Muslim Views, January 2014

Vol. 28 No. 1 RABI-UL-AWWAL 1435 l JANUARY 2014

As one long walkends, so our own journeys continue.

We reflect on Madiba’s legacy

on pages 7, 8 and 9

The mass Moulood-un-Nabi organised by Mawlid SA last year brought together thousands to celebrate the birth of thebeloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Among the guests were (from left) Maulana Ighsaan Hendricks, President of the Muslim Judicial Council, Deputy President Kgalema Motlante, the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, and the Mayorof Cape Town, Patricia de Lille. This year the mass Moulood-un-Nabi will be held on January 19 at the Green Point Track inCape Town. See page 10. Photo SHAFIQ MORTON Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

Muslim Views

Muslim Views . January 20142

IDRIS TAWFIQ, a professor atAl Azhar in Cairo, attendedthe assembly of the World

Council of Churches, which tookplace recently in South Korea.These are his impressions:

THE Geneva-based WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC) wasfounded after the Second WorldWar as a forum for Christians totry and bring the differentbranches of Christianity closertogether after centuries of divi-sion.

Since that time, Anglicans,Lutherans, Orthodox and Evan-gelical Christians, all with theirdifferent histories, traditions andbeliefs, have all worked for theday when there will just be oneChristian Church.

Since then, every seven years,the WCC has held a global con-gress where participants of themember churches come togetherto discuss the faith they have incommon.

So it was that in November2013 around 4 000 Christiansfrom all across the globe gatheredin Busan, South Korea, for thetenth such assembly of the WorldCouncil of Churches.

The choice of venue was itselfsignificant since Korea has beenphysically divided in two for thelast sixty years.

Under the Assembly theme of‘God of Life Lead Us to Justiceand Peace’, the participantsprayed together, talked togetherand even argued vigorouslytogether for ten days of meetingsand workshops.

Many of the World’s religiousleaders attended. The Archbishopof Canterbury, for example, the

spiritual leader of the world’s 80million Anglicans, brought a mes-sage of greeting and urged thedelegates to work passionately forgreater unity for the sake of theworld.

In all this, then, I was presentat the gathering as the Muslimguest of the General Secretary ofthe World Council of Churches,the Rev Dr Olav Fykse-Tveit, aLutheran Pastor from Norway.

We had first met in Edinburgh,Scotland, and had spoken fromthe same platform about ourrespective faiths. Since then, I hadalso visited the headquarters ofthe WCC to discuss with him theissue of Muslims and Christiansin the Middle East.

So what was I doing there?It took a little persuasion on

facebook to convince some of myfriends that I hadn’t ‘gone over tothe other side’; in fact, far from it.I was there as a Muslim. I wasthere to listen and to learn but,more importantly, to witness qui-etly to Islam.

Speaking on the same platformas the Archbishop of Canterbury,for example, I was able to tell oneworkshop group that althoughthey believed Jesus to have diedon the cross, the Quran tells methat he didn’t and although theybelieve Jesus is the Son of God theQuran tells me that he isn’t.

Having different beliefs,though, is no reason for us tofight one another.

People believe different thingsand, in a world torn apart by reli-gious violence, it is desperatelyimportant that people of faith canget on well together and work

together for the poor in theirmidst. Respecting your neigh-bour’s right to believe somethingdifferent to you in no way com-promises your own belief.

Indeed, as people of faith, weshould never be afraid of good-ness, wherever it comes from, andin Busan I met many good people.They remained good people, eventhough, as a Muslim, I believedthat their beliefs were mistakenand their understanding of Godwas wrong.

Not all Christians, just like notall Muslims, believe in dialoguebetween faiths and the Assemblywas not without controversy asthere were some local Christiansprotesting outside the venue withplacards and posters, claimingthat the WCC has strayed fromwhat they believe to be the teach-ing of Christ by talking to people

of other religions, and promotingmodern interpretations of scrip-ture.

This group, though, was a tinydistraction.

Throughout the week, I didhear talk of Christians being per-secuted in the Middle East. Thesewords were painful to me since Ilive in Egypt and know that this isnot true.

At every opportunity, I tried tomake clear that while some peo-ple are suffering terrible things inthe Middle East, Islam is not thereason for this since AllahAlmighty allows people to believewhatever they want, and Muslimsare commanded to protect theChristians in their midst.

I found that while some wereintent on spreading this messageof persecution, many people wereopen to listen and to hear all sidesof the story.

So what did I learn in SouthKorea? Was it worthwhile travel-ing halfway across the globe tolisten for ten days to Christiansdebating with one another?

I would say that it was worth-while, although ten days is a longtime and it was heavy going.Halfway through, I was missinghome!

First of all, I was very humbledto have been invited in the firstplace and I was impressed by theway the Assembly was organised.For months beforehand, theorganisers were sending meemails with information aboutwhat was to come.

The logistics of holding such alarge gathering over such a longperiod were enormous but it wasall done very efficiently and well,

and I was made to feel very wel-come and that my contributionwas valued.

Secondly, I was deeplyimpressed by the way the partici-pants were concerned about jus-tice.

As a Muslim, there were areasof injustice in the world which Ithought were not addressed bythe Assembly but there wasnonetheless a real thirst forimproving people’s lives acrossthe globe, either because of pover-ty, exploitation or disease.

I reflected that at Muslim gath-erings we are not always seen tobe concerned about the poor.There was also a very impressiveconcern for the earth itself andthe way we treat the earth.

Again, I wondered if, as Mus-lims, this is not always one of thethemes closest to our hearts, eventhough we clearly believe thatAllah created the earth and every-thing in it.

I was certainly impressed bythe respect the delegates showedone another. This is clearly anarea where we, as Muslims, canlearn.

Many of the traditions repre-sented at the Assembly were sodifferent from one another thatthey almost seemed like differentreligions yet, people were pre-pared to listen to other opinionsand ideas with respect.

I do wish that as Muslims wecould listen to other Muslimswith the same respect, withoutcondemning them or damningthem to hell. So, even though, asChristians and a Muslim at thisAssembly, we started from verydifferent backgrounds, there wasmuch to learn.

An ambassador for IslamInsha Allah, the Christian dele-

gates learned a little from me as Italked to them about prayer inIslam and freedom in Islam.

The delegates prayed togethereach morning and then spent timein Bible Study. Of course, I didn’tattend either of these daily events.Instead, when it was time forsalaah I would find a quiet cornerand pray. While not making a bigsong and dance about this, Icould nonetheless be seen prayingas a Muslim.

There are some who wouldwitness to Islam differently, and Irespect their opinions. For me,being in South Korea was aboutbeing an ambassador for Islam –and ambassadors don’t shout butdo their job in a very quiet way.

As I was getting on the plane tofly back to Egypt, one womanminister who had been at theAssembly came up and spoke tome. ‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘forbeing yourself. I enjoyed yourcontributions this week morethan anything else.’

None of us will ever know theeffect our efforts have in tellingothers about Islam.

Some, certainly, will acceptIslam and become Muslim.Countless more, though, willcome to see Islam in a differentlight to the one portrayed on TVand in the newspapers by ourgood manners and the respectwith which we listen to others.

It is possible to tell others thatwhat they believe is wrong but wedon’t have to do that by shoutingor by aggressive language. In theprocess we, too, might learnsomething.

Our world would be a lot bet-ter if only we could listen to oneanother.

Al Azhar prof impressed by level of debateat World Council of Churches Assembly

Palestinian mourners joined solidarity activists from South Africa to light candles in memory of Nelson Mandela during a vigil in Gaza City on December 8, 2013.Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant congregations in Palestine also dedicated their church services on Sunday December 8 to the South African leader and anti-apartheid icon who publicly supported, defended and backed the Palestinian struggle to end Israel’s illegal occupation and Apartheid policies.

Photo BDS SOUTH AFRICA

… in a world tornapart by religiousviolence, it is desperatelyimportant thatpeople of faithcan get on welltogether andwork together forthe poor in theirmidst

Muslim Views . January 2014 3

Muslim Views

The Prophet (SAW)is a model for allTHE tributes to Mandela soonafter his death last month were accompanied by lavish praise fora great political leader of ourtime. However, more sober reflections have focused on thecontested, and even controversial, nature of his legacy.For South African Muslims, at thetime of Moulood, this is a usefulcontext in which to consider thegreatest human legacy, cherishedby a global community of faith,established in tradition for over fourteen centuries and worthy ofnothing less than Divine validation.The legacy of Prophet Muhammad(SAW) is a phenomenon of ‘mercyfor all the worlds’ in a present, this-worldly, material sense, as well asin the spiritual, eternal sense. Inthese respects alone, it supersedesevery other human legacy.The context described above of celebrating the Moulood of theProphet Muhammad (SAW) at thistime for Muslims in South Africa issignificant. Mandela’s death hasevoked an effusion of analyses ofhis personality, values and hismodel of leadership.While much of his legacy is idealised, such as his humanity andcapacity for forgiveness, he hasalso been justly criticised for lapsessuch as his compromise with theadvocates for neo-liberalism.

The critical approach to Mandela’slegacy is part of a vital process forthe future of South Africa.It is noteworthy though that this isradically different from the way Muslims frame the legacy of NabiMuhammad (SAW). Prophethood isdivinely ordained and is not subjectto human scrutiny. The legacy ofNabi Muhammad (SAW) transcendsthis world because it offers a modelfor success in this world and in thehereafter.It is only in the interpretation of themodel that we may differ. Much ofthe diversity of opinion in the legacyof Islam may be attributed to different interpretations of the life ofthe Prophet (SAW). However, it is inthe application of the model that we,as South Africans, at this time in ourcountry, can find ways and meansto bring grace and virtue to a troubled society.The enduring blessing of a Muslimis that the legacy of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) remains a comprehensive source of guidanceand inspiration. Whether it relates tothe conflicts of a global politicalorder or to the deeply personal conflicts of the individual, the HolyProphet (SAW) sets a universalstandard from which we can draw.The young South African democracy is replete with the kindof conflicts, challenges and opportunities that Muslims shouldbest approach with wisdom from theseerah of the Prophet (SAW).Racism, human rights violations andpoverty are endemic social issues inSouth Africa for which the Propheticmodel has provided timeless solutions.Sectarianism, parochialism andextremism are familiar ills to Muslims, and there are equally relevant solutions for these in theProphetic model for all of humanity.The practice of social courtesies,respect for elders and a gender-sensitive implementation of democratic values are commonways that Muslims can implementdaily in a diverse democratic society. The way of the Prophet(SAW) is not simply a model forMuslims. It is a model for humanity.

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 [email protected]

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This newspaper carries Allah’s names, the names of theProphets 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.

The term ‘Moulood’ has acquired established usage in Muslim Viewsover many years. However, Moulood, Mawlid and Meelad are allacceptable terms according to Arabic language experts.

The term ‘moulood’ is commonly used in South Africa, particularlyby local Muslim communities in the Western Cape, which is why it hasgained local currency. Mawlid has greater currency internationally,especially in Muslim countries like Egypt and the Sudan where theword ‘mawsim’ is also used.

All three terms are nouns derived from the verb ‘walada’, the literalmeaning of which is the past tense form of the verb referring to givingbirth. The nounal forms can be construed as terms referring to the actof giving birth and the place and time of giving birth.

Therefore, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the Sak alLayl area of Makkah, in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, is understoodand universally accepted throughout the Muslim world.

In Islamic culture, therefore, since at least the twelfth century (AH),it signifies the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad(SAW). However, the use of the term can be extended to that of a gener-ic for the birthday celebration of saints.

The expanded form of the term, Moulood-un-Nabi, is a typicalqualification that underscores the pre-eminence of the ProphetMuhammad (SAW).

Our preference for ‘moulood’ is thus not simply for technical rea-sons but also because it recognises local usage.

Muslim Views endorses the celebration of Moulood as the great his-toric event as well as the social virtues of diverse local communitiescoming together for the love of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Larger battle looms following small victory for Runners for Palestine- Page 4

Long walk to freedom comes to an end- Page 7

Why Muslims should remember Mandela- Page 8

Reclaiming Mandela- Page 8

Mass Mawlid in Cape Town- Page 10

A historical overview of Moulood celebrations- Page 11

Yes, Muhammad (SAW) is still alive- Page 13

Moulood message from the Anglican Archbishop- Page 16

A NEW SERIES by Shaikh Ismail LondtSpirituality: a Quranic and Sunnah perspective- Page 17

Muslim sectarianism in South Africa- Page 18

Stories from the Hijaz - The Battle of the Trench:Betrayal- Page 22

Hajj Stories - Renewed hope- Page 24

Obituaries: Yasmena Johnstone, Sharifa AhmedChoglay, Zainab Asvat, Yacoob Mullah- Page 25

Obituary: Yacoob Mullah- Page 26

Provisional Tax: Interest and Penalties- Page 29

The second wife syndrome: Conclusion- 7

Art’s for All: Memoir 6 - Pen and Paint- Page 39

Sports-Talk: Losses and Lessons- Page 40

In this edition of Muslim Views

Moulood, Mawlid or Meelad

Muslim Views


MAHMOOD SANGLAYTHE South African HumanRights Commission (SAHRC)has found that Western ProvinceAthletics (WPA) had, in Marchthis year, unfairly disqualifiedtwo athletes for carrying thePalestinian flag while participating in marathons.

Rogeema Kenny was disquali-fied from the Constantia Village15km Marathon that took placeon March 9, 2013, and UwaisRazack was disqualified from theTwo Oceans Half Marathon thattook place on March 30, 2013.

The SAHRC finding followeda complaint lodged by Runnersfor the Freedom of Palestine(RFP) on May 29 which sought tohave the disqualificationsreversed and the assurance thatthey have the freedom to partici-pate in WPA events bearing thePalestinian flag without fear ofdiscrimination by race officials.

The RFP is a movement found-ed in March 2012 by SafoudienBester who is a member of IthekoSport Athletic Club.

Kenny is also a member ofItheko but Razack does notbelong to any club. Both Kennyand Razack are members of RFP.While Bester developed an inter-est in running because of hisinterest in the cause of RFP,Safoudien and Kenny are avidrunners.

The SAHRC finding eventuallyled to a settlement agreementseven months later at a concilia-tion meeting on October 22,2013. At this meeting, the dis-qualifications were reversed andapologies were tendered to Kennyand Razack.

In addition, the Two OceansMarathon (TOM) apologised to

Razack for ‘inconvenience andhurt’ caused by the statement of arace official.

In their individual responses tothe SAHRC, both WPA andTOM have clarified their posi-tions in respect of the RPF com-plaint.

The position of TOM is fairlysimple in that it refers the appli-cation of the regulations of themarathon to WPA as the provin-cial athletics management board.The latter, in turn, abides by theregulations of the InternationalAssociation of Athletics Federa-tions (IAAF).

TOM has further conceded, inresponse to another part of theRFP complaint, that it has failedto abide by IAAF regulations bypermitting a political party, theDemocratic Alliance, to managean official water point on themarathon route.

The IAAF regulation stipu-lates: ‘Both political (i.e. the pro-motion of any political parties,associations, movements, ideas orany other political cause) and reli-gious advertising are prohibitedin respect of competitions.’

However, the board of TOMagreed to ‘enforce the prohibition

on political advertising at allfuture races’.

Unresolved issues

The finding of the SAHRC andthe settlement agreement appearto have ended in a victory for RFPafter a brief controversy over thePalestinian flag at sporting events.However, the controversy is notyet over and there are some con-tentious issues that remain unre-solved.

An example is that the RFP’sapplication to the SAHRC for thefreedom to participate in WPAevents bearing the Palestinian flag

without fear of discrimination byrace officials has not beenanswered.

Neither the finding of theSAHRC nor the agreementbetween the parties addresses thematter of discrimination. On thecontrary, WPA denies any unfairdiscrimination while conceding inits submission to the SAHRC thatthere has been ‘inconsistent appli-cation’ of the regulations.

Sport, politics and the lawThe RFP complaint raises a

conflict between the right to free-dom of expression and associa-tion under the South African con-stitution and the ‘RegulationsGoverning Advertising and Pro-motional Displays’ at sportingevents held under the auspices ofthe bodies affiliated to the IAAF.

Consequently, the key bodiesin the conflict, RFP and WPA, areseeking to position themselvesstrategically in order to advancetheir interests.

The RFP victory is a small onein that it offers a freedom ofexpression that is limited to theconditions stipulated in the IAAFregulation. The SAHRC findingrecognises and is consistent withthe IAAF regulation.

It is noteworthy that the RFPalso, in its complaint, explicitlyrecognises this IAAF regulationand does not seek the right tomake political statements inbreach of its provisions. It simplyargues that carrying the Palestin-ian flag, which is the nationalsymbol of a state recognised bySouth Africa, does not constitutemaking a political statement.

Larger battle looms following small victory for runners for Palestine

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Rogeema Kenny, left, and her sister Fadeelah are pictured running after participating in the Quds Day march in Cape Town,on August 2, 2013. The sisters often train and run races together bearing the flag of Palestine. Photo SUPPLIED


Muslim Views

Muslim Views


It further argues that the IAAFregulation had been applied selec-tively and inconsistently and thatthe disqualifications had there-fore been unfair.

This is very different fromarguing that RFP seeks the rightto support the Palestinian strugglefor liberation from Israeli occupa-tion or that it seeks the right tosupport Palestinian resistance toIsraeli aggression.

RFP is careful to moderate itsassociation with the flag of Pales-tine in a way that it remains com-pliant with the provisions of theIAAF regulation.

The imposition of this verynarrow definition of the right tofreedom of association with thePalestinian flag is vigorouslyendorsed by WPA.

In its response to the RFP com-plaint submitted to the SAHRC,WPA notes the disqualified run-ners’ association with RFP.

WPA specifically recorded thebreach of IAAF regulations inwhich the Palestinian flag withthe slogan ‘Free Palestine’ wascarried at the Reconciliation DayRace in Gugulethu, on December16, 2012.

The flag and the motiveGiven this context, WPA race

officials viewed the actions of therunners bearing the Palestinianflags as ‘an extension’ of the RFPcampaign and ‘an attempt tomake a political statement byother means’.

It appears that WPA officialsdeem it appropriate to attributemotive to the runners in order todetermine compliance with theIAAF regulation.

It is furthermore significantthat WPA has explicitly reserved

its right to address what it termsthe ‘legal standing’ of RFP.

In essence, WPA reserves itsright to argue in future that RFPengages in political activism andthat its members who bear thePalestinian flag, even if the flagsare unmarked, are engaging in apolitical campaign in any givenWPA event.

On this basis, WPA may seek abasis for disqualification of RFPmembers bearing the Palestinianflag.

It appears that the IAAF andWPA are of the view that raisinga national flag at a sporting eventdoes not constitute making apolitical statement.

WPA has not clarified if bear-ers of the Palestinian flag (with nomarkings) are expected to demon-strate intent not to make political

statements.Nor is it clear what criteria

WPA would apply in order toensure that anyone participatingin a WPA event with a plainPalestinian flag does so without‘an attempt to make a politicalstatement’.

Despite several attempts tosolicit answers from WPA, theorganisation did not respond toquestions from Muslim Views,and added that it had referred thequestions to the SAHRC.

This is despite the fact that theSAHRC had already declined torespond to questions from Mus-lim Views about the implicationsof their finding.

In a statement to MuslimViews the SAHRC said that suchissues are beyond its mandate andjurisdiction.

Defending a rightKenny told Muslim Views that

she had found herself standingalone in her struggle to defend theright of any runner to run withthe flag of Palestine.

She argued from the beginningthat attempts to prevent this con-stitute unfair discrimination.However, she accepts that thereshould be no political slogans onthe flag.

Kenny expressed concern thatthe matter had not beenaddressed and resolved within therunning fraternity and that it hadto be referred to the SAHRC.

She believes that issues such asunfair disqualification should beaddressed by processes and proce-dures in the sport.

She also expressed concernthat her request for support from

her club, Itheko, was ‘less thandesirable’ and that it was labelledas ‘against the spirit of nationbuilding’.

Kenny was disappointed withItheko’s decision that if she con-tinued to participate bearing theflag in official races with clubcolours, they would have ‘nooption but to support the decisionof their controlling body, WesternProvince Athletics’.

Farouk Meyer, acting Chair-person of Itheko, told MuslimViews that he had notified WPAthat they had erred when he dis-covered that Kenny was holding aflag without any slogans.

Meyer defended his positionby saying that he knew of Kenny’sbreach in the Gugulethu race butwas not aware, until some timelater, that the flag in the Constan-tia Village race had no slogans.

When asked if RFP deems run-ning with the Palestinian flag as apolitical statement, Bester toldMuslim Views that a Zionist whobelieves that Palestine does notexist may view the raising of thePalestinian flag as a campaign tobring about a Palestinian state.

‘As for me, I believe Palestine isa state and that it will conquerthis Zionist occupation.

‘I, however, also regard theIsraeli flag as a political statementas it represents an illegal entitythat was built on the ruins of theindigenous Palestinian people.’

Bester says if WPA race offi-cials regard themselves as neutralin this conflict then they shouldtreat the Palestinian flag as anyother national flag.

When asked if he would acceptthat a supporter of Israel has anequal right to run with the Israeliflag at a WPA event, and if hewould compete against this run-ner, Bester said, ‘I do recognise hisright, and I recognise my respon-sibility to beat him.’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Uwais Razack is pictured finishing the Two Oceans halfmarathon on March 30, 2013. He was disqualified in thisrace for carrying an unmarked flag of Palestine. Thedisqualification was lifted following a decision by theHuman Rights Commission, which found that the disqualification was unfair. Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views


SHAIKH SA’DULLAH KHANON Thursday December 5,2013, South Africans came tothe grim realisation that NelsonRolihlahla Mandela was nomore; that one who was anundeniable presence in the life ofour nation had passed on; thatsomeone whose very name wassynonymous with South Africahad departed.

