Home Affairs and finally became a Malaysian citizen after 18 years, in 1979. Past her 48th year, Hajjah Rabia worked and studied in order to advance herself and help her husband support their family.

During this time, she and her husband prospered. She also maintained contact with her family in South Africa. Her eldest child, Jesmina, 60, says she was a ‘letter writing counsellor for her troubled siblings, nephews and nieces’.

Through her daughter Rahmat, who today holds a doctorate in Arabic, Hajjah Rabia met our local Shaikh Sadullah Khan in 1989.

Rahmat and Shaikh Sadullah had earlier both studied at Al Azhar, in Egypt. However, it is through the students of the International Islamic University of Malaysia that South African students first met Hajjah Rabiah, especially at Eid. ‘Mummy used to make them all her concern and daddy was a willing party,’ writes her daughter Jesmina. They were struck by her deep love for her country of birth, her remarkable memory of the minutiae of the Cape, and places like Makwasi, a small farming town in the Free State.

Hajjah Rabiah was born in District 6, in 1931, but her father’s occupation took the family to various towns, including Potgietersrust where she attended the Indian Girls School.

Her memories of these places, the details of experiences, her flawless Afrikaans and her abiding connection with South Africa are astonishing.

Shaikh Faaik Gamieldien and his family first met Hajjah Rabiah and her husband in Singapore in 1992, on their way to Malaysia.

He recalls their ‘almost saintly devotion’ in their hospitality, and their literary abilities.

Moulana Ihsaan Hendricks indicated that he first met Hajjah Rabiah in 1989 in Johor Bahru and that he visits her whenever he goes to Malaysia.

Another two South Africans, Noelfa Slarmie and Shaikh Abduragmaan Alexander, say she is ‘like a mother’ to all the people she meets, and that she particularly values the copy of Muslim Views she regularly receives from friends in Cape Town.

Shaikh Alexander, who has never met Hajjah Rabiah, says he contacted her telephonically just to reach out to her. Slarmie has visited her in Malaysia and recalls her meticulous records and scrapbook with newspaper cuttings.

Hajjah Rabia lost her husband in June 2013. Her son Riedwaan also passed away in 1998, aged 40. Her eldest child, Jesmina, 60, says she knows her mother’s strength in adversity.

Hajjah Rabia’s life is remarkable in itself but it is also emblematic of the quest for citizenship against the odds of displacement in a diaspora.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

The consciousness of Zionism in the eighties DR MOGAMAT HOOSAIN EBRAHIM

CURRENTLY, much is spoken of the Zionist movement and how it is oppressing the Palestinians. This consciousness of this settler-colonialist movement, however, was instilled in the local community many years ago by some of our scholars and Muslim student activists.

Thirty years ago, Shaikh Muhammad Salie Dien warned Muslim students and the general public about the Zionists’ attack on Muslims, and their aims to infiltrate lands that belonged to Muslims.

In the February 1980 edition of Muslim News, there appeared a front-page headline: ‘UCT Muslims in militant mood’.

In the article, it was stated that there was a strong mood of militancy that prevailed amongst the Muslim students at UCT and there was a firm determination to defend Islam and not to adopt an apologetic attitude of the past.

Muslim students The expressed their support for the Islamic revolution in Iran and their solidarity with the Palestinians in their struggle against Zionism. They also backed the Afghan mujahideen and other movements who struggled against unjust forces.

An Iran Week Exhibition, which was organised by UCT students on campus, clearly showed their support. The Muslim students displayed immense awareness and saw their role as part of a general resurgence and commitment to Islam demonstrated by Muslims the world over.

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In the article, it was stated that there was a strong mood of militancy that prevailed amongst the Muslim students at UCT and there was a firm determination to defend Islam and not to adopt an apologetic attitude of the past.

Students openly declared their firm stand against Zionism – whose forces are strongly represented at UCT. They also expressed their disenchantment with the current Muslim leadership in South Africa.

Right-wing vandals on the campus destroyed a banner publicising Iran Week. The Student Representative Council received complaints about the Iran exhibition on the grounds that it was anti-Zionist and reactionary.

Abusive remarks were made by several students, and a student who wore a Khomeini t-shirt was molested. The Muslims asserted that the so-called white students knew very little about Islam thus only a few supported their stand.

Tony Weaver, the SRC President at the time said that the SRC would only act against the Iran exhibition if it was found to be anti-Jewish.

Though Tony Weaver did not fully support the sentiments of UCT Muslim students, he agreed that the situation in Iran then was an improvement on what had prevailed under the shah.

He admired the Iranian students and how they stood up to American imperialism. Andrew Boraine, President of the National Union of SA Students (NUSAS)

was impressed with the exhibition and said, ‘Students need to know more about Iran from the proper sources.’

He had no objections with the anti-Zionist nature of the exhibition. He added, ‘People tend to equate anti-Zionist with antiSemitism.’ He said that Zionism was a political movement, nationalistic in outlook, a type of nationalism which he opposed.

While the Islamic Council and Muslim Judicial Council declared their support for the students’ stand, the students still rejected the established Muslim leadership, which they believed was inconsistent and not fully committed.

Shaikh Dien lecture at University of Cape Town (UCT) - Zionism.

On February 19, 1980, Shaikh Dien addressed the University of Cape Town students. He held that the attack on Islam on the campus surged over from the operation waged against the Muslims on a broader level.

Western nations had no sympathy for Islam and with their domination of news media, the minds of the general public were being negatively manipulated against Islam.

He emphasised the threat of Zionism and said that Zionists on the campus were well trained.

Referring to the role of the Muslim students at UCT, he called for Islamic consciousness and pointed out that Muslim students in other countries had taken the forefront in Islamic resurgence. Local Muslim students were urged to follow that lead and to present an Islamic character.

Shaikh Dien noted: ‘In the past, Muslim students had been absorbed by non-Muslim practices and had become apologetic; it is time that the Muslim student stands up to defend Islam, use education to wage a struggle against forces that stifle human dignity and to become fully involved in issues that affect society as a whole, and not be isolated.’

The role of the Zionist movement In the early 1980s, on the evening of Moulood an-Nabi, Shaikh Dien lectured at Masjidus-Salaam concerning the Zionist movement’s role and its racist ideology.

He said that on the occasion of the Prophet’s (SAW) birthday it was appropriate to thrash out the

Zionists since the Prophet (SAW) had had encounters with rebellious Jewish tribes during the early years of revelation in Madinah.

From this historical background, Shaikh Dien, in a wellresearched study, tracked, to the present, the Zionists’ attitudes towards Palestinians and Muslims in general.

He commenced his lecture by quoting the Quranic verse: ‘You will certainly find that the most violent enemies of the believers are the Jews and the idol-worshippers.’ (5:82) The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had the most unpleasant experiences with the Jewish tribes in Madinah: Qaynuqah, Nadthir and Quraiza, whose sentence/ decree for breaking a pledge with the Muslims was decided by one of their own people, Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh.

Thereafter, Shaikh Dien gave a detailed account of these tribes.

He quoted Theodore Herzl, who said after the first Zionist conference, which was held in Switzerland in 1897: ‘I would say that in Basle the Jewish state was brought into existence….the area stretches from the Nile to the Euphrates i.e. from Egypt to Syria.’

Shaikh Dien emphasised that the Zionists want to extend their power to the south of Saudi Arabia as far as Madinah, under the pretext that part of the territory belonged to the Jews, which the Prophet (SAW) had forced them to vacate.

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Muslim Views . October 2014 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Then he quoted Moshe Dayan, the former Israeli Cabinet Minister and general, who said on June 6, 1967: ‘We took over Jerusalem and we are now on our way to Medina and Babel.’ On the same day he said: ‘Now the way to AlMadinah and Makkah is open to us.’

Shaikh Dien also quoted from documents which had been prepared by Muslim delegates to the United Nations (UN) on the Zionists’ violation of sacred places, and misrepresentation of facts about Palestine and Islam as a religious system.

These charges directed against the Zionists at the UN have not been denied by them.

The documents referred to the damage caused to Masjid Al-Aqsa during the Israeli bombing raids, soon after which the masjid was set on fire.

Shaikh Dien said: ‘Their women entered in a dissolute manner, dancing, singing and openly embracing young men in the pillared arcades of the mosque.’

It was pointed out that the

Then he quoted Moshe Dayan, the former Israeli Cabinet Minister and general, who said on June 6, 1967: ‘We took over Jerusalem and we are now on our way to Medina and Babel.’ On the same day he said: ‘Now the way to Al-Madinah and Makkah is open to us.’

Zionists concealed facts not only regarding Muslim political action but this had been extended to the educational curricula of the Arabs living in Arab homelands occupied since 1948.

The Zionist (Israeli) educational policy towards Palestinians was like that of the South African government towards blacks.

The number of subjects offered were reduced, specifically the scientific courses, in order to lower the educational standards of the Muslims.

Muslim students were also excluded with those ‘who do not fight you for your faith nor drive you out of your homes for Allah loves those who are just.

‘Allah only forbids you to make friends with those who fight

you for your faith, and drive you out of your homes, as those who make friends with them are the wrong-doers.’

From the book on rhetoric prescribed for secondary school students, the Zionists omitted the saying of Ali Abu Talib: ‘Jihad represents one of the gates of Paradise.’

National history was undermined: students were not allowed to ask where Salah al Din was buried; when the Muslims conquered Andalusia; when Algeria achieved its independence; who was the hero of the Yarmuk battle etc.

It is as if Palestine has no history.

It is unnecessary that students should learn anything about

Palestine prior to 1948. If need be, then the name to be used is Israel.

Anything connected with Muslim struggle against colonisation is omitted such as Muslim heroes like Al Shaykh al-Khazin, Abdul Karim Khalil and Ali Al Nashashibi who struggled against colonialism and who the Turkish executor, Gamal Pasha, put to death in 1919.

All Arab revolutions were omitted from the syllabus such as that of the Arabian south and Algeria.

In view of the role of the Zionists and their friends to undermine Islam, Allah had revealed the following verse: ‘O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians

for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend then surely he is one of the. Verily Allah does not guide the unjust people.’ (5:51) All Muslim commentators of the Quran were unanimous that the verse is not meant for hypocrites.

While others express the view that one should show kindness towards them in matters of mutual interest, all the commentators concur that Muslims cannot support their wrongs and guard their unjust interests and usurpations.

Dr Ebrahim is a lecturer in Religion Studies, History, Ulum al-Quran and Ilm al-Kalam at International Peace College South Africa (IPSA).

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Muslim Views . October 2014

IPSA hosts Women in Islam conference NAFISA PATEL and MASNOENAH KAMALIE

THE International Peace College South Africa (IPSA) convened for a day of stimulating presentations when it held its 2nd Annual Women in Islam – Women in South Africa (WIWISA) Symposium at its Rylands campus on Saturday, September 6, 2014.

The annual WIWISA symposium forms part of IPSA’s broader campaign to provide a platform for important conversations on various issues related to gender and gender-justice within the South African Muslim community.

The theme for the 2014 WIWISA symposium focused on the Muslim Marriages Bill (MMB), and it critically reflected upon some of the key areas of contention, identified some of the interrelated causes for the current impasse and helped to chart innovative pathways for navigating through and past the bill’s current inert state.

The event stimulated the necessary conversations between the various role-players, including government, on this important issue. The broad range of speakers included members of the ulama, legal experts and it gave voice to the personal narratives of South African Muslim women.

Panelists included Justice Essa Moosa (retired High Court Judge), Shaikh Muneer Abduroaf (Criminal Justice Department, UWC) and Dr Abdul Kariem Toffar (Deputy Principal, Academic, IPSA).

Judge Essa Moosa opened the

Shaikh M Ighsaan Taliep, principal of IPSA, and the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Fatima Chohan, at IPSA’s Second annual WIWISA Symposium.

Photo SUPPLIED

first session by mapping the historical context and trajectory of the MMB and spoke to its challenges. He noted that one of the biggest challenges currently facing the Muslim community on this issue is the fact that there is no consensus on whether they want the bill or not.

Shaikh Abduroaf focused on ways South African case law has impacted upon the status of women married in terms of Islamic law. His presentation included various case-studies that illustrated how South African courts have granted rulings.

Dr Abdul Kariem Toffar’s presentation mapped out possible nuptial contract options to consider in the interim, to help alleviate some of the current problematic issues caused by the nonrecognition of Muslim marriages in South Africa.

The symposium also highlighted the very contentious issue of the limitations of fatawa in rela-

tion to the lived realities of Muslim Women in South Africa.

To this end, Khadeejah Bassier (community activist), Zubeida Ahmed (volunteer counsellor, MJC) and Nuraan Osman (Director, Ihata Shelter for abused women) provided candid and eyeopening reflections of their experiences, and offered compelling insights into the ways that the non-recognition of Muslim marriages in this country affects women.

Their presentations spoke to a very important issue that often gets neglected in Muslim discourses of marriage and divorce – that is of the real challenges and on-going struggles that many Muslim women face.

These issues range from struggles of participation in the nikah process to issues of domestic violence, the effects of poverty and HIV to limited resources and capacity among the ulama to effectively deal with these chal-

lenges.

Importantly, this session stressed the need for the inclusion of Muslim women’s voices in the MMB consultative processes.

Honourable Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan of Home Affairs and Advocate Hoodah Fayker Abrahams from the Women’s Legal Centre presented the final session of the day’s proceedings.

This part of the programme sought to gain some clarity on the uncertainties regarding government’s most recent initiative i.e. the designation of imams as Muslim Marriage Officers (MMO).

