Embracing Our Neighbours at Christmas Imam Dr. A. Rashied Omar · The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also testified to the esteemed position of Jesus and to the proximity of his own mission

1

Newsletter of the Claremont Main Road Mosque · No.17

40-42 Main Road, Claremont, 7708 • 021 683 8384 • www.cmrm.co.za

Mawlud 1437 / December 2015

Christmas is one of the most celebrated and joyous days in the Gregorian calendar. Christians set apart the 25th day of December to observe and commemorate Christmas, the day on which they believe Jesus was born.

The Glorious Qur’an confirms the significance of the day of the birth of Jesus (known in Arabic asÌsa). In a Surah of the Qur’an, named after his mother Maryam, Jesus is documented as proclaiming:

Peace was upon me the day I was born, and will be upon me the day of my

death, and on the day I shall be raised to life (again) (Q19:33)

Furthermore, the Qur’an confirms his miraculous birth. For example, in Surah Ali-Ìmran, Chapter 3, verse 45, God the Sublime proclaims:

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ - Jesus, the

son of Mary, held in honour and high esteem in this world and the Hereafter and in the company of those nearest to

God” (Q3:45)

Muslims often neglect the great significance and the exalted position of Jesus in Islam. The Qur’an refers to him as Ìsa ibn Maryam, Jesus the son of Mary, on 16 occasions (e.g. Q2:87; Q3:45; Q4:157). The Qur’an honours Jesus in beautiful ways using several noble epithets when referring to him. Some of these are:

• Kalimatu-Allah – a Word of God (Q3:45)• Ruh mina-Allah – a Spirit from God

(Q4:171)• Min-as-Salihin – of the Righteous and

Pious (Q3:46)• Wajihan fid-dunya wal-akhirah –

Eminent in this World and the Hereafter (Q3:45)

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also testified to the esteemed position of Jesus and to the proximity of his own mission and message to that of the son of Mary. For example, in a prophetic tradition (hadith) narrated in the compendium of Imam Bukhari, he is reported to have declared the following:

I am the nearest of all people to Jesus the son of Mary, both in this world and in the hereafter. Prophets are brothers;

their mothers may be different, but their religion is one. [Sahih al Bukhari]

One way in which Muslims can benefit from the Christmas holiday is to use this time to better acquaint themselves with the life and teachings of Jesus. There are many excellent books that have been written on his life. I would especially like to encourage parents to introduce their children to the Qur’anic stories of Prophet ‘Isa, or Jesus, during this holiday period. To this end, I

recommend the book The Great Miracle: The Story of Prophet ‘Isa by Iqbal Ahmad Azam (UK Islamic Academy, 2007) which movingly relates the story of the life of Jesus. This way we are guiding our children to appreciate the great significance and revered status of Jesus in Islam.

Although Muslims and Christians have different theological perspectives on the status of Jesus, their common view of him as a pious and principled guide, and as a messenger of peace and justice, offers fertile ground on which to cultivate and nurture strong and loving interfaith relations.

Islam guides Muslims towards noble dealings and good conduct with all people, and especially Christians, with whom we share a common spiritual legacy. The spirit of amity advocated by the Qur’an was exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). There are a number of authentic prophetic traditions (ahadith) that inform us about his acceptance of gifts from Christians, and that he reciprocated by sending them gifts. Drawing on these evidences, the renowned contemporary scholar, Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi advises as follows: “If a friend of yours from among the People of the Book tends to share your joyous occasions during your feasts and Èids and never fails to share your grief at times of calamities, then there is nothing wrong in you showing the same feelings in return, for God Almighty says in Surah Al-Nisa, Chapter 4, verse 86:

When a (courteous) greeting is offered you, meet it with a greeting still more

courteous, or (at least) of equal courtesy. God takes careful account of all things.

(Q4:86)

I therefore urge all Muslims to personally go out and wish our Christian families and neighbours well for Christmas. At this joyous time we give thanks for the dedicated Christians and Muslims who work as architects of peace, justice and solidarity between our faith communities. May the timeless treasures of love, hope and peace of this season be with us throughout the coming year.

Muslims often neglect the great significance and the exalted position

of Jesus in Islam.

Imam Dr. A. Rashied Omar

An Imam shaking hands with a Christian priest under a Christmas tree in Jordan.

Embracing Our Neighbours at Christmas

Al-MizanMauludDEC2015C.indd 1 2015/12/14 10:18 AM

2

This fourth and final issue of Al-Mizan in 2015 coincides with the dual celebrations of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Prophet ‘Isa (pbuh). On page 2, Imam Rashied reflects on the former through our celebrations of Milad al-Nabi, and on page 1, he reflects on the latter by proposing that we embrace our Christian family and friends as they celebrate Christmas.

In the last quarter of 2015 we saw unprecedented student protests that shut down universities across the country. The nationwide student protests in many ways exemplified not only the power of solidarity in action but also how active citizens can mobilise to hold those in power to account for their political mandate. There were many varied responses to the student protests and on page 3, Jihad Omar provides an insightful response that reflects on the notion of ‘disruption’ in the contexts of these student protests.

The focus of the student protests on

Fees Must Fall and Outsourcing, further highlighted the enduring struggle of bridging the huge inequality gaps and eradicating poverty that we face in this country. On page 12, Ebrahim Bardien makes some bold proposals for socio-economic reforms geared towards spreading the wealth and reducing the gap between rich and poor in this country.

Throughout this year, the world continued to witness the ongoing violence perpetrated by ISIS against fellow Muslims and non-Muslims alike. For the second time this year, in November 2015, Paris felt the brunt of ISIS aggression. On page 9, Ugandan student Abdul Hakim Nsobya reflects on the double standards in media reporting when ISIS attacks Western targets.

In October this year, we were deeply saddened by the sudden death of well-known local qari, Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown. On page 11, Imam Rashied and Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan pay fitting tribute to him and the lasting legacy he will leave.