It was a South Africa nowwithout Mandela, faced with thechallenge of turning the absenceof his towering personality intothe presence of his noble example.

Profound sense of lossThe fact that we all have to

face the inevitable reality of deathdoes not diminish the profoundsense of loss we feel at his pass-ing. He, more than anyone, cameto embody our sense of commonnationhood.

In the liberation movement,the name Mandela evokes memo-ries of a protester, politicalactivist, among the greatest sonsof the soil of Africa, symbol of thestruggle, liberation hero, theworld’s most famous prisonerwho became president, interna-tionally inspirational, universallyadmired.

Even today, the sound of theword ‘Mandela’ induces a feelingof solidarity, conjures an image ofdedication, arouses a sense ofAfrican revolutionary pride,prompts a desire to want to dosomething for others.

Thus, a nation mourns, a con-tinent bids proud farewell, andthe world salutes Madiba.

His legacy

While the legend may havemoved on, Mandela’s spiritremains with us; his legacy doesnot end with his passing but for-ever will live in our hearts, mindsand soul. We take solace from thefact that his was a life lived in theservice of his fellow beings.

His concern for the welfare ofchildren, his desire to unite peoplethrough sport, his focus on envi-ronmental awareness, and hisgeneral concern for the totality ofthe human condition were allchampioning the primary essenceof our humanity.

Mandela was a man of courageand integrity, a genuinely goodhuman being, someone of whomwe can truly say, he lived for acause greater than himself.

There is an Arabic saying that‘he who lives for himself, lives asmall life, dies a small death andis soon forgotten; but he wholives a selfless life, lives a greatlife, dies a great death and is lov-ingly remembered.’

Mandela led our country fromracist apartheid to ubuntu(acknowledging our commonhumanity); he lived a life thatcannot be ignored and left a lega-cy that can never be forgotten.

More than wordsHe leaves a proud legacy of

striving for freedom and humanrights, a legacy of tolerance andreconciliation. His words werememorable:l When threatened in the racist

court with the death sentencein the famous Rivonia Trial he

said his famous line: ‘I havecherished the ideal of a freesociety in which all personslive together in harmony andwith equal opportunities. It isan ideal which I hope to livefor and to achieve. But if needsbe, it is an ideal for which I amprepared to die.’

l Remembering the struggle inother parts of the world, hesaid: ‘We know too well thatour freedom is incompletewithout the freedom of thePalestinians.’

l When told upon his release,‘Now you are free,’ heresponded, ‘Not yet, we arenow free to be free.’

l ‘What counts in life is not themere fact that we have lived. Itis what difference we havemade to the lives of others thatwill determine the significanceof the life we lead.’His words were indeed memo-

rable and his oratory power well-known yet, much of his mostmemorable expressions wererevealed through wordless ges-tures, warm embraces, lovingsmiles, spontaneous dance andraised fist.

Life of humility and dignityHe lived with resolute convic-

tion, had unswerving dignity anda profound sense of purpose. Hisindomitable spirit sustained himthrough years of incarceration;his magnanimity allowed him toforgive his jailers; his life story isa beacon of hope for those whosesituation may seem forlorn.

He was the global trendsetterfor redemption and grace. He wasthe personification of wisdom inthe presence of comrades andadversaries, the embodiment ofcourage in the face of adversity.He had the uncanny ability todefeat his foes without dishon-ouring them.

It was, perchance, the fact thathe led by humble example thatmakes him, in this cynical age, acontemporary global hero.

His life, in many ways, sym-bolised most of what is exemplaryin great human beings: he stirredour conscience in pursuit of digni-ty and human rights; he embodieda unique mixture of humility,clemency and integrity.

UniqueApartheid was a racist, bigoted

aberration; and many who wereengaged in the struggle againstapartheid wondered whether wewould ever see the end of legislat-ed apartheid in our lifetime.

I was honoured to witness thefreeing of the most famous politi-cal prisoner in history, and priv-iledged to have both my children‘born frees’ in the period of Man-dela’s presidency.

Though they grew up in the USwitnessing the election of the firstAfrican-American president inBarack Obama, the standing ofMandela out-shadows any com-parison: from ‘terrorist’ to com-mander-in-chief, from prisoner topresident, Mandela standsunique.

When imprisoned, he patiently

persevered; when president, heled with dignity and statesman-ship.

Years of imprisonment did notembitter him, mega-stardom inlater years did not remove fromhim the noble qualities of mod-esty, magnanimity and compas-sion; nothing could ever erasefrom him the elegance of simplic-ity and the eloquence of honesty.

He more than most exempli-fied dignity, love and selflessness.He was revered, not feared; heengendered a sense of pride, notarrogance. It is thus hoped that hecontinues to serve as an inspira-tion for a new generation tomobilise against injustice andinequality.

Mandela: that village boy whoended up making the struggle forliberation of the nation his life,who made the standing up forjustice his mission, made his jailcell a world-wide forum forhuman rights, and responded tothe arrogance of the oppressorwith unparalleled humility.

He returned the hatred of theracists with loving clemency,engaged the future by makingpeace with the past, championedthe cause of children, made hiscaptors his companions, madereconciliation his trademark, andforgiveness his focus.

He united a divided nation andleft a legacy of love and reconcil-iation. In modern history, uniqueindeed!

Tears and tributesTears and tributes have flowed

from all over the world, farewellto Mandela, to Tata, to Madiba.

Humanitarian, symbol ofpeace, a model of hope, father ofthe rainbow nation, iconic leaderof our time, beacon of optimismto freedom fighters, symbol forhuman-rights movements acrossthe world … that is Mandela.

As world leaders leave thelargest officially representedfuneral in history, the African sunsets over the little village of Qunuwhere one of the greatest sons ofAfrica was born and now liesburied.

We reflect on the words of theuniversal poet Rumi as partingmemory of Madiba: ‘Cry not atour departure, rather smile andremember the fond memories weshared. Search not for our tombin the graveyards of the world;rather search for us in the heartsof the people we have touched.’

Hamba Kahle, Madiba!We bid farewell to the hero of

our nation, pride of the continentand an icon to the world. He wassuch an integral part of our strug-gle that his story is an essentialpart of our history.

His parting leaves a distinctvoid in the collective psyche ofour people, and a deep sense ofemptiness.

As his remains are laid to rest,a part of us lies buried with himand much of him lives on in us.Hamba kahle/ farewell, Madiba!

As a long walk to freedomcomes to an end, the struggle forjustice and peace continues.

Long Walk to Freedomcomes to an end…

The air is charged with emotion. People are crying, laughing, chanting, shouting and toyi-toying as the vehicle transporting Nelson Mandela slowly makes its wayfrom Victor Verster Prison through the cheering crowds that lined the route to welcome him on the day of his release - February 11, 1990 - after 27 years in prison.Photographer Shafiq Morton recalls the moment: ‘There was such joy, such optimism and so much warmth towards Madiba. When I think back now, almost 24 yearslater, it’s the raw emotion of that amazing moment which always gets to me.’ Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

Muslim Views


SHAFIQ MORTONNELSON Rolihlahla Mandela,the colossus, has been laid torest. That he affected millions ofpeople during his lifetime isbeyond debate.

From the ghosts of District Sixto the tight alleys of Gaza, I havewitnessed the electrifying effectthat this man has had on thedowntrodden. For them, he repre-sented the possibility of theimpossible – the hope of justicebeing served after decades ofstruggle.

This is something we need torespect and understand beyondthe clichés of self-serving publicofficials and gravy-train surferswho know little about the valuesthat Madiba – or the ANC – oncestood for.

But why we should rememberMadiba, firstly, is that, because asa faithful and loyal servant ofAfrica’s oldest liberation move-ment, he was able to rise to indi-vidual greatness above its whole –or as Joel Netshitenzhe has said,Mandela was a man of ‘uniqueremarkability’.

In fact, it was this ‘uniqueremarkability’ that was recog-nised by those near to him in theearly 1960s.

The Mandela of 1990, the manwho became president, was nur-tured within a circle of close com-rades. He became the sum of thesacrifice of those who werearound him.

Madiba, of course, acknowl-edged this – although his tributesto Sisulu, Tambo and others wereoften eclipsed by his own head-lines.

Secondly, we should rememberhim because it was his over-whelming liberality of spirit, hisendearing humility and his senseof humanity that created this‘unique remarkability’.

Unlike the Afrikaner regime,the anti-apartheid movement didnot regard us as non-people ordeclare the Quran subversive inthe courts.

While some Muslims had beenquietist, many had been present instruggle circles – from AhmadKathrada and Yusuf Dadoo toAmina Cachalia and the Meers.

In fact, Goolam Vahed’s semi-nal book, Muslim Portraits, theAnti-Apartheid Struggle, lists 385‘A-team’ Muslim anti-apartheidactivists.

Not all ANC (the book pro-files, for example, activists suchas Imam Abdullah Haron, thePAC’s Gora Ebrahim and Qibla’sAhmad Cassiem), it does chroni-cle a proud political heritage.

And on Robben Island – whereMadiba spent 18 years – the tombof the Yemeni-born saint, ShaikhAbdurahman Matarah (situatedon the northern side of theprison), was a constant reminderof the role Muslims at the Capeplayed against Dutch colonialism.

In 1989, Madiba wrote a letterto Shaikh Nazeem Mohamed ofthe MJC courteously expressinghis appreciation of the Muslimcommunity’s support for the anti-apartheid struggle.

I saw the letter but the shaikhwould not let me touch it.

He also sent a letter to ShaikhAbdul Gamiet Gabier in 1982 in

which he spoke about hisupbringing.

He also expressed admirationof Dr Abdullah Abdurahman, aswell as Molvi Cachalia and ImamManie Bassier, then imam at theBoorhaanol mosque in Longmar-ket Street, Cape Town.

In 1990, after his release,Madiba made several trips to theCape.

He paid homage to Tuan Guruat the Tana Baru, met local lead-ers and was the main speaker atthe 1994 Tricentenary Commem-oration.

Perhaps the most auspiciousmoment for us was his visit to theAwwal mosque in April, 1994.There he stated that religiousleadership should form the moralbackbone of the new South Africaand, in a moment I’ll never forget,knelt on the ground when theQuran was recited.

The images of Madiba in aCape Town mosque were trans-mitted across the world. Theirimpact was massive, for here was

a non-Muslim head of state hon-ouring Islam.

He even got away with scold-ing US presidents and honouringstruggle ties with Gaddafi, Castroand the PLO.

Madiba was a friend to allSouth Africans, including itsMuslims who today enjoy free-doms that are the envy of theummah.

Those who might want to carpneed to remember that Madiba’slegacy is a South Africa withoutenemies.

Only in Mandela countrycould a US president shake handswith a Castro.

Debate about whether Madibashould be the beneficiary of Mus-lim tribute – or even prayerfulremembrance – is small minded.

Scholars are unanimous that tohonour another human being ispraiseworthy that is why theProphet (SAW) stood up out ofrespect for a Jewish funeral pro-cession, saying that the deceasedwas a son of Adam.

He (SAW) had no qualmsabout allowing the early Muslimsto seek refuge from the Quraishin the court of the AbyssinianNegus, then a well-known Christ-ian monarch. ‘Go to him, for he isa just ruler,’ were the nobleProphet’s words.

History shows us that theNegus was as magnanimous asthe Prophet (SAW) in understand-ing truth and fairness.

The Prophet’s (SAW) letter tothe monks at St Catherine’s in theSinai is another example of wherethe Prophet (SAW) extended ahand of friendship and a guaran-tee of protection in an agreementthat stands today.

There was also the instance ofSafana, the daughter of Hatim at-Tai who was Christian butrenowned throughout the Arabi-an Peninsula for his charity andgood works.

Safana was captured in a bat-tle, and mentioned her father tothe Prophet (SAW). The Prophet’s(SAW) response was that if herfather were present, he wouldhave immediately prayed for hismercy.

What we need to take fromMadiba with respect to our Islamis that its traditional theology –while acknowledging differences– has always been implacablynon-racial and expressly mercifulto all.

We were created into diversetribes and nations to know eachother, not despise one another,extols the Quran in Surat ul-Hujarat.

In acquiring a piece of Madibamemory for ourselves we have toappreciate similarly what hemeant to others.

As Zelda La Grange his formerPA tweeted: whether you actuallymet him or not, is irrelevant. Anyrelationship with Madiba wasone of the heart.

La Grange was essentially say-ing that with Madiba there wouldbe no exclusivity, which meansthat as a community we have toremind ourselves of the greaterwhole to which we belong.

What Madiba demonstrated tothe world, and what we can’tafford to forget, is that he saw usas equals.

Why Muslims shouldremember Mandela

Candles are placed in front of the image of Nelson Mandela during a vigil by Palestinians and members of the African community in the Old City of Jerusalem on December 7, 2013. Palestinian congregations dedicated their Sunday churchservice on December 8 to the South African leader and anti-apartheid icon who publicly supported, defended and backedthe Palestinian struggle to end Israel’s illegal occupation and Apartheid policies. Photo BDS

THANDILE KONANOW that the dust of the beatentrack to and from Nelson Mandela’s ancestral home inQunu has settled and his mortalremains have been safely coveredwith the soil of a place thatshaped him, perhaps we canbegin to critically interrogatewhat he meant to the poormajority of this country and continent.

Up until now, the dominantnarrative has been that of a dot-ing father of the nation, the greatforgiver and reconciler and theSanta Claus of South African pol-itics by whose standards every

other leader, especially his succes-sors, were judged.

This line of thinking startedsoon after the first democraticelections in 1994 when those whohad harboured fears of a backlashby the black majority saw inMandela a bulwark against suchan imagined backlash; as if Man-dela would have been able to stopblacks had they wanted to killwhites en masse.

In the early 1990s, Mandelaevolved from the great liberatorcarrying the aspirations of themajority, to the great white hope,assuring the minority of theirplace in this country.

That, by and large, remained

the way in which he was vieweduntil his last breath.

According to this dominantnarrative, Mandela’s story beginswith his release from prison andhis shepherding of the country toa fragile political compromise.

That defined his political con-tribution during the transitionfrom apartheid to democracy; asif he came from nowhere to savea country teetering on the brinkof a brutal civil war.

The world celebrated the manwho had been imprisoned for 27years and came out to embracehis persecutors without a hint ofbitterness.

That’s when Mandela’s star

began to rise in the eyes of his for-mer jailers and the western world.He was treated as an exception tothe other African leaders, whowere labelled as brutal dictatorswho were trashing their coun-tries.

He was also treated as uniqueamongst his people for his forgiv-ing spirit, ignoring the fact he wasof his people.

Before he was released fromprison, he had been seen as noth-ing but a bloodthirsty terroristwho was bent on the destructionof white Christian civilisation.

Any reference to his earlier lifetends to place him outside thepolitical tradition from which he

came, and ignores the politicalbeliefs of the young and radicalMandela.

We are almost always beingpresented with a Mandela whoselife and politics have beenreduced to the twin words of,‘forgiveness and reconciliation’,and whose face and name, para-doxically, have been appropriatedby the very system against whichhe had dedicated his earlier life tofighting.

His name and face havebecome money-spinners.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Reclaiming Mandela

Muslim Views


Perhaps it was inevitable thatMandela would suffer the fate ofmany revolutionaries like CheGuevara and Chairman Mao whoalso became cogs in the capitalistmachinery.

The only difference is that withGuevara and Mao this happenedafter their deaths while withMandela, he seemed to bask in itand even used it to his advantageat times.

Contrary to the popular legendof the 1980s – Mandela wouldtriumphantly walk out of prisonand arm the people to confrontthe enemy – the Mandela who leftprison in 1990 was a mellow one.Maybe that had to do with agebut I would venture that it hadmore to do with pragmatic politi-cal considerations.

When Mandela was released,the communist Soviet Union hadjust collapsed and the capitalistWest was riding roughshod overany opposition.

The world had become a dif-ferent place to the one he had leftbehind, and the scales were tippedin favour of the West and its

brand of market economics. Cap-italism was on the rise and theBretton Woods institutes were atthe forefront of the capitalistassault. South Africa was not tobe spared to become one of thefew outposts of socialism.

That explains Mandela’s 360-degree turnaround on nationalis-ing the economy.

Therefore, it is only fitting thatnow that he has left us, we beginthe process of reclaiming Man-dela, the champion of the poorand the working class.

In the growing calls for eco-nomic freedom and the redistrib-ution of wealth and land, espe-cially by the youth, the young andradical Mandela’s name must beinvoked in the fight against anincreasingly indifferent and klep-tocratic ruling class.

We must closely examine his

earlier life and legacy, and that ofhis generation in order to fashionamongst ourselves younger ver-sions of the Mandela who wasuncompromising in the face ofinjustice and repression.

His story and politics must beretold in their entirety to inspire anew generation of leaders thatwill not tolerate corruption,cronyism and the repression ofdissent that usually follows thesetwo ills.

In retelling that story, we needto correctly locate Mandela in theanti-imperialist, anti-racist andanti-capitalist Africanist politicaltradition that he, and others likeAnton Lembede and RobertSobukwe, shaped in the 1940’sANC Youth League’s revolution-ary programme of action.

We need to tell the story ofMandela, the first commander-in-

chief of the ANC’s armed wing,uMkhonto we Sizwe, who, onseeing that passive resistance wasbearing no fruit other than toexacerbate the repression ofAfricans by the apartheid regime,called for a taking up of arms.

This is the story of the Man-dela who firmly linked his free-dom to that of his people by firm-ly refusing to be freed from prisonon condition that he renouncedthe principles in which he firmlybelieved.

It is a fact that historical per-sonalities and their legacies arealways contested, and it is no dif-ferent with Mandela.

But that contestation shouldnot divorce the Mandela of the1940s leading up to his release, tothe Mandela of post-apartheidSouth Africa.

While the general feeling

amongst the many black poorpeople of this country, especiallyus the young, is that the latterMandela had compromised toomuch and left structuralapartheid intact, that same youthshould remember that Mandelawas just one person and he didwhatever he could do, and paidhis dues during his lifetime.

The mantle now rests with usto take Mandela, Sobukwe andBiko’s struggle forward to its log-ical conclusion – to continue inthe political mode that settles fornothing but the best in leadership.

But that should start with therejection of what one social net-work friend called the SantaClausification of our heroes forthe benefit of capital.Thandile Kona is a social activistand journalist based in the Eastern Cape.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Therefore, it is only fitting that now that he has left us, we begin the process of reclaimingMandela, the champion of the poor and the working class.... In retelling that story, we need to correctly locate Mandela in the anti-imperialist, anti-racist and anti-capitalist Africanist political tradition that he, and others like Anton Lembede and Robert Sobukwe, shaped

in the 1940’s ANC Youth League’s revolutionary programme of action.

Muslim Views


SHAIKH SA’DULLAH KHANEVENTS in history are considered great due to thenature of the event, the personsinvolved in the event and thetime of the event.

The event being commemorat-ed in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, by Mawlid SA, is the cel-ebration of the birth of the great-est benefactor to humanity.

It is an appreciative memory ofthat moment when the Divinedestined to change the world andthe course of history by sendingthe best of humanity to guidethem.

It is indeed a historical eventwell worthy of our collectiveexpression of joy.

The 2014 Moulood is the sec-ond annual Mass Mawlid, thefirst one being so successful thatthe City of Cape Town has decid-ed to partner in hosting this eventon its annual calendar; informa-tive and celebratory for Muslims,impactful and valued by all.

Moulood is not just a birthday celebrationWith Moulood-un-Nabi, we

commemorate the birth of theFinal Messenger of Allah, ProphetMuhammad (SAW), who wasborn over fourteen hundred-and-fifty-five years ago in the city ofMakkah.

Allah sent him as kaf fatan linnas (a guide to humanity) and asrahmatan lil alamin (a mercy unto

the worlds).Ali bin Abi Talib (RA)

describes the Prophet (SAW) inthe following tribute: ‘ProphetMuhammad is the Seal ofProphets, the most generous andthe bravest of all. His speech wasthe most reliable.

He was the keenest and themost attentive to people’s trustand was very careful to pay peo-ple’s due in full.

‘He was the most amenableand the most yielding companion,seeing him unexpectedly yourespect him and venerate him. Hewho has acquaintance with himwill like him. He who describeshim says, “I have never seen sucha person.”’ [Ibn Hisham; Jami At-Tirmidhi]

The Prophet (SAW) wasundoubtedly an embodiment ofmercy and an expression of love.

RejoiceOn the occasion of the com-

memoration of the noble birth ofour beloved Prophet Muhammad(SAW), we rejoice (as we ought tothroughout the year) in theacknowledgement of the selfless-ness, piety, wisdom and compas-sion of this last prophet.

His noble mission to humanitywas the teaching of submission tothe Supreme, of globally applica-ble values, of adherence to theStraight Path; the combatting ofimmorality, impropriety, injustice,ignorance and oppression.

He conveyed the divinely

revealed Final Testament as a uni-versally relevant text, a testimonyto his abiding mission.

We commemorate theMoulood of Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) to remindourselves of his noble mission, toincrease our knowledge of the his-tory of the Prophet and thosearound him, to appreciate hisstruggle in implementing Din-ul-Islam, and to encourage all of usto implement the example (sun-nah) of the Prophet in our dailylives. So, in commemorating thebirth of the Prophet Muhammad(SAW), we celebrate his life,appreciate his sacrifices and con-sider his impact while we commitourselves to implement and mani-fest his noble life example in ourtimes.