The Honourable Deputy Minister has been a key initiator of government’s efforts on this issue and was therefore invited to flesh out government’s current positioning on the matter.

Following the brief media frenzy and communal hype created by government’s announcement of the designation of imams as MMOs just prior to the national elections, there has been scant opportunities for Muslims to collectively reflect and interrogate the actual impact and possible consequences, if at all, that this designation might have for Muslim marriages in South Africa, and also how or if this development affects the fate of the MMB. In this session, Hoodah Fayker Abrahams questioned the validity or motivation behind the institutionalisation of MMOs, thus problematising government’s recent appointment of almost one

hundred imams as marriage officers.

According to her, the marriage contract officiated by the MMO is nothing but a civil marriage contract; an avenue that has always been available to Muslims under previous administrations.

Thus, she questioned whether the appointment of MMOs is the best way forward for Muslims living in South Africa, and further questioned its impact on the MMB. The Deputy Minister’s response to this was somewhat brief, given the limitations of time, therefore, the session concluded with an understanding that the issue needed to be interrogated further.

The diverse panel of IPSA’s 2014 WIWISA Symposium enabled the opening up of critical discussions and debate on this issue.

The symposium was well attended by a broad spectrum of the community and there were good interactions between the panel and audience members.

Both attendees and panelists expressed their gratitude and desire to return for IPSA’s next event.

IPSA is the only registered Islamic tertiary education institution in South Africa.

Applications for the academic year 2015 are now open. IPSA applies Recognition of Prior Learning to facilitate access to accredited higher education programmes.

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THE birds of Princess Vlei were celebrated in the Flight of Dreams Carnival and Concert, held on September 27. Learners from Lotus High and John Graham Primary Schools had been hard at work from early the morning, adding finishing touches to their puppets. Learners from Hyde Park Primary, the St Cyprians Church Lads and Girls Brigade Band, the Mzantsi Carnival band, and other Princess Vlei Forum supporters, joined the colourful cavalcade that marched down First Avenue, Grassy Park, to nearby Princess Vlei. There, the crowd was entertained by a performance of The Great Bird Race, a Khoisan legend re-enacted by Hyde Park Primary School, and directed by Jungle Theatre. The Oakland High Singers, the Embo Nangoku Arts Movement (Philippi), the South Peninsula High Junior Jazz Band, the Ned Doman Marimba Band and Emile Jansen and Mixed Mense also entertained the crowd. The Flight of Dreams Carnival and Concert is the culmination of a six-month-long art and environmental awareness project of the Princess Vlei Forum, Frank Joubert Art School, the Children’s Art Centre and Jungle Theatre Company. After the performances, the children took the puppets to the water’s edge, where they were taught a Nama prayer by indigenous language specialist Bradley van Sitters.

Photo and story BRIDGET PITT

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Yusuf Talia: Our leader, our friend AAYESHA J SONI

LIKE many people, I had heard about Yusuf Talia before I met him.

I came onto campus in first year literally looking for the legend I had heard of.

It took me an entire term to summon the courage to talk to him in person.

When I finally did, in an instant I felt I was in the presence of a real-life hero.

Many of us knew Yusuf for his amazing leadership abilities, which saw him first as the deputy president of the Wits SRC in 2010, elected under the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) banner.

He directed the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) Union out of oblivion; unifying the student Muslim voice by leading all the MSA committees across the country with excellence and justice.

Yusuf was a member of the Disabled Students Movement, the head of mentorship at Redineo – an organisation which mentors underprivileged children – and he represented student interests on the Higher Education Disability Service Association.

Having achieved two degrees from Wits University, he was doing his honours in physiology, proving his strength in character, and furthering his knowledge.

Yusuf literally spent thousands of hours dedicated to organisations and causes that he believed in.

It comes as no surprise, then, that with the unshakeable support of his family, and his (superpower) abilities, he was named as

Muslim Views

Yusuf Talia was determined to lead a full life. His relatively short life-span of twenty-five years belies his extraordinary contribution in many spheres.

Photo SUPPLIED

one of South Africa’s 200 most prominent young South Africans, according to the Mail & Guardian, in 2013.

Yusuf was a human with a quarter of the physical capabilities of many of us but what he achieved in life is almost four

times the amount any of us could possibly accomplish.

This was the Yusuf Talia that I was literally in bewilderment of in first year.

But what about the Yusuf Talia most people didn’t know? What about the Yusuf away from the

magnificent leader and pioneer in every field he took an interest in?

What about the Yusuf who was a fierce friend?

I want people to know the legend I befriended, whom I knew for a mere six years; the Yusuf who had an amazing sense of humour and would literally have me laughing out loud at my phone.

He could silence one of my crazy rants with a single sentence of logic while he revealed my faults in a gentle manner that none other could.

I will never forget how he offered to ride over the boys who were troubling me with his wheelchair (we fondly referred to it as the ‘Taliamobile’).

We could spend an hour having a good laugh about all his ‘fan girls’ (and I assure you, these were never short in number).

Yusuf lent me strength when I crumbled under the smallest trials, and I watched in silent admiration as he patiently accepted the trials offered to him by even the smallest of everyday tasks.

He would shout at me for being insecure, playfully threaten to mow over my enemies and always guide me to the morally correct choice.

He was a friend of gargantuan proportions.

I am honoured to call him my friend for six years and I never heard a single word of gossip from him in that time.

His trustworthiness made him everybody’s confidante and yet he treasured every single secret with

the utmost respect.

I wish people could have been able to shift away from the ‘awkward’ context of a guy in a wheelchair and got to know the Yusuf who was the greatest of best friends, a patient listener, an excellent advisor, a friend with wisdom, and foresight far beyond our years.

He was the type of friend that people yearn for in this world.

While getting caught up in Yusuf’s public figure and all his countless and amazing achievements, we sometimes forget that he, too, was a young adult with emotions, dreams and aspirations.

Blessed with a brilliantly astute mind and faith, and patience that could literally move mountains, I know that his stage in paradise will be aeons above mine.

I can only pray he will remember me and visit my soul in paradise too, because I know that my time spent with his was far too short.

I knew Yusuf as an unshakable Muslim, a friend who was the epitome of all things desired in a companion, and a human who stood tall through the calibre of character that this world needs.

We will miss you, Yusuf, our leader, our friend.

Aayesha Soni is ViceChairperson of the Media Review Network See overleaf for a tribute by the Wits University community CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Muslim Views . October 2014

YUSUF Talia, 25, passed away on Monday September 22, 2014. Diagnosed at an early age with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Talia had been wheelchair-bound since he was 10.

His was a familiar face around the Wits University campus where he was actively involved in politics and societies. He was part of the Disabled Students Movement and the president of the Muslim Students Association (MSA). He was also an energetic activist for Palestine. Talia was elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC) under the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) banner and served as deputy president on the council in 2010. He was studying towards an honours

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16: A TRIBUTE TO YUSUF TALIA BY THE WITS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

degree in Physiology and hoped to be a doctor one day.

He had already earned a BSc and a degree in Actuarial Science.

The 2013 Wits SRC president, Sibulele Mgudlwa, said Talia was someone who always had time to help his fellow students. ‘One thing which sticks out about Yusuf is the ability he had to avail himself whenever he could to assist students, and give of his time, despite his physical condition and pressing academic commitments,’ Mgudlwa said. ‘He was sociable and approachable while at the same time dignified and respectable. We will miss him.’

‘Today is a sad day for everybody who knew the gentle soul that was Yusuf but

also for Wits in general,’ said outgoing SRC president Shafee Verachia.

He said Talia had dedicated his life to service and was a role model for others. ‘He was

the perfect example of what it means to serve humanity.’

In a statement, Wits University described Talia as a ‘giant’. ‘Yusuf Talia was the embodiment of what Wits stands for – a leader and friend who persevered through great personal difficulty to fight for his beliefs to make a positive mark on this world. A battle which he easily won, smiling along the way. There are no words that can capture the impact Yusuf has had in the Wits community and broader society. Despite his many challenges, he was a remarkable student whose intelligence and determination to succeed was unparalleled.

His friendly, outgoing demeanour and willingness to help has truly endeared him to

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all those whose lives he touched. His endless dedication and tireless advocacy for equality and disability rights earned him much respect and admiration from all his peers. Despite his disability, he excelled and succeeded where others would simply have failed.

‘Although small in stature, Yusuf was a giant who broke every barrier possible in order to prove to the world that having a disability does not define who you are or who you can be. He has truly been a great ambassador and an inspiration to all of us and although he will be greatly missed, his legacy and accomplishments will never be forgotten.’

(Courtesy Wits Vuvuzela, Mail & Guardian and CII Broadcasting)

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Vuyisa Qunta: Death of a struggle hero BENNIE BUNSEE

THIS appears to be the season when outstanding anti-colonial stalwarts who devoted their entire lives to the struggle for liberation and a new transformed and invigorated South Africa, still in the throes of defining that vision, are departing from this life forever.

Vuyisa Qunta, at the age of 65, took his last breath in Gauteng on August 26 and was buried in his beloved Langa, in Cape Town, at his request. He leaves behind his two daughters, Yoli and Nzinga, children from Christine Qunta, author and journalist.

Vuyisa was an author, writer and journalist of immense talents.

He authored a book, ironically on rugby, which one would think that for a staunch Black Consciousness and Azapo member would be a contradiction for a sport identified with the Afrikaner. But, such are the ironies of being a South African that in the assertion of our particular identities we find ourselves reaching out, inevitably, to others.

Vuyisa was also a short-story fictional writer and was regarded in Azapo ranks as a political thinker.

I got to know him in exile in Australia. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the journal, Ikwezi, that I edited in exile, and which he helped to smuggle into the country; so much so that while he was in exile in Australia, where he set up an anti-apartheid solidarity movement – perhaps the only one in the Western world that was not controlled or closely linked to the ANC – he invited me

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It was this political isolation by two forces – the colonialsettler regime and one sector of the liberation movement, the ANC – that led to people like Vuyisa, and what they could contribute through political activism, becoming isolated when they returned to the country from exile. to give a series of talks in a number of Australian cities.

He had impacted deeply on the anti-apartheid issue in the country.

It was an enthralling experience, more so when I learnt that there were people in our world who were more oppressed than we Blacks in South Africa, i.e. the Aboriginal people.

I ended up questioning Australian authorities, to their chagrin, on their treatment of the Aborigines, whom I felt were a people without any hope as a minority, and at the complete mercy of the overwhelming majority of white Australians.

Vuyisa was heavily linked to that struggle, and it must have brought to him the international dimensions of the Black struggle, confirming and expanding his Black Consciousness awareness.

He was popular, too, with the white socialist circles in Australia, as he countered the ANC version on the realities of the South African struggle from a Black Consciousness perspective. Black Consciousness was an integral part of his political awareness wherever he could be.

This aspect, too, opened another political world to him in the international dimensions of

the struggle, transcending race, for BCM did not initially co-operate with whites in South Africa.

Vuyisa, like Azapo in general, was committed to socialism, and saw this struggle as an international one.

The fact that Vuyisa as a political thinker and writer lost his edge when he returned to South Africa after a long stay abroad tells another dimension of our liberation politics.

He did some writing – short stories that I know of – but he was more of an activist and, like so many others in the BCM and Azapo, could not flourish without a meaningful political activism. It stifled all other activities associated with that activism.

The reason for this was quite simple. The nature of the negotiated settlement was such that it isolated the BCM/ Azapo as much as it isolated the Pan-Africanist Movement for, in reality, the negotiated settlement was a collaborative agreement between the apartheid forces at the cost of isolating all other radical political forces in the country.

When Nelson Mandela emerged from Robben Island, he paid tribute to the Black Sash, Liberal Party, Dr Yusuf Dadoo, Joe Slovo and others but not a

squeak of recognition of the BCM/ Azapo and the PAC and its leaders, as if they did not exist.

Yet, they pioneered the postSharpeville uprising with some of the biggest mass demonstrations in the country.

The UDF followed in its wake later.

There were political giants in the BCM and PAC; people like Zeph Mothopeng, John Nyathi Pokela (PAC), Onkgopotse Abram Tiro and Strini Moodley (BCM) and, in Azapo, Vuyisa Qunta.

Of course, Azapo, like the PAC, did not agree with the nature of the negotiated settlement, and largely regarded it as a sell-out.

It was this political isolation by two forces – the colonial-settler regime and one sector of the liberation movement, the ANC – that led to people like Vuyisa, and what they could contribute through political activism, becoming isolated when they returned to the country from exile.

For a political activist who is also a writer, there is the accompaniment of political thought, theories, ideas and their contestations that enriches debate in society.

There was a kind of blackout on the views expressed by BCM/ Azapo. On this front, the BCM’s contribution was far richer than that of the ANC. It was instructive that the 2013 Steve Biko Memorial by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairperson of the African Union Commission, was pure Black Consciousness and Pan-Africanist in content. No mention of the Freedom Charter then as the salvation for the country.

This isolation of BCM/ Azapo was accompanied by raising Mandela to iconic status as the sole hero of the struggle. So, the Vuyisas of our struggle, who played such a great role in defining the radical politics of the Black Consciousness Movement that shook the country after Sharpeville, became isolated.

Ironically too, the assertion of African and Black rights was demonised as racism by the ANC and the apartheid regime. There was a congruity of views by both of them on this matter.

The political terrain also shifted to a new parliamentary terrain where these organisations were too weak to make any impact on the political scene. Today they are moribund organisations.