As always, we once again report on the many masjid activities we’ve had over the past

few months. In addition to our Jihad Against Poverty programme, we also report on our Environmental Justice and Inter-faith Solidarity programmes, as well as our collaboration with the Islam and Africa course at East Carolina University. For the second time in Al-Mizan, we also report on page 8, on the hifz graduation of a student who is an alumnus of the CMRM Saturday Morning Madrasah. One of the masjid programmes we would like to work harder on relates to elderly care. On page 7, Dr. Rafiq Khan provides some wise counsel on how we can enhance our level of care for the elderly in our communities.

Finally, on page 10 we once again feature a selection of guest speakers we have had at the masjid in the past few months. Their contributions have greatly enriched the way we engage socially and spiritually with the many challenges we face in our personal and communal lives.

We wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday season, and a blessed and productive new year, Insha-Allah.

Over the past few years Milad al-Nabi celebrations has become a special feature of CMRM’s annual programmes. The masjid has been beautifully decorated with flowers and lights and this created an inspirational ambience on these occasions. The highlight of CMRM’s Milad al-Nabi celebrations for the past two years has been the harmonious rendition of the traditional Barzanji Mawlud by the Ottomans Dhikr Jamat. In future we would like to build on this foundation and make it a distinctive part of CMRM’s annual programmes.

During recent decades, however, the traditional Milad al-Nabi celebrations have come under attack from some scholars who have condemned it as bidà sayyià (a misguided innovation). Despite these protestations Milad al-Nabi celebrations continue to be a popular activity all over the Muslim world.

Our position vis-à-vis the debate has been a pragmatic one, which has been greatly influenced by the sixteenth century scholar, Jalaluddin al-Suyuti (d.1505) who composed a book entitled: Husnul Maqsid fi Àmal al-Mawlud (The Good Intentions in Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday). We concur with the view of Imam al-Suyuti

that neither the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) nor his companions celebrated his birthday, and that it was a good and praiseworthy innovation (bidà hasana) that was introduced after his demise. We, furthermore, support the view of the noted jurist and legal theorist, Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi (d.1388), that Islam does not a priori condemn innovation (bidà) in and of itself. An innovation is always appraised in terms of whether it complements the teachings of Islam, classified as a good innovation (bidà hasana) or whether it violates the teachings of Islam, classified as a misguided innovation (bidà sayyià).

It is our considered view that Milad al-Nabi celebrations has been and continues to be a beneficial and revitalizing institution for our local community, and as such can be classified as a good innovation (bidà hasana). One of the noblest intentions behind celebrating Milad al-Nabi is to remind and inspire Muslims, young and old, with regard to the great character and lessons contained in the biography (sira) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The challenge which confronts us today is how we can make the most of the popular and traditional institution of Milad al-Nabi to

enhance and promote the risala, the message and mission of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) within the contemporary setting. At the same time we need to be more creative in the ways in which we celebrate Milad al-Nabi. For example, we should make sure that some of the meanings of the riwayats and ashraqal are also read in English so that both young and old can appreciate the beautiful meanings of the poetry and stories they are celebrating. We should encourage greater participation in the Milad al-Nabi, for example, by training our youth in the serene and melodious recitations of the various riwayat and ashraqal.

Let us pray for world peace at this joyous time of celebration and bestow salutations of peace upon our beloved leader and exemplar Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

Allah and His Angels send blessings and salutations of peace on the Prophet:

O Believers: Send blessings and salutations on him, and salute him with all respect.

(Surah al-Ahzab (The Confederates), chapter 33, verse 56)

Editorial

Imam’s Message Imam Rashied Omar


وومالئكتهھ يیصلونن على االنبي يیا أأيیهھا االذيین آآمنواا صلواا عليیهھ ووسلمواا تسل يیماإإنن هللا





وومالئكتهھ يیصلونن على االنبي يیا أأيیهھا االذيین آآمنواا صلواا عليیهھ ووسلمواا تسل يیماإإنن هللا





3

In the #Fees Must Fall (and Outsourcing) campaign over the past two months, we witnessed the awe-inspiring and remarkable spirit, tenacity and integrity of students and workers as they raised their voices and bore witness against a national inertia and apathy on the persistence of injustice. This campaign was in many ways a social, political but also spiritual jolt to the national consciousness.

The essence of the protests have harkened back to universal principles and rekindled a yearning for the engagement with ourselves and our environment proactively. Its significance for me is one which, in a spiritual sense, channels the famous hadith narrated by Abu Sa‘id Al Khudri, wherein believers are urged by the noble Prophet (saw) to stand up and endeavour to change a wrong, an injustice, an evil as a testimony of faith.

Faith as Disruption

Jihād Omar

In the #Fees Must Fall (and Outsourcing) campaign over the past two months, we witnessed the awe-‐inspiring and remarkable spirit, tenacity and integrity of students and workers as they raised their voices and bore witness against a national inertia and apathy on the persistence of injustice. This campaign was in many ways a social, political but also spiritual jolt to the national consciousness.

The essence of the protests have harkened back to universal principles and rekindled a yearning for the engagement with ourselves and our environment proactively. Its significance for me is one which, in a spiritual sense, channels the famous hadith narrated by Abu Sa‘id Al Khudri, wherein believers are urged by the noble Prophet (saw) to stand up and endeavour to change a wrong, an injustice, an evil as a testimony of faith.

من ررأأىى منكراا فليیغيیرهه بيیدهه "

فإنن لم يیستطع فبلسانهھ فإنن لم يیستطع فبقلبهھ

. " ووذذلك أأضعف ااإليیمانن Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his

tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart-‐ and that is the weakest of Faith.

(Sunan Ibn Majah (5:1334); Sunan an-‐Nasa’i (47:24); Sunan Abu-‐Dawud (2:751); Nawawi 40 (34); Riyad-‐as-‐Salihin (1:184))

The testimony of students and workers to this prophetic call is what puts South Africa today at the precipice of a new time in history where a new wave of activism is sweeping the country, energised by students and workers whose behaviour is “disruptive”.

