Editorial The third instalment of Al-Mizan coincides with the celebration of Milad-un-Nabi and our selection of articles reflect the entrenched attachment and reverence Muslims ascribe to the noble example of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Our contributors reflect and draw on his timeless and enduring teachings to comment on all facets of contemporary society from the spiritual and political to the legal and familial. This comprehensive approach to Islam is one we at the CMRM have embraced and owe to forebears such as the intellectual giant Abu Bakr Fakier. We have taken the opportunity in our Tribute page to re-familiarise ourselves with his scholarly legacy which continues to challenge myopic scriptural interpretations. The publication of this newsletter is a humble attempt to rekindle the spirit and intent of the Islamic Mirror which Fakier championed.The centrality of the life of the Messenger (pbuh) continues to be paramount in Islamic discourse but what is often lost is the transcendent and exceptional disposition he possessed which even his staunchest enemies could only admire. We would do well to elevate this aspect of the Prophet’s (pbuh) character in our consciousness and dealings.May the peace and blessings of Allah be bestowed upon him forever.

Newsletter of the Claremont Main Road Mosque · Mawlud Edition - February 2012/1433

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

With the dawn of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal we are inspired by our love for the Prophet of Allah to celebrate the blessed event of his birth through elaborate ritual and cultural ceremonies known as Milad–un–Nabi.Why does Muhammad (pbuh) matter to us? As the messenger of Allah, the single most important teaching Muhammad (pbuh) bequeathed to us is our belief in the Oneness of Allah. Despite his humble origin as an orphan and as an unlettered person, Allah chose him for the noble task of delivering His final Revelation for human guidance. His entire life was characterized by a relentless struggle to establish the supremacy of Allah’s vision for humanity. His task was to remind everyone to nurture that Divine spark Allah had placed in each and every one of us.

He was blessed with a heightened degree of Allah-consciousness. One of the most defining aspects of his character was his love, compassion and tenderness towards all of Allah’s Creation. He forgave his enemies. He cared for the poor, the orphans and the widows. Within his home he lived a very simple lifestyle, never finding it below his dignity to assist with any household chore.

Yet all of these external manifestations of his impeccable character were but a drop in the ocean compared to the vast treasure of spiritual depth he was blessed with. He taught us how to pray, supplicate and connect to our Lord with our spiritual intellect (qalb). He made us realize how our ruh or Spirit can reach its goal of friendship (wilaya) with the Divine. Muhammad (pbuh) taught us how to transform our ego so that it submits to the Will of Allah. Perhaps one of the most poignant sketches of his life to reach us, is his unsurpassed effort to worship Allah in the nightly vigil of tahajjud such that his feet used to swell from prolonged standing in prayer and devotional activity. When enquired about it his humble reply was simply, “shall I not be a grateful servant? “Muhammad (pbuh) gave full practical expression to the message he taught. His message became fully embedded within a culture facilitating its spread wherever his followers went. They were examples of spiritually, morally and ethically perfected individuals living within a community who reflect the light of Muhammad’s (pbuh) teachings.

In this sense we too at this southern tip of Africa became recipients of this Divine Mercy to guide humanity to peace, goodness and ultimate salvation. His teachings tell us who we are and what our destiny is on this earth. His teachings resonate with meaning and explain to us some of the deepest mysteries of our being. They give us hope in the midst of despair. They refine our character giving us a moral and ethical anchor in life. They teach us how to live with friends and how to deal with enemies.

We need to reflect on two very fundamental questions whenever we think of Muhammad (pbuh).• How can one ever begin to express our gratitude for the gift of such a spiritually elevated vision of human existence? • What does Muhammad (pbuh) expect of us today and how can we ensure that this great legacy lives on for the benefit of future generations?The need to promote this Prophetic legacy will produce many diverse responses. It will be an ignorant act to ignore the Prophet’s teachings on tolerance and promote one understanding above the other.

Every society, culture and historical context in whose direction Muhammad’s (pbuh) message has percolated towards, has found its unique way to celebrate the life and teachings of this Noble servant of Allah Almighty. His followers feel spiritually connected to him. He is blessed with a supra-human spiritual consciousness that allows him to become aware of the deeds of his followers. He prays for them. He hears their greetings and salutations. Many Muslims agree that Muhammad will be their intercessor before Allah on the day of Ultimate Reckoning.