It is ironic, even cruel, that these elements who went out to train in guerilla warfare and dreamt of returning home would find that they were isolated when they returned. But Vuyisa Qunta will be remembered for his dedication to the struggle.

Bennie Bunsee is a freelance journalist and researcher and has served as the PAC’s parliamentary adviser.

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‘I have been offered the keys of the treasuries of this world and

Signs of impending demise SALIM PARKER VERY year, during Ramadaan, after the Hijrah (AH), Nabi Muhammad (SAW) used to retreat for ten days to Masjid Nabawi. During this time, Malaikah (Angel) Jibreel recited the Quran to him and he would recite it back to Jibreel, ensuring that he had completely memorised each and every word.

The Ramadaan of 10 AH was different. Nabi Muhammad (SAW) invited the Companions to spend 20 days with him in the masjid and Jibreel recited the Quran to him twice.

The Prophet (SAW) later confided to his daughter Fatimah: ‘Jibreel recited the Quran to me and I to him once a year but this year he recited with me twice. I cannot but think that my time has come.’

A month or so later, it was announced that the Prophet would perform Hajj. More than thirty thousand men and women accompanied him when he departed Madinah for the holy pilgrimage prior to the start of the month of Hajj.

On Arafah, the Widaa (Farewell) Sermon was delivered, which included the words: ‘Hear me O people, for I know not if ever I shall meet with you in this place after this year.’

Amongst the other messages revealed that day was the last part of the Quran: ‘This day I have perfected for you your religion and fulfilled My favour unto you, and it has been my good pleasure for you to choose Islam as your religion.’

The khutbah (sermon) was ended with the earnest question: ‘O people, have I faithfully delivered unto you my message?’

The roar of ‘Allahumma na’m’ (By Allah, yes!) unanimously echoed throughout the vast plain of Arafah. He repeated the question again, and once more, in order to obtain affirmation, and each time the cry of ‘Allahumma Na’m!’ resounded throughout Arafah.

The Prophet (SAW) raised his forefinger and said: ‘O Allah, bear witness.’

The Prophet (SAW) went on his only Hajj in the year that preceded his passing away to prac-

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tically demonstrate how the fifth and final pillar of Islam had to be performed, and to perpetually bury any heathen Quraishi influences that may still have been associated with it, as well as to seal his message.

The Prophet (SAW) often indirectly spoke about Paradise and his imminent departure during these times. Despite being 63-years-old, he was still blessed with the physique and grace of one much younger in years; his eyes still sparkled much nur (light), and there were few grey streaks in his black hair. Perhaps that is why, when he spoke of death, no one really took it too seriously. Yet, there were occasions when his remarks raised concern. Once, his wives asked him which of them would be the first to join him in the hereafter.

He replied: ‘She of the longest reach will be the soonest of you to join me.’ The wives all measured the length of their arms against each other, and it is generally assumed that Sayyida Sawdah’s (RA) arms was the longest as she was the tallest and largest of them.

Sayyida Zainab (RA) was a small woman but it was she of the wives who died first of the wives of the Prophet (SAW). It was then that they realised that what Nabi Muhammad (SAW) had meant by ‘she of the longest reach’ was the one who was the most generous.

Sayyida Zainab was an extremely generous woman, as was a predecessor with the same name who was often termed ‘the mother of the poor’.

Once, in the early hours of the morning, the Prophet (SAW) asked Abu Muwayhiba to accompany him to the graveyard of Jannatul Baqee. ‘I have been commanded to pray for forgiveness for the people of the cemetery, so come with me,’ the Prophet (SAW) told him.

In Baqee, Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘O people of the grave, rejoice in your state, how much better it is than the state of people now living. Dissensions come like waves of darkest night, the one following hard upon the other, each worse than the last.’

He turned to Muwayhibah and said: ‘I have been offered the keys of the treasuries of this world and immortality therein followed by Paradise; and I have been given the choice between that and meeting my Lord and Paradise.’

Some time before Nabi Muhammad’s (SAW) demise, he asked one of the Companions to accompany him to Jannatul Baqee. Before the Prophet made duah for the deceased buried there, he (SAW) hinted at his impending demise saying that he had chosen ‘the meeting with my Lord and Paradise’.

Photo SALIM PARKER

immortality therein followed by Paradise; and I have been given the choice between that and meeting my Lord and Paradise.’

Muwayhibah was stunned and replied: ‘O Prophet who is dearer to me than my father and mother, take the keys of the treasuries of this world and immortality therein followed by Paradise.’

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) responded: ‘I have already chosen the meeting with my Lord and Paradise.’ He proceeded to pray for forgiveness of the inhabitants of Baqee.

Soon thereafter, in the early days of the month of Safar, in 11AH, Nabi Muhammad (SAW) mentioned Uhud (some say he went there) and performed a farewell prayer for the shuhadah (martyrs). Some say it appeared that he was performing farewell prayers for both the dead and the living.

He was feverish and had a headache like never before but nevertheless went to the masjid.

Later, when he ascended the mimbar, he said: ‘There is a slave amongst the slaves of Allah to whom Allah has offered the choice between this world and that which is with Him, and the slave has chosen that which is with Allah.’

Abu Bakr (RA) started weeping when he heard this as he knew that the Prophet (SAW) was referring to himself. Nabi Muhammad (SAW) noticed that Abu Bakr understood his message and asked him not to weep. He said: ‘O people, the most beneficent of men unto me in his companionship and in that which his hand bestows is Abu Bakr; and if I were to take from all mankind an inseparable friend, it would be Abu Bakr but companionship and brotherhood is ours until Allah reunites us in His presence.’

During that period, a number of private residences around the masjid had direct access to it. The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Behold these During the month of Safar, in 11AH, after he had made duah for the deceased buried in Jannatul Baqee, Nabi Muhammad (SAW) performed a farewell prayer for doors that intrude upon the masjid; let them be the martyrs buried on the plain of Uhud. Some reports say that it appeared that he was performing farewell prayers for both the dead and the living.

Photo SALIM PARKER walled up, except the door of Abu Bakr.’

Sayyida Ayesha was alarmed at the tone of his voice but tried to make light of it and even Finally, just before leaving the mimbar, Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘I am to precede you and I have been made witness upon you. By Allah, you will meet me by the haud (tank) very succeeded in eliciting a smile from him. He then returned to Sayyida Maymoonah. Despite soon. I have been given the keys of the earth. By Allah, I do not fear that you will become poly- being sick, he continued going to the masjid and leading the salaah. As his illness increased, he theists after me. But I do fear that you will compete with each other to acquire worldly riches.’ could only pray in the sitting position.

When he returned to the home of the wife whose turn it was for him to spend the day, he The Prophet (SAW) used to take turns in staying by each of his wives. As it was Sayyida asked: ‘Where am I tomorrow?’ She informed him. ‘And where the day after tomorrow,’ he Maymoonah’s (RA) turn to house him, he went to her residence.

His fever had increased and he was visibly tired. He wanted Sayyida Ayesha (RA) to know asked. She answered but deep down, from the way he asked, she knew he wanted to know of his illness and went to visit her briefly. She, too, was not feeling well and when Nabi when he would be with Sayyida Ayesha.

She informed the other wives and they all went to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we Muhammad (SAW) entered her room, she moaned: ‘O my head!’

The Prophet (SAW) replied: ‘Nay Ayesha, it is O my head!’ He looked at her and seeing no have given our days with you to our sister Ayesha.’ He accepted their noble gesture.

Being very weak and hardly able to walk, Abbas and Ali assisted him to Sayyida Ayesha’s grave signs on her, said: ‘I wished it might be (meaning her death before his) while I was alive, that I might ask forgiveness for you and invoke mercy upon you and shroud you and pray over home. There Nabi Muhammad (SAW) would spend his last few days on this dunya.

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

When he returned to the home of the wife whose turn it was for him to spend the day, he asked: ‘Where am I tomorrow?’ She informed him. ‘And where the day after tomorrow,’ he asked. She answered but deep down, from the way he asked, she knew he wanted to know when he would be with Sayyida Ayesha. She informed the other wives and they all went to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have given our days with you to our sister Ayesha.’ He accepted their noble gesture.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Triumph of Arafah

I

HAD all the paperwork ready.

Proof from a prominent academic that I was involved in medical research involving Hajj and that we wanted to continue a study that we had commenced a year earlier was supposed to be enough reason to secure me a visa for the Hajj period.

I am, by nature, very cautious, and hence requested additional motivations from a number of bodies. A very generous and flattering letter from a prominent religious body was supplied and a Hajj organisation testified to previous involvements with Hajj over a period that exceeded fourteen years.

In addition, the travel medicine fraternity added to the support by referring to work done, and the most widely read South African Muslim newspaper explained the benefits of Hajj-related articles that had appeared in that publication.

All the letters were addressed for the personal attention of the highest authority responsible for visas. I was extremely confident that I would receive a positive answer within a few days, maybe within a week or two for the lat-

I was extremely confident that I would receive a positive answer within a few days, maybe within a week or two for the latest.

But I was wrong, I was very wrong, writes Doctor SALIM PARKER. est. But I was wrong, I was very wrong.

I called a prominent shaikh whom I knew had close ties with those involved with authorising visas. I explained to him that I needed a visa outside the quota for South African hujjaaj as I in no way could take the place of an accredited pilgrim embarking on this compulsory holiest of journeys for the first time.

The shaikh contacted the authorities, and the response that he received was not encouraging.

He was informed that the matter would be considered but that nothing could be guaranteed. The days stretched into weeks and I heard nothing, not even an acknowledgment of the receipt of my application.

When I called the relevant authorities, I was informed that I would be informed within a day or two.

Planning becomes difficult when uncertainty reigns supreme.

When I informed those involved with the studies that the visa had not yet been approved, they reluctantly decided to drop some of our planned studies.

The procurement of some medical investigative equipment requires a well thought out proposal, and a timeline justifying costs is essential. And here I could not assure anyone that I was going!

Sorting out flights, work-related issues as well as other aspects of preparing for the journey had to be shelved to the backburners.

Concentrating at work became difficult, and preparing for a medical conference where I had to present a paper became nightmarish.

Whenever I was asked by someone when I was to depart for my journey, I would respond by saying that it was in Allah’s hands.

‘Allah has invited you, you have been called. You are going,’ one of my friends remarked.

Everyone meant well, and some would look at me with utter disbelief when I said that I might not be going.

The reassuring messages, the fact that many were making duah for me gave me immense hope but I still did not have a visa!

I was in a surreal situation; pragmatism necessitated that I refrain from planning any academic investigations but hope and the persistent dogmatic assurance from friends and family that I definitely would get my visa spurred me not to lose hope.

Time passed and still nothing.

No news; no yes, no no, no nothing. In desperation, I called our religious leader and he and his public representative not only wrote to the authorities but also called them and even set up a meeting to convince them of my case.

Many had prayed that I would be successful in my bid, I had the very welcome and totally unexpected dedicated support from the most prominent moulana in the Cape, and many others were rallying around me to assist in whatever way they could.

‘What could possibly go wrong?’ I thought and my initial scepticism turned to cautious hope. That is until I received an email stating that there were no more courtesy visas available and that I could, unfortunately, not be accommodated. My heart sank; my Hajj sun seemed to be finally setting.

I called someone who had intimate knowledge of the visa situation and who had been taking hujjaaj for decades. ‘Resign yourself to staying at home this year,’ he advised me. He himself could not secure a visa and it was one of the few occasions in more than twenty years that he would not be the spiritual leader for a Hajj group.

I know it’s easy to say that we all had a good journey and that we should be thankful for being privileged to have sailed so far.

But it felt more like my ship had sunk rather than me having reached my destination.

Admittedly, I considered every journey of mine over the last fifteen years to be my last but here I

…I received an email stating that there were no more courtesy visas available and that I could, unfortunately, not be accommodated. My heart sank; my Hajj sun seemed to be finally setting

Sunset over the Kaabah: When Doctor Parker received an email informing him that there were no more courtesy visas available, he felt that his Hajj sun was finally setting.

Photo SALIM PARKER

was prepared to set sail and yet had not even left the harbour!

We often hear people saying that if you are called for Hajj, nothing can stop you. Yet, I could see no way out; you cannot go without a visa and you cannot fly without a plane ticket. ‘Maybe I was not invited this year; maybe Allah was displeased with me and had found one of my numerous transgressions inexcusable,’ I thought.

I thought of the many hujjaaj whom I had pledged to assist in Saudi, and sent a text message to someone whom I had pestered endlessly. ‘I am sure he is irritated with me by now,’ I thought as I asked him whether I should finally give up. He called me a minute later.

He’ll probably never appreciate the change to my life that his words effected. ‘Call this number,’ he said. I did. Both conversations were conducted in a businesslike manner but not a word of business was discussed.

All I can say to them and to the moulana and his public representative is that if any hajji thanks me for rendering any assistance,

Sunrise over Arafah: For Doctor Parker, experiencing the early morning sun on Arafah must have been like emerging from the darkness of despair into the relief that through the mercy of Allah, everything is possible. Photo SALIM PARKER Muslim Views

whether medical or in any other form, I will ask Allah to pass on the rewards tenfold to them.

The efforts of everyone involved were purely for the service of the hujjaaj, with one even incurring a financial loss.

I am a trained scientist but, for once, I threw all the dictates of rigid analysis, evidence-based medicine and methodologies out the window.

Nothing was going to stop me witnessing the sunrise over the plains of Arafah.

The utmost faith, selfless commitment and dedication, and the prayers of many ensured my safe passage. I witnessed the sun setting over the Kaabah, secure that it would rise splendidly the next morning.