Source of inspirationThe life of the Prophet (SAW)

is both history and biography, acode of law and mode of guid-ance. The sirah (life example ofthe Prophet) should not only bestated, narrated and analysed butbe internalised and utilised as aprincipled model for righteousand wholesome living.

To fully appreciate the signifi-cance of the Prophet’s life in thismillennium, we need to evolveour perception of the sirah from amere historical narrative into acontemporary map of guidance.

It should serve as a source ofinspiration and a model for excel-lence.

Invitation to participateThe Mawlid SA celebration is

meant to revive and invigorate thesense of connection with theProphet (SAW).

It is also a revival of the firstmass Moulood programme heldat Green Point Track, in CapeTown, on October 12, 1952.

It has been over 60 years sincethe great savant of Islam,Moulana Abdul Alim Siddiqui,addressed an audience of over60 000 at Green Point Track inthe largest Moulood programmeever held in Southern Africa.

It is with this in mind thatMawlid SA encourages everyoneto join local and internationalparticipants in this memorableevent on Sunday, January 19,2014, at Green Point Track.

The call is for all to participatein a harmonious celebrationexpressed through songs of joy,pearls of wisdom and movingodes in praise of the universalmessenger, the final emissary ofthe Almighty.

All are invited to attenddressed in white.

This year’s programme is set tobe more interactive with foodsales and a kiddies’ play area.Mawlid SA calls on our commu-nity to embrace this auspiciousoccasion through volunteeringand sponsorship.

Contributions may be made toMawlid SA Trust, Account Num-ber: 40-8265-5568 ABSA Bank,Branch Code: 632 005

Mass Mawlid in Cape TownMission of Mercy, Message of Love

Part of the crowd at the Mass Mawlid in 2013. Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

Muslim Views


DR MOGAMAT HOOSAIN EBRAHIM

ONE of the greatest days in thelives of Muslims all over theworld is the birth of the greatesthuman being who ever lived,Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

Every year, his birth, on 12Rabi-ul-Awwal, is celebrated byMuslims globally with great rev-erence and enthusiasm.

The occasion stirs some of thedeepest feelings of a Muslim.

In the past, this festive spiritstarted in all Muslim homes (atthe Cape) and at all masajidwhere shaikhs and imams enlight-ened people on the life of theProphet (SAW).

Females would gather atmasajid in the afternoon, dressedin colourful attire, and preparethe ‘rampies’.

Many Muslim schools heldfeasts, and teachers spoke on thesignificance of the occasion.

The Mass Mawlid, which wasintroduced last year and whichwill be celebrated again on Janu-ary 19, 2014, in Green Point, is

not something new.According to Judge (retired)

Essa Moosa, during the 1950s toearly 1960s, the Muslim Brother-hood Society (MBS) members metin the basement of the Zeenat-ul-

Islam Masjid (Muir StreetMosque), where they held a seriesof lectures on Sunday evenings.

Guest speakers included DrHoosain Kotwal, Shaikh AbuBakr Najaar, Boeta Cassiem and

Shaikh Salie Dien.The main objective of the MBS

was to celebrate the annualMoulood.

It was the only organisation inCape Town that organised annual

Moulood celebrations at theGreen Point Cycle Track.

A historical overview of Moulood celebrations

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Moulood at Masjidus-Sabr in Primrose Park, Athlone: There are currentlymore than 70 ladies’ Moulood jamaahs in the Western Cape, stretching fromCape Town to as far as Worcester, in the Boland. Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views


Islamic schools and madras-sahs in the Western Cape wereinvited to participate in the cele-brations. The madrassahs whoparticipated would display theirbanners as they marched throughthe main road, led by the HabibiaBagpipes and the Aleemiyah Sid-diqui Brigade.

Because of the children’sinvolvement, parents and the gen-eral public attended the function.The Green Point Cycle Trackwould be filled to capacity. Theevent was so popular and wellattended that Christian neigh-bours would find it strange if aMuslim family was not at theTrack.

Long before the function,members of the MBS wouldorganise fundraising effortsamong themselves and friends.

Shaikh Dien had a lot of influ-ence; he received the necessaryfunds and support from the Mus-lim community and businesses.For example, Sayed & Sons,Coo’ee and Bashews contributedfood parcels and soft drinks tothe participants.

Shaikh Dien was always themain speaker at these functions.His main topic was the life ofMuhammad (SAW). Participatingmadrassahs were also given theopportunity to present their top-ics. There were no clashes of top-ics as they were prepared andsubmitted to the MBS monthsbefore the function.

These memorable occasionsstarted with Quranic recitals fol-lowed by scholars from variousmadrassahs who made dhikr andrendered qasidas. Thereaftereveryone participated in the pop-ular poems read from Riwayats ofBarzanji. Finally, the salawat anda closing duah were made.

Currently, the celebration isthe culmination of months ofintensive planning and hardwork, in which the heads ofjamaahs, known as captains, playa crucial role.

The teams hold regular meet-ings three months before the birthcommemoration of the Prophet(SAW).

The jamaahs or teams as theyare known nowadays, consist ofmales and females – theBoorhaanol Islam magazine usedto list the names of teams, their

captains, dates and venues whereMoulood celebrations were held.

The Red Crescent Jamaah,known as the ‘Reddies’, is theoldest jamaah in Wynberg. It wasestablished by Sulaiman Lamara,the grandfather of ShaikhHashiem Lamara, in 1890.

According to the captain of the‘Reddies’, Safwaan Sasman, ‘Thepioneers of this jamaah wereinvolved with community work –gadats, burials, ‘doekmaals’(name giving) etc.’

There are approximately eight

men’s jamaahs and more than 70ladies’ jamaahs, stretching fromCape Town to as far as Paarl,Wellington and Worcester.

Since the 1950s, the jamaahshave become more formal in theirattire. On their outings, they areformally dressed, wearing eithersuits or blazers with the teamname inscribed on badges, andwearing red fezzes. It is evidentthat they emulated this from theso-called Malay choirs attire.

The laagoes (tunes) of thejamaahs originated from Malayu.

Shaikh Yusuf, who followed theKhalwatiyyah order, brought Sar-ful Annam, written by Ibn Jawzi,from Yemen, to the Cape.

The Cape Muslims are the onlypeople who follow the system oftokang and djawap. It is not prac-tised in Indonesia, Malaysia or inIndia.

According to the late AchmatDavids: ‘There is a great flexibili-ty as to how these dhikrs arerecited in the various orders ofTasawwuf. In the Cape it took theform of tokang (presentation) anddjawap (answer); with one groupof reciters presenting a dhikr andthe others replying.’

With the advent of theQadariyyah order at the Cape, al-Barzanji’s Moulood formatbecame popular.

Like many liturgies, al-Barzan-ji’s work is also divided into twoparts: the riwayats that are meantfor individual recitation, and theashrakal, which is recited by thecongregation while they arestanding.

The most extensive translationof this work, which is frequentlyused at the Cape throughout theyear, was written by Shaikh IsmailGanief Edwards in ArabicAfrikaans.

The annual Moulood celebra-tion is one of the Cape traditionswhich has, undoubtedly, broughtmany Cape Muslims together.Dr Ebrahim is a lecturer in Religious Studies, History, Ulumal-Quran and Ilm al-Kalam atInternational Peace CollegeSouth Africa (IPSA).

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11The writer, Dr Mogamat HoosainEbrahim, delivering a talk at theladies’ Moulood jamaah programmeheld last year at Masjidus-Sabr inPrimrose Park, Athlone. There arecurrently more than 70 ladies’Moulood jamaahs in the WesternCape, stretching from Cape Town toas far as Worcester, in the Boland.

Photo SUPPLIED

Muslim Views

13Muslim Views . January 2014

SHAFIQ MORTONWHEN I first visited Madinahnearly thirty years ago, an askari– a tomb guard – slapped myhands when I raised them in supplication facing the Prophet’sgrave. ‘Shirk!’ he hissed sanctimoniously, telling me toface the qiblah wall instead.

My blood boiling at his insinu-ation that I was about to commitpolytheism by greeting theProphet (SAW), my first thoughtwas to give this self-righteousmoron a beating. It was the 1980sand I was an angry young man.

Thankfully, while I realisedthat the Companion SayyidinaUmar (RA) buried next toMuhammad (SAW) would proba-bly also have wanted to thrashthis boorish askari, I rememberedthat the Prophet (SAW) woulddefinitely have steered the issueinto calm waters.

I moved on, and while theaskari berated a group of Turkswho were ignoring him, I quietly

raised my hands again. I remem-bered the words of Imam Malik(RA), who’d told the secondAbbasid Caliph, Abu Jafr al-Mansur, over 1 000 years ago toface the Prophet (SAW) when hegreeted him.

This etiquette speaks to theattributed Prophetic Traditionthat while all prophets taste mor-tal death they are alive in thebarzakh – the inter-space betweenearthly death and the final after-life.

I would, therefore, not be pass-ing salutations upon a lifeless pileof bones as so many literalists

would have us believe.The great 11th century scholar,

Al-Baihaqi, explains thatprophets’ souls are returned tothem after death so they are ‘alivein their Lord’s presence’ like themartyrs.

This explains why the Prophet(SAW) has been able to explain insuch detail the physical appear-ance of prophets such as Musa,Isa and Ibrahim (AS).

A sound Tradition, quoted byAbu Hurairah, has the Prophet(SAW) saying that in his grave no-one would greet him from near orafar without Allah, the Highest,

returning his soul to him so hecould return that greeting – andso that Allah could bless that per-son ten times.

In the barzakh, the Prophet(SAW) possesses a supra-con-sciousness. He said that no-onewould invoke blessings on himuntil the Day of Resurrectionwithout a special angel informinghim of the person’s name and lin-eage.

This is further reinforced bythe writings of Sayyid Muham-mad Alawi al-Maliki, one of themodern era’s most authoritativescholars, saying that as a commu-

nity we are shown to the Prophet(SAW) morning and evening andthat he cares deeply about us andprays constantly for our welfare.

Anas ibn Malik reported theProphet (SAW) saying: ‘…myintercession (or prayers to Allahon your behalf) is assured for allthose who visit me.’

In the angelic realm, it is saidthat the Prophet’s (SAW) tomb –the most sacred spot on our plan-et – is abuzz with heavenlybeings, unimaginable colour andunearthly light.

Each dawn, some 70 000angels who have just made devo-tions around the Kabah inMakkah, come to bestow saluta-tions upon him (SAW).

These angels have beendescribed as a ‘river of intenseenergy and light’. They only greetthe Prophet (SAW) once and willre-appear on the Final Day in adazzling and uncountable array.

Yes, Muhammad (SAW) is still alive


… as a community we are shown to the Prophet

(SAW) morning and evening … he cares deeply about

us and prays constantly for our welfare

Muslim Views

14 Muslim Views . January 2014

However, for those who maystill not accept that the ProphetMuhammad (SAW) is ‘alive’,there is plentiful evidence that heis, at the very least, highly awareof us. He (SAW), of course, canappear in dreams, and he did saythat Shaitan – the devil – wouldnot be able to copy his form.

The first account, a fewdecades after the death of theProphet (SAW), is attributed toSa’id ibn al-Musaib, the only per-son present in the Prophet’s(SAW) mosque after Harra, a bat-tle in which Yazid ibn Muawiyyahad sacked Madinah, killing10 000 Companions.

For three days there was noadhan but each prayer time, Ibnal-Musaib would hear the call toprayer coming from the Prophet’s(SAW) grave. Muhammad ibnHibban, the 10th century Hadithmaster, reports Ibrahim ibnShaiban greeting the Prophet(SAW) who audibly replied to hissalaams.

If that isn’t enough, there aremany who will claim that the‘presence’ of the Prophet (SAW)comforted them. Martin Lings,the author of Muhammad, toldme before his passing in 2005that when he had difficulties withthe book, he felt the gentle handof the Prophet (SAW).

There was also an incident in

Madinah when a young boy, sentinto the Prophet’s (SAW) burialchamber to retrieve a deadpigeon, came out with an apple.Shaikh Ahmad Tijani, the Alger-ian founder of the Tijani SufiOrder, had seen the Prophet

(SAW) in a wakeful state, and hadconversed with him.

But the most famous incidentproving the Prophet’s (SAW) stateoccurred in the 12th centurywhen Sayyid Ahmad Rifaii, adescendant of the Blessed House,

visited the tomb of his forefather.A man of modesty, Sayyid

Rifaii had not dressed himself inthe travelling garb that Propheticdescendants did in those days. So,when he requested permission toenter the chamber – a privilege

allowed to the Sayyids – theguard stopped him, asking himfor proof of his lineage.

Disappointed, Sayyid Rifaiicried out, ‘Assalamu alaikum, yajaddi.’ (Peace on you, my grand-father).

To everybody’s amazement, theProphet (SAW) answered, ‘Waalaikum salam, ya walidi.’ (Andpeace on you, my son). Then theProphet (SAW) had extended hishand out from the grave andSayyid Rifaii had kissed it.

For those literalists who wouldlike to write this off as a Sufi fairystory, Sayyid Rifaii’s kissing of theProphet’s (SAW) noble hand waswitnessed by hundreds.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

A flashback to last year’s Mass Mawlid event, in which thousands gathered in Green Point, Cape Town. Photo SHAFIQ MORTON

If that isn’t enough, there are many who will claim that the ‘presence’ of the Prophet (SAW)

comforted them. Martin Lings, the author of Muhammad, told me before his passing in 2005

that when he had difficulties with the book, he felt the gentle hand of the Prophet (SAW).

Muslim Views

15Muslim Views . January 2014

Muslim Views

16 Muslim Views . January 2014

THE 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal is shortly after Christianshave celebrated the feast of Epiphany on 6th January, also known as the third season of thechurch after Advent and Christmas.Epiphany is God’s response to the devastation human-ity caused to itself and creation, that is, God decisivelyacting and manifesting the Godself. This revelation isnot a display of power, wealth or status but of a Fatherredeeming and reconciling his world and his children.Against this background and as the Muslim communitycelebrates the birth of Prophet Muhammad on 12thRabi-ul-Awwal, we pray that this reconciling, peacefuland caring spirit of a God who bursts into our lives andbeyond, may characterise your celebrations and ourinterreligious witness.We pray for one another and celebrate our differencesto lead us, as we serve both the world and our planet.May this celebration encourage us to engage in faithfuldialogue as we resolve to know each other as childrenof God, and as each other’s keeper, especially wheresocieties politicise religion for economic and politicalgain. Finally, I wish all our Muslim friends strength in theirreligious and spiritual life as they celebrate the birth ofProphet Muhammad.SalaamThe Most Revd Dr Thabo Cecil Makgoba DD(hc) PhD(UCT)

Moulood messagefrom the AnglicanArchbishop

When Nabi Muhammad (SAW) entered the Kabah after the liberation of Makkah, ‘the Quraish watched Him smash eachstone effigy while He recited the verse: “The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished away; surely falsehood is certainto vanish.” Inside the Kabah, the walls had been decorated with pictures of the pagan deities, and Muhammad (SAW)ordered them all to be obliterated, though, it is said, he allowed frescoes of Jesus and Mary to remain.’ (Karen Armstrongin her book Muhammad: Prophet of our time) The Sultan of Istanbul, followed the above line of thought when, after theHaga Sofia was converted from a church to a masjid, the Christian remnants were left intact. The Haga Sofia is now amuseum. Photo SALIM PARKER

Muslim Views


WE begin in the name ofAllah, and salutationsand peace on our

beloved Prophet Muhammad, hisfamily, Companions and all wholove and follow him.

The heart has a spiritualdimension, which Islam is con-cerned about. It is either soft orhard, like rock; stubborn in theface of divine command. (Quran2:74)

On Judgment Day, the moun-tains, the largest of rocks, willmove like wool in submission tothe Will of Allah. (Quran 101:5)

Sufis are those who wish theirhearts to be soft and pure likewool, moving in the breeze ofdivine command and only beingwhere the Creator wishes it to be.This is what the word ‘Sufi’means – being like wool.

Tasawwuf (becoming a Sufi) isa science that deals with spiritualdevelopment and complete sub-mission to divine will.

Islam is a multi-faceted way oflife, and its various aspectsbecame distinct over time. Its the-oretical aspects morphed into thescience of Kalam (Aqidah), andthose elucidating its meanings areknown as Kalamiyyun.

Its ritual aspects wereaddressed by scholars who areknown as fuqaha (jurists), and the

area of discipline they delved intobecame known as fiqh. Othermajor sciences were also definedsuch as Hadith, Quranic recita-tion and its exegesis.

For each of these sciences therewere luminaries who led the way.

However, in Islam, knowingthe theory and practising the ritu-als are not the goals. They aresimply a means to achieving thegoal. The goal is to obtain theCreator’s favour and to becomeworthy of His pleasure.

Those who pondered this con-cept and worked at realising itbecame known as the people ofihsan, Tasawwuf, tazkiyah orakhlaq. They studied the HolyQuran and the prophetic sunnah,searching for guidance and direc-tion.

They identified that theory andritual have to go hand in handwith spiritual development and, ifnot, all the theory and ritual willbe in vain. This is apparent fromthe concept of ihsan which is, asdescribed by the Prophet (SAW),to worship Allah as if you seeHim.

Developing this level of con-sciousness is the desired state.

Scholars firstly recognised thatpriority is always to be given tothe compulsory actions.

Thereafter, voluntary acts of

worship, along with abundantforms of remembrance, are thekeys to drawing closer to the Cre-ator and becoming recipients ofHis love.

Some chose the path ofpatience, others took the path oflove and gratitude. There werethose who prioritised selflessness,and there were others whoworked at developing uninter-rupted levels of consciousness.

These paths were formulatedbased on Quranic texts andprophetic guidance, and simplybecame known as turuq meaning‘paths’, the singular of which is‘tariqah’.

What is noted for this intro-ductory article is that the paths ofTasawwuf and its related activi-ties are all based on Quranic andprophetic texts and concepts.

From the gatherings of dhikrto celebrating Moulood, to thehadrah, all these activities wereestablished to remind people ofthe importance of ihsan, and toaid the development of animproved state of spirituality.

Anything that has no link tothe Quran and Sunnah is notaccommodated at all. We there-fore have to practise tolerancewhen dealing with each other asridicule without inquiry will notbenefit us in the least.

We should remember thatwhat is new to some is not neces-sarily new to Islam. A unique casein question is the hadrah, the var-ious aspects of which are basedon authentic prophetic narra-tions, three of which addressjumping while in a state ofremembrance.

This was done by the Prophet(SAW) and was condoned by himwhen others chose to do so aswell. This may be new to many inour region of the world but it isnot new to Islam. Inquiry as to itsorigin is therefore important for abetter understanding, and toinfuse some much needed toler-ance in our hearts for each other.

Some are concerned about thetitle ‘Sufi’. The first to be called aSufi was Abu Hashim as-Sufi,from Baghdad (d.150h. Kashfath-Thunun 1/414).

Titles developed over time, andthe ummah did not object. Itbegan with the Companions – theSahabah – who were named thus

simply because of their compan-ionship with the Prophet (SAW).

The generation thereafter aresimply known as the followers,the Tabiun. Ardent worshippersamongst those who followed theTabiun were known as Zuhhad,‘ascetics’ or ubbad ‘worshippers’.

Follow this column, if Allahwills, for elaboration on issuespertaining to ihsan, spiritualityand Tasawwuf in the light of theHoly Quran and Sunnah. Wepray that, through it, we will allgain a better understanding ofeach other and an appreciationfor the spiritual dimensions ofIslam.

Shaikh Ismail Londt completedthe memorisation of the HolyQuran at the age of 13 and hassince obtained six independentIjazat (traditional certifications)and multiple Asanid (narrativechains) in the fields of Tajwid,Qiraat and Quranic studies inEgypt. He is currently specialising in the field of Linguistics at Unisa. He is thedirector of the Dar Ubaiy Centrewhich, along with offering memorisation classes for variousage groups, is primarily focusedon the further development ofthe memorisers of the HolyQuran, and honing the ability ofthe vocally talented. He lecturesat International Peace College ofSouth Africa (IPSA) and is amember of the Department ofQuranic Affairs under the Muslim Judicial Council.

Spirituality: A Quranic and Sunnah perspective

An introduction to TasawwufSufis are those who

wish their hearts to be

soft and pure like wool,

moving in the breeze of

Divine command and

only being where the

Creator wishes it to be.

We introduce a new series which looks at Ihsan/ Tasawwuf/ spirituality from the perspective of the Quran and Sunnah. Renowned scholar of the Quran, SHAIKH ISMAILLONDT, starts the series with an introduction to Tasawwuf.

International Peace CollegeSouth Africa (IPSA), in association with theShahmahomed Trust, heldits 5th Annual WasatiyyahSyposium on November 23,2013. The theme was Sectarianism: A Middle WayReflection. Over the next fewmonths, Muslim Views willbe publishing a selection ofabridged papers delivered atthe symposium. DR ABDULRASHIED OMAR, ResearchScholar of Islamic Studiesand Peacebuilding at KrocInstitute for InternationalPeace Studies, University ofNotre Dame, United States,and Imam at Claremont MainRoad Mosque, Cape Town,questioned whether sectarianism was a cause ora symptom of the problemsin the Middle East.ACCORDING to Shaikh IghsaanTaliep, Principal of IPSA, ‘TheMuslim ummah is currently witnessing a dangerous rise insectarianism and factionalismthat seems to be palpable even topeople of other faiths.’