For many who did not initially understand or were “inconvenienced” by the protests, they came to be regarded as disruptive. But the concept of disruption is one I would very much like to claim as an Islamic theological principle.

I would argue that disruption has historically been the divine providence of God. It has been the manner in which Allah, Al-‐Jalil, The Majestic, has interfaced and engaged with humanity.

This characteristic of disruption which stirs our souls to encounter, engage and see things anew is often cursed, supressed and quelled in our lives as South Africans, Muslims and essentially as human beings. Disruption has become a state of affairs which is least desirable and one which we spend almost every waking hour trying to control and avoid.

Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then

with his heart- and that is the weakest of Faith.(Sunan Ibn Majah (5:1334); Sunan an-Nasa’i (47:24); Sunan

Abu-Dawud (2:751); Nawawi 40 (34); Riyad-as-Salihin (1:184))

The testimony of students and workers to this prophetic call is what puts South Africa today at the precipice of a new time in history where a new wave of activism is sweeping the country, energised by students and workers whose behaviour is “disruptive”.

For many who did not initially understand or were “inconvenienced” by the protests, they came to be regarded as disruptive. But the concept of disruption is one I would very much like to claim as an Islamic theological principle.

I would argue that disruption has historically been the divine providence of God. It has been the manner in which Allah, Al-Jalil, The Majestic, has interfaced and engaged with humanity.

This characteristic of disruption which stirs our souls to encounter, engage and see things anew is often cursed, supressed and quelled in our lives as South Africans, Muslims and essentially as human beings. Disruption has become a state of affairs which is least desirable and one which we spend almost every waking hour trying to control and avoid.

But the state of disruption is the hallmark of every Prophet (peace and blessings be upon them all) and message given to us through Divine Guidance. The narrative of Prophet Ibrahim

(pbuh) in the Qur‘ān, in Chapter 6, Surah An-‘ām, verses 75-80, exhibits one such example. In these verses, when Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) is confronted by his community worshipping idols, he embarks upon a journey of reflection and subsequent disruption, to arrive at what he innately knew was the existence of the Creator.

The foundations of Islam are no different. The Prophet Muhammad›s (pbuh) exclusive monotheism “lā illāha illa Allah” would disrupt the belief-system of the Quraish. His egalitarian programme appealing to slaves, youth and crossing familial, tribal and ethnic barriers, would disrupt the social relations of Makkah. And the Prophet’s (pbuh) social reform movement which undermined the edifice of patronage, corruption and rampant usury and sought to redistribute wealth, disrupted the economics of Arabia.

Many of our farā’id, rituals and obligations, whether daily or annually, disrupt the “normal” state of being. The athān disrupts the soundscape of our communities; the alms tax and paying of Zakāt disrupts the idea that wealth belongs solely to you; the fasting in Ramadan disrupts the normal course of 11 months of indulgence during sunlight hours; and the five daily prayers and the congregational Jumu‘ah, disrupt our otherwise working day.

Disruption is an active tool which forces us to engage with our Creator. It forces us to yield control and it is what ultimately drives personal and spiritual growth. The value of disruption as a tool for spiritual well-being is thus pivotal. It helps us to put our place in the world into perspective. It reminds us that we are finite, that we are a part of something much greater than our ability to comprehend. The encounter with something disorderly or looking at something anew through disruptive thinking allows us to be surprised, unsettled and can begin an engagement with the experience of the transcendent.

We have insulated ourselves from disruption and disruptive thinking by creating a materialist culture that is obsessed with cultivating the power that we believe will give our lives predictability and control. Disruption is thus associated and relegated to the behavioural traits of children and “out of control” youth something we are socialised out of through authority at home, in school and in our places of worship.

The human spirit and its growth is constantly in need of disruption. We need to engage with it as a process to enrich our lives, to feel the giftedness thereof, and ultimately to connect with God.

We need to see these protests through the eyes of young people — most of whom were born as apartheid fell. Their parents were promised a dream that still does not look likely to be realised. It is this task, disrupting our status quo, which they have taken on and they need support from every aspect of society to realise change in the cause of justice.

Faith as Disruption Jihād Omar


4

masjid activities

CMRM supports Claremont U-Turn Shelter

On Monday 9 November 2015, for the third consecutive year, we hosted a group of 25 Grade Three Learners from the Micklefield Primary School in Rondebosch. The school headmistress, Mrs. Jeannette Welgemoed, the grade three teacher, and a few parents accompanied the learners.

The excursion to the masjid forms part of Micklefield’s religious awareness education.

During the visit Imam Rashied introduced the learners to the history and features of the masjid as well as the five pillars of Islam. He also showed them how to perform the ablution before they entered the masjid and then gave them a practical demonstration of the various physical postures of the Salah.

The visit ended with a lively question and answer session and some refreshments.

CMRM hosts Micklefield School

The U-Turn shelter is a shelter with a difference. It provides much more than a plate of food. Not only does the shelter feed between 40 to 50 people per day, but there are also recovery programmes for those who are homeless and have addiction problems. They are taught

skills such as beading and knitting which enables them to make and sell items and this encourages them to become self-sufficient. The U-turn shelter is administered by volunteers from St. Stevens Church in Claremont.

The residents are encouraged to be active at the shelter. They can volunteer to clean the kitchen or to help serve meals - and for these tasks they are awarded a coupon. The coupon can then be redeemed for toiletries and other basic items such as washing powder or clothing. Clothes are donated to the shelter by the shops in the Claremont area.

Our administrator, Shariefa Wydeman, volunteers occasionally at the shelter. She trains the kitchen staff to cook as well as ensure that all foods are halal. CMRM has purchased coupons to give to needy people especially those who beg outside the masjid on Fridays.

These were some comments from the learners:

I learnt about the Qu’ran and how in Arabic like Hebrew you read from right to left, and that you wash, take off your shoes and always face Mecca.”

I found the praying formations very interesting. I also found the way the Muslims washed themselves interesting. They wash their ears, arms, face, forehead 3 times.”