As I walked into one of our Makkah medical clinics, I was greeted matter-of-factually by the secretary. ‘Salaam Doc,’ she said as she carried on assisting the patients.

‘Was salaam,’ I replied. ‘I never thought I’ll get here!’ I started saying.

‘I knew you’d come,’ she smiled. ‘Allah called you; Allah wanted you to be here.’

And now I was here. Labaik!

Comments to: salimparker@yahoo.com

Muslim Views . October 2014 “IS ISRAEL GUILTY OF GENOCIDE...?” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

The presence of genocidal behaviour and language, even if used in government circles, is not by itself sufficient to conclude that Protective Edge, despite its enormity, amounted to the commission of the crime of genocide.

What the jury did agree upon, however, was that some Israeli citizens and leaders appear to have been guilty in several instances of the separate crime of incitement to genocide, which is specified in Article 3(c) of the Genocide Convention.

It also agreed that the additional duty of Israel and other parties to prevent genocide, especially the United States and Europe, was definitely engaged

by Israeli behaviour.

In this regard, the Russell Tribunal is sending an incriminating message of warning to Israel and an appeal to the UN and the international community to uphold the Genocide Convention, and to prevent any further behaviour by Israel that would cross the line. Many will react to this assessment of Protective Edge as without legal authority and dismiss it as merely recording the predictable views of a ‘kangaroo court.’ Those allegations have been directed at the Russell Tribunal ever since its founding nearly fifty years ago.

Bertrand Russell called the original proceedings a stand of citizens of conscience ‘against the crime of silence’. This latest session of the tribunal has a similar mission in relation to Israel’s actions in Gaza, although less against silence than indifference.

Such tribunals, created almost always in exceptional circumstances and in response to defiance of the most elemental con-

straints of international law, make crucial contributions to public awareness, especially when geopolitical realities preclude established institutional procedures such as recourse to the International Criminal Court and the UN Security Council and General Assembly.

When the interests of the West are at stake, as in Ukraine, there is no need to activate unofficial international law initiatives.

However, in the case of IsraelPalestine, when the US government and most of Western Europe stand fully behind whatever Israel chooses to do, the need for an accounting is particularly urgent, even if the prospects for accountability are minimal.

The long-suffering people of Gaza have endured three criminal assaults in the past six years, which have left virtually the entire population, especially young children, traumatised by the experience.

As with the Nuremberg judgment, which documented Nazi criminality but excluded any consideration of the crimes committed by the victors in World War II, the Russell Tribunal process was flawed and can be criticised as one-sided.

At the same time, I am confident that, on balance, this assessment of Israel’s behaviour toward the people of Gaza will support the long struggle to make the rule of law applicable to the strong as well as the weak.

Richard Falk was the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur for Palestine from 2008 to 2014. He is currently the Milbank Professor of International Law, Emeritus, at Princeton University.

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Trading with silver MOGAMAT ABRAHAMS

IT has only taken a year for the FreeMarket to grow from a mere 15 traders to a thriving community market of 300.

Arranged by the Islamic Network (www.isnet.za.net), the FreeMarket seeks to restore the free, fair and just marketplace, and establish the silver dirham as a currency of trade.

‘The motivation for the market is to establish a sunnah,’ says Hajji Abdullah Wagie.

‘The first thing that the Prophet (peace be upon him) established when he arrived in a town was a mosque and the market, which he gave as a sadaqah to Muslims, and which was free for all to trade in.’

The FreeMarket offers traders a free spot – unlike other markets in the city, which charge traders to set up shop.

Traders offer a variety of goods, from clothes, shoes and bags to fresh fruit and vegetables, books, DVDs, jewellery, plants and food!

The market does, however, have a strict set of rules to which all traders must agree to abide by.

There is no discrimination based on race, religion or gender, and the market is open to all who abide by the rules.

Spaces may not be booked, are allocated on a first-come-firstserved basis and there are no exclusive rights granted for any service or produce.

Trading is just and fair, meaning that traders may not sell defective goods or undercut each other, even bartering is encour-

aged if both buyer and seller are agreeable.

In short, the FreeMarket encourages mutually beneficial trading, and market police are present to ensure compliance.

Introducing the silver dirham What distinguishes the FreeMarket from all others in the city is the circulation of the silver dirham as the currency of trade – a tool by which the Islamic Network aims to establish a microeconomy that is halaal and also free of the interest and inflation inherent to the system of paper money.

The silver dirham is a coin of pure silver, weighing at least 3,11grams. The dirhams are locally manufactured on a nonprofit basis.

They are produced for use at the FreeMarket, and can typically only be obtained on the day of trading when customers enter the FreeMarket.

At the close of the market, customers and traders can either keep the dirhams or exchange them for cash at the same rate they purchased them earlier in the day.

The exchange value of one silver dirham has been stabilised at R35 for the past year, according to Mogamat Abrahams.

‘When we started, only about 15 percent of silver dirhams were retained,’ he says.

‘But now, as trust and understanding has grown, between 90 – 95 percent of the silver dirhams circulated are retained by traders, who in turn also use it for trading.’

Feeling connected For Rukshana Baba, of Exclusive Bags, being paid in silver dirhams for the first time held special significance. ‘This is my third time at the FreeMarket and I got paid for the first time with dirhams today, subhaan Allah,’ she says. ‘One of my buyers approached me with four dirhams and we bargained a bit.

It’s a great thing, an initiative to imitate the sunnah, so by doing it, I felt connected in some way.’

Saara Jappie-Adams, business owner of Minimal Exposure, and the brains behind the hijab fashion blog of the same name, says the FreeMarket has shown her that there is potential to grow her fledgling fashion business of simple but beautiful designer kimonos made of viscose and polyester. She started out with 26 garments and by the end of the day had only five left. This is my first time here,’ she says. ‘Free trade made an impression on me – it’s free to put up a stand and free entry. It’s also really familyfriendly and you don’t have to second guess about bringing your family with you.’

Find out more about the FreeMarket, silver dirham or to book your place visit www.freemarket.co.za, email enquiries@freemarket.co.za or call 082 923 8001 or 082 095 3426.

The next FreeMarket will be on November 2 and December 7 at Surrey Estate Primary School, Pluto Road, Surrey Estate.

Interested traders are required to register online and attend a compulsory briefing session.

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The truth matters

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Muslim Views . October 2014

IN the global media, diverse comments on the conflict in North Africa and the Middle East are often published. Though many Jews, Christians and Muslims believe in the value of co-existence, there are many among us that do not.

Those driven by hatred and greed meticulously study and plan how to distort history and reality to ensure their selfish vicious agenda. The problem is that those on the other side who seek fairness expect justice with limited effort, as if justice can be attained without struggle.

Zionists like other fanatics, which include some Muslim fanatics, observe the world in a rigid manner.

As a result, fanatics are generally unwilling to appreciate reality, even when it is based on evidence.

Those who consider democratic governance as vital, should ask why the USA continues to provide billions of dollars to an Egyptian military who recently ousted a democratically elected president, Muhammad Mursi.

Those who repeat the mantra that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East must be asked to explain why the Israeli political leadership

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since inception remains high-ranking ex-military staff. Is Israel a military state with a veneer of democracy?

Those who condemn the insanity of Islamic State (IS) must consider from whom Islamic State received the massive quantities of American weapons? Only a fool will believe that the ammunition was left behind by the Iraqi army.

Those who support the campaign against the Islamic State should explain why IS uses similar military strategies that are taught at the US military academy, West Point.

Popular belief suggests that the Islamic State is staffed by radicals that are an outcome of the Syrian Sunni/ Shia conflict.

Unable to endure the murder of more than 200 000 Sunnis by Bashar al Assad, Sunni radicals planned to stop the slaughter as the world observed this genocide for three years without helping.

Since Iran supported Assad, the next Islamic State target would have been Iran. Iran would have been obliged into another USA/Israeli manufactured war. Israel has begged the USA for a war against Iran.

Ironically, this type of subterfuge in global politics is common as the USA supplied both Iran and Iraq with weapons during the decade war in the 1980s. Few Muslims knew that the

Afghan jihadists were fighting the Russians with weapons supplied by Israel, and paid for by the Arabs and USA. Problems arose after Islamic State went towards Turkey instead of Iran.

This threatened Turkey, a key regional NATO ally.

This is also not the first time that an imperialistic contrived war plan went haywire. Decades ago, Hamas was allowed to succeed since its original onus was to destroy the Palestinian Liberation Army, which helped Israel.

Hamas succeeded and then recalibrated its aim towards Israel.

Similarly, Afghans were initially armed to fight the Soviets on behalf of the USA. After the defeat of the Soviets, Afghans turned on each other.

This internal war, in the end, gave rise to the Taliban from which Al Qaeda emerged.

By navigating Islamic State into Iran and later defeating the Islamic State, the USA could have claimed two victories. The defeat of Iran and Islamic State would further enslave the global Muslim community to the Arab royalty and elite and to the American and Israeli imperial project for many generations.

Ironically, as long as Muslims do not follow the advice of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) with special

regards to political decision-making, Muslims will continue to die at the hands of vicious dictators.

The Prophet warned us many times about being divided. The Prophet also warned that our collective enemies will take advantage of our in-fighting and benefit themselves.

For example, the Russians that destroyed Afghanistan now support Iran and the Syrians, and the Americans that initially helped the Afghans later bombed them as well.

The USA supports the Egyptian military dictator but bombs the Somalis, Iraqis and Yemenis etc. when it suits them.

One day, when Muslims realise that our enemies do not care if they kill Sunnis or Shias, Barelvis or Deobandis, Wahhabis or Sufis then by the grace and mercy of Allah we will be rescued from the futility of our own making.

In the words of the wise, history is not without irony and intrigue.

Cllr Yagyah Adams Cape Muslim Congress

A professor of medicine, not music THANK you for your ongoing articles in Muslim Views, which I will continue to appreciate, inclusive of your two medical writers. Page 3 of the September 2014 edition refers.

In the last paragraph of the article

on Imam Abdullah Haron, mention is made of Professor Bill Hoffenberg.

He is described as a ‘UCT music professor’; Indeed not, he was a professor of medicine.

He eased many a ‘non-white’ student through a harsh and discriminatory system, in the face of the blatant antipathy from his hypocritical colleagues.

In fact, he got me my internship job at Baragwanath Hospital at the last moment, after stony silence from the authorities in response to my application.

Dr Fahmi Williams Cape Town Editor replies: Dr Williams is correct. The article in question was an extract from a biography published on the website of the Imam Abdullah Haron Education Trust. The writer of the original article and the webmaster of the site www.iahet.com have been informed of the error in the original website entry.

According to the South African History Online website, Prof Raymond (Bill) Hoffenberg was forced to leave the country on an exit permit on March 28, 1968. In exile he continued to campaign actively against apartheid.

When apartheid officially ended, Professor Hoffenberg was able to return regularly to his home country.

He re-established a link with South Africa in 1995 when he joined an advisory group to help rejuvenate academic medicine in the country.

MORE LETTERS ON PAGE 28

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Muslim Views . October 2014 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Can mosques be utilised as community centres?

THERE are approximately 155 mosques in the Western Cape, highly under-utilised although they are positioned ideally to serve the social needs of the Muslim community.

Currently, the mosques are mainly used to perform five daily prayers, with an occasional marriage ceremony or funeral service.

If Muslims spent, on average, 25 minutes at the mosque for each prayer then the mosque is only used for approximately two hours a day. This translates to a utilization of 17% per 12-hour day, excluding the month of fasting.

Does this under utilisation justify the enormous amounts spent on a mosque’s infrastructure and maintenance?

It is not uncommon for communities

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to spend between two and four million rand on the infrastructure accommodating the prayer and ablution sections of a mosque. This amount is easily doubled if a hall also has to be built.

In the time of the prophet Muhammad (SAW), the mosque was a hive of activity and the centre of the community. It served as a social, political and religious centre. Historical records reflect that the mosque also served as an educational institution, a shelter to travellers, a court of law and even a prison.

Further, Islam should not only be viewed as a religion but as a way of life.

This makes the distinction between secular and religious matters quite difficult, since every action of a Muslim should be viewed as an act of ibaa’dah or worship, as also indicated by the article ‘Sex as Ibadah: Religion, Gender, and Subjectivity among South African Muslim Women’ by Nina Hoel and Sa’diyya Shaikh.

In the past, a mosque was a gathering place where Muslims were engaged in various activities that benefitted

Islam. It is therefore clear that the mosque can perform a number of social functions other than merely serving as a venue where the five daily prayers should be performed.

Some of the social problems confronting our Muslim youth today are drugs, gangsterism and teenage pregnancies. One way of keeping the youth off the street and out of mischief is to offer various youth programmes at the mosques, in an Islamic environment.

Programmes may include practising hobbies, delivering tutorials on school subjects, acquisition of various skills, playing games and sports etc. The youth will obviously be required to halt all activities and to participate in the daily prayers at the arrival of the different waqts.

The mosque premises can also be used for the celebration of engagements, weddings, parties etc. Thus, a hall is not required if the mosque can serve this purpose.

Sadly, repeated burglaries of expensive sound systems and other equipment resulted in many mosques now being locked between the times of the five daily prayers, making the mosques inaccessible to visiting Muslim travellers.

Minor changes will have to be made to the current form of the mosques, for it to be used as true community centres.

Firstly, the mosque should consist of a basic structure that will provide shelter against rain, wind and the sun. Communities should eradicate the opulence witnessed at most mosques today.

Money saved can be donated to build decent mosques in the townships where there is a dire need for them.