To underescore Shaikh Taliep’sconcern it might be instructive tonote that the Human RightsCommission is currently investi-gating a litany of complaints ofdiscrimination and hate speechdirected at individual Muslimsbecause they are Shiites or areperceived to be sympathetic toShiasm.

In one case, the funeral prayersof a foreign national who hadbeen brutally murdered wasrefused entry into a local masjid.

In another case, a Cape Flats

man whose father had helpedbuild the masjid and who hasbeen patronising the same masjidsince his childhood was deniedpermission to solemnise hisdaughter’s marriage ceremony atthis venue.

Not only are these kinds ofincidents of intolerance in ourcommunity of concern but evenmore alarming is the growingnumber of intolerant voices andviews being expressed on localinternet and social network sites.

From some of the viewsexpressed on these sites, it wouldappear that there is an attempt toorchestrate a campaign of hateagainst local Shias.

This raises a legitimate fearthat, God forbid, such an orches-trated campaign of hate and intol-erance could escalate into directphysical violence as it already hasin other parts of the world.

How then should Muslims,who embrace and understandIslam as a religion of the middleway (din al-wasatiyyah), respondto this scourge of sectarianism?

An Islamic understanding of sectarianismSectarianism can be defined as

bigotry, discrimination or hatredof ‘the other’ arising from attach-ing an exaggerated importance to

perceived differences.Advocates of sectarianism usu-

ally believe that their own salva-tion requires that they aggressive-ly purge their community of thosethey perceive to hold hereticalbeliefs.

Within the context of Islam, itis my considered view that reli-gious sectarianism is both a symp-tom and cause of an extremistmindset or worldview which isthe antithesis of wasatiyyah (themiddle way) as advocated by theGlorious Quran (2:143).

In other words, extremismbreeds and feeds on sectarianism.At the same time, if religious sec-tarianism is left to flourish, theconditions become ripe forextremist views and actions totake hold.

Hence, if extremism feeds andbreeds off sectarianism then weshould be equally guarded againstthe growth of religious sectarian-ism.

How then should we under-stand the genesis and growth ofsectarianism (fitna ta-ifiyya) andextremism (tatarruf or ghuluw)from the worldview of Islam?

According to a number of con-temporary Muslim scholars,including local scholar, ShaikhSiraj Hendricks, this tendency ofviolent ‘othering’ has found viru-

lent support in the so-called wah-habi-cum-salafi movement duringthe last 200 years.

Shaikh Hendricks, during hiskeynote address at IPSA’s inau-gural Wasatiyyah symposium in2009, incriminates the wahhabidoctrine of al-wala wal-bara (thedoctrine of loyalty and disassoci-ation) as the source of this intol-erance and sectarianism.

According to him: ‘(T)his is adoctrine that defines both its pro-ponents and the “other” in rigid-ly exclusivist terms and – in anarchaic Calvinist sense – as repro-bates.’

During the past few years, thissmall but active salafi wahhabimovement has exploited thechanging political landscape inthe Middle East to advance itsreligiously sectarian agenda.

Unfortunately, the negativeoutcome of the Arab Spring hasbeen that it has provided an open-ing for Muslim sectarianists toinsert themselves into the newspace that has opened up throughdemocracy to propagate theirobscurantist views.

The Arab Spring has triggeredand ignited a long-standing anddeep-rooted schism between Sun-nis and Shiites in the Middle Eastinto an open war.

In Bahrain we have a Sunniautocratic regime oppressing amajority Shiite population whilein Syria we have a despoticregime aligned to Shiasm tyran-nising its largely Sunni popula-tion.

It is my contention that thisSunni-Shiite conflict in the Mid-dle East appears likely to not onlyintensify but expand beyond theborders of Syria and Bahrain toother parts of the Middle East

and beyond.In an interview on Voice of the

Cape’s Open Lines, duringRamadaan, Moulana ZakariyyaPhilander, director of DiscoverIslam, asserted that ‘internationalsectarian issues were now makingits presence felt in South Africaand is threatening to undo thesterling work this country’s citi-zens have done over the last nine-teen years in setting an exampleof how to co-exist in a democrat-ic dispensation in a diverse soci-ety’.

ConclusionI want to make reference to a

historic document, ‘The AmmanMessage (Risalatu Amman)’, inthe context of grappling withgrowing sectarianism.

This document provides aframework for mitigating againstthe threat of Muslim sectarian-ism.

The Amman Message callsupon Sunnis and Shias to riseabove the differences that sepa-rate them and to emphasise thecommonalities that unite them asa single ummah.

It is noteworthy that ShaikhEbrahim Gabriels undersignedand endorsed the Amman Mes-sage on behalf of the SouthAfrican ulama.

I am convinced that the vastmajority of ordinary Muslims arenot supportive of the currenttrend of sectarianism that is beingfomented by certain individuals.

Muslim scholars, and leadersin particular, have an especiallyonerous challenge of not allowingmisguided individuals who act ina thoroughly reprehensible anddepraved way to undermine themiddle way of Islam (wasatiyya).

Muslim Views


Muslim sectarianism in South Africa: symptom or cause?The Arab Spring has triggered and ignited a

long-standing and deep-rooted schism between Sunnisand Shiites in the Middle East into an open war.

In Bahrain we have a Sunni autocratic regime oppressinga majority Shiite population while in Syria we have a despotic regime aligned to Shiasm tyrannising

its largely Sunni population.

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Muslim Views


NASEEMA MALLLAUREN Booth is hardly mentioned without theappendage ‘Tony Blair’s sister-in-law’ but the graciousjournalist is not at all perturbedby the delineation.

Booth was the guest of Al-Ansar Foundation, Durban, in thelast week of December. Her pas-sion for the Palestinian cause isnotable and it is a cause that isextremely close to her heart.

It was during her first trip in2005 to cover the elections inPalestine that she witnessed first-hand how Palestinians were beingtreated and their living condi-tions. But what overwhelmed herwere the incredible warmth, hos-pitality and generosity of thePalestinian people.

‘My first trip to Palestine com-pletely changed my worldview.When I went to the West Bank Isaw people under terrible oppres-sion, which was clearly apartheidbut I had never read about it asapartheid.

‘I saw people there who hadevery right to hate an enemy whotook their children and impris-oned their sons, burned theirhouses, destroyed their crops.

‘But I didn’t meet hatred. I meta confidence and a comfort intheir faces, and a gentle assurancethat all will be well, if not in thisgeneration then in future genera-tions; and that made me look ateverything with fresh eyes.

‘I began to see, through subse-quent visits to Palestine, that farfrom the women being enslavedby their religion, their husbands,their households, that I was meet-ing a lot of women who with

many children could serve a 12course meal for 20 people andstudy for a PhD in Math and Sci-ence and Literature, at nightbefore they went to bed.

‘And I was complaining abouthaving two children and a swim-ming pool. What was wrong withmy heart? The mothers of Pales-tine are my inspiration,’ saidBooth.

‘Before I went to Palestine, Iwas absolutely certain that thePalestinian cause was just, and Iwanted to find out some truthabout it.

‘When I went, on my first day,I realised when I saw Palestinianswith guns that some part of mehad been psychologically pro-grammed down the years to beafraid of these people. I realisedthat programming goes very deep.You don’t even know you’vetaken it in.

‘The Israelis are Europeans,that’s how we see them; thatthey’re fighting for us Europeans.And it’s true the Ashkenazi Jewsare European and not Hebrew;they are a European, violent,aggressive race. But after threedays in Palestine I had absolutelyno fear, I had only love for every-one I had met.’

Booth says there is growingsupport in the UK for the Pales-tinian cause. After the 2009 siegeon Gaza there was a massiveprotest march with at least100 000 people, which was notcovered by mainstream media.

She relates: ‘A 100 000 peoplewere chanting “Down withIsrael”. The front rows werewhite women in their 30s – withtheir children – who were not reg-ular activists. It was beautiful towatch. The tide is changing assupport for Palestine grows.’

In 2010, Booth made her firsttrip to Iran to cover the Al-QudsDay march.

‘There were approximately100 000 Iranians at the marchand it was a show of poweragainst Zionism. There was nosense of violence at all. Thewomen were weeping for the chil-dren of Palestine, weeping for theloss of Al-Aqsa; they were weep-ing because of the pain of otherwomen and children.’

When asked about Tony Blair’sreaction to her conversion toIslam, Booth responded: ‘I don’tknow but I heard that his office inJerusalem hates me, and I’m con-tent with that because if his office,who works with the Zionists,loved me, I’d be really worried.’

Commenting on inevitablybeing referred to as ‘the sister-in-law of Tony Blair’, Booth says:‘Before Islam it was a description

I was not happy with but,strangely, after Islam it’s a label Ibecame content with.

‘Why? Because I can feelblessed that Allah SWT chose meto be the first person in my fami-ly to accept Islam, and if this is ameans of giving hope to the Mus-lim community and a reminderthat anyone at any time can cometo Islam, and that things canchange very quickly then it cer-tainly is a label that I can livewith.’

Booth serves as a trustee of theorganisation Peace Trail. Theorganisation assists families in theUnited Kingdom and globally,providing education, housing andhealthcare to Muslims in financialhardships, new Muslims who arefacing financial difficulties, pay-ing university fees for students inGaza, planting trees in the WestBank, and many other projects.

Lauren Booth’s passion for Palestine‘My first trip to Palestine completely changed my worldview.

When I went to the West Bank I saw people under terrible oppression,

which was clearly apartheid but I had never read about it as apartheid.

‘I saw people there who had every right to hate an enemy who took their children

and imprisoned their sons, burned their houses, destroyed their crops. ‘But I didn’t

meet hatred. I met a confidence and a comfort in their faces, and a gentle

assurance that all will be well, if not in this generation then in future

generations; and that made me look at everything with fresh eyes.’

Muslim Views


Muslim Views


SALIM PARKER

THE Jewish tribe of Bani Nadir plottedto have the Prophet (SAW) killedwhen he accepted an invitation to visit

them a while before the Battle of the Trench.Archangel Jibreel warned Allah’s Messengerof their plans and he managed to get awaybefore it could be effected.

The Muslims banished the Bani Nadirfrom Madinah for their treachery and theyhad to settle in areas such as Khaybar, takingalong all the riches that they could carry withthem.

Huyay, the leader of the exiled tribe, borea great hatred towards the Muslims and read-ily joined forces with the Confederates intheir mission to obliterate the religion ofIslam from the surface of the earth.

The Bani Qurayzah was a large Jewishtribe that lived peacefully with the Muslims inMadinah.

They lived in the strong fortresses outsidethe city of Madinah, somewhere close, in thesouth-east. They had signed a treaty withNabi Muhammad (SAW) in which theyagreed to assist in defending Madinah whenthere was an external danger to the city.

They had also pledged not to carry out anymilitary moves without informing theProphet (SAW) about it.

They had, in effect, pledged not to help theQuraishi polytheists and those who helpedthem.

Huyay impressed upon the Confederateshis ability to influence his Jewish brothers. Heassured his affiliates that he would easilysway the Bani Qurayzah to break their pactwith the Muslims and allow an attack onMadinah from the north-east, where the Con-federates were gathered, as well as the south-east where the stronghold of the BaniQurayzah was entrenched.

Huyay was already known amongst theMadinah Jews as someone who had broughtdifficulty upon his own tribe, and they wereextremely wary of him.

He had the ability to wear down opposi-tion to his proposals with persistence of hisline of thought. The chief of the BaniQurayzah, who had signed the peace treatywith Muhammad (SAW), was Ka’b, and hewas not keen to meet Huyay when the lattercalled on him.

Ka’b had initially refused Huyay in whenthe latter had knocked at his gate, informinghim that he in no way would break his pactwith Muhammad (SAW). Huyay then accusedKa’b of not wanting to share his food, anaffront to Ka’b who reluctantly let him in.

‘I have brought you lasting glory for alltime and power like that of the raging sea,’Huyay said. ‘I have brought the Quraish,Kinanah and Ghatafan with their leaders andtheir chiefs. There are ten thousand of themand a thousand of their horses. They havesworn that they will not rest until Muham-mad and those with him are rooted out,’ hecontinued.

He painted a bleak picture of what wouldhappen to the Jews of Madinah once theMuslims were annihilated for, he claimed,surely they would not be able to defeat theConfederates.

He ended by promising that if, by someextremely remote chance, the Muslims werenot defeated, he personally would enter thefortress of the Bani Qurayzah and his fatewould then be the same as theirs.

This type of solemn oath is consideredbinding and Ka’b agreed that he would nothonour the pact made with the Muslims.Huyay asked for the signed treaty and thentore it up.

Ka’ab presented his decision to his tribes-men and initially there was considerable resis-tance to it. Most of the Jews were simplyagainst the breaking of a pact while some feltthat Muhammad (SAW) was indeed theprophet whose arrival was prophesied in theirscriptures, even though he was not Jewish.

However, when some of them went to thebattlefront and saw the great disparitybetween the Muslim and Confederate armies,the sympathy started to sway towards Ka’b.

Huyay asked the Confederates to sendsome of their men to the Bani Qurayzah sothat, together, they could attack the Muslimsat night. They planned to attack the house-holds where the Muslims were fortressed,knowing that mostly women and childrenoccupied them.

News of the deceit soon reached theProphet (SAW) and Umar was the one whoinformed him about it. Umar said: ‘O Mes-senger of Allah, according to what I haveheard, sons of the Qurayzah Jews have vio-lated the treaty and decided to help theenemy.’

This unexpected news distressed theProphet (SAW) as he had trusted that Ka’bwould honour the treaty. The Prophet utteredthe following words: ‘For us Allah suffices,and He is the best disposer of affairs.’ Zubayrwas sent to verify the reports and he con-firmed that it was true.

In order to maintain representation fromthe Helpers as well, He also sent Sa’d, of theKhazraj, and Sa’d of the Aws tribes as a dele-gation.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) gave them clearinstructions: ‘Go and investigate whether thenews that has reached us is true or not. If it istrue, tell me about it using implied words sothat people will not understand it. I willunderstand it. Do not express it clearly other-wise people could become scared. If they havenot violated the treaty, you can express itplainly.’

These distinguished Companions went tothe fortress of Bani Qurayzah. They men-tioned that it was a bad thing to violate thetreaty and advised them against it, mention-ing the previous fate of the Bani Nadir. How-ever, the Bani Qurayzah did not take note ofwhat the Companions said and declaredopenly that they had violated the treaty.

They were so arrogant that they openlytalked against Prophet Muhammad (SAW).‘Who is the Messenger of God?’ they asked.‘There is no pact between Muhammad and usor any agreement.’

The Muslim delegation was very disturbedby this. Sa’d ibn Muadh, who had been anally of Bani Qurayzah for a long time, wasextremely perturbed and declared, ‘I praythat Allah will not take my life before I fightyou!’

The Muslim delegates then returned andtold the Prophet (SAW) about the situation inan implied way. ‘Adal and Qarah,’ they said,referring to an incident of known betrayal.The Prophet (SAW) answered saying, ‘Keepthe news a secret! Tell it to only those who areaware of the situation. War consists of pre-cautions and tricks!’

Madinah was now surrounded by enemies.The Quran refers to it as follows: ‘They cameon you from above you and from below you,and behold the eyes became dim and thehearts gaped up to the throats, and you imag-ined various (vain) thoughts about Allah.’(33:10)

This news caused a panic among Muslims.The Prophet (SAW) sent Zayd with 300 sol-diers to Madinah to protect the city at night.Those forces used horses in order to patrolthe city. The horses were not needed at thetrench but the soldiers were essential thereand were greatly missed.

The trench had to be guarded day andnight, and every man taken away from thefrontline multiplied the effort needed fromthose who stayed behind. Each man had tonow keep watch for a few extra, exhaustinghours.

The Bani Qurayzah, strengthened by sol-diers of the Confederates, made a fewattempts to attack the Muslims in Madinah.On one occasion they attempted to attack the

house of Safiyya, the aunt of the Prophet(SAW).

About ten Jews shot arrows at the houseand Safiyya (RA) noticed that one of themhad reached the door and was trying to enter.There were many women and children in thehouse so she disguised herself as a man bywrapping a turban around her head, took along piece of wood, crept up behind him andkilled him.

This scared the other Jews who nowbelieved that there were not only women andchildren in the houses as they had beeninformed. They then left and abandoned theplan to attack Madinah from the Qurayzahfortress.

The hypocrites amongst the Believers alsoaimed to destabilise the Muslim army at thetrench. Some of them claimed: ‘It is not rea-sonable to leave our wives and children aloneand wait here miserably.

‘Our houses are outside Madinah; thewalls are low and open to the attack of theenemy and thieves.’

They asked permission to leave the trench.The Prophet allowed some of them to leave,even though the situation at the trench wasbecoming critical.

When Sa’d ibn Muadh heard that some ofthe hypocrites had asked for permission toleave, he could not help saying, ‘O Messengerof Allah, do not let them go! Whenever wesuffer a misfortune or are in trouble, theyalways act like that!’

Sa’d went to the group of hypocrites whohad asked permission to leave and rebukedthem, ‘Will you always do something likethis? Whenever we suffer a misfortune or weare in trouble, you always act like this!’

Allah revealed the insincerity of the hyp-ocrites at that juncture in the following verse:‘Behold! A party among them said: “You menof Yathrib! You cannot stand (the attack),therefore, go back!” And a band of themasked for leave of the Prophet, saying, “Trulyour houses are bare and exposed,” thoughthey were not exposed; they intended nothingbut to run away!’ (33:13)

The Confederates were massive in number,and the treachery of the Bani Qurayzah andthe cunning of the hypocrites greatly aidedtheir cause to exterminate the followers of thenew religion.

But what the Muslims had on their sidewere their unwavering belief, their skilfulleader who was assuring them of victory andtheir Creator who had ultimately promisedthem victory.Stories from the Hijaz is sponsored by Al-Anwar Hajj and Umrah.

The Battle of the Trench: Betrayal

Muslim Views


At one stage, some of the Confederates attacked the house of Safiyya, the aunt of the Prophet (SAW). There were quite a few women and children hiding there. A few of the Jews shot arrows at the house and one ofthem crept to the door and tried to enter. Sayyida Safiyya noticed this, disguised herself as a man by wrapping a turban around her head, took a long piece of wood, approached the man from behind and clubbed him todeath. Illustration SAAID RAHBEENI

Muslim Views


‘IWANT to go home!’ shecried as I tried examiningher in my rooms.

I had noticed her initially, thir-ty minutes earlier when I wasstanding close to her as she layslumped across a chair in front ofthe hotel’s check-in counter inMakkah. It was about two weeksbefore Hajj.

She and her family had justarrived from Jeddah airport andshe was clearly sick and dehydrat-ed. While her brother was tryingto speed up the formalities of thecheck-in procedures, her motherwas sponging her down and try-ing to pacify her.

I was sorting out some of myown issues with the hotel whenone of the hotel staff who knewme quite well, gestured metowards them and informed themthat I was a doctor.

They were from the UnitedStates and were probably reticentto have someone from the south-ernmost tip of darkest Africamedically involved in their care. Itwas with a sense of resignationthat her mother allowed her to betransported to my medical room.

Their group had journeyed formore than a day from the UnitedStates to Dubai where the younglady had initially taken ill. Shewas seen by a doctor there and,two days later, the group hadmade their way to Jeddah withher still very feverish, sufferingfrom diarrhoea and vomiting, andbeing utterly miserable.

The Hajj formalities had takenan inordinately long time at theairport, and her suffering wascompounded when the bus trans-porting them to Makkah had bro-ken down as they were ascendinga hill.

All the passengers had beenasked to get off in the more thanforty degree midday heat andwalk up the hill while the bussomehow chugged up. It took afew hours for the bus to get themto the hotel and by that time shewas dehydrated. It was mid-after-noon when I examined her.

‘I want to go home!’ sherepeated. She was sick, she was ina strange country with foreigncultures and etiquettes, and itappeared to her that she was amere number, an object beingpassed along an assembly line.

‘Things can only get better,’ Isaid.

Her mother was close to tears.‘How can it get better?’ the moth-er asked. ‘There are millions ofpeople around, everything isgoing wrong, my daughter is get-ting sicker and sicker, and itseems no one seems to care! Idon’t know what to do!’ shecried.

I tried to calm her. ‘Things canonly get better and better,’ I triedreassuring her. ‘You are in theholiest of places, medical facilitiesare world class, and I have seenplenty of patients with her condi-tion before.’

I could understand her con-cern; she, her young daughter andson were with strangers in astrange patriarchal land with cus-toms and ways that were distinct-

ly foreign to them. They wereexhausted after their long jour-ney.

I examined the daughter, dis-pensed some medication andassured them that hospitalisationwas not necessary. The motherlooked incredulous.

‘Here is my phone number. Iam just a call away and my groupwill always be able to find me ifyou cannot get hold of me,’ Iended off. I asked her to see methe following morning.

I indicated to them that sheshould postpone her Umrah untilafter I had seen her for the follow-up visit, and rest in the comfort ofher air-conditioned, five star hotelrooms till then.

‘Things are only going to getbetter,’ I repeated. The red flushof fever could not colour herashen pallor. ‘You have a treat-able condition and I am sorry thatthe medication given in Dubai didnot work.’

I promised them that the med-ication I had given would do thetrick, otherwise I would accom-pany them to the hospital.

Her eyes lit up ever so slightly,

and she gave me the reply thatstrongly indicated that she want-ed to get better. ‘I trust you, Doc-tor,’ she said.

They did not come the nextmorning. Neither did they call meor someone in our group to givean indication of whether she wasfine or not.