I learnt that the men and the ladies are separated when they pray.”

At the mosque I learnt that Muslims speak Arabic and that they pray five times a day. I also learnt that they have to share what they have to be a better Muslim.”

I enjoyed it when the Imam said a prayer in Arabic and we put our foreheads on the ground when he prayed. I also enjoyed learning about a new religion.”

I enjoyed looking at the mosque and learning about a different religion. Learning about the five pillars was nice and hearing Arabic.”


5

Muslims Tackle Climate Change at the 2nd Annual Environmental Justice Seminar

Waheed Sookool

On the 5th December 2015, CMRM’s environmental justice programme, Muslims for Eco-Justice (ME4J), in collaboration with the International Peace College South Africa (IPSA), and Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), convened its second Environmental Justice Seminar. The annual seminar serves to reflect on the responses and responsibilities of South African Muslims to environmental justice and the green Jihad. The seminar was well attended by local religious and community leaders, environmental activists and members of the public. With the seminar coinciding with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) COP21 global climate talks in Paris, and following on from the recent International Islamic Climate Change Symposium held in August 2015, the theme this year was the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change.

The golden thread running through all the presentations was the focus on Justice. A focus which key-note speaker Professor Ibrahim Özdemir emphasised. Muslims from the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), he said, approached the world through a Qur’anic lens which emphasised an ethical or value-driven view of the world. Muslim mentality was one shaped by God’s Mercy and Wisdom and this, in the words of Allama Iqbal, “awakens in man the higher consciousness of his manifold relations both with God and the created universe”. In a presentation abounding with examples of the tremendous achievements of Muslims in the field of environmental

ethics and practice, he noted that the modern utilitarian view, which interacts with the created world in a godless and amoral manner, is at odds with Muslim tradition.

Father Peter-John Pearson reflected on the 2015 Encyclical on Ecology issued by the head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis. Father Pearson argued that the encyclical was primarily a discourse or language of justice. The Pope’s call is for a more equal and caring world, where our concern for both human dignity and environmental respect, must compel us to change the current global systems of greed and selfishness, to one based on justice. In his response to Father Pearson, Imam A Rashied Omar noted that the encyclical is “a document on Justice with a special focus on the environment”. He argued that the call from the Pope resonated with the Islamic ethos with its focus on the poor, who are

the least guilty of environmental pollution but the most at risk. Echoing the key-note speaker’s remarks about the importance of balance (mizan), Imam Rashied noted that according to Qur’an 55:7-9 the balance can only be restored if humans act with justice and equity (qist) in relation to the environment. He furthermore illustrated how several verses of the Qur’an acknowledged the existential rights of animals and plants, and their spiritual essence. Pope Francis made a similar case in his encyclical and referenced the ninth century Muslim Sufi poet, Amir Al-Khawas, as his source.

The seminar also saw the launch of the IRW Climate Change Tool-Kit as well as a Collection of Khutbahs on the Environment published by Muslims for Eco-Justice. Both publications will be an invaluable resource for Muslims taking on the issue of climate change.

TOP PICTURE: Seminar Speakers (l-r): Shaykh Ighsaan Taliep (IPSA); Father Peter-John Pearson (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference); Tahir Salie (IRW); Dr. Najmah Mohammad (Green Fund-DBSA); Prof. Ibrahim Ozdemir (Ankara University); Shaykh Dr. A.K. Toffar (IPSA); Imam Rashied Omar (CMRM). SECOND PICTURE: Attendees

Father Peter-John Pearson in front of the ‘Tree of Commitment’, which all participants signed.


6

The third annual CMRM youth camp took place from Friday 10-12 October 2015 at the Glencairn Rotary club and was attended by 20 youth participants. Once again, the programme for the weekend was rich in its diversity of topics, discussions and guest speakers. On the first day, Nabeel Allie and Ameera Conrad facilitated a thought provoking discussion around modern Muslim identity, concentrating on racism and the issue of patriarchy in society. The first evening participants also watched a documentary called ‘Afrikaaps’, which focused on the rich cultural history of the Afrikaans language.

Day 2 started with Jehan Chikte, who facilitated an interactive discussion with the campers around their future goals, the steps to take in order to achieve them and the importance of setting achievable goals. Later in the morning, the Institute for Healing of Memories facilitated a workshop that focused discussions around the themes of Racism, Dehumanisation and Restoring humanity. This was followed by a reading and discussion session focusing on the plight of the oppressed Rohingya Muslims. In the afternoon, Yumnah Richards and Fatima Docrat presented a session on cultural and religious practices of Muslims in six different countries namely Pakistan, Somalia, Turkey, Iraq, Morocco and Malaysia. Campers reflected on how cultural expression affects the way in which they practice Islam. The final

session for the evening was presented by Dr. Adam Haupt, from UCT’s Department of Film and Media Studies. The title of his session was ‘Is it just Music?’, in which he discussed Western propaganda through music, the aesthetic value of music, and different types of Hip Hop music, with a focus on South African hip hop.

On the final morning, Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan presented a spiritually uplifting session on “Relating to the Creator”. This was followed by a self-defense class, presented by Cathlene Dollar from the USA, currently studying at UCT. The final activities for the weekend were the

“Monkey Game” led by Ikhlaas Khan and Ridhaa Jawitz, followed by ‘The Amazing Race’. The latter included making mascots, building towers, climbing through a huge man-made spiderweb and ended with an obstacle course, which had to be done blind folded.

Participants performed ten congregational prayers (salah) over the weekend and every salah was followed by a short nasiha delivered by Imam Rashied Omar and a guest from Ethiopia. These topics included an insightful lesson on the khushu (calmness and tranquility) of the salah, the first migration (hijra) to Abyssinia and on developing closeness to Allah. After Fajr on the final day we also made a short dhikr led by Ikhlaas Khan.

Overall, the camp was an enriching experience for everyone. Not only did we learn about new things, we also gained more insights into ourselves, our fellow campers, and our society. We had opportunities to have fun, but also to deepen our spirituality.