Through expressing love and veneration for his blessed memory we are constantly reminded of how much we are indebted to this noble prophet of Allah. He left behind for us the Book of Allah, a record of his preferred social practices and habits (sunna), a global spiritual identity of an ummah, a distinct culture and a civilization, a set of moral values and a sense of appreciating the

Why Muhammad (pbuh) is the most beloved of all Allah’s CreationDr. Rafiq Khan

Vol.1 No.3

“there is no faith (in an individual) who does not display love”

beauty of the natural world around us as a manifestation of Divine Beauty. His entire life and teachings resonate with love and kindness. An oft quoted saying of Muhammad (pbuh)states: ‘Ala la imana la mahabba talah “there is no faith (in an individual) who does not display love”.

If a child achieves any measure of success the joy and happiness of his parents far exceeds that of the child. Likewise Muhammad (pbuh) is proud of his ummah whenever they do things which are honorable. He who loves Muhammad (pbuh) is a blessing unto humanity. May Allah inspire us all to cultivate a living, meaningful relationship with Muhammad (pbuh), the greatest benefactor, mankind has ever known.

Chairperson’s MessageYusuf (Jowa) Abrahams

The past six months have been a very challenging but equally reward-

ing period for the Board. There has been a marked improvement in

the level of governance at the mosque. This is the third edition of Al-

Mizan which is another testimony to the improvement of the commu-

nication channels to our congregants and the broader community.

I would like to highlight some of the successes and challenges of the

past six months:

• Board meetings have been held on a regular basis with full reports

on all the activities at the mosque including full financial statements.

There has been an improvement in the communication channels with

the secretary playing a leading role with this initiative. The weekly e-

mail notices have reached a greater number of congregants as more

have signed up to the mailing list.

• There has been an increase in the number of member pledges over

the past few months. This remains a challenge. The mosque has a

large congregation but yet has a very small registered member pay-

ing base. Our appeal is for more congregants to register so that we

can be more efficient in our administration and attend to all the ac-

tivities at the mosque. • The dhikr sessions have been well attended and our sincerest grati-

tude to Imam Rashied for driving this and for his inspiring leadership

at the mosque. Imam Shaheed Gamieldien will be taking over during

Imam Rashied’s short stint in the U.S. and we wish Imam Rashied well

with his annual lecture series in the US.

• The unfortunate attack on the mosque by an Egyptian Shaykh at

the Kromboom mosque was an example of how uninformed and ig-

norant many in the broader community are of the activities at CMRM.

The matter was speedily dealt with and an unreserved apology made.

Our thanks to those who reported to us and who challenged the

Shaykh on this and to our congregants for their support in this and

many other aspects at the mosque.

We look forward to face the many challenges in the new year and

with the support of the congregation, we will meet these challeng-

es Insha-Allah. Finally I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to all

board members for their hard work and commitment to ensure the

success of all the projects at the mosque. As the interim chairperson

of the Board, it has certainly been a privilege to lead such a group of

dedicated administrators.

Imam’s MessageImam Shaheed GamieldienAllah the Almighty advises us in Surah Ash-Shura of the Glorious Quran, Chapter 42, verse 38:

“[The true believers are those] who respond to [the call of] their Sustainer and are constant in prayer; and whose rule [in all matters of common concern] is consultation among themselves; who spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance”

The election of the new leadership at the masjid 2011 AGM has seen a transformation in the governance of the Masjid. One of the most successful achievements thus far has been the regular communication with the broader congregation. The new leadership under the guidance of Yusuf (Jowa) Abrahams (Chairman) has injected new interest and eagerness not only amongst the board members but the wider mosque community. This can be attributed to the following:

a. Consultation:This important principle plays an important role in any organization. It creates the space for interaction amongst members so as to share different views and opinions. Since the AGM, general meetings were held to engage the general congregation regarding the affairs of the mosque and challengers that we face. This is further done through the masjid website, notices and other forums.

b. Transparency:To gain the trust of the broader mosque community the weekly jumuah collection is mentioned every Friday before proceedings. Notices are displayed inside and in the foyer of the mosque on a weekly basis to keep the congregation informed of current developments and progress.

c. Accountability:This vital attribute is clearly demonstrated by the new leadership of the board. The board works as a unit, taking full responsibility for the smooth running of the mosque. There is currently a collective drive from the board and members to increase the current membership of the mosque.

I sincerely hope and pray that the newly elected board will go from strength to strength. That they will serve this community to the best of their ability. I also want to urge the congregation to assist and give their full support and corporation to the board Insha-Allah.

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Income increased from R7 380 in September to R11 935 in October, R14 175 in November and R17 770 in December 2011. The total income for 2011 represents a 78% percentage increase in member pledges from 2010.

On Friday 30 December 2011, we had a record collection of R4 210. The total collection represents an average of almost R11 300 per month.