In the course of medical prac-tice I have come to accept thatsome consider me an adequatedoctor, while others deemed methe worst they had ever encoun-tered. Medicine is considered anart, and some consider my strokeson my canvas awe-inspiring whileto others it appears a plain messof warped colours.

I, as a rule, see anyone whorequires medical assistance, so itwas not surprising that a numberof American hotel guests wereamongst the many patients I sawthat day. Most of them were quitesick, and it struck me late in theday that no one questioned myqualifications.

This was the first time everthat I was not interrogated byeach and every American thatconsulted me about the compe-tence of South African doctors.

Another day passed, and stillthere was no sign of her. I did notsee her family at the breakfast ordinner tables, and wondered ifshe had been hospitalised forsome reason.

The next morning, three daysafter I saw her, I saw a smiling,rosy-cheeked and bubbly younglady entering my rooms. I couldnot believe the transformation!

She and her mother were smil-ing and she literally could notstop talking. ‘Wait your turn!’ hermother commanded, gesturing tothe full waiting room that she hadclearly not noticed. ‘I’ll wait aslong as is required,’ she smiled.

And she waited. I had a fewcomplicated cases as well as anemergency that needed hospitalreferral to see to before she couldsee me.

‘So you don’t want to go home

now,’ I laughed.‘Why should I want to leave

the most wonderful place onearth?’ she smiled. ‘Hajj is justmore than a week away, and Ishall not miss that for anything inthe world,’ she continued.

‘Why did you not come foryour check-up?’ I reprimandedher. She smiled shyly and did notanswer.

‘She felt so much better thenext day that she wanted to per-form her Umrah,’ the mothersaid. ‘Though she was a bit weak,she managed and seemed to begaining strength after that. I toldher that we should see you thenext day but she insisted that shewanted to go back to the Kabahthat day instead of seeing you,’she continued.

‘Why? Did she want to make afinal duah before going home?’ Iteased.

The daughter looked at me. ‘Iwanted to make a duah for you,’she said. ‘You said things can onlyget better but they were morethan that; they were perfect. Itouched the Kabah when I madethe prayer for you. You were mygift on this journey and I wantedto thank Allah before comingback to see you,’ she added.

Her words really touched me.‘No, you are my gift,’ I said. ‘Ijust pray that I’ll get some rewardfor being able to assist you onyour Hajj; this is, after all, myjob.’

They informed me that theywere to leave for Madinah thenext day and I informed themthat my group was moving to theMakkan suburb of Aziziyah. Themother was panic-stricken. ‘Whatwill happen if one of us becomessick?’ she asked.

The daughter smiled. ‘My doc-tor is just a phone call away,’ shesaid.

We all shared the ultimate gift;the gift of trust. The trust that Ihad that they appreciated ourefforts and the trust they had thatwe were there to help them.

Renewed hopeHer suffering was compounded when the bustransporting them toMakkah broke down asthey were ascending a hill,writes Doctor SALIM PARKER.

They did not come the next

morning. Neither did they call

me or someone in our group to

give an indication of whether

she was fine or not

Hajj is Arafah but to get there, onesometimes has to trust those whohave accepted the responsibility ofgetting the sick strong enough tospend some time in that hallowedarea. Photo Dr SALIM PARKER

THE first Muslim woman to graduate asa medical doctor in South Africa but morerenowned for her role in our liberationstruggle, Dr Zainab Asvat, passed away inLondon, on November 30, 2013. She was93-years-old.

She was hounded by the apartheid secu-rity police for her activism and was forcedinto exile in 1970.

Zainab Asvat, daughter of EbrahimAsvat, came under the tutelage of herfather as a young girl. She accompaniedhim to political meetings and became fullyconversant with the political situation inthe country.

In the 1940s, Zainab became politicallyactive. At the time, she was studying medi-cine at University of the Witwatersrand buttook a year off and went to Durban to bepart of the Passive Resistance Campaign.

On June 13, 1946, the first batch ofresisters set up camp on the plot at the cor-ner of Umbilo Road and Gale Street. Theyproposed to live there in tents until suchtime as they were arrested.

There were eighteen resisters, six ofwhom were women: Zainab Asvat, ZohraBhayat, Amina Pahad, Zubeida Patel ofJohannesburg, and Lakshmi Govender andVeeramah Pather of Durban.

Doctor GM Naicker, President of theNIC and MD Naidoo, Secretary of theNIC, were the leaders of the group.Zainab’s sister, Amina (Asvat) Cachalia,and her school friends went to the site afterschool to sing and cheer on the campaign-ers.

Reminiscing about the protest a fewyears ago, Zainab wrote: ‘We drew a lot ofattention from the local Muslims. Some

Muslim boys came, just to get fresh withus. They complained that I was cheeky.

‘I had two aunts in Durban. The onesaid that I was disgracing her because peo-ple were bandying ‘her niece’s’ picturesaround. The other aunt, however, was sup-portive, partly because when she came tovisit us at the tent, she found me readingSurah Ya Seen. She brought us ‘godras’(eiderdowns) and food.’

On the Sunday night, June 16, whitehooligans overran the camp, took away all

the tents and some of the blankets. Zainab,Amina Pahad and Veeramah Pather wereinjured when tents fell on them.

On Monday night, a meeting was calledat the camp. Zainab made a fiery speech inwhich she denounced the violence andaffirmed the resisters’ commitment andappealed to the people to remain calm.

On Saturday, June 28, Zainab wasarrested and released later the same night.On Sunday, she addressed a meeting of 800women at the Avalon Cinema.

Zainab’s courage and determinationwere inspirational and several womenjoined in the campaign as a result.

In July 1946, Zainab led a batch ofresisters, was arrested, sent to prison forthree months and released in early October.

Later in October, Zainab, Mrs PKNaidoo and Miss Suriakala Patel, were thefirst women ever elected to the TransvaalIndian Congress Committee.

All three of the women had servedprison sentences during the passive resis-

tance campaign.After 1946, Zainab returned to medical

school to complete her studies.Towards the end of 1956, she became

politically active again. The arrest of 156activists in December, 1956, led to greathardship for their families, and Zainab setabout organising a network of support.

She raised funds, collected goods anddistributed food, blankets and clothing tothe families of the accused. Zainab alsoorganised meals for the accused during trialsessions.

In December 1963, Zainab organised awomen’s march to the Union Buildings toprotest against group areas relocations andthe establishment of the Indian NationalCouncil. Soon after this, Zainab wasbanned for five years.

After her banning expired, Zainab andher husband, Dr Aziz Kazi, who had alsobeen banned, took exit permits and went tolive in London.

Courtesy: South African History Online

Muslim Views


DR MOGAMAT HOOSAIN EBRAHIMIT is an honour and privilege to write atribute to Yasmena Johnstone. She wasnot only a student but a friend whom Iinitially met seven years ago when she registered with International Peace College South Africa (IPSA).

Yasmena died on Wednesday morning at5.30 at her residence in Hanover Park andwas buried the same day, December 4,2013, at the Johnstone Road Maqbarah.Her Salatul Janazah was performed afterAsr Salaah at Masjidul Mansur, in MountView Estate.

Yasmena was an active member of manyIslamic organisations over several yearsand, therefore, it was no surprise to seemembers of these organisations at thejanazah.

She was born in De Korte Street, DistrictSix, Cape Town, on September 2, 1950.She was the third eldest born to Zubair andGadija Johnstone.

Yasmena commenced her madrassahyears with Boeta Braima and continuedwith several other teachers. She attendedTrafalgar Junior and High Schools untilstandard eight, and completed her SeniorCertificate part-time.

She started to work in a factory knownas Kelner where, after just a few weeks shewas promoted and joined the office staff.

Because of her acumen, her employeradvised her to pursue her academic studies.She then studied part-time while beingemployed at various financial institutions.

She studied at Institute of Shari’ah Stud-ies for five years. Thereafter, she registeredfor the four-year course at IPSA, which shesuccessfully completed last year, 2013.

Though she spent seven years at IPSA,this did not bother her as she was activelyserving the community.

She also loved travelling; she spent ayear in Egypt to concentrate on the Arabiclanguage.

Shaikh Dawood Terblanche, one ofYasmena’s teachers, noted: ‘As far as thefavourite expression is concerned, it wasliterally learning from the cradle to thegrave.’

Shaikh Fadiel Latief, another of herteachers, added: ‘Yasmena was a caringperson who was concerned about the wel-fare of her fellow students. She was diligentand took a keen interest in her studies.’

Shaikh Ganief Kamaar, who addressedthe mourners at the makbarah, quoted thefollowing hadith: ‘Whoever seeks knowl-edge (for the sake of Allah), Allah willmake his/ her path easy to Jannah.’

Ibtesiam Samodien, the librarian at IPSAcommented: ‘Yasmena was a person whopersevered despite the difficulty she experi-enced in her life – 15 years ago she had a

major operation, however, she continuedher daily tasks, studying and being activelyinvolved with Islamic organisations. Shewas like a mother to me.’

I had the honour of teaching her in threesubjects this year and found her to be ded-icated and passionate about her work. Hersincere personality and interaction with herpeers always kept the class alive and inter-esting.

Although she was not the eldest of thefamily, she was an example to her seven sis-ters and four brothers, and had the respectof all her family members. She took care ofher grandmother Ayesha Weeder, who livedto the age of 104, until her demise.

Ghairunisa, Yasmena’s sister acknowl-edged: ‘My sister was an activist, a memberof Qiblah, and a founder member of Mus-tadafin. She was the head of Kauthar StudyCircle for women. She was also the co-coordinator of the Islamic Unity Conven-tion (IUC) Women’s Forum when it wasestablished in 1994.

Yasmena was a faithful person wholived a life of sincerity, dignity and, aboveall else, was conscious of her duties as aMuslim.

She was proud of, and adhered to, theCape Muslim culture. She frequented occa-sions such as janazahs, nikahs, arwahs andkhatm al-Qur’an.

May the Almighty forgive her sins andreward her in abundance for the sacrificesshe made serving the community as anactivist and serving on Islamic institutions.May Almighty Allah grant her Jannah tulFirdous and grant her family sabr, ameen.

Our condolences go to her brothers andsisters and the rest of her family members:Farieda, Mymoena, Washiela, Nazeema,Haroun, Ghairunisa and Nathier.

MOHAMED AHMEDON October 22, 2013, Sharifa AhmedChoglay, co-founder and CEO of GoodHope Meat Hyper, in Salt River, CapeTown, was called to Allah’s mercy.

Sharifa had a tremendous impact on thelives of many people around her, particu-larly the under-privileged in her communi-ty. An attempt to list her many achieve-ments would be futile as the result wouldbe something that more closely resembles anovella than a humble tribute.

Nonetheless, we will attempt here to, atthe very least, highlight her achievementsas a means to celebrate her life and mournher passing.

Chief among her achievements was herinstrumental role in ensuring that a greatnumber of Muslims were able to undertakethe holy pilgrimage to Makkah and Madi-nah, through sponsorship and othermeans.

Furthermore, she was integrallyinvolved in fundraising initiatives for vari-ous masajid in the Western Cape, therebyplaying a part in ensuring not only theirsurvival but also their growth and expan-sion.

Sharifa single-handedly spent thousandsof rands to assist in the clearing up of theMowbray kabrstan, as well as the clearingof the maqbara therein.

Her passion and enthusiasm for pro-moting the education of the under-privi-leged youth was unmatched; this is borneout in the numerous meetings she had inthe recent past with the former Minister ofEducation, Ms Naledi Pandor.

One of Sharifa’s most prominentendeavours was her involvement with theMuslim Association of Red Children’sHospital (MARCH).

Rashieda Hashim, who worked closelywith Sharifa on projects for the organisa-tion, called Sharifa ‘very generous’ in hercontributions for the organisation, andvery ‘hands on’ in her actions.

Dawood Khan, a former Cape TownCity councillor stated that ‘she was aremarkable woman and worked tirelesslyin her efforts to assist the MARCH organ-isation’.

She was a key component in the bur-geoning success of Good Hope MeatHyper, and was a pillar of strength to herlate husband, Dawood Ahmed Choglaywho passed away eleven years ago.

She is mourned by her son ReaazAhmed, daughters Naseema and Fayrooz,as well as her grandchildren and the manypeople whose lives she touched every day.

It is our duah that this servant of Allahwill be blessed with the highest place inJannah. Ameen.

Yasmena Johnstone (1950 – 2013)

An activist with athirst for knowledgeuntil the grave

A tribute to SharifaAhmed Choglay

Zainab Asvat, Doctorfor the people, passes on

Zainab Asvat attending the Treason Trial,December 1956.

Photo Muslim Portraits: The Anti-ApartheidStruggle, Madiba Publishers 2012

Muslim Views


MOHAMED ASLAM HASSANYACOOB Mahmud Mullah wasborn in Morba, India, on August21, 1934, and died tragically onNovember 4, 2013, in Philippi,Cape Town. He was a well-known and well-loved figure inall spheres of his life.

He was known by differentnames to different people, withthe common thread being the loveand respect that all bore him.

He was famously known as‘Bala Mullah’ to most people(Bala meaning older brother),known as ‘Bhai’ and ‘Madala’ tothe community of Philippi, andaffectionately known as ‘Abba’(father) to all of us, his family.

At the age of six, he travelledby ship, along with his mother,older sister and younger brother,to South Africa, joining his fatherwho had arrived in Cape Town ayear earlier to prepare for hisfamily’s arrival.

His father, Mahmud Mullah,had settled in Philippi, which wasat the time a desolate rural area.

The young Yacoob attendedHabibia Primary, completing std.6, before joining his father in thefamily business.

By this time the family hadmoved to Lansdowne, and theiconic Hassan Brothers supermar-ket was established.

In July, 1956, he marriedZubeida Dhansay, and in Decem-ber that same year, his belovedfather passed away. The 22-year-old Yacoob assumed his father’s

role in the business, and in familymatters.

It was a role that would definethe rest of his life.

Having always accompaniedhis father to the various gather-ings, it became his responsibilityto take over the position of lead-ing the dhikr in its many forms.

Soon he mastered the Tahleel,Moulood and the GyaraweenShareef. He became well versed inmany different variations of thevarious athkaar, and earned hisposition as his father’s successor.

Over the years, he had memo-rised an astounding amount ofhamd, naat, and manqabat (Urdu

poems praising Allah SWT,Prophet Muhammad (SAW), andthe saints, respectively).

He was instrumental in revis-ing and reprinting various kitaabsover the years. His greatest fearwas that the next generationwould not uphold the traditions,and he encouraged the youth toinvolve themselves in the mehfil(gathering).

He even organised Mouloodand Gyaraween classes, not onlyfor the younger members but sothat everyone could learn some-thing new.

His dedication to the AthloneMehfil was unwavering and, in2012, they bestowed on him anaward in recognition of his morethan five decades of selfless ser-vice to the community. He hardlyever missed a function, oftenattending two or three in onenight.

In his spare time, he copiedkitaabs in the most beautiful cal-ligraphy – a skill he had learnt onone of his trips to India – and dec-oratively adorned the borders oftheir pages.

In 1971, he moved his familyback to Philippi, where heresumed running his father’s orig-inal shop. Eleven years later,Abba closed Philippi Cash Store,demolished the family home and

rebuilt it, adding a service stationand motor spares shop.

He had a passion for cars andloved taking road trips wheneverthe opportunity presented itself.

I remember one occasion,when I was 14, I accompaniedhim and my father on a sponta-neous overnight road trip to PortElizabeth to attend a gyaraween.That trip, and many others like it,epitomised the two great loves ofhis life.

Abba was a very charismaticperson who always had a smileon his face, and always had timeto share one or two of his trade-mark jokes.

He treated everyone heencountered fairly and with theutmost respect, thereby earningrespect from others. He treatedhis employees like family, andmany of them were with him formany years.

‘Mr Hassan was a real people’sperson. He had such an even tem-perament that each day with himwas just like the previous one. Myday would not be complete if hewas not part of it,’ says CarmenKlein, an employee for 23 years.

The community of Philippiloved him, and this was evidenton the day that he died. As wordof his death spread, people turnedup in droves, expressing their dis-belief, their anger and their con-dolences.

He spent his life serving others,be it his family, the community helived in or the greater community.The fact that he was killed while

trying to assist someone in trou-ble seems to be a testament to theway he lived his life.

He was an accomplishedmechanic, and could fix anythingthat needed fixing. He almostalways had grease under his fin-gernails from fiddling with somecar part or the other.

On a visit to Morba manyyears ago, he walked into themasjid and noticed that the clockwas not working, and had notworked in years.

He fixed it, and spent the restof his visit there responding to themany requests from people want-ing their watches, clocks andother gadgets fixed.

As a father, grandfather andgreat-grandfather, he lovedspending time with his family,and shared a special and uniquebond with each and every one ofus. He was the guiding light ofour family, and was always will-ing to share his wisdom whencalled upon for advice.

His granddaughter, SharifaHassan, shared the following sen-timent: ‘Abba was the light of ourlives. He was my teacher, my doc-tor, my everything. He loved itwhen I told him this, and his facewould be lit up with the mostradiant smile. His passing has lefta gaping hole in all our lives, andhe will be dearly missed.’

At this time in our lives, whenthe world is mourning the passingof Madiba, our little family iscontemplating life without ourdear Madala.

Yacoob Mahmud Mullah (1934-2013)

Tribute to a MadalaYacoob Mahmud Mullah, as picturedreading the Muslim Views at his homein Surrey Estate, in 2009. Mr Mullahalways appreciated the paper andenjoyed discussing its contents.

Photo TARIQ HASSAN

SAFE SCHOOLSCALL CENTREThe Western Cape Education Department has established a SafeSchools Call Centre as part of the SafeSchools Programme.

Educators, learners and parents can callthe toll-free number to report violence,abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, vandalism and/or complaints regardingcorruption in schools.

The Call Centre’s toll-free number is

0800 45 46 47.This toll-free line operates from Mondays to Fridays between 8:00 and19:30. Weekend calls are recorded andresponded to on Monday mornings.

The Call Centre’s operators can assistcallers in Afrikaans, English andXhosa.

Muslim Views


MUSLIM Hands has taken onthe task of providing neededitems to various locations acrossCape Town. These locationshave been neglected and havehad little or no assistance fromother outside sources.

These are some of the projectsMuslim Hands undertook duringDecember.

Little Angels Home for the disabled

The Little Angels Care Homeis situated in Somerset West. It isa centre for children with severedisabilities such as cerebral palsy,and special medical needs.

The home provides a perma-nent residency and care for 16children between the ages of 14and 21 years.

Muslim Hands provided thehome with various food itemssuch as fish fingers, baked beans,sweet corn, peas, tuna and fish asthe children are on special dietaryprogrammes.

The caretakers and caregiversat the home expressed their sin-cere gratitude and thanks to Mus-lim Hands for providing themwith the much needed food forthe children.

The children were delighted tosee and meet the staff of MH andlove being captured on cameraand being the centre of attraction.

Wellington distributionMuslim Hands went out to

Wellington, about 80 kilometresoutside Cape Town.

MH employees had surveyedthe area in order to determine the

conditions of the people there.Fourteen families were selectedand distribution took place onone of the farms.

After careful consideration,Muslim Hands distributed a safewater storage container, foodparcels and blankets to needyrecipients. Toys, sports equipmentand goody bags were also givento the children.

Muslim Hands have completedfurther investigations in the areato provide people with muchneeded clean drinking water. A 1 000-litre water storage tankwas given to a family that has no

safe or flowing water in theirhome.

The local farmer has agreed toservice and maintain the safewater storage tank. He will makeregular visits to fill the tank withwater so that the family has areadily available safe, clean watersupply.

Mbekweni Jamaat KhanaAfter an extensive investiga-

tion into the poor surroundingareas of the Paarl district, nearWellington, Muslim Hands foundtwo jamaat khanas that also serveas madrassahs.

The jamaat khana situated inSand Street, Mbekweni, Paarl,was in dire need of assistance.The wudu khana was found to bein a shocking state.

After consultation with thelocal imam and ulama, we alsofound out that they needed foodto feed the children at the madras-sah. Children have not beenattending madrassah regularlydue to their condition.

Muslim hands thought that byfirstly improving the conditions atthe madrassah and then alsoassisting the children it would,Insha Allah, motivate them to

attend madrassah.Muslim Hands distributed

paper towels, soap, sandals andfood to the Mbekweni JamaatKhana. We have no doubt thatthese supplies will go a long wayin restoring the local people’sfaith in their local madrassah. Werealise, however, that by supply-ing some of their needs we haveonly scratched the surface of theproblems these children face.

Contact Muslim Hands todayon: 021 6336413 (CT) or visit:muslimhands.org.za face-book:muslimhandsSA Twitter:muslimhandsSA

- ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE -Muslim Hands projects reach out to the Boland

Iqbal Bray and Shaikh Abdul from the Mbekweni Jamaat Khana.Photo AMEER SAMSODIEN

Ismail Dawood Fakee and Gamiet Petersen with staff members of Little AngelsHome. Photo AMEER SAMSODIEN

Muslim Views


PROVISIONAL tax is anadvance payment made toSARS on the taxpayer’s

normal tax liability for the period of assessment. It is amethod of ensuring that the taxpayer does not have to payover large amounts to SARSafter filing a tax return.

Provisional tax is therefore nota separate tax and, on assessment,the taxpayer’s tax liability isreduced by the amount alreadypaid over in provisional tax dur-ing the year.