Secondly, the wall-to-wall carpets will have to be replaced with tiles, cement or even wooden floors. Loose rugs can be rolled out at prayer times as is done at the sacred mosque in Makkah.

Thirdly, all expensive items in the mosque will have to replaced with less expensive ones, for example a cheaper sound system that would not be attractive to burglars.

The above approach should increase the utilisation of the mosques, improve infrastructure in townships and also address some of the problems that the Muslim youth are currently experiencing.

Adiel Ismail Mount View, Cape Town

Seminaor on Islam and the environment INTERNATIONAL Peace College South Africa (IPSA), in association with the Muslims for Eco-Justice, presents its inaugural Environmental Justice Seminar, Towards an Islamic Jurisprudence of the Environment, on Saturday November 1, from 9am to 1pm at the IPSA campus, in Johnston Road, Rylands.

The keynote address will be delivered by international scholar, Professor Mustafa Abu-Sway of Al Quds University, Jerusalem.

The seminar is open to the public and there is no registration cost.

The event is supported by the Muslim Judicial Council, Claremont Main Road Mosque, Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute, Earth Keeper and the World Wildlife Fund.

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Health File

Work and mental health DR IMTHIAZ HOOSEN

ORK is an important and integral part of our lives. For many adults, most of our waking day is occupied by work. In Islam, work has a special significance to the extent that it is considered a form of ibaadah (an act of worship).

Imam Al-Ghazali mentioned in Ihya Ulum Al Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences) that Nabi Isa/ Jesus (AS) once saw a man who completely devoted himself to worship.

When he asked him how he got his daily bread, the man replied that his brother, who worked, provided him with food.

Jesus told him, ‘That brother of yours is more religious than you are.’

There are several ahadith highlighting the virtues of work, for example: ‘Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one’s hands. The Prophet Dawood (AS) used to eat from the earnings of his labour.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari) ‘No man earns anything better than that which he earns with his own hands, and what a man spends on himself, his wife, his child and his servant, is charity.’

(Sahih al-Bukhari) Work has many benefits. It provides us with an identity through which we derive a sense of recognition, belonging and understanding.

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Work provides an opportunity to develop new skills and to master new challenges.

Positive work experiences and recognition from our peers and superiors enhance our self-worth and self-esteem.

We make friends at work and we receive support from our coworkers, which has a positive effect on our well-being.

Work provides us with an income, which allows us to become independent and

autonomous, and enables us to give charity.

The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘The best of charity is that which is given when you are self-sufficient, and the upper hand (the giver) is better than the lower hand (the receiver), and start with those for whom you are responsible.’

(Sunan an-Nasa’i) Studies indicate that there is a positive relationship between job satisfaction and employee health.

Individuals who experience satisfying employment have higher self-esteem and less negative moods compared to those who are dissatisfied or unemployed.

Being unemployed increases the risk of physical and mental health problems.

Unemployment is associated with negative psychological effects such as loss of confidence, increased isolation, greater strain on the family, higher rates of depression and anxiety, increase in violence and suicide, and increased rates of drug and alcohol abuse.

Job stress is one of the most common work-related health problems.

It occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources or needs of the employee.

Job stress may be due to overwork, unrealistic deadlines, dysfunctional leadership or management, job insecurity, discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying or lack of support.

Work stress is associated with increased physical ailments, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, and increased rates of work-related injuries and accidents.

Symptoms of job stress include mood swings, irritability, feeling depressed or negative, loss of confidence, becoming withdrawn, loneliness, loss of motivation, lack of enjoyment, poor concentration and memory, indecision, mental slowness, increased errors, fatigue, changes in appetite and sleep, feeling anxious or nervous and increased smoking, drinking, drug-taking or increased use of over-the-counter medication to cope.

If you have some of these symptoms, it is important to seek help by speaking to your employer, doctor or a mental health professional.

In conclusion, work is beneficial and therapeutic for most of us; not working can be harmful.

The Prophet (SAW) emphasised the virtues of work and he (SAW) used to also seek Allah’s protection from laziness and idleness by saying: ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in You from weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, anxiety and sorrow, and I seek refuge in You from the torments of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trials and tribulations of life and death.’

Dr Imthiaz Hoosen is a psychiatrist practising at the Rondebosch Medical Centre, in Cape Town.

BOOK-REVIEW

Muslim Views . October 2014

...it is, however, important to mention that her arguments are not really new since they are based on the views and approaches of Raja Rhouni against other Muslim feminists such as Fatima Mernissi.

The Study of Islam @ UJ Book Review Feminist Edges of the Qur’an.

Author: Aysha Hidayatullah.

Oxford University Press, 2014.

AYSHA Hidayatullah’s Feminist Edges of the Qur’an is a compelling read. It engages profoundly with the field of feminist Quran scholarship.

With an impressive display of both the classical Islamic exegetical tradition and modern feminist theory, Hidayatullah does an admirable job of presenting analytical arguments. The writing style is engaging and the book is generally well organised.

The mainstay of the work is a radical critique of not only various aspects of modernist/ feminist exegesis of the Quran but also a critique of how modern Muslims have approached the Quran in general.

It is a systematic deconstruction of Muslim feminist approaches to the Quran over the past three decades.

The book does not shy away from asking tough questions or from questioning many of the fundamental assumptions that have guided feminist Quran scholarship. However, a close and careful reading of the book shows that her intent is not to criticise but rather to genuinely spark an important and serious conversation about the current state of feminist tafsir.

Although, unlike most Muslim feminists’ scholars, she heavily

criticises the views of many leading Muslim feminists on several fundamental methodological points, at the same time, she praises them as pioneers of a new and important field of Quranic scholarship.

Hidayatullah’s analysis and critique mainly focus on the works of Riffat Hassan, Azizah al-Hibri, Amina Wadud, Asma Barlas, Sadiyya Shaikh and Kecia Ali. First, she situates their works in the context of the wider modernist movement in Quranic exegesis. This is characterised by an emphasis on the Quran itself, freed of some of the accumulated commentaries and traditions.

She explains that Muslim feminists have found the work of Christian women theologians helpful and encouraging, however, that Muslims should not apply the same approach to the Quran as Christians do to the Bible, putting into consideration the notion that the Quran is understood to be the eternal and unmediated word of God, so its text cannot be disputed.

Hidayatullah further explains and provides examples of the main approaches used by these Muslim feminist scholars. These are: the historical contextualisation of some verses of the Quran on the grounds that although the Quran’s prescriptions are eternal, they were expressed in a form appropriate to the community to

whom it was first revealed; a ‘holistic’ approach which considers verses in relation to other passages and perceives a cohesive ethos in the text as a whole; the argument that the concept of male supremacy is a contravention of tawhid – the belief in the oneness of God – that is the central doctrine of Islam because it grants men authority over women that in fact belongs only to God. It is in the work of Asma Barlas that I first came across this ‘tawhidic paradigm’, and I share Hidayatullah’s disappointment at having to conclude that it does not quite work.

She points out that, while any notion that women’s relationship with God is mediated through men is un-Islamic at its core, having a direct relationship with God does not necessarily preclude having a lower status.

The book is divided into three main sections: First, a historical investigation which seeks to contextualise feminist exegesis within the broader historical tradition of tafsir, with a particular focus on modernist approaches to the Quran.

This section also provides an important discussion of the development of feminist tafsir in light of its engagement with Christian and Jewish feminist theologies.

The second section is by far the most substantial section of the book. This is an impressive and complete reconstruction of many

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of the arguments, interpretative techniques and approaches of feminist tafsir, drawn especially from the works of Wadud and Barlas.

Section three problematises the various assumptions inherent in feminist tafsir, and is a thorough critique of the methodologies and conclusions of the works of Wadud, Hassan, al-Hibri and Barlas.

This is where Hidayatullah presents her self-described ‘radical critique’ of feminist exegesis by arguing that the feminist interpretative endeavour has reached a point of irresolvable contradiction by making claims about the Quran that are not fully supported by the text (and, as she argues, may even be contrary to the text).

Importantly, it is in this section that Hidayatullah engages closely with the feminist exegetes’ conceptions of sexual difference and indicates why this particular point needs to be addressed clearly and carefully if feminist exegesis is to have any viable and rele-

vant future.

Feminist Edges of the Qur’an is a provocative work of Muslim feminist theology, and is a vital intervention in urgent conversations about women and the Quran.

The book most certainly raises far more questions than it attempts to answer, and ends by forcing the reader to consider the possibility that the most serious question that Muslim feminists need to confront pertains to the nature of revelation and the nature of the content of the Quran itself.

It is only by a close engagement with this question, argues Hidayatullah, that feminist tafsir will be able to move forward.

Despite acknowledging the ‘novelty’ of the work by the author, it is, however, important to mention that her arguments are not really new since they are based on the views and approaches of Raja Rhouni against other Muslim feminists such as Fatima Mernissi.

The book is a must read for students and scholars of Islamic studies, Quranic exegesis, gender studies, Muslim, Jewish and Christian feminist theology.

Review by MASNOENAH KAMALIE Masnoenah Kamalie is a postgraduate student in Religion Studies at University of Johannesburg.

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Focus on Finance Muslim Views . October 2014

Advice on choosing a tax practitioner HASSEN KAJIE, CA (SA), a director of NEXIA SAB&T, based in the Cape Town office, and Aysha Osman CA (SA), Technical manager at Nexia SAB&T list some of the questions you should be asking a tax practitioner if you are seeking his or her help in completing your tax return.

ITH the 2014 tax season upon us, many people are scrambling to get their taxes in order; some may opt to get a professional to do the filing for them. If this is the way forward for you, then here are some tips to help you choose a tax practitioner who knows what he/ she is doing.

These are some of the questions taxpayers can ask a tax professional before making a final decision of whom to use:

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

All tax practitioners will also require you to sign a power of attorney form that allows them to act on your behalf at SARS.

How do you determine your fees?

Are you a registered tax practitioner?

Tax Practitioners who complete tax returns for payment must be registered with SARS. Also, they have to be registered with an approved controlling body like the South African Institute of Tax Professionals or the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Enquire about his/ her credentials. Look for someone who is appropriately qualified. If he/ she is registered then he/ she will have a SARS practitioner number as well as a membership number with his/ her controlling body of choice. Controlling bodies ensure that all their members are qualified and have the experience to help other taxpayers. They also make sure that the members don’t have any criminal records and

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that their own personal taxes affairs are in order.

How experienced are you?

Experience in filing tax returns and handling queries with SARS counts a lot more than a fancy degree with no experience. Ask him/ her where he/ she gained his/ her experience. A few years at an accounting firm will mean he/ she has had experience with filing tax returns.

Ask whether he/ she has dealt with a tax situation like yours Every tax return is different.

Tax practitioners should be able to file a basic tax return with

ease. If however, you earn rental income or have investments, the tax return can be a bit more complicated. Explain to him/ her your tax situation and ask if he/ she will be able to assist you.

What documents do you need from me?

Asking this important question will prevent you going back and forth in order to get everything in order. A good practitioner will have a questionnaire for you to complete in order for him/ her to identify your unique tax position.

This will enable him/ her to assess what documents he/ she needs from you.

You want to avoid anyone that tells you that his/ her fee is based on a percentage of the tax refund that he/ she can get you. This will get you into big trouble at SARS. Ask how his/ her fee is calculated rather than asking what his/ her fee is. Tax practitioners usually calculate their fee based on the complexity of the tax return being filed and the time spent.

If you have a business or rental property you should expect to pay a little extra than if you were filing an individual return.

Will you file my return electronically?

Filing your return electronically means that there is a smaller chance of making a mistake than when submitting a manually completed form. Also, SARS will process an electronically filed tax return much quicker, which will result in you getting your refund if you are due one, much faster.

Aysha Osman is Technical Manager in the Cape Town office of Nexia SAB&T.

What if I am chosen for audit?

You want a tax practitioner that will handle your case if you get audited with no extra charge.

In most cases, if you do get selected, it is just a matter of uploading the supporting documents used to file your return, which he/ she will have with him/her in any case.

How can I get hold of you?

You want a professional who will be there for you if you have any trouble with SARS later. Try to get as many contact numbers, email addresses and other details as possible for your practitioner of choice and keep it safely in case you need it later.

Alternatively, contact any of the Nexia SAB&T offices if you are looking for a tax practitioner to file your Income Tax Return.

This article is intended for information purposes only and should not be considered as a legal document. If you are in doubt about any information in this article or require any advice, please do not hesitate to contact Nexia SAB&T Tax department at 021 596 5400.

DISCUSSIONS WITH DANGOR

Why women in the west convert to Islam CAIR chairman Nihad Awad claims that 34 000 Americans have converted to Islam following the events of September 11, 2001, writes Emeritus Professor SULEMAN DANGOR. INCE 9/11 Islam and Muslims have come under intense scrutiny. Events in the Muslim world have resulted in the negative portrayal of Islam in the media and on social networks.

Islam is accused of being intolerant, exclusive and sexist, and Muslims are said to be fanatical, violent and oppressive. In addition, the Prophet of Islam (SAW) has come to be vilified, ridiculed and insulted.

Despite this, a keen interest in Islam has developed since 9/11. A CNN report indicates that 1,5 million people converted to Islam after 9/11. And, according to experts, the majority of post-9/11 converts are women.

A US survey has revealed that the majority of Americans know very little about Muslims and their faith and a recent Gallup poll found 43 percent of Ameri-

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cans nationwide admitted to feeling some prejudice against Muslims.