In the above verse of the Glorious Qur’an, Allah, the Sublime, describes His devoted servants with the beautiful Arabic moniker of `Ibad-ur-Rahman – which I prefer to translate as ‘Servants of the Lord of Compassion’ (Q25:63). The Divine name al-Rahman is derived from the Arabic root verb R-H-M, which can be variously translated as, mercy, compassion and tenderness. Al-Rahman is undoubtedly the most pre-eminent attribute of God in Islam (Q6:12). This is underscored by the fact that rahma or compassion and mercy is so central to God’s existence that it embraces all that exists in the universe (Q7:156 & Q40:7). Moreover, one of the most well-known Qur’anic verses with which Muslims commence every action is Bismillahir rahmanir rahim, translated into English as, “In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.” Small wonder then the Qur’an describes the raison d’etre of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) mission as rahmatan lil ‘alamin, a source of compassion, mercy and tenderness to the world (Q21:107).

But who are those servants of God that merit the noble and sublime title of `Ibad-ur-Rahman? In the final 14 verses of Surah al-Furqan (The Standard), Chapter 25, verses 63-76, God, the Compassionate, describes ten sublime and distinctive characteristics which adorns the lives of the `Ibad ul-rahman. The servants of the Lord of Compassion are:

• Humble and not given to arrogance (hawna). They deal with others in humility and gentleness and do not act with conceit and boastfulness (see also Q17:37)

• Peace-loving not Violent and Intolerant. They do not respond emotionally or violently to provocation, nor do they waste their time and energy in futile arguments and debates. Such a disposition of peace and poise (salam) is by no means a sign of weakness but rather a dignified way of responding to ignorance and stubbornness (jahilun).

• Engage in Night Vigils. They regularly spend part of their nights in spiritual retreats (tahahajjud) glorifying their Lord and seek-ing to fortify their inner spiritual strength, in order to protect themselves from the storms of vanity and the whirls of self-pride.

• Prayerful and Hopeful. They are constantly in conversation with God and are always hopeful that life’s present conditions will, by God’s grace and compassion, change for the better and their consummate supplication is for God’s salvation in the life hereaf-ter.

• Economically Prudent. They strive to be moderate in expenditures, being neither extravagant nor miserly. They undertake debts with great circumspection, ethical responsibility and accountability. Nor are they miserly in spending on their families and the poor.

• Repentant and Seeking Forgiveness. They firmly believe in the all-encompassing nature of Allah’s forgiveness. They refrain from and shun the three major sins of idolatry (shirk), culpable homicide (qatl) and adultery (zina), but even if they were to stumble, their belief in God’s mercy and forgiveness is so great that they turn to Him in repentance and follow up their trespasses with good deeds. God in turn promises not only to forgive them and wipe out their sins but to exchange them into good deeds (see also Q39:53). In the worldview of the `Ibad-ur Rahman, human frailty and sins are relative, but divine mercy and compassion is absolute.

• Trustworthy Witnesses. They do not give false testimony and they try their utmost not to speak a lie. Thus they are scrupulous in verifying any information before they utter it (see also Q49:6).

• Dignified in Speech. They are not only kind and truthful in their own conversations with others but when they do encounter talk which impugns the dignity of others they are not mere bystanders, but shun it. They understand that the spreading of rumours and unsubstantiated reports about people affecting their reputations constitutes a spiritual offence and thus incurs the displeasure of the Lord of Compassion.

• Responsive to God’s Guidance. They are eager to embrace God’s guidance given in verses of the Glorious Qur`an but are free of blind fanaticism. When they show enthusiasm for their faith, it is an enthusiasm based on true knowledge and profound insight.

• Caring Spouses and Parents. They are kind, gentle and loving to their spouses and children and constantly pray to God to grant them spouses and children who will bring joy and contentment to their eyes and to make them paragons and examples of what true piety and righteousness means (taqwa).

The final verses of Surah al-Furqan concludes with God, the Lord of Compassion, promising the`Ibad ur-Rahman that if they try their best to live up to these virtues and character traits i.e. they persevere (sabr) to inculcate and live up to them, He will grant them the highest reward in paradise for their steadfastness and they will be greeted in the life hereafter with Salam – Peace, Serenity and Tranquillity!

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Who are the `Ibad-ur-Rahman? Reflections on Quranic verses 25:63 – 25:76Imam Dr. A. Rashied Omar

MASJID ACTIVITIES

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Qurban in Khayelitsha

Extension of the Course on Famous Women in Islam

The opportunity arose to extend the course on Famous women in Islam to Daroel Ielm in Salt River. A few women from CMRM were recruited to present the following categories : Women warriors, Women Ulema, Women hadith scholars, Women benefactors and economic Hero-ines and Sufi women. We were afforded a

unique privilege and opportunity to step beyond our comfort zones and to share what we had learnt.