A provisional taxpayer is anyperson who derives any incomeother than remuneration asdefined in the Income Tax Act, acompany or any person that hasbeen informed by the commis-sioner that he is a provisional tax-payer. Provisional taxpayers arerequired to make two compulsorypayments to SARS every yearwith a third voluntary payment ifrequired.

The first provisional paymentis due six months after the start ofthe financial year and the secondprovisional payment is due at theend of that financial year.

The third voluntary paymentshould be made within sevenmonths after the end of the finan-

cial year where the taxpayer’sfinancial year ends on the last dayof February, and six months afterthe last day of the financial yearwhen the financial year ends onany date other than the last day ofFebruary.

Paragraph 20 & 20A of thefourth schedule imposes a penaltyof 20% for the under estimationof provisional tax and the latepayment of the provisional tax,respectively.

Provisional tax payers are clas-sified as either Tier 1 (T1) taxpay-ers with a taxable income of up toR1million or Tier 2 (T2) wheretaxable income is greater thanR1million.

The first provisional tax pay-ment for both Tier 1 and Tier 2taxpayers is based on the basicamount or any lower amount asagreed by the commissioner.

The second provisional pay-ment for T1 taxpayers should becalculated on an amount not lessthan the basic amount and 90%of the actual taxable income forthe year of assessment as finallydetermined by the taxpayer or80% of the actual taxable incomefor the year of assessment as final-ly determined by the taxpayer forT2 taxpayers.

The paragraph 20 penalty forT1 taxpayers is calculated on20% of the lower of normal tax

calculated on the basic amountand normal tax calculated on90% of the taxable income forthe current year less the amountof provisional tax payments madeto date for the current year ofassessment as well as any employ-ee’s tax that has been deductedthroughout the year from the tax-payer’s employer.

The paragraph 20 penalty inrespect of T2 tax payers where

the second provisional tax pay-ment is based on an inadequateamount would be calculated onthe normal tax calculated on 80%of the taxable income for the cur-rent year and the amount of pro-visional tax payments made todate for the current year of assess-ment as well as any employee’stax that has been deductedthroughout the year from the tax-payer’s employer

The paragraph 20A penalty isimposed on a taxpayer if the sec-ond provisional payment is sub-mitted after the last day of theyear of assessment.

Provisional TaxInterest and Penalties

Focus on Finance

Part of SARS’s process and methods to collect taxesinclude the payment of provisional tax by taxpayers dur-ing the year. HASSEN KAJIE, CA (SA), a director of NEXIASAB&T, based in the Cape Town office, and WALIEDHEYNES, CA (SA), Technical Manager at NEXIA SAB&T,provide guidelines for readers.

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


Walied Heyns is Technical Manager inthe Cape Town office of Nexia SAB&T.

Provisional tax is... not a separate tax and, on assessment,the taxpayer’s tax liability is reduced by the amount already paid over in provisional tax during the year.

Muslim Views


The paragraph 20A penaltywould be calculated on 20% ofthe amount by which the normaltax payable by the taxpayer forthe year of assessment exceeds thesum of provisional tax paymentsas well as any amounts deductedby the employer in respect ofemployee’s tax for the year ofassessment.

Section 89 (2) provides for thepayment of interest where the fullamount of any provisional taxpayments is not paid in full by therelevant due date for payment.

Interest is charged on the fullamount of the outstanding pay-ment up to the date that the totaloutstanding payment is received.

Section 89 (sub-paragraph 4)provides for the payment of inter-est on the difference between theamount of normal tax as assessed

and the payments received inrespect of the current year ofassessment.

Section 89 (4) also provides forinterest that is payable to the tax-payer in the event of an overpay-ment of the taxpayer’s liability forthe current year of assessment ifcertain conditions are met.

Interest is payable at the pre-

scribed rate as determined by theMinister of Finance.

Paragraph 27 penalty on late payment

Paragraph 27 of the FourthSchedule also provides for apenalty of 10% on the amountnot paid if any provisional tax isnot paid within the period

allowed for payment.The paragraph 27 penalty is in

addition to section 89 (2), whichstates that interest should be paidon any outstanding provisionaltax up to the date payment hasbeen made to the commissioner inrespect of such outstanding provi-sional tax.This article is intended for infor-

mation purposes only and shouldnot be considered as a legal doc-ument.If you are in doubt about anyinformation in this article orrequire any advice on ProvisionalTax payments, please do not hes-itate to contact Nexia SAB&TTax department at telephone021 596 5400.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 Section 89bis(2) provides for the payment of interest where

the full amount of any provisional tax payments is not paid

in full by the relevant due date for payment. Interest is charged

on the full amount of the outstanding payment up to the date

that the total outstanding payment is received.

Muslim Views


The human heart, createdwith the capacity of infinitelove, can only reach perfection if its possessordirects this tendencytowards love of Allah andHis Rasool, says ShaikhABDURAGMAAN ALEXANDER.

WE praise Allah for theglorious month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1435, during

which we celebrate and commemorate the blessed birthof our illustrious master, NabiMuhammad (SAW).

Our khutbah focuses on‘Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Mis-sion of Mercy, Message of Love’.

The Love of AllahAllah Almighty created His

entire creation with love as amanifestation of His DivineArtistry and Perfection.

He blessed humankind as thesupervisor over the rest of cre-ation.

Our Beloved Creator intro-duces Himself to us in Surah 55as ‘Al-Rahmaan’ (The Most Gra-cious, Beneficent, Merciful andLoving God of the universe). Heonly requires our love in return.

Since the reason for creation islove, the attribute of love is pre-sent as a natural inclination in allcreatures.

Prophet Muhammad’s message of love

It is documented that NabiMuhammad (SAW) said in afamous hadith, ‘None of you willenter paradise until you believe.And none of you believe until youmutually love each other (asbelievers) …’ Hence, love is a nec-essary element for the perfectionof a Muslim’s faith.

The absence of love in a Mus-lim heart is like food without salt.This means that the human heart,created with the capacity of infi-nite love, can only reach perfec-tion if its possessor directs his ten-dency towards love of Allah andHis Rasool.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) revo-lutionised the world with love. Heconquered the hearts of his arch-enemies with love, and readilyforgave those who murdered andpersecuted his family and com-panions.

He lovingly cared for theorphans and the under-privileged,and championed the cause of jus-tice for everyone. It is this uncon-ditional and pure love that thismodern world of turmoil andconflict so desperately needstoday.

Prophet Muhammad’s mission of mercy

Allah Almighty majesticallydeclares in his glorious book, Al-Qur’an (21:107): ‘And (OProphet) We have not sent youbut as a mercy to the universe.’

True to his mission, he magnet-ically pulled people’s hearts andminds closer to him. He interact-ed and treated everyone merciful-ly, and people of all walks of lifeflocked to embrace his missionand message.

He taught us to be mercifultowards animals as they haverights over us. He reprimandedthe owner of an abused camelwhen the camel cried out for helpto the Prophet (SAW). Even abrute animal recognised theProphet of Mercy.

Thus, our beloved masterteaches us in a hadith: ‘Allah willnot show mercy to those who arenot merciful to others.’

His advent as the universalProphet of Mercy is the way toultimate salvation and divinepleasure. It is only a mercifulheart that will experience andtaste true love.

The great saint, MoulanaJalaludin Rumi so aptly says:‘Those who greedily fall in lovewith the world are like hunterswho shoot at shadows; how coulda shadow come into their posses-sion? One of the foolish peopletried to catch a bird’s shadow buteven the bird on the branch wasbewildered by this.’

O people, just as Allah hasmade available clean air, waterand light to everyone, so isProphet Muhammad (SAW) theuniversal Prophet of Love andMercy to all.

If anyone denies the blessingsand favours of his Lord by block-ing his nostrils and refusing toinhale fresh air then death by suf-focation is certain.

Similarly, the one who refusesto drink water will ultimately dieof thirst. And likewise, the personwho closes his eyes to the light isbound to wander in darkness.This is why the world is still grop-ing in darkness today; the majori-ty of humankind has not yetaccepted the universal Prophet ofLove and Mercy.

Moulood celebrationsAllah states in His glorious

Qur’an (33:56): ‘Verily, Allah andHis angels place blessings on theProphet. O you who believe, putblessings and salutations uponhim with a (befitting) salutation.’

The Almighty states in surah94, verse 4, ‘And We have exalted

for you (O Muhammad) yourremembrance.’

O Muslims, this blessed monthis an ideal period to recommitourselves and strive to becometrue lovers of our Prophet who isthe perfect examplar. His genuinesunnah is to pattern our dailylives on honesty, truthfulness andrighteousness.

Our master always greeted firstand had the most radiant smile.He taught us that ‘to smile ischarity’.

He was the perfect husbandand never abused his wives in anyway. He was the perfect parent,always showering his childrenwith care, love and affection. Hewas the perfect neighbour, alwaysshowing concern and taught usthat none should go to bed atnight, while your neighbour goeshungry.

He was the greatest orphanthat ever lived. He knew what itwas to not have a loving motheror a caring father, therefore, hesaid, ‘The person who cares forthe orphan will be with me in thehereafter.’

He taught us to love each otheras believers for we are one globalbrotherhood in faith. He instruct-ed us to be kind and compassion-ate to all human beings as we areall the universal family of Allah.

Our beloved Prophet (SAW)encouraged us to plant trees andbe environment-friendly.

O Muslims, commit yourselvesin this sacred period to study theblessed life of our belovedProphet. One cannot help butadmire and love this perfecthuman being. We must love himas we exist because of him.

Reflect on the Hadith Qudsi(sacred tradition). Nabi Muham-mad (SAW) said that Allah said:‘O my Muhammad, if it were notfor you, I would not have createdthe universe.’

Rejoice in your Moulood cele-brations and sing his praises. MayAllah raise us in the esteemedcompany of our beloved masterand all his worthy servants,ameen!

Jumu’ah mubarak!

FROM THE MIMBARFROM THE MIMBAR

Photo OSMAN KHAN

A message of loveSimilarly, the

one who refuses

to drink water

will ultimately

die of thirst.

And likewise,

the person who

closes his eyes

to the light is

bound to wander

in darkness.

This is why the

world is still

groping in

darkness today;

the majority of

humankind has

not yet accepted

the universal

Prophet of Love

and Mercy.

‘Verily, Allah and Hisangels place blessingson the Prophet. O you

who believe, putblessings and

salutations upon him with a (befitting)

salutation.’

Muslim Views


BEFORE the Arab Spring,the uprisings against therulers in North Africa and

the Middle East seemed a remotepossibility.

Of course, the elements thatcontributed to the uprisings hadbeen present for many genera-tions and non-governmental andcommunity-based organisationshad been advocating change anddemanded an end to oppressionand injustice.

Both secularist and IslamicNGOs and CBOs had been oper-ating at various levels, providingservices to the masses and pro-moting human rights – often atthe cost of imprisonment and tor-ture. Social media facilitated thespread of the ‘revolution’ and thescene was set for the uprisings.

Several surprises were in storefor observers of the Arab Spring.For one, it was not expected thatthe Islamic groupings would com-mand the majority in the parlia-mentary elections in Egypt andTunisia.

As it turned out, al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun and al-Nahda provedto be popular with the majority ofvoters and were installed as gov-ernments in Egypt and Tunisiarespectively.

But governing a state is a farcry from functioning as areformist/ revivalist movement.

It is a lesson that these groupshave learned the hard way.

They did not anticipate oppo-sition to their rule having been onthe ‘same side’ as their detractorsin the movement to oust the pre-vious regimes.

The Islamic groupings in Mus-lim countries took it for grantedthat the masses would readily optfor shariah if given the choice.But subsequent events haveproved otherwise.

In both Egypt and Tunisiathere is widespread opposition tothe introduction of shariah.

One could assume various rea-sons for this state of affairs.

The reluctance to accept shari-ah can be attributed to the fol-lowing:l General ignorance of shariah

by its detractors who perceive

shariah as synonymous withpenal laws (hudud).

l The view that hudud should nolonger be applied in the mod-ern world.

l The fear of being penalisedunder the hudud ordinances.The fact is that alcohol con-sumption, gambling and pros-titution are to be found in allMuslim countries so the mostvociferous opponents to shari-ah are likely to be those whosefreedom to indulge is beingthreatened.Opposition to the introduction

of shariah as the main source oflegislation was expected fromWestern nations but, surprisingly,the major opposition has comefrom the masses in Muslim coun-tries.

The groundswell of oppositionin Egypt to Nursi emboldened thearmy to depose him and assumecontrol.

It had been mistakenlyassumed that the army had sur-rendered control of Egypt follow-ing the uprising.

The army, which effectivelycontrols the economy of Egypt, isnot likely to give up its monopoly.

In Tunisia, there is a clamourfor al-Nahda to step down andhand over power to the opposi-tion.

What the majority of people –including those who support al-

Ikhwan al-Muslimun and al-Nahda – expect is an overallimprovement in basic servicedelivery, a reduction in employ-ment coupled with an improvedeconomy and freedom of expres-sion.

Unfortunately, the former twodemands cannot be met immedi-ately since the economies of bothTunisia and Egypt are unable tofulfil these expectations in a shortspace of time.

Expecting immediate results isimpractical and unfair.

What will happen to al-Ikhwan in Egypt is anyone’sguess.

The regime believes that bybanning it, it will be rid of a ‘nui-sance’.

This is fanciful thinking.Al-Ikhwan has been in exis-

tence since 1927 and has attempt-ed to meet the social, economic

and educational needs of the peo-ple through the establishment ofsmall business enterprises,schools, clinics etc.

It has built strong supportamong Egyptians of all rank andclass. It will be compelled to workunderground as it had been doingduring previous regimes.

It will have to reassess its rolein the political field.

It could do this by joining anexisting party as it did in the pastor launch another party under adifferent name.

The idea of a state whose lawsare underpinned by shariah is notlikely to disappear.

But the struggle to establishshariah as the law of the land willbe a long and drawn-out one.

In the meanwhile, the Islamicmovement will have to go back tothe drawing board and reassess itsgoals and strategies.

DISCUSSIONS WITH DANGORDISCUSSIONS WITH DANGOR

The fact isthat alcoholconsump-tion, gamblingand prostitutionare to befound in allMuslim

countries, writes Emeritus ProfessorSULEMAN DANGOR.

The challenge to revivalistmovements in Egypt and Tunisia

Opposition to the

introduction of shariah

as the main source of

legislation was expected

from Western nations but,

surprisingly, the major

opposition has come from the

masses in Muslim countries.

Muslim Views


Muslim Views


Signer not theonly fake onMadiba platformTHE bogus sign-language interpreter at Nelson Mandela’smemorial service, ThamsanqaJantjie, was not the only fake onstage.

There were many more fakepersonalities at Mandela’sfarewell ceremonies, for example,Barack Obama claiming oneshould adopt Madiba’s goodqualities such as reconciliation,forgiveness, compassion etc.

Every time he has tea, Obamasignals his drones that kill inno-cent people together with his pre-sumed enemies.

Enough of these fake personal-ities!

Ismail LorgatJohannesburg

Nelson Mandelathen and nowSINCE the passing of NelsonMandela, I have been left wondering how far we as anation have travelled and whathas gone wrong.

Madiba was an inspiration andany person who has ever met himknows that he was an extraordi-nary and remarkable human. Hisability to bring diverse people andcultures together was legendaryand his ability to bring about tol-erance and acceptance was a gift.

On Thursday, December 12, ataround 6pm while watching theparliamentary channel on DSTV,I realised what went wrong.

In one of his early speeches aspresident that was recorded in thelate 1990s, Nelson Mandelarevealed a startling truth. In aplayful comment, Madiba identi-fied a difficulty as he was con-cluding one of his most famousspeeches.

It went something like this: ‘Iwill now stop talking because I donot want to create a problem forsome members present here. Iwant them to sleep at hometonight and I am worried thatthey might not be able to sleepsince many of them were alreadysleeping during most of myspeech.’

While Madiba was with us,even as president of South Africa,some in leadership were ignoringhim. Madiba knew they were notlistening and he mentioned it ontelevision for posterity to witness.

A leader communicates hisvision to his followers. He cap-tures their attention with his opti-mistic intuition of possible solu-tions to their needs. He influencesthem by the dynamism of hisfaith. He demonstrates confi-dence that the challenge can bemet, the need resolved and the cri-sis overcome.

How is this possible whenthose in leadership are asleep? Ifwe want to continue to live in ademocratic and progressive soci-ety, we need people who areawake at the helm, steering thisgreat nation. When a parliamen-tarian cannot stay awake whenMadiba is talking, what can weexpect?

Nelson Mandela was an extra-ordinary human being. The sacri-fice that he made cannot readilybe repaid. However, to honourhim, political leaders should emu-late his example. This implies thatwe must utilise the resourcesintelligently that have become ourresponsibility.

Nelson Mandela was woundedby the plight of the poor and heoften spoke about their suffering.He wanted to house and feedevery poor person in the world. Ifwe seek to honour him, we mustcommit ourselves more deeply tothose who are hungry and desti-tute. If we fail the poor then wefail Madiba.

Nelson Mandela was also anintelligent man and if we want tohonour that aspect of his person-ality we must ensure that ouryoung people continue to haveaccess to well-resourced librariesand facilities so that they canlearn, and improve their opportu-nities.

Nelson Mandela was bru-talised and imprisoned fordecades because of his love forfreedom and tolerance. If wewant to honour Madiba we mustprotect vulnerable women andchildren who are killed by gang-sters and drug dealers.

We must ensure that all chil-dren can go to school and play inthe local park without beingharmed.

Nelson Mandela honouredGod by respecting religious lead-ers. May Allah be pleased withMadiba’s efforts to create an envi-ronment of peace and toleranceamongst his fellow human beings.In the end, it is Allah alone who isthe final judge over all of his cre-ation.

Cllr Yagyah AdamsCape Muslim Congress

IUC: Do justiceto Mandela’s lifeSUNDAY, December 15, 2013marked the day in the history ofSouth Africa when former President of South Africa waslaid to rest, after a long illness.

The Islamic Unity Convention(IUC) and its constituency payour respects to his family, com-rades and friends. We appreciatethe invaluable contribution he hasmade to the struggle for liberationin South Africa. The IUC’sacknowledgement of his efforts iswidely reflected in the balancedreporting, commentary and pro-grammes on his life, broadcastduring the week of mourning onRadio 786, of which the IUC isthe licence holder.

The start of Dr Mandela’s pres-idency and the formation of theIUC, which both happened in1994, ushered in a new era forSouth Africa and particularly itsMuslims, whom historically havealso made significant contribu-tions towards social and politicalchange, since their arrival inSouth Africa as political prisonersmore than 350 years ago.

Throughout history, the free-dom of the oppressed has neverbeen achieved through a smooth,seamless process. In fact, historyteaches us that it takes great sac-rifice, courage and a leadershipwith vision to emancipate a peo-ple from oppression.

It is in light of this that the IUCremembers the poor in the com-munity, ordinary working classwomen, men and youth who col-lectively brought the Apartheidgovernment – if not completelythen partially – to its knees.

While the world was invited topay tribute to Dr Mandela andmillions of rands were madeavailable to host them, we darenot ignore that most SouthAfricans are still living a life ofpoverty, marking South Africa asthe most highly unequal society inthe world.

South Africa’s biggest chal-lenge post the Mandela era is toovercome these inequalities creat-ed largely by the capitalist policiesadopted by his successors.

In the words of anti-Apartheidveteran Ronnie Kasrils: ‘That wasthe time from 1991–1996 that thebattle for the soul of the ANC gotunderway and was lost to corpo-rate power and influence. Thatwas the fatal turning point. I willcall it our Faustian moment whenwe became entrapped – sometoday crying out that we “soldour people down the river”.’

It is precisely this path that hasproven such a disaster, and whichmay ultimately destroy Mandela’slife’s work of the achievement ofone-person-one-vote in a unitednon-racial, South Africa. To dojustice to Mandela’s life of dedica-tion and sacrifice for an equalsociety, the struggle for social jus-tice must continue.

We will need a movement of acollective leadership, with no self-interest and who will continue tobe inspired by the examples of themany greats in our history thatcan take us into the post-Mandelaera.

More so, the IUC calls uponthe moral, social and politicalconscience of ordinary people totake their lives into their ownhands and become their own lib-erators.

Is that not what Nelson Man-dela fought for?

Magbooba Davids, PROIslamic Unity Convention

Cape Town

NMPB: Don’tforget Mandela’slessons of selflessness andsacrificeTHE National Muslim PrisonBoard (NMPB) of South Africaextends its deepest condolencesto the family of the late Mr Nel-son Mandela, as well as to theAfrican National Congress andall those who mourn his passingaway.

Mr Mandela will alwaysremain the icon of the struggle fora free South Africa. His efforts inthis regard will be highly appreci-ated and treasured by all thosewho reaped the benefits of suchstruggle.

The founder of the MuslimPrison Board of South Africa, thelate Imam Abdurahman Bassier(RA), worked among the inmatesof Robben Island and enjoyed agood relationship with the lateMr Mandela. It can, therefore, besaid that to some extent ourBoard’s relationship with MrMandela goes back to the earlydays of his incarceration.

Mr Mandela always displayedgreat respect to the Islamic faithand to Muslims in South Africa.We trust that such mutual respectwill continue to exist as a tributeto the great legend.

The National Muslim PrisonBoard will continue to strive forthe same lofty goals as set out byMr Mandela, which is to reducecrime by the rehabilitation of thecriminal.

Above all, this was and still isthe ideal of our own Islam and aswell as the teaching and characterof our Prophet Muhammad(SAW).

We urge all South Africans notto forget the great lessons of self-lessness, sacrifice, forgiveness,

unity of purpose, and respecttaught to us by Mr Mandela.