CMRM 2015 Youth CampMujahid Osman


7

We are aging everyday no matter how much we want to deny this reality. There is no cure for aging. Its effects are not reversible. It is uncomfortable and fearful to talk about aging for it challenges us to deal with our own inevitable loss, decline of function and loss of independence. This conversation with ourselves is especially more poignant these days for we live in a society that adores cosmetic appearances and promotes the myth of perpetual youth.

There is an urgent need for us to shape a new narrative around aging and care for the elderly. There are two dominant approaches or views around which the question of aging and care for the elderly is framed or problematized these days.

In the first approach, also called the geriatric approach, aging is seen as and treated as a disease. Aging is feared because it is a reminder of death. Death is regarded as rendering life meaningless and there is almost an instinctive drive to deny it. Only youth and “youthfulness” is endowed with any meaning.

The second position, also called a gerontological approach, is a seemingly more positive one. Aging is thought to bring with it more wisdom and the acquisition of a calmer disposition. Aging here is not regarded as a challenge but rather as an opportunity for the creative individual to reach fulfilment.

In this context I want to engage our attention towards one verse of the Qur’an, which I believe is of unparalleled importance for the topic under discussion.

Allah, The Sublime, tells us in Surah Bani Isra’il, Chapter 17, verses 23-24

Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him,

And that you be kind to your parents,If either or both of them reach old age with

you,Say no word that shows impatience with

them,And do not be harsh with them,But speak to them respectfully

And, out of mercy,Lower your wing of humility towards them

and say, “Lord, have mercy on them, just as they

cared for me when I was little.”

There are I believe two very crucial

instructions in these verses for us which could serve as a template upon which to construct an enhanced level of care for the elderly in our community.

Allah, The Sublime informs us to speak respectfully to our elderly parents. Speech is the most defining aspect of our humanity. Using kind and beautiful speech we enhance our dignity and affirm our shared humanity and common bond of affection with our parents and elders. Aging has made many of them hard of hearing, their memory often fades, they have a tendency towards repeating themselves and they cannot grasp as quickly as we can. They require lots of patience and understanding.

We add to their burden by not treating them with respect and kindness. They might have changed in their outer appearance, yet they have an intact ruh or spirit and a sense of affect or feeling. Kind and respectful speech therefore is the first sign of a qualitatively different and improved attitude towards care of the elderly.

I also found the phrase – “and lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy”, quite intriguing.

I came across a rather interesting understanding of this verse which I culled from non-traditional sources and which I would like to share with you. Umberto Eco, the well-known Italian, linguist, author and polymath in his book Serendipidities: Language and Lunacy refers to the use of the symbol of the stork bird in Egyptian Mythology to symbolise an obedient and caring child. I wondered whether this could perhaps shed more light on what the Qur’an means by “lowering your wing of humility.”

I was astounded by what I discovered. When we study the natural history of birds we find that the two adult stork birds in any colony make a loving, loyal and a devoted pair. They raise their young with utmost care. When they migrate they let the elders fly in front; the adult birds stay in the middle with the young and they leave another group of elder birds at the rear when the colony is in flight. When they return, it is often noted that the older birds who by now are fatigued, are often found resting on the backs of the younger, stronger birds before they are lovingly and tenderly placed down to rest.

My humble understanding is simply that Allah (SWT) is using an instructive example from the natural world to teach us how we should care for our parents and the elderly; the Qur’an does it simply in its own inimitable style and wisdom.

It is thus through our kind, respectful and edifying speech and our compassionate actions that we are able to meaningfully care for the elderly, respecting their Allah given dignity without resorting to any paternalistic, condescending behaviour, nor regarding service to them as a burden but rather as an honour to serve those who served us at one stage of their lives.

This is where I believe a huge challenge awaits us as Muslims. How geared are our families and congregations to ensure our elders receive optimal care and support when they reach the twilight years of their existence?

I believe it is within the family that our elders must find their primary source of comfort. It is within our congregational lives or jama’ah that they must find meaning and significance. The latter is a vast untapped source of support and comfort for the elderly. There is evidence from research showing a positive correlation between congregational attendance, membership and support on the one hand and good physical health on the other. We need to start addressing these issues within our own families and congregations. A masjid congregation is not made up of brick and mortar but individuals. It is the quality of our relationships with one another that counts far more. Our elders have been the longest supporters and contributors towards the masjid. They have seen the masjid and congregation grow though its darkest and most challenging days. We consciously need to engage them in all the affairs of our congregation and honour them for the excellent support they have given to us over all the years.

Let us strive, through our families and our congregations, towards establishing an elder-friendly environment. Let us help them to navigate joyously, with peace and contentment, as they pass through the last days of their lives.

Elderly CareDr. Rafiq Khan


8

Since the birth of the CMRM Saturday Morning Madrasah, the students’ parents became actively involved in the madrasah activities, some as teachers and others as general helpers. In the period preceding the relocation of the madrasah to the Muhammadeyah Primary School in Wynberg (1990- August 1999), some parents were trained by Aunty Mymoena Galant to become teachers.

After the relocation to Wynberg, the recruiting of teachers remained unchanged for the first few years whilst the assistance from parents increased. Some parents helped with the tuck shop while others assisted teachers in the classroom. In 2007 the Teacher Training Project commenced and in 2010 the Adult Qur’an Reading class was launched. We have discussed these classes in previous editions and the benefits that came with it, especially the parents that were recruited to do the Teacher Training course.

The madrasah has six husband-and-wife teams. In this edition we want to focus on one of these parent couples. Shaamiel Bassier enrolled his eldest son Jameel in 2005 and daughter Iman in 2006 and then decided to assist us on a part-time basis with general duties. In 2007 he was the lead parent on the madrasah’s first youth day outing to the Faure Kramat. This was one of the best organized events hosted by the madrasah.