This was indeed a new challenge from in-teracting with a core group of 15 women to presenting to a group of up to 60, and so my journey of inspiration continued.

Some prodigiously remarkable women who inspired me were two of the proph-et’s (pbuh) wives. Khadija bint Khuwalid, who supported the prophet (pbuh) with her wealth thereby championing the path of Islam. Zainab bint Jahsh was highly charitable and known as mother of the needy people. She created handicrafts and traded them at the market place. She had an income and assisted in the financial support of the prophets family. In the leg-acy of the prophet (pbuh) we clearly see women as both benefactor and economic heroine.

Fatimah Umm Al Banin, also known as the saint of Fez, was a remarkable vi-sionary who, 1200 years ago, established and built the oldest degree granting uni-versity existing today: the University of

Qarawiyyin in Fez Morocco together with Al-Qarawiyyin mosque which is one of the largest masjids in Africa.What can we learn from these women? That Islam empowers and encourages women to do what is necessary to make our society a better place. Allah (swt) has placed great minds in both men and women. We must harness the talents of our women. This however requires men to understand the changing roles we all have to play, and that the ideal is not al-ways real.For me this has been a wonderfully en-riching and inspirational experience. Shukran to Imam Rashied for facilitating and co-ordinating an excellent and well structured course. We now need a travel guide to co-ordinate a trip to trace the steps of some of these great women.

Ayesha Davids

MASJID ACTIVITIES

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CLIMATE JUSTICEOn October 17th 2011, Imam Rashied read the closing prayer at the “Have faith – Act now for climate justice” Campaign launch in the Crypt of St. George’s Cathedral. The launch of the climate justice campaign was ad-dressed by representatives of Cape Town’s diverse faith communities, including the Muslim Judicial Council, the South African Council of Churches, the Environmental Justice Network, the Hare Krishna and Baha’i faiths, and the South African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI). Subsequent to this, CMRM was registered as an eco-congregation. This of course carries the responsibility of committing to work towards a more just and sustainable world. In his 2011 ‘Id al-Adha khutbah Imam Rashied urged congregants to reduce their consumption of paper and water when taking prayer ablutions. He also encour-aged all of us to commit ourselves to recycling waste and explore options for becoming a green mosque. We are currently in the process of forming a “Green Team” and are working on a few proposals to achieve our green goals. Some of the ideas include changing the masjid lights to the more energy efficient LED lights, recy-cling waste, printing publications on recycled paper, involving the jamat in car-free jumu’as and beach clean-ups, and the more ambitious idea of using solar and wind power. We sincerely hope to have your support in trying to implement these proposals.

Going Green

L-R (back): A. Adams (Lefty); S. Jacobs (Dokkie); M. Galant; S. Omar; A.R. Omar (Imam CMRM); Y. Abrahams (Chairperson CMRM); R. Majiet; M. Majiet; N. Hoosain; I. Taliep;L-R (front): Prof. A. Odendaal (WP, CEO); Y. Martin (Joe); M. Esau (Chairperson Al-Jaamia); Y. Behardien; R. Kafaar (Siet)

Giving Recognition to the “Shadow Side” of Newlands Cricket GroundAs one of the oldest institutions in the Newlands/Claremont area, Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM), established in 1854, was invited by the CEO of the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA), Prof. Andre Odendaal, to select 10 former residents of Claremont/ Newlands to attend the test match between South Africa and Australia at Newlands on 10 No-vember, as special guests of the WPCA. The invitation was a form of acknowledgement and recognition of the role displaced residents played in the 120 year old history of the Newlands Cricket Ground.

Imam Rashied Omar, together with the chairperson of Claremont Main Road Mosque, Yusuf (Jowa) Abrahams, and the chairperson of Stegman Road Mosque, Mogammad Esau, accompanied the ‘invitation team’ of former residents to the Newlands test.

The invitation to CMRM came in the wake of the publication of a chapter by Prof. A. Odendaal in The Cambridge Com-panion to Cricket edited by A. Bateman and J. Hill (Cambridge University Press, 2011). In his chapter titled, “Cricket and representations of beauty: Newlands Cricket Ground and the roots of apartheid in South African cricket”, Prof. Odendaal recalls the “shadow” side and history of the Newlands Cricket Ground and argues that “it is important for building new inclusive identities in post-apartheid South Africa that we understand and acknowledge the ugly past of the game in South Africa. This includes the harshness that underlay the beautiful pictures drawn about Newlands. The captivating beauty of Newlands was not all that it seemed”.