Surely Madiba would love tosee his legendary discipline takeroot among all South Africans asa fulfilment of his effort and striv-ing.

May Almighty God bless andguide the people of Faith.

The Executive MembersNational Muslim Prison Board

of South AfricaDurban

‘Let the believersrejoice…’EVERY year, in the Islamicmonth of Rabi-ul-Awwal, Muslims all over the world celebrate, remember and honourAllah’s most beloved ProphetMuhammad (SAW) as he wasborn and passed away on the12th Rabi-ul-Awwal.

In the Holy Quran, Allahspeaks about remembrance andmercy of Allah upon his bondmanZakariyyah (AS) in SurahMaryam, verse 15: ‘And salaam(peace) is upon him the day hewas born, and the day he willtaste death and the day he will beraised alive.’

This practice of rememberingAllah’s prophets on the occasionof their birth and death is men-tioned in the Holy Quran in sev-eral places.

Allah SWT so beautifullystates in the Holy Quran, SurahYunus, verse 58: ‘In the bounty(gifts) of Allah and in his bless-ings – in that let the believersrejoice; it is better than the wealththey hoard.’

This rejoicing and celebrationis called Eid Milad-un-Nabi.

Allah SWT orders the believingMuslims in the Holy Quran inSurah 48 (Sura Fath), verse 9: ‘Inorder that ye may believe in Allahand His beloved messenger(SAW), that ye may assist andhonour him and celebrate Hispraises morning and evening.’(The words ‘assist and honour’refer to the Prophet (SAW).)

May Allah SWT keep the imansalaamat of the ummah of NabiMuhammad (SAW).Janaab Abdul Gaffoor Hurzook

Rylands Estate, Athlone

Hijab is morethan a headscarfI HAVE become increasingly sadat the standard of hijab nowadays.

There are so many sisters whodon’t follow the Islamic dresscode properly and, maybe, it isbecause they don’t know wellenough. I don’t intend to judgeany of my sisters in faith but I feltfrom my heart to write this out ofconcern.

My dear sisters in Islam, Hijabis more than just a headscarf.

Hijab is more than wearing anabaya only to mosque andmadrassah.

Hijab is more than coveringthe arms and legs.

Hijab is giving complete atten-tion and care to what you wear inpublic and in front of strange menat all times.

It is not good enough to put onyour headscarf when your jeansare tight, your top clinging toyour figure or your forearms arebare and open. It is not goodenough to cover your head whenyour hair is sticking out from thescarf.

Hijab involves a dedicatedeffort to follow the Islamic guide-lines for appropriate dress – tocover the whole body except thehands and face, to wear looseclothing that you cannot seethrough, to not wear flashycolours and glamorous attire.

Allah is pleased with women

who follow the correct hijab, andwill reward them abundantly,insha Allah. Hijab is a sacrificebut it is worth it.

Saadiqah Steenhuis-ParkerCape Town

UCT SummerSchool course onscience and religionThe annual UCT Summer Schoolruns from January 20 to 31,2014.

This two week long pro-gramme remains the only pro-gramme of its kind in Africa.

During this Summer Schoolprogramme the University makesit possible for the general publicto attend lectures and courses andto engage with world class lectur-ers, scholarship and research on awide range of topics.

This is an unique opportunityfor the people of all ages to bene-fit from the University’s knowl-edge resources and to have aneducationally enriching experi-ence that is open to all.

There are no entrance require-ments and no examinations arewritten.

Course fees range from R19 toR375.

This programme, that offersaround 60 courses each year, hasbeen running annually since 1950and attracts around 3 000 partic-ipants each year.

There is one course which maybe of particular interest to yourreaders: ‘Science and religion:Friends or Foes?’ by ProfessorAnwar Mall, Division of GeneralSurgery, University of CapeTown.

The course runs from MondayJanuary 20 to Wednesday Janu-ary 22 at 7.30 pm.

This three-lecture course willtrace the historical relationshipbetween science and religion,explore the ‘conflict hypotheses’related to them and reflect on thesuccesses of science.

In recent decades science andreligion seem in conflict but thereare significant conciliatory posi-tions on both sides of the divide,such as Stephen J. Gould’s theoryof non-overlapping magisteria, inwhich science deals with the‘how’ of life, and religion itsmeaning.

The first lecture will includefocus on the biological sciences,the second will deal more specifi-cally with science and its relation-ship with Christianity andJudaism and the third with thehistorical status of science in theMuslim world and personal expe-rience of views of science amongstlocal Muslims.

For details or to sign up forthis or other courses please visit:www.summerschool.uct.ac.za,email|: [email protected] or phone 021 650 2888.

Janet SmallUCT Summer School

LETTERS TO THE EDITORLETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the EditorWrite to: The Editore-mail:[email protected]: 086 516 4772PO Box 442 Athlone 7760Please supply full name,street address and contacttelephone number. Letters of 500 words or lesswill be given preference.

Muslim Views


IBRAHIM OKSAS andNAZEEMA AHMED

CAN we ever expressenough thanks and grati-tude to Allah Almighty for

the truly embodied love andmercy that is Nabi Muhammad(SAW)?

Let us extract from Risale-iNur, the contemporary Quranictafsir by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi,a ray of light from his writingsabout Nabi Muhammad (SAW).

Bediuzzaman says that thereare three great and universalthings which make known to usAllah Almighty: one is the uni-verse, another is the ‘Seal of theProphets’ Nabi Muhammad(SAW); the other is the Quran.

He further says that when con-sidering Nabi Muhammad(SAW), it becomes apparent thatthe face of the earth has becomehis masjid, Makkah his mihrab,and Madinah his mimbar.

Nabi Muhammad (SAW) is theleader of all the believers; preach-er to all mankind; the chief of theambiya, the lord of the auliya,and thus the leader of a circle forthe remembrance of AllahAlmighty.

In describing our beloved NabiMuhammad (SAW) Bediuzzamansays: ‘He is a luminous tree whoseliving roots are the ambiya, andwhose fresh fruits are the auliya.’

When Nabi Muhammad(SAW) declares, ‘La illaha illal-lah,’ those luminous reciters ofAllah Almighty’s names repeat

the same words, and throughtheir consensus, in effect, declare:‘You speak the truth and whatyou say is right!’

Bediuzzaman explains the rea-son that our beloved NabiMuhammad (SAW) attained suchan elevated station and becamethe Beloved of Allah Almighty.

He says that Nabi Muham-mad’s (SAW) duah is the reasonfor eternal happiness in the here-after, and that he is the means ofattaining it; so too, through hisprayers and supplications, he isthe cause of its existence and rea-son for its creation.

Bediuzzaman says about ourbeloved Nabi Muhammad(SAW), ‘The purpose and aim ofhis prayer is such that it raisesman and the world, and all crea-tures, from the lowest of the low,from inferiority, worthlessnessand uselessness to the highest ofthe high; that is to having value,permanence and exalted duties.’

He further says that NabiMuhammad (SAW) seeks andpleads for help and mercy fromAllah Almighty in a manner soelevated and sweet, it is as if hemakes all beings and the heavensand the earth hear, and bringsthem to exclaim, ‘Ameen, O ourAllah! ameen!’

Bediuzzaman says that it isquite astounding how our Nabieradicated the peoples’ evil, sav-age customs and habits to whichthey were fanatically attached. Inits place he decked out the vari-ous wild, unyielding peoples of

that broad peninsula with all thefinest virtues, and made themteachers of all the world and mas-ters to the civilised nations.

Thus, it was not an outwarddomination but he conquered andsubjugated their minds and souls.He became the beloved of hearts,the teacher of minds and thetrainer of souls.

He did all this with great easeand freedom, without fear, hesita-tion, reticence or anxiety, withpure sincerity, great seriousness,and in an intense and elevatedmanner. In this and in otherrespects he was and will remainunsurpassed in his power totransform an entire society in notime at all.

Nabi Muhammad’s (SAW) per-son, his laudable morals, whichwere at the summit of perfection;his duties, his complete confi-dence and elevated qualities,which were of the highest excel-lence; his extraordinary taqwa,ibadah, seriousness and fortitude,which demonstrated the strengthof his imaan, and his total cer-tainty and complete steadfastness,all show how utterly faithful hewas to his cause.

Thus, Nabi Muhammad(SAW) is a person who is distin-guished by his fine character andbeautiful form. In his hand was amiraculous book and on histongue, a truthful address; hedelivered a pre-eternal khutbah toall humankind, to jinn, the angelsand to all beings.

He explained and solved the

riddle of the mystery of theworld’s creation, he discoveredthe intriguing mystery of the uni-verse, and he provided convincingand satisfying answers to thethree questions that are asked ofall beings and that have alwaysoccupied minds: ‘Where do youcome from? What are you doinghere? What is your destination?’

Bediuzzaman conveys thatNabi Muhammad (SAW) broughtand announced the good news ofeternal happiness for those whohave imaan; he is the discovererand proclaimer of an infinitemercy, and the discloser and dis-player of the treasures of AllahAlmighty’s Most Beautiful DivineNames.

If we regard him in this way,that is in regard to his being aworshipful servant of AllahAlmighty, we will see him to bethe model of love, the exemplar ofmercy, the glory of humankind,and the most luminous fruit ofthe tree of creation.

If we consider him in regard tohis being the Messenger, we seehim to be the proof of AllahAlmighty, the lamp of truth, thesun of guidance and the means tohappiness. And a fifth ofhumankind has accepted the giftof his guidance and preserved itlike life itself.

But how is Nabi Muhammad(SAW) the proof of AllahAlmighty?

He indicated the universe’sCreator with both his self, hisconduct and his speech. In other

words, Nabi Muhammad (SAW)was an articulate proof of DivineUnity and eternal happiness whowas himself verified by the entireuniverse.

In the face of such elevation ofour beloved Nabi Muhammad(SAW), the least we can do tooffer our eternal thanks and grat-itude to Allah Almighty for thesupreme blessing of making us apart of the ummah of NabiMuhammad (SAW) is to con-stantly recite salawat.

Bediuzzaman invites us torecite the following salawat:

Endless peace and blessings beupon our master Muhammad(SAW), to the number of the gooddeeds of his community to whomwas revealed the All-Wise Criteri-on of Truth and Falsehood fromOne Most Merciful, Most Com-passionate, from the SublimeThrone; our master Muhammad!Peace and blessings be upon himthousands and thousands oftimes, to the number of thebreaths of his community; ourmaster and intercessor, Muham-mad! Peace and blessings be uponhim thousands and thousands oftimes, to the number of the lettersof the Quran formed in thewords, represented with the per-mission of the Most Merciful inthe mirrors of the airwaves, at thereciting of all the Quran’s wordsby all reciters from when it wasfirst revealed to the end of time.And grant us forgiveness andhave mercy on us, O Allah, foreach of those blessings. Ameen.

Light from the Qur’anNabi Muhammad: The model of love and exemplar of mercy

We published a letter in ourDecember 2013 edition fromMogamat Hashiem Fryddiewhere he responded to the exposition of Qur’anic versesrelated to polygamy by variousscholars (The ‘second wife syndrome’: commentary basedon Quran, From Consciousnessto Contentment, MV November,2013). Our columnist, JASMINEKHAN, places the series in context followed by responses bysome of the scholars to thepoints raised by Mr Fryddie.

THE series on ‘second wifesyndrome’ was never intended todebate the permissibility ofpolygamy. What I wanted toshow is that when this happens toa woman she is unprepared, andthe effect on her emotions is trau-matic.

While the issue of polygamy ishighly sensitive, especially amongmen, this series also examined theclaim that polygamy is a sunnah.

All the rights and privileges weare given by our Creator comewith conditions. Taking morethan one wife comes with condi-tions, and what is very clear isthat in the majority of instancesthese conditions are not met.

We are in the month of thebirth of our beloved Rasul (SAW)and, as ordered, we try our bestto follow his example and emu-late his behaviour. Sadly, we fallshort on many of his sunnah; oneof the worst being the treatmentof women.

The following is a summary ofwhat I found while researchingthe subject. Should anybody dis-agree or need more information,the full article may be found at:http://www.islamicity.com

Our Dialogue, the ReligiousEditor, Arab News, Jeddah‘Sunnah is an action, religious

duty or ordinary activities, whichthe Prophet (SAW) has eitherencouraged or recommended byword, deed or approval.

‘Regarding religious practices,it is sufficient that the Prophet isknown to have done something ina particular way to make it a Sun-nah to follow, thereby earningreward from Allah.

‘The way the Prophet (SAW)did things does not mean thatthey constitute a sunnah, unlesshe has backed these with a verbalrecommendation or instruction.For example, he (SAW) liked toeat pumpkins. Is it a Sunnah toeat them? No, and one can gothrough life without tastingpumpkins and not miss a reward.

‘We have no statement by theProphet to suggest that marryingmore than one woman is recom-mended. No companion of theProphet tells us that the Prophetquestioned him about having onlyone wife or suggested to him thathe should marry again. Thatalways came from the man him-self.

‘On the other hand, theProphet did not persuade any ofhis companions not to marry asecond time. Therefore, we cansay that this is a question left tothe individual; he may marry twoor three or four women but it isopen to him to limit his marriageto one woman.

‘Moreover, we cannot arguethat since the Prophet married somany wives, polygamy is a sun-nah.

‘A detailed study of his mar-

riages will show that there wasnot a single one which was moti-vated by the desire to simply haveanother wife. Each of his mar-riages had an additional advan-tage which could be of a politicalor social or legislative nature.’

To all the women who sent metheir stories, I offer my heartfeltthanks and empathy for yourpain. There are many whose sto-ries were not included due tospace constraints but you havebeen heard.

To the second wives, restassured that your feelings are alsoacknowledged and that your situ-ation is not an easy one.

May I suggest that you gettogether and form a supportgroup? In the final analysis, onlyanother woman can feel and iden-tify with your pain. I wish you allonly the best, and leave you in theprotection of Allah.

[email protected]

Here are the responses by someof the scholars whose interpreta-tion of Quranic verses related topolygamy were questioned by MrFryddie:Fryddie: Quraysha Ismail Sooliman incorrectly states that‘Islam is the only religion thatprescribes specifically onewife…’

Her response: ‘I would like toask Br Fryddie to bring evidenceto prove the contrary? All theother religions prescribepolygamy, and none of them haveclearly stipulated as has beendone in Islam, ‘then take one’.

‘With respect to the other reli-gions, it was the Pope, the Rabbiand the government of India thatlimited marriage to one wife but

this limitation did not comedirectly from the scriptures. InIslam, it did. Like all issues ofshariah, the stipulations are con-ditional and as a guidance. AndAllah SWT knows best.

‘As for claiming that polygamywas the norm, and that theProphet SAW did it over and overagain, perhaps Br Fryddie hasmissed the essence and exceptionsof the Prophet’s marriages as isclearly understood from the seer-ah. If it was the norm then whydid the Prophet strictly expressdislike that Ali (RA) take anotherwife while married to Fatima(RA)?’Fryddie: ‘Moulana Zakariyyahholds up the issue of justice as astumbling block to the ‘accept-ability’ of polygamy. Muslims arejust by nature, and injusticeshould be the exception ratherthan the rule. That is why Allahfirst mentions two, three or four;only if one fears one will not beable to be just, then one.’

Moulana Zakariyyah’sresponse: ‘Muslims are just bynature? Muslims should be justby nature, and along with the restof humanity should be strivingtowards the ideal of justice beingthe rule rather than the exception.Overwhelming evidence suggeststhat practice has yet to catch upwith this ideal.

‘While I applaud the attempt atunderstanding the divine reason-ing of the sequence of the verse, itis just that – a reasonable attemptto understand divine scripture,not authoritative in any way.’Fryddie: ‘Shaikh Sa’dullah statesthat verse 3 of Surah Nisaa related to some social need. Thisis incorrect as polygamy, which

was the need, was already beingpractised as a norm’

Shaikh Sa’dullah’s response: ‘Itis well known that polygamy hadbeen practiced for centuries priorto Islam and Islam limited thenumber to four. I was referring tothe context which necessitated therevelation.’Fryddie: ‘Further, he (ShaikhSa’dullah) states that polygamyfalls under the category ofmubaah. In the best society, thesociety of Muslims in the time ofthe Prophet, polygamy was therule. Surprisingly, Shaikh Sa’dullah subscribes to the normsof modern western society. If theProphet practised polygamy overand over, should it not fall underthe category of sunnah?’

Shaikh Sa’dullah’s response:‘My perspective has absolutelynothing to do with subscribing towestern or eastern society. Whatwe need to understand regardingthe universal norm pertaining tomarriage is that of Adam andHawwa (peace be upon them); itdid not start off with plurality ofwives.

‘As regards the sunnah of ourbeloved Prophet (SAW): he mar-ried Khadijah when he was 25years of age, she was his employ-er, fifteen years his senior, twicewidowed. What is the sunnah?Marrying at the age of 25 to awoman called Khadijah, 15 yearsyour senior who was twice wid-owed? No! The sunnah is mar-riage.

‘The number of wives is notsunnah because if polygamy is asunnah to be followed as a rulethen are all those who are not in apolygamous relationship violat-ing a sunnah?’

Is polygamy a sunnah? Scholars respond

Muslim Views


Muslim Views


In the conclusion to thethree-part series on the ‘second wife syndrome’,JASMINE KHAN presentsthe views of an aalim and aclinical psychologist.

WHEN I interviewedShaikh Riyadh Walls onthe issue, he pointed out

that Surah Nisaa is more abouttaking care of orphans than it isabout men taking multiplewives.

He says that the institutionitself is not wrong; it is moreabout how the practice hasevolved culturally through thecenturies. At the time of theSahabah, every woman whobecame an adult had to be pro-tected; her vulnerability made itimperative that she belong to afamily.

Women did not work andAllah makes it clear that menshould provide and protectwomen. As time passed, a systemof patriarchy evolved, which ledto the abuse of the concept ofman being the leader. Slowly, thereasons for taking a second wifechanged, and this led to injustice.

The system of polyganousmarriages as practised in thosetimes ensured that women wereprotected as per the decree ofAllah. Nowadays, it is rare that aman takes another wife becauseshe is a widow or divorcee withyoung children.

It is more often a case of ‘I hadfeelings for her’, as I was told bya man when I asked him why hehad married a woman youngerthan his eldest child.

According to Shaikh Riyadh,the system is failing because boysare not educated to take responsi-bility and girls are not preparedfor this to happen.

Clinical Psychologist FerialJohnstone says:

‘No dispute with the Qur’anthat four wives are allowed ismade in this response. Our ideaof marriage in a western culture isvery much influenced by westernthinking and the concept ofromantic love and the monoga-mous marriage.

‘Romantic love is a culturalconstruct where the person feelsemotional and sexual attractionand “falls in love”. There is anexpectation of romance and pas-sion and that within the union theidealised attraction will be con-summated.

‘There is also the expectationthat this attraction will be sus-tained over the years and, hope-fully, grow stronger. The sexualintimacy achieved after consum-mation is understood to be aunique experience and womenoften feel that it is what bindsthem to their husbands.

‘When we marry, we have acovert contract with our partnerthat we are entering into amonogamous relationship. Whenthe husband wants to take a sec-ond wife it comes as a shockbecause it is outside of the cultur-al norm.

‘She sees it as a violation of thecovert contract and feels betrayedby her partner and may feel he no

longer loves her.‘It must be emphasised that it

is a human tendency to be jeal-ous, it is an instinctual reaction.The love object becomes a posses-sion. And this territorial instinctcauses tension in the relationship.

‘Realistically, the idealisedunion described earlier is notalways sustainable. Marriage issubject to periods when partnersfeel distant from each other. Inthese periods of disconnect, part-ners may seek nurturance else-where.

‘When the husband introducesthe second wife, the first wife maystart to question herself and takeon “blame” for her husbandneeding another partner. Shequestions her values and will tryto prove to her husband that sheis better than the other woman.

‘Helpless and angry, she feelsthat she does not have any powerin the situation and has no choic-es available to her.

‘If she is financially dependenton her husband she believes shecannot leave him.

‘So she complies with hischoice, despite the emotionalcost; that is, her deep dissatisfac-tion with losing the unique inti-macy with her husband.

‘She may also struggle withfeelings of guilt and self-doubt,she questions the strength of herfaith and feels shame regardingher feelings of anger and frustra-tion with a life choice that is per-mitted by the Qur’an.

‘Our culture does not lend anysupport because no one can reallyfeel her pain, and she feels isolat-ed.

‘This often lowers her self-esteem and may prompt a down-ward spiral not only in her rela-tionship with her husband butalso in other areas of her life.Some women stay in the relation-ship despite significant emotionaltrauma.

‘They may resign themselves to“their lot”; the consequent feel-ings of depression, inadequacy,powerlessness and hopelessnessbecome a way of life; their onlysolace being that they are behav-ing as God-fearing womenshould.

‘In the case of the second wife,where the second marriage is con-ducted in secret and kept ‘hidden’from the community, she may suf-fer a negative impact on her self-esteem and also have to copewithout the social support

enjoyed by openly accepted cou-ples.

‘There seems to be more an ele-ment of choice. There is no senseof disempowerment and blows toself-esteem experienced by thefirst wife.

‘The presence of a first wife isknown from the outset and this isin fact an explicit contract whereconditions regarding time-shar-ing, financial responsibilities etc.are stipulated.

‘The second wife is given anopportunity to review the termsof the marriage contract as it is inreality, and is then able to makean informed choice regarding herprimary relationship and the con-sequent lifestyle.

‘This is in contrast to the firstwife where the contract is ide-alised and covert; the first wife isunprepared for an alternativelifestyle choice.