Since that event Shaamiel became more and more involved to the point where his wife, Zahidah, enrolled for the Adult Class. She successfully completed the class and is currently one of the madrasah’s most dedicated teachers. In 2008 they also enrolled their third child, Saud.

We soon became so used to having him around that we referred to him as the chairperson of the parent/teacher committee even though the committee did not exist at the time. Now he is a permanent administrator driven by commitment, dedication and a passion to see the madrasah thrive as a place of learning. He loves his role. Shaamiel, along with other parents, are now part of the newly constituted Saturday Morning Madrasah Governing Body Committee.

madrasa news

The Contribution of Parents

Ridwan Wagiet

Former CMRM Saturday Morning Madrasa Student Completes Memorization of the Qur’anOn Thursday 26 November 2015, Moegamat Aqeeb Kannemeyer achieved the wonderful feat of completing his memorization of the entire Qur’an. Moegamat Aqeeb was guided and mentored in his hifz al-Qur’an studies by Qari Shaykh Hoosain Dalvie, founder and principal of the Daarul Falaah Hifz School based at the Panorama Masjid.

Aqeeb was a former student at the CMRM’s Saturday Morning Madrasa from 2004-2011 where he was first inspired to memorize the 30th juz, 29th juz and parts of the first juz of the Qur’an. Aqeeb was further encouraged to pursue his hifz al-Qur’an studies by being allowed to lead a few rakaàt of the tarawih prayers during the last few nights of Ramadan at CMRM in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

In his lecture at the tamat ceremony Imam Rashied Omar commended Aqeeb for having completed his matric and hifz al-Qur’an and encouraged him to build on this great platform by pursuing further academic studies.

Aqeeb was one of the top matriculants at Pinelands High School in 2014 and has been accepted at the University of Cape Town for a Business Science degree starting in 2016. Aqeeb’s father, Haji Cassiem Kannemeyer, thanked all of those who had an impact on his son’s life, and

named all of his teachers. He singled out his wife, Rashieda Kannemeyer, as Aqeeb’s first and most significant teacher. The tamat ceremony was well attended by teachers and students of the Daarul Falaah Hifz School as well as many family members and friends and ended with the exchange of gifts and refreshments.

Jameel, Iman, Saud. Front: Zahidah and Shaamiel Bassier

CMRM Saturday Morning Madrasah class of 2010: from top left, their respective grades in 2010 are in brackets: Toufeeq Adonis (10), Mazin Jeppie (7), Aqeeb Kannemeyer (9), Ridhaa Jawitz (9), Jihad Omar (teacher). bottom left: Imam A. Rashied Omar, Mujahid Osman (10), Shaakirah Salie (8), Shaykh Sadullah Khan, M. Zuhair Khan (7), Rezaan Behardien (7)

Hifz graduation at Daarul Falaah Hifz School 2015: l-r: Shaykh Hoosain Dalvie, Imam Rashied Omar, Aqeeb Kannemeyer and his grandmother

hifz graduation


9

What happened in Paris is dreadful. It should be condemned by every peace and justice loving individual. The unwavering solidarity expressed by the international community should be praised. As a Muslim, I totally believe that these actions do not represent the teachings of Islam. However the publicity given to attacks in France vis-a-vis other daily terror attacks in the rest of the world is scandalous. The night before the attacks in Paris, a bomb went off in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, killing 43 people. No mainstream media stopped their programmes to report on it nor did any world leader make late-night statements in solidarity with the people of Lebanon. Facebook was silent and no hash tags were seen. The world was relatively silent compared to the outcry about the killings in France.The duplicity of the international community’s responses to acts of terror in Europe and North America as opposed to the global south is usefully depicted in the following lament by Elie Fares, a Lebanese doctor. He was quoted on his blog (http://stateofmind13.com/) complaining; “when my people died, they didn’t send the world into mourning. Their death was but an irrelevant fleck along the international news

cycle, something that happens in the world. It is like death matters when it happens to whites not others.”According to Amnesty International figures of October this year at least 3,500 people have been killed in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger in the Boko Haram conflicts. No safety tag has been made and provided by social media networks that enable users to alert their loved ones that they are safe as was used by Facebook users in their solidarity with Paris.

In July and August 2014, Israel was responsible for the death of 2,220 Palestinians living in Gaza, of which 1,492 were civilians. Yet in 2015, where was the international commemoration of this tragedy? There is something wrong! All innocent lives need to be mourned no matter their ethnicity, pigmentation of their skin or country of origin. Are Africans or Arabs not human enough to be mourned? Is it impossible to empathise with them because of their skin colour or religion?. We mourn the death of innocent French people. May the souls of innocent dead rest in eternal peace. In the same way, we mourn all senseless deaths caused by ISIS, US drones, and all sorts of terrorism in Israel and Gaza. We should condemn all such kind of attacks equitably and unconditionally. That will make the world a safe place for all.

Abdul Hakim Nsobya is a graduate of the Islamic University in Uganda. During 2015 he spent three months in Cape Town being mentored by Imam Rashied Omar. During this time he also audited classes in Religious Studies at UCT and delivered Arabic khutbahs at CMRM. He will be returning to Cape Town in 2016 to enrol for a Masters in Religious Studies at UCT.

Why Double Standards in Reporting Terror Attacks? Abdul Hakim Nsobya

We mourn all senseless deaths caused by ISIS, US drones, and all

sorts of terrorism in Israel and Gaza.

2015 Qur’an Reading ClassThe 2015 Qur’an reading class, led by Imam Shaheed Gamieldien, had their last class of the year on Tuesday 1 December 2015. Classes were held every Tuesday evening from the beginning of February this year. Some of the students have been attending weekly Qur’an reading classes at CMRM for the past 18 years. The classes are for students who want to improve their fluency and tajweed in the recitation of the Qur’an. They also learn to memorise some of the short surahs in the Qur’an. Classes will again resume in February 2016.