The CMRM team was entertained by an astonishing game of test cricket in which they saw Australia being bowled out for 47 and 23 wickets falling in one single day. The invitation by Prof. Odendaal was a thoughtful gesture that contributed in a modest way towards the healing of memories.

Emasithandane Picnic in Wynberg Park

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The Spirit of Joy, Peace and LoveWynberg Park was the place to be on Sunday, December 18th when the Claremont Main Road Mosque hosted its annual Christmas Party for the orphans of the Emasithandane Children’s Home. A beautiful summer day and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree set the backdrop for what was a truly wonderful event.

The children and their caregivers were welcomed & embraced with incredible warmth by the CMRM team and everyone shared a delightful breakfast together.

As always, the excitement surrounding the jumping castle couldn’t be contained. The “Dragon” jumping castle was a big hit with its built-in slide and it provided many hours of fun for everyone. There was excitement & laughter all round when Puddles the Clown arrived and put on a most entertaining show which included some awesome juggling, the unicycle and balloon modeling. Butterflies, cats, Batman, Spiderman and fairies won-dered around the park as the children also had the opportunity to have their faces painted.

After lunch the busy day continued with carefully planned, age – appropriate activities, novelty races and some serious hula – hoop skills. The picnic area echoed with laughter as the children played on the grass together with their CMRM friends. It was lovely to see the caregivers so relaxed. They later expressed their thanks and gratitude for being able to enjoy a restful day under the trees.

The grand finale of the day was of course when Father Christmas arrived to give the children their gifts. The festively wrapped boxes were the culmination of our Christmas Box Appeal. Members of the congregation and broader community were encouraged to “adopt” a child and provide presents for them. The children welcomed their gifts with the biggest smiles.

The positive interaction and joyful merriment of the children, caregivers and the CMRM team alike made this event a success. We would like to sincerely thank our volunteers, sponsors and everyone who played a role in making the day possible. The outpouring of generosity and spirit of solidarity was truly heart-warming.

This annual event creates the opportunity for each and everyone to take responsibility by playing an active role in breaking down the ubiquitous race and class barriers we are faced with today. It forms part of the Jihad against Poverty Campaign which aims to make a modest contribution to poverty alleviation in our country.

Emasithandane Picnic in Wynberg Park

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GEEN MOEDER - GEEN VADER STOK SIEL ALLEEN

Ismail Patelia‘n Weeskind in ‘n weeshuis ‘n werklikheidGeen Moeder. Geen Vader.‘n Weerwyser van verwaarloosheid.‘n Toets vir ons eie eerlikheid en meegevoel bereidheid.Om ‘n vloeiende traan uit die oë te vee.Om ‘n verlore glimlag terug te gee.Die verskafing van voedsel.Klerasie aan die nakend rug.‘n Paar skoene aan voete van onsekerheidAlles voor te sit sonder om te vra.Wie, waarom of waarheen.Wees daar, altyd daar omdat ‘n weeskind in ‘n weeshuis is altyd daar.In die middel van ons eie volheid, vrolikheid en vreiheid.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is a personification of the very essence of Islam. Through knowing him and understanding both his character and context, Muslims the world over hope to become closer to their Creator. Thus, the number of works written on his life abound. There are numerous approaches to documenting his life from the sometimes dry and historical to the more hagiographical.

In The Messenger, Ramadan presents a book which capitalises on important themes as relevant to our realities today. He juxtaposes the usual approach of a chronological, linear account of the Prophet (pbuh) from birth in Makkah to his death, with important lessons and virtues we can embody as ordinary human beings aspiring to strengthen our spiritual selves, in prose which is engaging and extremely accessible

From the outset, the usual anecdotes are brought to life with the interspersion of Quranic verses. In itself, the poetic style of the Quran always manages to mesmerise with its transcendental wisdom. However, understanding the Quran in the paradigm in which it was revealed adds a dimension of understanding that equips the reader to translate the verses into practical approaches to daily dilemmas rather than a literalist rule book incapable of malleability. Ramadan succinctly conveys this in the manner in which he sketches the circumstances in which the verses were revealed. He builds an intimate rapport with the reader and makes one rethink accepted approaches to interpretation of Quranic verses.

Primary themes which are emphasised in the book are those of human struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds, interfaith and non-faith relations, and environmentalism and the awareness of our ecological impact. The latter theme is interestingly approached using an essentialist rather than consequentialist methodology, that is to say that our Islamic imperative and God conciousness dictates the respect for all life and the sparing use of resources rather than the effects such extravagance will have on our current conditions being the driver behind ecologically aware decision making processes. The aforementioned lessons are the ones which are implicitly emphasised in previous accounts by virtue of the lifestyle led by the Prophet (pbuh) but Ramadan explicitly highlights them.