Though shaken by the 9/11 attacks and the ensuing hostility against Muslims, the curiosity of many Americans to know more about Islam have led them to embrace the faith. Of the total number of two million Muslims in America, 20 percent are converts to Islam.

CAIR chairman Nihad Awad claims that 34 000 Americans have converted to Islam following the events of September 11. However, some observers estimate that as many as 20 000 Americans convert to Islam annually.

In Britain, the number of Muslim converts recently passed the 100 000 mark, according to a survey conducted by an inter-faith group called Faith Matters.

The survey revealed that nearly two thirds of the converts were women, more than 70 percent were indigenous British and the average age at conversion was 27.

One of the more prominent Britons to convert to Islam is Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Booth converted after feeling a ‘shot of spiritual morphine’ on a trip to Iran.

In France, an estimated 70 000 French citizens have converted to Islam in recent years, according to a report by France 3 public television. As in Britain, the majority of converts to Islam in France are young women who say they are

disenchanted with materialism.

In Germany, at least 20 000 people have converted to Islam in recent years, according to a report

by RTL television.

In Spain, at least 50 000 native Spaniards have converted to Islam in recent years, many of them women.

Conversions to Islam are also rife in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland and Portugal.

Here we will recount some of the reasons forwarded by women converts to Islam and by analysts of Western women’s conversion to Islam: ‘What kind of religion is this that could inspire people to do this?’ was music instructor Johannah Segarich’s immediate reaction to the 9/11 attacks. Consequently, she decided to have a deeper look into Islam by studying the Quran and Islamic literature. A few months later, she embraced the faith.

Angela Collins Telles decided to embrace Islam after seeing the anti-Muslim frenzy grow after the 9/11.

‘I saw my country demonising these people as terrorists and oppressors of women, and I couldn’t think of anything further from the truth,’ she said.

Collins Telles then began studying Islam to get a better understanding of the faith. After an in-depth study, she decided to become a Muslim.

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‘Islam is simpler, more rigorous, and it’s easier because it is explicit. I was looking for a framework; man needs rules and behaviour to follow.’

Chicagoan Kelly Kaufmann had a similar experience when she had to defend Muslims against accusations of being anti-peace.

‘That’s when I realised, if I’m taking this personally, I think I must be ready,’ she said. Kaufmann decided to study Islam and converted a short while later.

Frenchwoman Mary Fallot declares that she likes the way ‘Islam demands a closeness to God. Islam is simpler, more rigorous, and it’s easier because it is explicit. I was looking for a framework; man needs rules and behaviour to follow. Christianity did not give me the same reference points.’

Kristiane Backer states: ‘I began to study the Muslim faith and eventually converted.

Because of the nature of my job, I’d been out interviewing rock stars, travelling all over the world and following every trend, yet I’d felt empty inside. Now, at last, I had contentment because Islam had given me a purpose in life.’

She continued, ‘In the West, we are stressed for superficial reasons, like what clothes to wear. In Islam, everyone looks to a higher goal. Everything is done to please God. It was a completely different value system. Despite my lifestyle, I felt empty inside and realised how liberating it was to be a Muslim. To follow only one God

makes life purer. You are not chasing every fad.’

‘A lot of women are reacting to the moral uncertainties of Western society,’ says Haifaa Jawad, a senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, in Britain, who has studied the British-born conversion phenomenon.

Quoted by The Christian Science Monitor, she adds: ‘They like the sense of belonging and caring and sharing that Islam offers – values which have eroded in the West.’

Others are attracted by ‘a certain idea of womanhood and manhood that Islam offers,’ according to Karin van Nieuwkerk, who has studied Dutch women converts. ‘There is more space for family and motherhood in Islam, and women are not sex objects.’

According to Kevin Brice from Swansea University, who has specialised in studying conversion to Islam among people in the West, these women seek spirituality, a higher meaning, and tend to be deep thinkers.

So, in spite of the demonising and negative stereotyping of Muslims in the media, and particularly the portrayal of women of women as having a secondary status in Islam, Western women are increasingly turning to a faith followed by over a billion people.

Hallaq’s impossible state: an interpretation Part 1: The problem

HE book The Impossible State by the brilliant scholar of Islamic law, Wael Hallaq, is fairly small in size but exceptionally powerful.

In it, Hallaq deploys his vast expertise to effectively address the question: what is the importance of the shariah to humanity as a whole?

And he comes up with rich, profound, insights that would unsettle both those who dismiss its relevance as well as those who champion an Islamic state.

The book argues that the shariah can serve as a fundamental moral resource in addressing the ills of today’s world. But doing so requires both understanding exactly what causes these ills as well as understanding shariah in a manner that is itself not a symptom of these ills.

These ills fundamentally reside in the assumptions that underlie the modern world. It is these assumptions that we carefully need to understand if we are to retrieve the shariah as a global moral discourse.

What are the ills of the modern world?

There is, firstly, widespread social injustice as seen in gnawing global poverty and economic inequality.

Secondly, the modern world is characterised by the breakdown of family and community structures.

Its focus is on the individual who with the withering of these structures becomes increasingly narcissistic and disenchanted.

This individual does not feel the need to submit to anything except himself. But by its very nature, such self-centredness is not to be equated

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

with self-fulfilment. The self left to itself is fundamentally lonely.

Finally, the modern world, through its unfettered consumerism, has precipitated an unprecedented ecological crisis – the ‘Project of Destruction’ as Hallaq calls it.

These are really interrelated processes. They are all caused by the paradigm that underlies modern thinking. By ‘paradigm’ Hallaq means a set of central ideas which drives the operations of the modern world.

A major influence on this paradigm was the 18th century EuroAmerican intellectual project known as the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment sought to replace all customary and traditional codes of morality by a rational morality.

This rational morality was going to be the basis of a new universal civilisation. In other words, the

Enlightenment strove to replace the morality located in religious traditions with a morality that was manmade. And it succeeded.

From the eighteenth century onward, in Europe and America, among the elite at least, man was made the measure of all things. And it is from this period onward that we talk about the ‘modern world’.

But a man-made morality has no ultimate grounding: why hold on to morality when it is just man-made?

And so, in reality, the modern world put morality on the backburner as it went about its business.

And its business was technical, economic and social ‘progress’ – ‘progress’ as a religion.

Basically, the doctrine states that as we move ahead in history, as we accumulate more scientific knowhow and technical expertise, we become more ‘advanced’. And so we cannot truly learn from past peoples and civilisations since they were not as ‘advanced’ as we are.

The doctrine, then, only has reference to itself in seeking to understand what reality truly is. It rejects everything that stands outside these parameters of understanding. As Hallaq puts it, it is its own source of authority. In its self-image, it is a god, in fact, the God of gods.

History consequently becomes the history of this progress. Indeed, it becomes the history of EuroAmerica, the most ‘progressive’ of all civilisations, and the rest of the world needs to play catch up.

In this religion, science and economics are the central objects of worship. All human problems are seen as solvable through employing the instruments developed in these disciplines.

This contrasts with the pre-modern, pre-Enlightenment era, where the central domain was moral education. It was this education – an education rooted in a religious tradition – that crafted society’s outlook on life, including how it approached science and economics.

Science and economics were subject to divinely rooted moral dictates. In the modern world, morality is a bit-player to scientific developments and presumed economic imperatives. But given the illnesses that the religion of progress has caused, there is a swathe of scholars working on reclaiming the traditional moral ethos. It is this ethos, they believe, that can help rein in the excesses of the modern world.

But to do so, this ethos again has to be put on centre-stage.

In Hallaq’s term, we need to overturn the dominant paradigm of technical progress and replace it by one where morality again acts as the fundamental basis of society. In the Islamic world this moral paradigm was nothing other than the shariah. The shariah was and is essentially a moral code. Hallaq memorably says that: ‘In the shariah, the legal is the instrument of the moral, and not the other way around.’ That the shariah was moral rather than simply legal is underscored by the fact that jihad – fundamentally understood as moral striving – is central to it. It was not simply a system of do’s and don’ts but sought to build the virtuous individual and a virtuous society.

And it is also not simply a theoretical resource available to Muslims: the shariah has been lived by Muslims and has proven itself as an effective moral guide.

But while the shariah as a personal code of conduct still plays an enormous and remarkable role in the life of the average Muslim, the shariah as a form of governing society has fallen by the wayside.

The shariah, understood as a code for the cultivation of virtue, hardly defines the nature of Muslim societies anymore, let alone carry a global resonance.

Why is this?

According to Hallaq, Muslim countries are in disarray because they inherited the concept of the nation state from colonialism, something for which their social structures were not prepared.

These structures existed for the cultivation of virtue, and the nation state, by its very nature, rides roughshod over such structures.

The nation state is crucial to the operation of the modern world – an essential element of its central paradigm. As a result, Muslim countries – being nation states – can only pay lip service to the shariah as a moral code. Their attempts to implement the shariah inevitably reduce it to a system of do’s and don’ts, a bare legal system.

In fact, any attempt to create an Islamic ‘state’ becomes part of the modern project and so works in tension with the shariah as a moral code. We need, then, to unpack the concept of ‘state’ in more detail.

Reference: Wael Hallaq, The Impossible State, Columbia University Press, New York, 2013.

In part two, Dr Auwais Rafudeen, looks at Hallaq’s characterisation of a modern state. Dr Rafudeen is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies and Arabic at the University of South Africa.

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FROM THE MIMBAR

Muslim Views . October 2014

‘And whatever the Prophet gives you, take it. And

Muharram renews commitment O Muslims, do not fear the threats and evil pursuits of the enemies of truth.

Muharram has dawned again to remind us that despite our enemies attacking the very core of the deen of Islam, the truth of Islam will prevail, says Shaikh ABDURAGMAAN ALEXANDER.

RAISE and glory be to Almighty Allah for granting us to witness the dawn of the new Islamic year, 1436. We implore our beneficent Creator to bestow His choicest peace and blessings on Nabi Muhammad (SAW), his pure family and all his noble Sahaabah.

O believers! The entire month of Muharram is sacred but the 10th of Muharram is the most sacred of its days. The day is named Ashurah. It has been accepted as having great significance in the Islamic calendar.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) encouraged his ummah to fast on this day, as documented in his Prophetic traditions (ahadith).

‘This fast is a compensation for the (minor) sins of the past year.’

(Muslim) ‘We are more closely related to Nabi Musa (AS), than you (the Jews)’ …and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura.

(Abu Dawud) ‘Observe the fast of Ashura and oppose the Jews. Fast a day

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before it or a day after.’ (Baihaqi) Hence, it is important to either fast on the ninth and the tenth or the tenth and the eleventh of Muharram as fasting only on the day of Ashura is makrooh (undesirable).

In this blessed month of Muharram we are reminded that Allah has honoured His true servants and abased the tyrants and despots of this world.

Is Nabi Musa (AS) not enjoying the bliss of heaven, while the accursed Firoun is in the abyss of Hell?

While the youthful Imam Husain (RA), who was martyred at Karbala, is now in the blessed company of his revered grandfather, Nabi Muhammad (SAW), the wretched Yazid is in eternal doom and agony.

While Nabi Ebrahim (AS) enjoys the honoured position as ‘The Friend of Allah’, the accursed Nimrud is in the accursed company of his friend, Iblis, and the denizens of hellfire.

O Muslims, do not fear the threats and evil pursuits of the enemies of truth. Muharram has dawned again to remind us that despite our enemies attacking the very core of the deen of Islam, the truth of Islam will prevail, ameen.

The propaganda machine of mainstream media is in full operation in its declared ‘War on Terror’ through its demonisation of Islam and Muslims.

Zionism, with its apartheid Israeli expansion policy, is determined to exterminate the Palestinian nation and steal the entire Palestine as a Jewish homeland.

Together with their bed partner, Imperialism, they create Frankensteins like Isis and supply arms to rebel forces to destabilise the Muslim countries thus poisoning the ummah with the scourge of sectarianism and disunity.

We have a proud history of authoritative Islamic scholarship that contributed greatly to the advancement of science, technology and mathematics. In fact, European civilisation owes its existence to Islam and Muslim scholarship, which stem from AlQuran and Sunnah.

The Glorious Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah together form the basis and primary sources of Islamic law.

Allah Almighty majestically declares in Surah 59 verse 7: ‘And whatever the Prophet gives you, take it. And whatever he prohibits you from, refrain from it. And be ever Allah-conscious. Verily Allah is severe in punishment.’

Thus, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) teaches us in his noble Traditions (ahadith): ‘Pray as you see me pray.’ We are also told: ‘Take from me your rituals and ibaadah of Hajj.’

O Muslims, the divine decree is that Islam is destined to prevail and overcome all baatil forces.

Allah states in Al-Quran (Surah 61 verses 8 - 9): ‘They attempt to extinguish the Light of Allah through their mouths but Allah will perfect His Light though the disbelievers detest it. He (Allah) sent His Prophet with the guidance and the Deen of Truth to prevail over every other religion, though the idolators detest it.’

It leaves us with the profound question: How much are we will-

whatever he prohibits you from, refrain from it.

And be ever Allahconscious. Verily Allah is severe in punishment.’ ing to sacrifice in the defence and propagation of our deen.

If each of us were willing to make the sacrifice of Imam Husain (RA) then there would be no deviation from the True Path.

The call is not only to give up our lives in the protection of our deen but to live Islam in every sphere of our daily lives.

O Muslims, Muharram is not a month to be morbid nor to wail or rend your clothing. No, as sad as we are for the tragic murder of our beloved Imam Husain, his martyrdom will forever symbolise the victory of good over evil, and haq over baatil.