‘In conclusion, we return to thenotion of marriage in our contextwhere a couple falls in love, formsa family, with aspirations andhopes that is in agreement withour cultural norms.

‘Our relationships are basedon what we know, using our par-ents and others as examples for away of being.

‘In this case and in this con-text, there is little frame of refer-ence.

‘When a second marriageoccurs, both relationships falloutside of these cultural norms.We must, therefore, be cognizantthat the underlying experience forboth the first and second wifemay be that of loss of what isknown, understood and accepted,and that significant adjustmentsto lifestyle are needed for the fam-ily to survive.’

In doing the research for thisseries the following facts havecome to light:l Allah permits taking more

than one wife but with strictconditions.

l Currently, there are too manycases where these conditionsare not adhered to.

l We live in a predominantlywestern society and, for goodor ill, have taken on those val-ues.

l There is a serious lack in edu-cation as to how we raise bothboys and girls.

l When a man, for no good rea-son other than that he feels likeit, takes another wife afterdecades of marriage, his firstwife suffers serious emotionaldamage.

l This is a form of abuse.l The second wife also has a

much harder task as she has, inmost cases, an exemplary per-son to compete with.Shaikh Sadullah Khan says

that Allah permits us to takesugar but, done irresponsibly, itcan lead to diabetes. Similarly, wehave to be careful that in doingwhat is allowed, we must fulfilthe conditions.

As we enter Rabbi-ul-Awwal,remember what Rasulullah(SAW) said: ‘The best of you isthe one with the best character,and the one with the best charac-ter is kindest to his wife.’

From Consciousness to Contentment

The second wife syndromeConclusion...

‘So she complies with his

choice, despite the emotional cost;

that is, her deep dissatisfaction

with losing the unique intimacy

with her husband.’

Muslim Views


FOUZIA RYKLIEF

IN part one of this topic, wecovered some general principles and a positive

approach to discipline. This article deals with a simple discipline format that involvesgiving children choices that haveconsequences.A. Be clear and specific abouthouse rules and expectations

It is important to be specificwhen making house rules. Chil-dren need to know exactly whatis expected of them and what theconsequences will be if they donot comply.

Example: ‘Your chores must becompleted before you can watchyour TV programme.’B. Describe the problem

It is important that parents notgeneralise when stating a prob-lem. Avoid saying things like, ‘Sheis forgetful or lazy.’ This islabelling and does not focus onthe job that needs to be done.

The child must know that shehas to tidy her room beforewatching television.C. Give an I-message, expressingyour feelings strongly butrespectfully

When we give an I-message,we need to be specific, use a firmvoice and maintain good eye con-tact. Leave what you are doingand face the child. Say somethinglike, ‘I am disappointed that youhave again left the room in suchan untidy state.’D. Tell the child specifically howyou want him/ her to behave

We need to be firm when mak-ing our statement about thebehaviour, and convey our firm-ness by our tone of voice andbody language. Do not be side-tracked and argue or discuss thepoint. Simply restate the expecta-tion.

‘I expect the room to be tidybefore you watch TV.’E. Give the child a choice

Giving children choicesreduces conflict, resentment anddefensiveness towards parents.Each choice provides the childwith an opportunity to takeresponsibility and exert somecontrol over her life.

Choices help to establishboundaries and limits. The par-ents are the ones who decide theoptions and present the alterna-tives that they are prepared topermit.

Choices always have a built-inlimit. One can’t have everything.

The child should know theconsequence. ‘Either you cleanthe room or I switch off the TV.’F. Take action

If the child chooses not to dowhat is expected, follow throughwith action and switch off thetelevision.

Don’t be distracted by thechild’s tears or sulking. This is a‘side show’. Stay firm and in con-trol. The child will see that youmean business.G. Acknowledge the child’s feel-ings

‘I can see you are angry aboutnot being able to watch TV. Youcan have another opportunitytomorrow.’H. Problem-solve if the problempersists

‘Let’s put our heads togetherand find a solution with which wewill both be happy.’

Some important points to consider

When parents present limits orchoices or rules to children, theywill not always be well receivedand children may complain. Par-

ents can accept their children’sfeelings of disappointment, anger,irritation, and reflect their feel-ings, recognising that they arebeing tested.

They can respond with wordslike, ‘I can see you don’t like thisrule but it has to be this way.These are your choices …’

Choices must be age- and situation-specific.Toddlers are only able to deal

with limited and specific choices,for example: ‘Which jersey doyou want to wear, the red one orthe blue one?’

Parents of young childrenoften struggle to get them to dressin the mornings. This is usuallybecause we have decided what itis that they must wear.

The child is in a developmentalstage where he wants some con-trol over his life. This applies toteenagers, too. Giving them achoice within limits takes the edgeoff and guarantees co-operation.

Instant obedienceA common mistake that par-

ents make is expecting instantobedience from their children.When a child gives a few extrabounces when told to stop play-ing with the ball in the house, heis not being defiant.

Stopping a behaviour is a com-plicated process. It can be com-pared to applying the brakes of acar.

There is a time lapse betweenapplying the brakes and the actu-al stopping of the car.

One of the myths of parentingis that children should do whatthey are told with good grace anda smile. Children are not alwayshappy about the rules and will letus know that in no uncertainterms.

Parents frequently get side-tracked because of uncooperativeattitudes on the part of their chil-dren. This often leads to powerstruggles, and the issue of the jobthat needs to be done is complete-ly lost.

Dealing with defianceDefiance from a child is diffi-

cult to manage. It might be neces-

sary to give the child a very strongI-message and then allow for feel-ings to subside.

When feelings are runninghigh, it is not a good time toargue or discuss. Leave the roomfor a while, if necessary.

Example: ‘Your behaviour isunacceptable. The rule is … but Idon’t want to discuss it furthernow.’

Conclusion1. Discipline is a form of teach-

ing. It is important to makeclear statements about what isacceptable behaviour in givensituations.

2. To be effective, one needs to actwith intention – not to reactunconsciously.

3. The power to act and to beeffective comes from beingclear about the behaviour wewant, stating it firmly andbeing in control of our ownbehaviour.

4. Discipline techniques will onlywork if there is a basicallygood relationship between par-ent and child.

Positive and Effective Parenting

Positive discipline (part 2)

Muslim Views


ERUDITE storytellers ponder the past then hurryhome to pen the future.

Writing is one of my favouriteactivities but I have many otherinterests that may amuse thereader, and they all have fascinating stories to tell.

I’ve been an avid reader eversince primary school. TeacherHutchinson said, ‘Say ‘Ô’, say‘te’. Say, ‘ot.’ That means ‘pig’ inAfrikaans.

I wrote that first, simple wordon my slate. Eureka! I could read!I’ve never looked back. I readwidely. My interests are extensive.No subject is taboo.

Sometimes, stories of courageunder adversity can trigger moti-vation. The first story I wrote forThe Cape Argus some time ago:

Many years ago, Ms EmeraldSmith, a teacher consulted me fora medical condition. Her dictionand vocabulary struck a chord inme. It was beautiful and differentto all the other teachers I had metbefore. I was impressed and curi-ous. She related her story:

As a young girl in Port Eliza-beth, she loved reading and regu-larly visited the local library until,one day, she was refused entryand told that ‘because of racialsegregation apartheid laws, thelibrary would henceforth be forwhites only’.

There was no library for ‘non-whites’ nearby, and no books athome except for a small dictio-nary. So, every holiday, she wouldsit under a tree and read the dic-tionary from cover to cover.

The second narrative concernsMogamed Ajam, whom I met in1960 at the Muslim Youth Move-ment, in Hanover Street, DistrictSix. He was then a primaryschool teacher. I was impressed byboth his language talents and hisintellect.

We corresponded regularly formany years when I was overseas.On my return to South Africa,our friendship and discussions ona wide range of topics continued.

One day, at the launch of FairSeventy (1970), a series of popu-lar ‘Trade-Fairs’ run in Athloneby the Muslim Assembly (Cape)during the early seventies, I satnext to the keynote speaker, Pro-fessor Chris Barnard, who per-formed the first human hearttransplant at Groote Schuur Hos-pital.

Professor Barnard sat open-mouthed listening to the speakeron stage. He asked me who thespeaker was who spoke such

beautifully fluid English andAfrikaans. It was, of course,Mogamed Ajam exercising hisspecial talent.

Through the years, I egged himon to fully realise his great educa-tional and language potentials.He could not gain entry for hisMA degree to University of CapeTown because of qualificationrestrictions.

Despite this and other personalsetbacks, he studied for and gothis MA by correspondence at Sur-rey University in the UK.

I also remember with relish hisSunday-morning visits when wediscussed progress on his 1986PhD thesis: The Raison d’être ofthe Muslim Mission PrimarySchools in Cape Town and envi-rons from 1860 to 1980 with spe-cial reference to the role of Dr A.Abdurahman in the modernisa-tion of Islam-oriented schools.

He ended up as Professor ofEnglish pedagogy at University ofthe Western Cape. Mogamed wasin the prime of life, a popular lec-turer and on his way to a promis-ing academic career. But it wasnot to be.

One of the saddest things I hadto do in my life was when I wascalled out by Mogamed Ajam’swife in the middle of the night.He had had a headache and col-lapsed in the bathroom.

When I got there I had to certi-fy his death.

We had come a long waytogether; now my best friend wasgone.

These stories, letter writingand associations, as well as theUCT Summer-school writingworkshops, were the keys thatunlocked my writing skills.

Recently, I wrote the text for acoffee-table book, Cape Town,memories of the 60’s focusing onCape Town, District-Six and theBo-Kaap during the 50s and 60s,by world famous photographer,Günther Komnic.

Born in East Prussia, Güntherworked in a Soviet forced labour-camp after World War II.

The story of his escape toSouth Africa and the emotionallaunch of the book, I will relate ina later column.

Three years ago, I wrote anarticle, ‘Drama in the Desert’, for

the travel supplement of theWeekend Argus newspaper,describing our family ordeal inthe Namib Desert when, on acruise to Walvis Bay in Namibia,our excursion 4x4 vehicle gotstuck deep in the desert sand-dunes, 30 kilometres away fromthe ship, with the clock tickingaway to our time of departure.

The situation was hopeless.The ship, with our passports andluggage, was about to sail awayleaving us stranded in the desert.

A letter to the Argus editorfrom a reader said that the articlewas very tense, different from theusual travelogue hash in travelsupplements, and that, ‘Judgingfrom his style, the author shouldseriously consider writing novels.’

More than 240 of my Art’s forAll monthly columns, each on adifferent subject, came to life inMuslim Views over the past twen-ty years.

My work has also appeared incookery books, school-texts and avariety of magazines.

The most frequent question Iget asked is: ‘Where do you getthe ideas and topics from?’

The answer is quite simple:The articles are not written by sit-ting in front of a computer andtyping for fifteen minutes. Eachone comes from hard work,extensive reading, personal inter-views, research, writing andrewriting.

At 60, just to test my mentalfaculties, I enlisted for The Histo-ry of Art and Social Anthropolo-gy UNISA correspondence cours-es. I got ‘Firsts’ in both. Thatspurred me on to continue writ-ing.

Currently, I’m attending FabricPainting classes, and participatein the Creative-writing sessions ofthe ‘University of the 3rd Age’Athlone Branch (U3A – an organ-isation for the retired aged, the

third age of life). It’s never toolate to start on something youenjoy.

Art and photography are twoof my passions. As said before,my interest in art was lit when,during our special Spring celebra-tions, a substitute teacher drew atree with a squirrel eating nuts,on a blackboard fixed to a tree inthe school playground of St JamesEnglish Church Primary School,in Black-River.

When I was in standard 5 atCentral Secondary School, inGleemoor, I attended after-schoolart classes at St Phillips School inChapel Street, Cape Town.

We did some lino-cuts andpotato prints, stamping designson pieces of linen. I still havemine.

Annoyingly, the art-teacherthere took little further interest inus. He was producing costumesand swords for Trafalgar HighSchool’s production of Julius Cae-sar. Our curses produced fruitwhen, Trafalgar teacher andJulius Caesar actor, CosmoPetersen’s dentures fell on thestage floor in mid-speech.

My interest in art grew duringthe years I was in Canada and theUSA. I visited many art galleriesand feasted on great artworks inWashington DC, the BritishNational Gallery and the Prado inMadrid.

The paintings included theworks of Leonardo da Vinci,Rembrandt, van Gogh, El-Greco,the French impressionist, AugustRenoir, and abstract-modernistssuch as Salvador Dali and PabloPicasso.

Michael Angelo’s Pieta, (Jesusreclined on the knees of MotherMary) viewed at a World Fair inNew York, was stunning. AugustRodin’s sculptures were delec-table.

One day, in the 1980s, I decid-ed that I was going to paint,walked into an art-shop and wastold, ‘You must use acrylics.’

I didn’t even know that ‘new’acrylics were water-based paintbut I set off with an assortment ofpaints and brushes and gave thema go on some canvases.

At framing time, the framer’seye hit on one of my large Namib-ian-landscape paintings: ‘I wantto buy that; it’s got such tremen-dous depth.’

I traded that painting for himframing my others.

I’ve neither traded nor sold anyof my subsequent paintings since;to me they’re like my children,priceless.

Famed calligrapher, AchmatSoni, and I first met at a 1980sBook Fair in Athlone where weexhibited our early works.

My paintings have since beenexhibited in the National Galleryin Cape Town gardens twice, theNational gallery in Malaysia, andat the Baxter Theatre opening ofthe original District Six, the Musi-cal.

My 1986 painting, The Devil’sRevenge, depicting the destruc-tion of District Six, has been cred-ited with a whole page in thethree-volumed Visual Century,South African Art in Context byMario Pissarra (Wits Press).

Writing and art are two greatfacets of man’s early history butthere are many other fascinatingfaces of heritage that I have hadthe privilege to explore.

Over the years, many exciting,tangible and intangible gifts havecome my way.

They have still to be recordedand shared.

FOR ALLFOR ALL

The late Dr Mogamed Ajam, a closefriend of Dr D’arcy, on the occasion ofhis being conferred his PhD for histhesis The Raison d’être of the Muslim Mission Primary Schools inCape Town and environs from 1860 to1980 with special reference to the roleof Dr A. Abdurahman in the modernisation of Islam-orientedschools. Photo SUPPLIED

These stories, letter writing andassocia-tions, aswell as theUCT Summer-

school writing workshops, were thekeys that unlocked mywriting skills, writes Dr M C D’ARCY.

Memoir 6

Pen and paint

Muslim Views


FAR too much has changedin the world – the real oneand the sporting one – while

I was away from this page.It will still take some getting

used to referring to former presi-dent Nelson Rolihlahla Mandelaas the late Nelson RolihlahlaMandela, despite his havingretired from public life for nighon a decade.

Madiba’s conviction that sportis a tool for unifying scatteredcommunities was repeated duringthe mourning period, which attimes felt all too short for realreflection on his life, deeds andsacrifices.

That moment with FrancoisPienaar inevitably crops up insuch conversations but whether itwas for better or worse perhapsneeds some more thought thanwe’ve given it this past month orso.

Just hours after Madiba’s sad,not-unexpected, but still startlingpassing, Madiba was joined bySouth Africa’s best ever boxer,Jacob ‘Baby Jake’ Matlala.

The four-time world flyweightand junior-flyweight championdied poor and ill at 51 but left thelegacy of the ultimate underdogwhich Mandela found so appeal-ingly admirable. Indeed, the for-mer statesman was ringside whenMatlala retained his fourth worldtitle in 2001.

The past year was littered withlosses. We mourn with sincerity,reflect and learn from those

whose lives have ended, andmould ourselves into betterbeings because of the lessons welearn from them.

We take those lessons into therealm of sport in 2014, and thisyear promises to be a snorter.

Michael Schumacher’s tragicskiing misfortune sees the formermultiple Formula One racingchampion fighting for his life.Sports-Talk hopes he will soon beback on the slopes, and will wanthim fit to again witness theNordic Junior World Ski Champi-onships from January 27 throughFebruary 3.

Across the pond, the inappro-priately named Major LeagueBaseball World Series will contin-ue to baffle and entertain, whileMitchell Johnston and Dale Steynwill cackle as they plot how nextto strike fear into oppositionundies in the gentleman’s versionof the game.

Batsmen (not ‘batters’ – geez)will also face terrifying attackswithout the willow-wizardsSachin Tendulkar and JacquesKallis in their ranks for the firsttime in longer than some canremember.

Pitches will be poorer withoutthe pair. Pretenders to theirthrones will no doubt be throw-ing their bats into the hat, andwe’ll sit back and let them have agood go at it.

Heyneke Meyer’s rugbySpringboks will edge ever closerto toppling the all-conquering AllBlacks. Surely something has togive for the irrepressible islanderswho made history by winningevery international they played in2013.

Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates,still basking in the glory of sonearly being crowned the bestfootball club in Africa, will wantto move (quickly) as far awayfrom the bottom of the PSL log.

It is unbecoming for a team ofthe Buccaneers’ pedigree to belanguishing in the doldrums, andRoger De Sa needs to find a wayto turn the games in hand into an

advantage rather than a ball-and-chain for his team.

But the (white) elephant in thisroom can only be ignored for solong, and sooner or later Brazil’sFIFA World Cup déjà vu musttake centre-stage.

While South Africa is strug-gling to shake off the debt its sta-diums, built for the 2010 edition,continue to accrue, Brazil’s stadi-um-building is mired in similarbut bloodier controversy.

For the second time in theWorld Cup cycle, a country thatcan’t really afford it is steam-rolling across its working classand diverting money from coresocial projects to fund a lavishsporting circus: one that will givea short-term fix to supporters,and shorter walks to even greaterfinancial rewards for the elite. Wedon’t learn.

Of course, when it is here onceagain, we will all feel it, andGrinchly ignoring Neymar’s andMessi’s magic will be impossibleeven for this column. It’s a stu-pendous show but it can’t beenjoyed in a vacuum.

Juca Kfouri, a leading Brazil-ian commentator, said it best toThe Guardian: ‘There is a falseidea of Brazilian happiness that isbased on a wrong assumptionthat Brazilians do not claim own-ership. But, next year, there willbe big parties inside the stadiumsand big protests outside.’

More than a million Braziliansvoiced their frustrations on thestreets in 2013. Many argue thatthe estimated R80-billion invest-ment could be better spent onschools, hospitals, transport andother social infrastructure. Soundfamiliar?

The image-versus-substancedebate was sadly captioned by theultimate World Cup icon, Pele.

‘Brazil has three very impor-tant events here – the Confedera-tions Cup, the World Cup and theOlympic Games,’ Pele reportedlytold the BBC. ‘I think the peopleshould be very quiet and payattention because this is a greatmoment for the country.

‘It makes good publicity,investment, tourism.

‘I think we have to be carefulbecause it’s a big opportunity.’

Calling for calm is one thingbut I’m uneasy about shutting uppeople who feel hard done by justto spare Rome’s conscience.

Perhaps our Brics partner cango one better and actually listento the grievances coming from thenoisy protesters instead of flick-ing them away like pesky flies.

While the Hunger Games(maybe that’s harsh – maybe not)circus has long since left Mzantsi,Blikkiesdorp remains and theCape Town Stadium is still abeautiful black hole.

One hopes that the romance ofa soccer World Cup in Brazil hasreal benefits for that nation’s psy-che and living standard, beyondthe endorphins that erupt whenThiago Silva lifts the trophy.

Yes, I said when because thereis something quite impure aboutthe idea of a team that is notBrazil, going to football’s holyland and nicking the grail.

So, sport-lovers, let’s learnfrom the life and death of one ofSouth Africa’s greatest sportingsons.

‘Baby Jake’ Matlala, despitehis prowess in the ring, struggledto make ends meet after retiringin 2002, and was said to be finan-cially down and out by the timeof his death.

It’s a crude way to make thepoint but maybe we should bedirecting our resources to ensurethat the thousands of ‘Baby Jakes’in SA, Brazil and everywhere canlive comfortably and die with dig-nity, instead of rewarding our-selves with lavish parties thatpaper over our cracks.

The victory parades can waituntil the war is won.

So, in between kicking backwith a soft drink and soaking inthe exhilaration, maybe a goal for2014 could be to genuinely reflecton how to open the sporting andeconomic turnstiles for everyoneto enjoy life’s show as much as wedo.

SPORTS-TALKSPORTS-TALKLosses and lessons

We mourn with sincerity,reflect and learn from thosewhose lives have ended, andmould ourselves into betterbeings because of the lessonswe learn from them, writesYUSUF OMAR.

HAWK-EYEIT’S mortifying to give Piers Morgan evenmore free publicity but the flak Brett Lee hasreceived after bowling an over to the 48-year-oldpublic personality is rather unfair, Hawk-Eyemuses. Recently-retired thunderbolt Lee bowled an over to apadded-up Morgan who had slammed England’s Ashes-losingcricket team as ‘gutless’ and followed it up by declaring that he’d‘love to’ face Australian quick Mitchell Johnson. Johnson politelydeclined but Lee took up the challenge. Having endured someamusing sledging from Morgan in the build-up to the over, Leedid what he does best and bowled fast, causing Morgan to scurry,slip and swear but still stand his ground. Richard Hadlee, theiconic Kiwi all-rounder, led the criticism of Lee’s apparent bodyline tactics. While the stunt was undoubtedly dangerous,one does not feed sharks and then rage about being bitten.(Importantly, would six restrained balls really have counted asfacing Brett Lee?)

Muslim Views, January 2014

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Transcript of Muslim Views, January 2014