The values which Ramadan chooses to reiterate throughout the book are those of humility, integrity and flexibility. Interestingly, Ramadan highlights the Prophet’s loving, compassionate and endearing nature in his relationship with family, friends and those he held dear. In a time where status was inexplicably linked to distance and a haughty attitude, this was another example of the Prophetic lifestyle being a pioneering one. What Ramadan successfully conveys is that the Prophet’s nature was such that he cared deeply about the feelings of those around him and while divine inspiration guided his interactions, so did the emotions of the people to whom the message was directed; Islam was a reality rather than an abstract - a lesson forgotten by many of our contemporaries. Furthermore, this was a manifestation of his strategic outlook for the dissemination of the Message; an austere and removed Prophet would have infinitely less success than an understanding and loving one.

The more experienced reader would be amiss in assuming that another account of the Prophetic life has nothing to offer. Instead, by using the lens of a revivalist and modern traditionalist Ramadan litters the tale with a particular bias relevant to the European context of Islamophobia. This comes through strongly in his choice of themes throughout the book. Anti-Islamic discourse cements its claims by portraying the religion as innately dictatorial,

misogynist, discriminatory, exclusive, rigid and anti-Semitic. Ramadan tackles each of these issues head on and at times the book threatens to be an apologist rebuttal. He tries to portray the Prophet (pbuh) as pro-democracy in the manner in which the Prophet (pbuh) used consultative leadership (Shura) while seemingly forgetting that autocracy works in a similar fashion. Similarly, he skirts around the issues surrounding polygamy while lauding the Prophet’s (pbuh) magnanimity and equality in his treatment of his wives. The dialectic between apologist and realist as manifested in the book is a good projection of Ramadan’s own image, in which he is often decried as too liberal by the Wahabbis and too traditional by the “West”.

Ramadan’s work attempts to separate the realistic from the idealistic; it tries to capture the humanity of our Prophet (pbuh) without tainting his awe-inspiring legacy. Trying to strike this balance is an extremely difficult one and The Messenger goes a good way in providing a starting point for this journey.

Book Review

“Islam was a reality rather than an abstract - a lesson forgotten by many of our contemporaries.”

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CMRM Events

The Messenger Tariq Ramadan (2007)

Khadeeja Bassier

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Masjid AffairsGuest Speaker ProfilesMuhammad Sadiq

Muhammad Sadiq is a Bahraini National who works as a human rights activist in London. He has led a number of successful campaigns for democracy in the Middle East and is an expert in issues related to community work and the importance of interfaith dialogue.

Shafiq Morton

Shafiq Morton is senior journalist at Voice of the Cape Radio. He hosts VOC’s weekday current affairs after-noon show Drivetime. He writes for various national and international publications, including: Muslim Views, Al-Qalam, Islamica International, Islamon-line, and the Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of Notebooks from Makkah and Madinah, a historical travelogue of the pilgrimage. In 2009 Shafiq was voted amongst the world’s most 500 influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre at George-town University.

Shaykh Sa’adullah Khan

Shaykh Sa’dullah Khan memorized the Qur’an at the age of eight. He studied Law in Durban, Journalism in Britain and Islamic Studies in Egypt. He is Co-founder of the Islamic College of Southern Africa (IPSA) where he also served as head of the Qur’anic Studies Depart-ment; he is a past editor of Muslim Views, and is the author of Dimensions of the Qur’an and co-translator of the classical Arabic text Risālatul Mustarshidīn/Epistle for the Seekers of Guidance. He currently serves as Director of Impower Development International.

Aslam Fataar

Aslam Fataar is professor and head of the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University. He publishes in the field of Sociology of Education. His latest book is titled, Education Policy Development in South Africa’s Democratic Transition, 1994-1997 (2011). Aslam has been a past member of a range of progressive Muslim organisations such as the Muslim Students Association (MSA), Muslim Youth Movement (MYM), Muslim Front (MF) and Islamic Coordinat-ing Council of South Africa (ICCSA). He was also a member of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative

Report on CMRM General Meeting held on 15 January 2012Attendance at the general meeting was not optimal, as only 23 members were present and 10 apologies recorded. Nonetheless, there was positive engagement with the reports presented. The Chairperson’s report highlighted the need for more sub-committees that include non-board members in order to draw on expertise of all congregants. This was especially urgent with respect to a fundraising committee in the context of ongoing ne-gotiations over the adjacent to the mosque purchase of the building. A proposal outlining how the building could be used is currently being formulated as part of a funding proposal.