Pictured in front row (l-r): Adiela Gamieldien; Latiefa Omar; Gadija Booley; Rughaya Isaacs; Faeeza Josephs. Back row (l-r): Imam Shaheed; Shahieda Jacobs; Zubeida Nagia; Shahieda Misbach; Kulsum Mohammed; Nazeem Moses.


10

CMRM Collaboration with East Carolina University

Kenneth Wilburn, D.Phil.Department of History, East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 27858 USA

Facilitated by my daughter and UCT graduate student, Shelly Wilburn, my students and I began an educational series of Skype sessions about Islam in South Africa, first with Shelly’s friend Jaamia Galant, then more recently with both Jaamia and Imam Rashied Omar. We have carried out three sessions since 2013. Also, my East Carolina University semester study abroad students and I were very fortunate indeed to have visited CMRM in July 2015. We want to thank the congregation, Jaamia and Imam Rashied for their wonderful hospitality.

Citizens in the United States are influenced by frequent images of violence perpetrated by people who claim to be Muslims. Few Americans, however, have Muslim friends or have studied Islam, much less read the Qur’an or hadith. Instead, those who are not critical thinkers often accept the false accusation that Islam is a violent religion. This has again been the case during the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) barbaric attacks on Paris in November 2015. Just last week, while I served on a university panel to discuss ISIS and the murders it carried out in Paris, I used major points in Imam Rashied Omar’s published ‘Id al-Adha Khutbah (2014) on ISIS to help me counter that slander and to share the truth about Islam.

People outside the US often look at American foreign policies as betrayals of its noble ideals. They see the US as a promoter of abusive capitalism and cultural imperialism. There is some substance in those perceptions. As with South Africa, the concentration of wealth in the US is such that less than 1% own 50% of its resources. Where is the morality in that gross material inequality? Both South Africa and the United States have histories of oppression. Both had slavery. Both had apartheid. Both had what in the US is called Jim Crow, local policies that prevented citizens from enjoying their full human rights.

Our “Africa and Islam” class has sought to understand more fully historical Islam in order to make sense of women’s rights, social justice, and present inequities. We all have a long road yet to travel, but Jaamia Galant and Imam Rashied have significantly helped my students understand the world and themselves more fully. They have demonstrated that personal jihad is the best battle worth winning. We want to thank our Muslim friends at Claremont Main Road Mosque for helping us understand that along the way.

masjid affairs

2015 GUEST SPEAKERS

father Peter-john Pearson

4 September

topic: The Pope’s Response to Climate Change

terry-crawford Browne

18 September

topic: Anti-Corruption

shaykh abdus-samad abdul Kader

11 September

topic: Hajj and Khutbah al-Wida’

Khalid shamis

25 September

topic: Imam Abdullah Haron

amira hass

16 October

topic: Palestinian Occupation

fatima mehdi

6 November

topic: The Struggle of the Sahrawi People

dr. naeemah abrahams

27 November

topic: Violence Against Women

dr. ibrahim ozdemir

4 December

topic: Environmental Justice


11

Imam A. Rashied OmarIt was with great shock and abiding sadness that the CMRM congregation received the news of the passing of Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown on 7 October 2015.

Al-Marhum Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown was a good friend of CMRM. Our masjid was probably the last one where he had led the tarawih prayers during his life. He did so in 2011 and 2012, three years before his passing. He also recited qiraàt on a few occasions at CMRM, most notably during the Milad al-Nabi celebrations in 2011, when he delivered a stirring rendition of Surah al-Rahman. He was to repeat this when he led the Id al-Fitr salah at CMRM in 2011. In addition to his qur’anic recitations Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed also delivered a couple of khutbahs at CMRM, the last one was on Friday March 30, 2012.

What is not too widely known, however, is that during 1998 and 1999 Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown and his brother Qari Abdul-Hameed Brown taught for two full years at CMRM’s Saturday Morning madrasa when it was located at the Stegmann Road Masjid.

He subsequently went on to establish his own hifz school in 1999, the Ibn al-Jazary Institute of Qur’anic Sciences. This was a unique school that tried to integrate the memorization of the Qur’an together with an academic programme in language and mathematics literacy. In experimenting with this integrated educational programme, Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed was no doubt inspired by the fact that he himself had studied hifz al-Qur’an while attending Belgravia High School.

Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed’s hifz teacher and mentor was Shaykh Moosa Titus, the Imam at the Primrose Park masjid. The latter is a fellow colleague of mine. We both studied hifz under the late hafiz Shamsuddin Ebrahim the Imam of the Addison Road

Masjid, in Salt River, who was one of the foremost students of the doyen of huffaz at the Cape, the late Shaykh Muhammad Salih (Abadie) Solomons.

In addition to sharing a hifz lineage with Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed, I also had the privilege of joining him and his fellow students in the Religious Studies Honours programme at UCT when they did their intensive Arabic laboratories that were run by Professor Ebrahim Moosa. In paying tribute to his former student, Ebrahim Moosa, Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Note Dame, said the following:

“I remember Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed fondly when he attended some of the classes at UCT. But I remember him most when I taught several classes at Islamic College of South Africa (ICOSA) where he was among the first graduates of that institute. Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed would repeatedly pull at my heartstrings with his most melodious recitation of the Qur’an. He also often followed me on Facebook and on a few occasions he would either spend hours with me when I visited Cape Town or when he would call me during his Ramadan visits to Canada. He was such a vibrant force of life and his passing has left us all bereft of his presence.”

Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed was passionate about the Qur’an. A passion that was nurtured in his parental home as well as inspired by his own rich family history. Shaykh Brown comes from a lineage of Islamic scholarship. He was the great grandson of Shaykh Abdullah Taha Gamieldien and the great

grandson of Imam Shaheeboe of Chiappini Street Masjid. Small wonder then that nine of his ten siblings have memorized all or portions of the Qur’an.

We make duà that Allah, the Most Compassionate pardons him, has mercy on his soul and grants him a high place in al-Jannah, Insha-Allah.

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji’ūn - To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.