O Muslims, let us with a renewed spirit of commitment enter our new Islamic year, praying and working for world peace, harmony, reconciliation and justice, ameen.

In conclusion, I wish you all Muharram mubarak. May Allah grant us His blessings and prosperity for this new year, 1436 Hijri, Insha Allah, ameen.

Light from the Qur’an

Muslim Views . October 2014

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The All-Wise Quran: Divine Speech IBRAHIM OKSAS and NAZEEMA AHMED T is an uncontested aspect of our imaan that requires us to have the firm conviction that the All-Wise Quran is Allah Almighty’s divine speech revealed to His Beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, in his contemporary Quranic tafsir, Risale-i Nur, states that the Quran cannot be compared with other words and speech. He says that such a comparison is not possible since there are different categories of speech.

With regard to superiority, power, beauty and fineness, any form of speech has four sources: (i) the speaker, (ii) the person addressed, (iii) the purpose and (iv) the form.

So, with regard to any speech, one should always consider, ‘Who said it? To whom was it said?

Why was it said? In what form was it said?’

One should not consider the words only and stop there.

According to Bediuzzaman, since speech draws its strength and beauty from these four sources, if the Quran’s sources are studied carefully, the degree of its eloquence, superiority and beauty will be understood.

He says that since speech looks to the speaker, if the speech comprises command or prohibition, it contains both the will and the

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power of the speaker in accordance with his position.

In order to demonstrate this, Bediuzzaman cites the ayah in Surah Hud: ‘O earth! swallow up your water. And O sky! withhold [your rain].’

Bediuzzaman explains this as, ‘O earth! Your duty is completed, swallow your water. O skies! No need now remains, cease giving rain.’

And the ayah in Surah Fussilat: ‘And He said to it and to the earth: Come together willingly or unwillingly. They said: We do come [together] in willing obedience.’

Bediuzzaman explains this as, ‘O earth! O skies! Come whether you want to or not, you are anyway submissive to My wisdom and power. Emerge from nonbeing and come to the exhibitionplace of My art in existence.’

And they replied, ‘We come in perfect obedience. Through Your power, we perform every duty that You have shown us.’

Bediuzzaman then invites us to consider the power and elevatedness of these true, effective commands contained in the All-Wise Quran, which comprise power and will, and then to compare this to human words in conversation with inanimate beings: ‘Be stationary, O earth! Be cleft, O skies! O resurrection, break forth!’ Can the two commands even be compared?

Bediuzzaman further cites the following examples: the ayah in

Surah Yasin, ‘Indeed, His command when He wills a thing is “Be!” and it is’, and the ayah in Surah Al-Baqara, ‘And on Our saying to the angels: Prostrate before Adam.’

He says that we should look at the power and elevated nature of these two ayahs then look at man’s speech in the form of commands. Is the latter not like a firefly in relation to the sun?

Consider the following ayahs in Surah Qaf: ‘Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it?

‘And the earth, We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth [in pairs] as an insight and reminder for all [Allah’s] servants who turn unto Him. ‘And We send down from the sky rain charged with blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and grain for harvests; And tall [and stately] palm-trees with shoots of fruit-stalks, piled one over another; as sustenance for [Allah’s] servants; ‘And We give [new] life therewith to land that is dead: thus will be the coming-forth [from the grave].’

Bediuzzaman explains that at the start of the surah, the unbelievers deny resurrection. The Quran then gives a long introductory passage in order to compel them to accept it.

It says: ‘Do you not look at the skies above you, which we have constructed in such magnificent, orderly fashion?

‘Do you not see how We have adorned it with stars and the sun and the moon, and how We have allowed no fault or defect?

‘Do you not see how We have spread out the earth for you and with what wisdom We have furnished it?

‘We have fixed mountains on it and protected it from the encroachment of the sea.

‘Do you not see how We have created every variety of plant and growing thing on the earth, beautiful and of every colour, and how We have made beautiful every part of it with them?

‘And do you not see how we send down bounteous rain from the skies, and with it create gardens, orchards and grains, and tall, fruit-bearing trees like the delicious date, and how I cause them to grow and send My servants sustenance with them?

‘And do you not see that I raise to life the dead country with the rain?

‘I create thousands of worldly resurrections. Just as I raise up with My power these plants out of this dead country, that is how your coming-forth will be at the resurrection. At the resurrection, the earth will die and you will come forth alive.’

Bediuzzaman then asks if there can be any comparison between

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the eloquent explanations these ayahs set forth in proving resurrection, and the words that man puts forward to support a claim.

He continues by saying that the comparison of other speech to the All-Wise Quran is that of tiny reflections of stars in pieces of glass.

How can the Quran’s words, each of which depict and show a constant truth, be compared with the meanings man depicts through his words in the small mirrors of his thoughts and feelings?

How can the angelic, living words of the Quran, which inspire the lights of guidance and are the speech of the All-Glorious Creator of the sun and the moon, be compared with man’s biting words with their bewitching substance and deceptive subtleties for arousing base desires?

Bediuzzaman concludes by saying that although for well over a thousand years, the All-Wise Quran has set forth and displayed all its truths, and that all nations and all countries have taken some of its jewels and its truths, neither the familiarity, nor the abundance, nor the passage of time, nor the great changes have damaged the Quran’s valuable truths and fine styles or caused it to age or made it lose its value or extinguished its beauty.

This in itself, Bediuzzaman says, is an aspect of the All-Wise Quran’s miraculousness.

The new year and our responsibility THE Islamic New Year 1436 brings with it the opportunity for a new dawn in nearness to our Creator Inshaa Allah.

It is an opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed and to ask Allah SWT to forgive our sins and the sins of our brethren.

Additionally, it is a time to look forward to new beginnings and to seek greater closeness to Allah SWT and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Zakaah: The beautiful act of worship The word zakaah denotes the amount of wealth (2,5%) a Muslim must pay to particular categories of underprivileged people, if their annual wealth exceeds a specific amount.

Zakaah is the third pillar of Islam. Linguistically, it means ‘to purify’. By paying zakaah we purify our wealth by sharing it with others.

Zakaah is neither a tax nor a charity. It is an obligation to fulfil, and something for which we will be held accountable to Allah SWT directly. Zakaah benefits the person who receives it but also the person who gives it. We should be grateful for the opportunity to increase our righteous deeds through it.

Zakaah purifies our hearts because it goes against our selfish instincts to hoard wealth for ourselves. Whatever material comfort we have been given is a test for us. By paying zakaah, we acknowledge that our wealth is not our own but a blessing to be shared.

Zakaah ensures that the very poorest of society are protected from hunger, insecurity and the need for basic essentials. The giver embodies the spirit of social responsibility.

Every person who is sane, an adult (reached puberty) Muslim and sahib-un-nisab must pay zakaah as a duty. To be a sahibun-nisab means you possess more wealth than the level of nisab for a period of one lunar year or more.

The nisab – the minimum value of wealth one must possess for zakaah to become payable – is defined as 87,5g of pure gold or its equivalent value in money.

Many people choose to pay their zakaah during Ramadaan every year for the extra blessings,

and so they don’t forget to pay each lunar year. Note however, that this must be before a year has passed otherwise zakaah will be overdue.

You can also pay zakaah in monthly instalments. Simply calculate your zakaah, divide this by 12 and set up a regular payment, specifying it as zakaah. You can pay your zakaah in monthly instalments for the year ahead but not in arrears.

Zakaah is always paid on the balance of assets owned on the zakaahable date, not on fluctuating amounts during the year or on the average. Zakaah is due on the following types of wealth: l Gold and silver, including ornaments or jewellery containing gold and/ or silver cash

held at home or in bank accounts. l Stocks and shares owned directly or through investment funds. l Money lent to others. l Business stock in trade and merchandise. l Agricultural produce. l Livestock animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep and camels. l Produce of mines. l Pensions. l Property owned for investment purposes.

If you qualify to pay zakaah, it is also obligatory for you to perform the qurbani at the time of Eid ul-Adha.

All assets owned for personal use and used to meet basic living expenses are exempt from zakaah except for cash and items made from gold and silver. This means your home and personal car are not liable for zakaah.

If you have a second property for investment purposes with the clear intention to keep it, it is not subject to zakaah but any profit from rental income is fully subject to zakaah.

If you have a second house for investment purposes with the clear intention to resell it at a profit, you must pay zakaah on it as it is considered a ‘stock in trade. The entire value of the property is subject to zakaah.

Gold and silver in whichever form are always subject to zakaah. If metal items of personal use have less than half their content as gold or silver then they are

not liable for zakaah.

It is important to get jewellery accurately valued at a professional jeweller to account for the pure gold or silver content.

When buying jewellery, ask for the gold and silver weight in grams to be marked on the receipt for future reference.

The market value of gold fluctuates.

When calculating the value of your gold, you will need to know the current price of gold.

Who can receive zakaah?

In Quran 9:60, the categories of people entitled to receive zakaah are described: 1. The poor – those who have no income.

2. The needy – those who may have an income but it is below a minimum requirement.

3. Employees of zakaah – those who identify the destitute, and handle zakaah.

4. Sympathisers – those who might enter or who have already entered Islam.

5. Zakaah can also be used to free slaves; to relieve those in hardship under debt and for the cause of Allah SWT. At Muslim Hands we take the responsibility of handling zakaah extremely seriously as we understand this is more than just charity, it is worship.

Zakaah donations are handled with the greatest care to ensure they reach eligible recipients quickly and securely.

Contact Muslim Hands on 021 699 8090 or visit www.muslimhands.org.za Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2014

Positive and Effective Parenting

Talking with children about tough issues FOUZIA RYKLIEF

SEE and hear through my work, daily interaction with people close to me and, generally, through public media, about children trapped in gangsterism and violence, substance abuse, sexual promiscuity and teen-parenting.

These conditions are found across all the diverse groups in our community. The Cape Argus recently dedicated two pages, two days in a row, to the level of violence in our communities, and the involvement of young boys.

Research has shown that structural conditions such as poverty, unequal distribution of resources as well as negative parenting practices are some of the key contributing factors to this phenomenon. While government and civil society can do much more to alleviate this situation, what can you as an individual and as a parent/ caregiver do?

You can talk with children; not talk to (which amounts to lecturing) but talk with them.

There is also the really scary news of bad things happening in the world, locally and internationally. Children see the news headlines on posters.

How do we respond to their questions such as ‘Will that happen here’ or ‘Will that happen to me?’ Sometimes, children do not ask these questions but some symptoms may indicate that they are stressed about something.

These symptoms include refusing to go to school; nightmares; bedwetting; nail-biting; suddenly wanting to sleep in your bed; unusual excessive crying when you go to work or somewhere else – not wanting to be left alone.

I will be covering the following issues over a period of time: Sex and sexuality; bullying; substance abuse and grief and loss as a result of death and divorce.

Here are some general guidelines.

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Start early Children are hearing about and even experience difficult situations at increasingly early ages, often before they are ready to understand all aspects of those situations. Young children turn to their parents first and want information, advice and guidance.

Once they reach the teenage years, they tend to depend more on friends, the media and other outsiders for their information.

As a parent, you have a won-

Muslim Views

derful opportunity to talk with your child about these issues first, before anyone else can confuse your child with incorrect information or explanations that lack the sense of values you want to instil.

Initiate conversations with your child Children do not always come to us with questions and concerns. That is why it becomes necessary to begin the discussions ourselves. Many opportunities to do this are presented to us on a daily basis. There are the news bulletins on TV or in print media and a number of programmes that the child may be watching.

There are always teachable moments like these or something may have happened to a friend at school or a family member. Just one or two questions could help start a valuable discussion that comes from everyday circumstances and events.

A word of caution: It is important not to bombard children with lots of frightening information. You do not want to scare children unnecessarily.

When speaking to young children, give short explanations and when they seem satisfied, let it go.

Use words they can understand.

Use simple, short words and straightforward explanations.

If you have more than one

child, try to speak with them separately, even about the same subject. Children of different ages are usually at different developmental levels, which means that they need different information, have different sensitivities and require a different vocabulary.

Create a safe atmosphere We need to create the kind of atmosphere in which our children can ask any questions – on any subject – freely and without fear of consequence. Parents often brush children off by saying things like, ‘You are too young to be asking about this; this is adult business.’

Parents also often respond with comments like, ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I’m busy’. A positive and encouraging way to respond is to acknowledge the child’s question or concern.

You could say something like, ‘That’s an interesting question but I’m not sure. Let’s Google it.’ You could even say, ‘That’s an important question but I need to finish what I’m doing. Can we talk about it in about half an hour’s time?’

Communicate your values As a parent, you have a wonderful opportunity to be the first person to talk with your child about issues like drugs and violence before anyone else can con-

fuse him with ‘just-the-facts’ and explanations that lack the sense of values and moral principles you want to instil.

Likewise, when talking with your child about sex, remember to talk about more than ‘the birds and the bees’, and communicate your values. Children want and need moral guidance from their parents so don’t hesitate to make your beliefs clear.

Listen to your child and the question It’s important to find time to give children our undivided attention when they ask a question or expresses a concern. Listening carefully to our children builds self-esteem by letting them know that they are important to us, and can lead to valuable discussions about a wide variety of sensitive issues.

It is better to ask a child first what he or she thinks or knows about the issue. That will guide you to respond appropriately.

For example, suppose your child asks you what tik is. Before you answer, ask him what he thinks it is. If he says, ‘I think it’s something you eat that makes you act funny,’ then you have a sense of his level of understanding and you can adjust your explanations to fit. Listening to our children and taking their feelings into account also helps us understand

when they’ve had enough.