The secretary reported on the encouraging response to the membership drive in October 2011, resulting in a 78% percentage increase in member pledges at the end of 2011 com-pared to 2010. Nevertheless, augmenting the membership base of the masjid remains an ongoing challenge. There was general affirmation that communication with the CMRM community is well maintained through the weekly e-mail notices, the announcement of jumuah collections and the publication of Al-Mizan. The imam’s report highlighted the success of the Thursday dhikr evenings, which have been well supported by regular con-gregants as well as new visitors to the masjid. The imam also paid tribute to the range of guest khutab and the quality of the khutab that we have had in the past few months, and it is hoped that this will be a trend that we can sustain for the rest of the year.

Mariam Baderoon reported on the many social responsibility projects and activities that have been undertaken over the past few months, the highlight of which was the picnic and handing over of gifts in Wynberg Park to the orphans of Emasithandane Children’s home. The support especially for this event from the CMRM community was overwhelming.

The principal of the madrasa gave a comprehensive report of all the madrasa educational resources produced in 2011 and the plans for 2012. The most exciting of the new resources is a new book that presents the tafsir of the first 42 verses of Surah Yusuf. These verses form part of the FET Arabic curriculum and this textbook will not only be a valuable resource for Grade 10-12 Arabic learners, but also to adult students of the Quran and its exegesis.

Two further discussion documents were circulated. The first was a discussion document looking at madrasa-masjid relations. It gives some background to the management struc-ture at the madrasa and makes recommendations for new governance and administrative procedures that will restore and maintain the madrasa as a project of the masjid. The docu-ment also recommends new financial practices that will ensure that the madrasa becomes and remains a financially viable and sustainable project of the masjid. Once endorsed, an implementation plan will be put in place to realize its objectives.

The second document was a report on Masjid Revitilisation, compiled by a special com-mittee in 2009. This document was circulated again in anticipation of the strategic plan-ning workshop planned for after the AGM in March. This document will be used as the starting point for the strategic planning. The document makes recommendations related to sub-committees, governance and the structure of the Board, infrastructure needs, madrasa relations and much more. Members of the CMRM community who want to participate and contribute to the strategic planning of the masjid later in the year, are encouraged to read and reflect on this document.

CMRM Adult Education

Message from the Principal

Shafiek AbrahamsThe 2011 academic year of the Saturday Morning Madrassa (SMM)

culminated in the annual graduation ceremony held at Alexander

Sinton High school hall. Although the graduation primarily focused on

the achievements of the learners, the adult education class of 2011

received much praise and admiration from the parent audience. This

class was spearheaded by Fajwa Abrahams and supported by Fahmi

Gamieldien and Shaykh Mukkhtar Gul. Dr Nadeen Moolla Behardien, a senior

lecturer in Psychology at UWC, and a parent of the madrassa, teaches

the educational psychology class which is one of the components of

the teacher training program.

The 2012 academic year commenced on 14 January 2012 for teachers and

new learners. The teaching year started on 21 January. The current

enrolment of learners is approximately 460 with 36 teachers and

assistants.

Our academic year spans 38 weeks which includes two extra-curricular

activities, viz. the 16 June (Youth Day) visit to the tomb of Shaykh

Yusuf at Faure and also the Khatam-Al-Qur’an day at the Claremont Main

Road Masjid (CMRM) during the month of Ramadan.

For this year the SMM plans to launch an expanded Arabic program

supported by a number of resources, including textbooks for selected grades.

Within the next three years each grade (1 - 12) will have an Arabic textbook

which includes a dictionary. The resource development team also compiled a

grade 12 Arabic textbook which focuses on Surah Yusuf. This surah forms part

of the prescribedcurriculum for the Grade 12 Arabic Learning Area. It is due to these efforts of

the teaching staff at the SMM that it can boast a 100% pass rate in

Arabic for 2011. Congratulations to all those SMM matriculants for the

100% pass rate.

Parents (and other adults) are encouraged to attend the Adult Class on

Saturday mornings. Nurjehan can be contacted at the CMRM for further

information in respect of registering learners for the madrassa and

for the Adult Class.

We pray that Allah, The Most Beneficent, guide us to a successful 2012,

Insha-Allah.

SATURDAY MORNING MADRASSA

10

Message from Madrassa MSA

The Madrassa Students Association was established last year by a group

of concerned students, who felt that the student body needed to be

organised in order to not only help themselves but also to be of benefit to

others, particularly the less fortunate.

The MSA successfully raised over R2000 which went towards the Emasi-

thandane orphanage in Nyanga. We assisted the Jihad Against Poverty

Campaign by contributing to hosting a Christmas picnic for the orphans,

providing some snacks and entertainment for the children to ensure that

they had a fun-filled day. The MSA will also endeavour to address some of

the concerns of the students of the madrasa.