Shaykh Sa’dullah KhanIt was his union with the Qur’an that guided and shaped the life of Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown. In his case this was so much so that it would be difficult to define his personality, even to conceive of his life, apart from the Qur’an. Always a student of the Qur’an, always a teacher of the Qur’an, always a reciter of the Qur’an; ever humorous, despite being rarely healthy.

I remember him as my student at the Islamic College of Southern Africa (ICOSA) in the early 90s, then as a reciter before my talks throughout the country, then as co-imam at Masjid-ul-Quds and eventually a colleague at Madina Institute in 2014. After my return from the USA in 2011, I reconnected with him in Ramadan at CMRM when Imam Rashid Omar invited me to conduct the post-tarawih talks while Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed led the tarawih prayers. He would often recite in the unique style of one of my main teachers, qari Yusuf Noorbhai. It was such a joyous reunion, such a memorable experience filled with so much nostalgia.

Allah called Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed back early, barely 45 years on earth. However, the beauty of his recitation, the impact of his teaching and legacy of his role as head of the

Ibn Al-Jazary Institute continues to be appreciated. The passing of Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed is unlike the death of any other: we feel it deeply in a different way. We sense that in losing him, we have lost not only the man but also his unique way of manifesting the Almighty through his marvelous recitation of Divine revelation. The voice that exquisitely chanted the words of the Almighty with such accuracy has been silenced; yet the melody lingers on.

Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed Brown (1970 – 2015)

triBute

Always a student of the Qur’an, always a teacher of the Qur’an, always

a reciter of the Qur’an.

Shaykh Sa’dullah, Shaykh Abdur-Rasheed and Imam Rashied. ‘Id al-Fitr, CMRM 2011.


12

There are vast numbers of our fellow countrymen who languish in abject poverty and live in “wretched” settlements across our country. Foodbank SA reports that 12 million people go to bed without food. That number cannot be far off the mark as The Department of Basic Education provides in excess of 9 million meals per day when learners are at school. What do those learners eat when they are not at school? What do the non-school going persons from those homes live from?

The education of the past was designed to be a source of cheap labour. The issues of poverty and education (and training) are inextricably linked. Having said so, the poor and marginalized will not forever remain quiet and submissive. Their children are being educated and we are beginning to witness an outright expression of substantial rejection of the status quo over a broad spectrum of issues, from service delivery to outsourcing to FeesMustFall. And correctly so!

The decrepit and often sub-human living conditions wreak havoc with the health of our fellow South Africans. The health system will remain stretched and so will social services. The prevailing conditions in the densely populated townships are an ideal (sic) breading environment for diseases like TB, HIV Aids, etc. Poverty is not only a scourge but a serious health hazard, and impacts very materially on the economy as a whole and the wellbeing of the functioning of our society.

Much has been done to address the education of our children but there is much more scope to prepare a better future for all. However, we will remain heavily constrained by a capitalist economic system that has played havoc with the future of the poverty stricken and will continue doing so unless we come up with A New Thinking for Economic Emancipation - a long overdue economic CODESA. What we have inherited is unnatural and the consequences of inhumane thinking and practices. As human beings it is within us to address it and devise programs and rolling plans to turn the

economy of our country on its head for the betterment of all.

Capitalism as it has unfolded in South Africa is a complete misfit in our mission to obtain economic justice and equity in our country. When interrogating our colonial and apartheid past, one cannot and should not ignore the institutionalized economic exclusion and marginalization of non-Whites by intent and later through legislation. Surely the social mission of our

emancipation must be an aspiration for an egalitarian and classless society. However, the gap between rich and poor has widened exponentially with the devastation of living conditions of the poor over the last twenty-one years. What South Africa sorely needs is not the concentration of wealth but the circulation thereof.

A critical dimension related to this shameful concentration of wealth that has not been addressed and assessed at all is the impact of control of workers’ retirement funds and other forms of life savings. Those funds in varying forms found their way into financial institutions that in turn invested it in a variety of forms (loans, debentures, preference shares, ordinary shares, etc) into listed and unlisted companies. The very companies that exploited labour and denied workers advancement had the effective use of workers’ capital and enriched themselves very substantially. All legal! But was it moral?

In the bad old days pre-1994, the very

institutions that oversee and manage retirement and life savings today, were very comfortable with prescribed investments into the apartheid government and its institutions like Sasol, Iscor, Land Bank, IDC, etc. Why would there be a reluctance today to re-enact such investment options? Why has government been so generous in permitting substantial offshore investments while our country is badly in need of capital to improve and expand our infrastructure? Why should our utilities borrow offshore and be exposed to currency weaknesses over which we have no control? If the private sector is reluctant to invest in our local economy, why should

workers be constrained to invest their retirement savings only in such “anti-job creation companies”?

Poor quality education militated against advancement in the workplace, which in turn led to subsequent generations being ill informed of opportunities and totally unaware of life imperatives such as quality education, healthy lifestyles, proper healthcare, economic opportunities, etc. A conscious effort has to be made to educate such citizens of the opportunities especially those who are now parents. If not,

their cycles of poverty will be a permanent feature of our society. Furthermore, quality education should never be sacrificed. The wealthy have long recognized this and have hugely financed their alma maters.

We have world-class financial and economic legislation and systems, but are they conducive for human development and economic progress amongst the poor? It is all of our responsibility to put pressure on our policy makers to address the economic challenges faced by the large numbers of the poverty stricken. Such policies should endeavor to emancipate the poor from the terrible scourge of economic exclusion and the debilitating social and medical diseases that are natural consequences of systemic deprivation over long periods of time. I am not a proponent of Marxist philosophy. Common sense dictates that we cannot go to bed with more than abundance in our stomachs while millions of our fellow human beings go hungry.

A New Thinking for Economic Emancipation EBRAHIM BARDIEN

What South Africa sorely needs is not the concentration of wealth but

the circulation thereof.


Documents

Embracing Our Neighbours at Christmas Imam Dr. A. Rashied Omar · The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also testified to the esteemed position of Jesus and to the proximity of his own mission