Suppose you are answering your child’s questions about AIDS. If, after a while, he says, ‘I want to go out and play,’ stop the talk and re-introduce the subject at another time or leave it. The child will come to you when he has more questions.

Try to be honest Whatever your children’s ages, they deserve honest answers and explanations; that is what strengthens our children’s ability to trust. Also, when we don’t provide a straightforward answer, children make up their own fantasy explanations, which can be more frightening than any real, honest response we can offer.

While we may not want or need to share all the details of a particular situation or issue with our children, try not to leave any big gaps either. When we do, children tend to fill in the blanks themselves, which can generate a great deal of confusion and concern.

Adapted from ‘How to talk to your kids about anything’ (www.kidsgrowth.com) Further references The Parent Centre www.talkingwithkids.org Fouzia Ryklief is a departmental manager at the Parent Centre in Wynberg, Cape Town.

Muslim Views . October 2014

From Consciousness to Contentment

37

Duah – the weapon of the believer JASMINE KHAN

ARIDA went to bed with the argument between her two sons ringing in her ears.

Ebrahim, the eldest, had to leave town to do his trade test. In order to keep his job, he had to put someone in his place. The logical person was his younger brother, Hakim.

The problem was that his employer was not prepared to pay the substitute the same rate; in fact, the rate was less than half.

Needless to say, Hakim had refused to consider it, even if it meant that Ebrahim would lose his job.

The next morning, Hakim went to Farida and said, ‘Mom, I have decided to take the job for my brother’s sake, although I still feel they are exploiting the situation.’

Mymona was wondering where she would get the money to pay the rent that was due in two days. Her husband had decided to end the marriage and had left before paying the rent, which had always been his responsibility.

That afternoon, her son, a student at UCT, arrived home with good news. He had been awarded a complete bursary for his studies and, best of all, they were also refunding the registration fee which was paid at the start of the year.

What do these two women have in common?

They each had a conversation with Allah. We have become so used to making duah at the end of our salaah that it has almost become a ritual. It is, of course, a very good time to make duah but we need to remember that duah is actually a conversation we have with our Creator.

It should be the first avenue open to us; in fact, it is the only one open to us.

When we send our children into the world, we make sure that we have prepared them with the tools to have a successful life.

Similarly, Allah has sent us into the world with the most powerful weapon for success and happiness – the power of duah.

When we appeal to Allah for help, we affirm our total and unconditional belief in Him as the supreme master of our fate. We acknowledge and affirm our faith, that nothing and no one can help us except Allah.

When we make duah, we enter into a state of supplication, begging for Allah’s infinite mercy and

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Allah has sent us into the world with the most powerful weapon for success and happiness – the power of duah. When that duah is made on Arafah, the most powerful place on earth, on the day of Wukuf, we believe that the duah is most powerful. We make duah that Allah accept all the supplications of the hujjaaj and the Photo M T NAKIDIEN duah of those who have no other means but duah to change their conditions.

pleading for a solution to what is troubling us.

When we supplicate, it has to be with absolute sincerity, it must come from the heart, and it must be accompanied by the absolute conviction that Allah will grant us relief.

As strange as it may sound, there are actually people who never ask Allah for anything; they feel that they are self-sufficient or believe that the very thought of showing weakness diminishes them. Yet, Rasulullah (SAW) said, ‘There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making duah to Him.’ According to him (SAW), ‘Duah is ibadah.’(Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud). In view of this, it becomes incumbent on us to do it, and not only in times of hardship.

The Prophet (SAW) also said, ‘Allah is extremely displeased with the person who doesn’t make duah to Allah.’ (Tirmidhi).

It could be construed as rejecting a gift that was given with love, a gift from our Creator.

It has become the norm that

we appeal to Allah in times of trouble. In the case of the two examples cited earlier, these ladies spend a portion of the day having what they term ‘a chat with the one who really loves me’.

Is it any wonder that Allah answered their prayers when it was needed?

Very often we get despondent when it seems as if our duahs are not immediately granted. However, Allah, in His infinite mercy and omnipotence, knows the right time to give us what we need, not a moment before or later.

When we want Allah to solve our problems, we have to supplicate on a regular basis, not just when we are in need. In fact, the truth of the matter is that we need Allah every moment of our lives.

Duah is the most potent weapon of the believer. Abu Hurayrah narrated that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘In the court of Allah, there is no greater thing than duah.’ (Ibn Majah) The benefits of duah include: There is no arrogance in the person who constantly makes

duah because, in imploring Allah, he acknowledges that he is powerless.

Your duah is always accepted, provided it is done with sincerity and does not call for haraam. If it is not granted immediately, rest assured Allah either has something better for you or defers what you requested till Aakhirah.

Jabir narrated that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘Whoever makes duah to Allah, Allah fulfils his seeking or in exchange averts misfortune provided the duah is not related to a sin or breaking some relation.’ (Tirmidhi) Allah’s mercy is guaranteed, as stated: ‘For whomever the door of duah opened, for him the doors of mercy are opened.’ (Hadith, Tirmidhi) In another hadith, Salman alFarsi narrated that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘Duah turns away destiny,’ (however, only minor qadr) ‘and good deeds lengthen age.’

We have to be in a constant state of Allah-consciousness, grateful for blessings and beseeching Allah’s mercy.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Whoever desires that Allah his duahs in answers unfavourable and difficult conditions, he should make a lot of duah in days of ease and comfort.’

It is also advisable to make duah for others, not just for yourself. To get a sin forgiven for every Muslim all we have to do is recite verse 28 of Surah Nuh: ‘O my Lord, forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in faith and all believing men and believing women: and to the wrongdoers grant no increase but in perdition!’

When you have complete faith, your duah will be accepted; if you doubt, the chances are it will not be accepted.

We are about to enter the new Islamic year, and this is a good time to resolve to appeal to Allah, not just for ourselves but for the ummah.

In view of what is happening locally and globally, let us make use of the powerful weapon of duah that we have been blessed with, Insha Allah, ameen.

E v er yd ay ! e s Ev i c es p r ice o w pr V E ..... . L ow O P & S A VE S H OP V Visit isit our W Website ebsite for all our Specials - www.elitecc.co.za www.elitecc.co.za EE-mail: mail: P PDQDJHU#HOLWHFF FR ]D ZZZ IDFHERRN FRP HOLWHFDVKFDUU\ DQDJHU#HOLWHFF FR ]D ZZZ IDFHERRN FRP HOLWHFDVKFDUU\ Muslim Views

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Muslim Views . October 2014

FOR ALL

Muslim Views . October 2014

39

Sameer Sirkoth’s fine-art passage Our economy would nose-dive without the talents of artists who can make knotty problems fun, writes Doctor M C D’ARCY.

AMEER Sirkoth of Kenwyn’s passage on the fine-art seas is an interesting

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one.

It began at the age of twelve and could have easily floundered on the rocky path ahead. The schools he attended, Habibia Primary and Rylands High, did not offer structured art classes; that is the case in most of the schools in South Africa, where art and culture are put on the educational back-burner.

This drawback did not deter Sameer from experimenting with watercolours, oil pastel ‘crayons’ on paper and oil paints on canvas.

Serendipitously, Sameer’s uncle, Amanullah’s work in cutout gold-foil calligraphy intrigued him, inspiring him to reach for sketching pen and paper. His innate talent soon opened up a world beyond pencil.

His father, Rashid, took him to Achmat Soni’s Calligraphy School, then housed in the Gatesville mini-mall. He was smitten by the technique of brush on canvas to produce infinite varieties of geometric and cursive art from simple Arabic alphabet letters.

This evocative art stirred deep spiritual and artistic emotions.

Sameer attended classes for some time, honing his skills at reproducing the patterns of the ancient and modern masters of calligraphy art.

Two-dimensional painting advanced to three-dimensional impasto-arts. This skill usually entails the use of an art paletteknife to smear thick layers of paints onto canvases and boards.

He enjoyed this but his visual horizons soon extended beyond calligraphy and he sailed further, diversifying to landscape and stilllife subjects.

In the tenth grade at school, Sameer had his first public art exhibition at Gatesville Public Library. His teacher, Mrs Ganie, inspired by his work, motivated the production of a calendar illustrated with his works.

This accolade led to interviews in the Cape Argus and Athlone News newspapers. Radio interviews followed.

We live in a society in which parents direct their children to careers that they themselves are familiar with.

In the local milieu, these choices seldom include the arts and crafts. In fact, many parents, especially in the Muslim community, react with horror if a child expresses any intent to pursue an avenue that even hints at such a choice. Yet, art and illustration are essential to education and commerce.

Advertising depends on good art input. Textbooks are deadly dull without the illustrator or artist’s vital inputs of making difficult or wordy concepts understandable. Our economy would nose-dive without the talents of artists who can make knotty problems fun, and also drive you to put your hand into your pocket to buy essential or even commodities that you may not need; that’s what makes the economic world go round.

Cars are seldom bought for their engines; it’s the flash and hype that sells. Ask Ferrari if they would sell any of their supercharged cars shrouded in the humdrum cloaks and colours of yester-year’s iconic Volksie-Beetles (Volkswagens).

Fiery red bodies and sleek lines enable Ferrari cars to literally zoom out of showrooms; it’s all art and design.

Sameer was fortunate that his parents were not in the mould of the above art-choice abominations. They encouraged him to follow his stars, as the old saying goes.

He sailed forth into his dreams and had its ultimate direction fine-tuned at Michaelis Art School in Cape Town, headed by the famed artist, Professor Pippa Skotnes.

‘A life in art was a difficult choice. I contemplated long and hard,’ said Sameer. ‘It would mean attending Michaelis School of Art to get a degree. But I was deeply interested in the technical processes of art, so it was essential. I was fascinated by the ‘Old Dutch Masters’ such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Vermeer and Jakob van Ruisdael and their colonial connection with South Africa. Some of their works can be seen in the old Townhouse in Greenmarket Square, in central Cape Town.

‘I also have a strong leaning to landscape painting and its strong association with nature; that’s where you find the feeling of space and the manifestation of the Creator.’

In a long conversation, I got to hear more of the spiritual side of Sameer and how it integrates with societal attitude and mores.

He was intellectually familiar with Islamic history, beliefs and philosophies. They were much in tone with those I have expressed before, and echoed the sentiments that the future of art, and socalled Islamic art in particular, should venture responsibly into the light of the living, the future, not the dead.

To me, art should not be hamstrung by the intellectually deaf, blind and the asininely vocal.

On the suggestion of lecturer Virginia McKerry, Sameer specialised in the retouching and restoration of paintings and etchings on paper.

Artist Sameer Sirkoth with two of his paintings: Enlarged ceramic mosque lamp and his painting of Arab Riders slightly obscured.

Photo MC D’ARCY

It needs skilled hands and nerves of steel to be entrusted to work on some of the valuable prints and artworks in the Michaelis Collection. Sameer was gifted; he had these attributes. He worked on one of the restorations of a priceless Rembrandt etching.

After graduation, he was referred to Johan Maree in whose studio he worked on rare books.

During a three-year contract job at Parliament, Sameer did restoration and conservation of rare documents dating back to the 1500s.

He explained that, essentially, restoration is to return a damaged work to its original state.

Conservation, however, is the preservation of an artistic work, document or object, and recording or determining its history.

‘An interesting aspect of restoration and conservation is that all the processes in conservation-repair should be reversible,’ said Sameer.

‘Restorers of the future should be easily able to undo your work.

That’s important.

‘If your work-technique is permanent then it might be impossible for it to be repaired in the future using new innovations.’

Sameer relates: ‘I have worked on an old hand-written Quran from Turkey. It was moth-eaten and I had to use acid-free Japanese tissue paper to stabilise it. I’ve also worked on a document in Urdu from the 1600s for a private client.’

Sameer’s later jobs included stints at the Cape Archives, The National Art Gallery, and the City of Cape Town’s old papers.

(He also worked for private clients.)

The walls of Sameer’s home are decorated with his large paintings. Some are influenced by his extensive readings of the art world. A much enlarged painting of an old mosque-lamp caught my eye. It harks back to the time when mosques, particularly of the Islamic heartlands, were lit by exquisite, ornate lamps filled with fragrant oils.

Colourfully garbed Middle East riders on Arab horses jog through another painting. In the gloom, a chiaroscuro (dark and light) painting emerges from the repertoire of the Old-Dutch ‘masters’ such as Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Vermeer.

The interplay of light and shadow of Jacob van Ruisdael’s landscapes fascinates Sameer. A far-off house nestles under the pink sunset-splashed mountains, reminiscent of the work of South Africa’s Tinus and, his son, Gabriel de Jongh.

All the paintings are meticulously executed, ready to grace any wall. From this collection I’m sure Sameer would cast his eyes to further subjects, further vistas determined by his choices and that of prospective clients.

His future anthologies, anchored by his technical experience, will not fail.

‘Allah revealed the Quran via words; words have sacredness,’ said Sameer. In Sufi wisdom he continued, ‘In reality, everything is an opportunity to draw near to Allah; art is one process, and a reminder of the Creator.

‘If a society neglects art, it is a reflection of the neglect of knowledge. Muslims should reclaim their heritage. In history, Muslims never discarded the arts of those they conquered. There is no division between Western and Eastern art; all nations receive guidance from Allah.’

Artist Sameer Sirkoth with his chiaroscuro work titled Feast.

Photo MC D’ARCY Muslim Views

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Muslim Views

Muslim Views . October 2014