This year we plan on creating lots of opportunities for all the madrassa

students to socialise and get to know each other better. We aim to plan

social events, fun activities and educational outings for the students.

We will also encourage the students and parents to support us in raising

funds for a different organisation this year so that we can educate the

madrassa as well as ourselves on how to make time and to care for people

less fortunate. All the parents of the madrassa will be notified every

month via our newsletter.

On behalf of the MSA, we hope and believe that we can make a difference

to the madrassa and the community, we ask for your encouragement and

support. Any suggestions are welcome and will be appreciated.

For more information please contact us on: cmrm.msa@gmail.com or visit

our facebook page-CMRM MSA for updates and photos. Grade 1

Tributes | Abu Bakr Fakier (August 1937 - May 2002)

Kassiem Adams

Any historical account of a social movement, reformation or revolution will always have at its kernel an ideologue, a free thinker, an intellectual, someone who challenges the status quo. These icons are often misunderstood, much maligned during their lifetimes and not recognized by the societies they so selflessly tried to liberate. History also shows that these people are often teachers. Abu Bakr Fakier is such an icon that the Claremont Main Road Mosque community can proudly lay claim to. His ideas have to a large extent shaped the worldview espoused by the mosque through all its platforms, from the mimbar to the madrassa, in publications or through outreach programmes. Imam Haron may have been the public face of the political Islam that took shape in the Claremont community in the late 50’s and 60’s but the ideological engine was driven by Abu Bakr Fakier.

Abu Bakr Fakier was born in Campground Road on the 2nd August 1937 to Muhammad Fatih and Zubeida Fakier. In his youth he developed an intense love of reading and perused numerous texts covering an array of topics that included history, philosophy, psychology, politics, biographies and novels. He also read the available English texts on Islam. These included translations of the

Quran by Yusuf Ali and the controversial Muhamad Ali. He also studied the writings of orientalists like Wilfred Cantwell Smith and Montgomery Watt. Reading and writing was his passion, attributes that stayed with him until his passing. After completing his high school education at Livingstone, he trained as a teacher and entered the profession at the age of 20. He taught at Schotse Kloof primary and later Alexander Sinton High School. Through his participation in the meetings of the Teachers League of South Africa (TLSA), the Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM) and the New Era Fellowship (NEF), he was exposed to the contemporary thinkers of the time, which included people like Benni Kies, R O Dudley, Alex La Guma and others. Abu Bakr Fakier managed to hold his own in these fora because of his wide knowledge base and excellent debating skills, his preferred method of engagement. By this time Abu Bakr had also developed the firm belief that Islam held the solutions to the struggle against Apartheid.

The next phase in Abu Bakr Fakier’s contribution involved propagation of the ideas that had begun to ferment among his contemporaries at Al Jaamia mosque in Stegman Road. Together with Imam Abdullah Haron he focused the attention of the youth on current issues, Islam and the broader South African liberation struggle. He taught classes in the philosophy, politics and jurisprudence of Islam to adults in the Claremont community.

He also taught classes to the youth at his home in Penlyn Estate. He did this with intense intellectual rigour. This quality and the high standards that he set for himself and those in his classes did not endear him to many people and would have consequences later when the Al Jaamia Institute of Islamic Studies and Arabic was asked to leave the Stegman Road Mosque.

The establishment of the Claremont Muslim Youth Association at Stegman Road Mosque became the vehicle to articulate many of their ideas. The CMYA published the Islamic Mirror to get the ideas emanating from Al-Jaamia mosque into the community. This was unprecedented at the time. It should be noted that the CMYA was an inclusive organization and its members came from all walks of life. Like the principal protagonist Frank Owen, in Robert Tressell’s ‘Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’, Fakier opened the eyes of his contemporaries and empowered them to understand the reasons for their social condition. This approach represented a challenge to the Claremont and greater Cape Town Muslim community, because it sought to disengage the hold of the organized clergy.

During his publishing years in Cape Town, Fakier acquired a printing press which he 11

ran in the garage of his home. This may have made sense in terms of publishing control but made very little business sense and nearly bankrupted him. This printing press was used to give us Read and Understand Arabic, The Creed of Islam, The Articles of Faith and Fakier’s most widely known and enduring legacy, A Manual of Prayer and Fasting. It should be noted that Fakier chose to write out his manuscripts in long hand, and that his dear wife Kulthoom painstakingly transcribed and typeset the texts and was also responsible for the layout, calligraphy and artwork in these publications. This was no mean feat in an age when there were no word processors or desktop publishing programmes.

In 1979 Abu Bakr Fakier and his family migrated to Saudi Arabia where he took up a position at King Abdullah University, in Jeddah, where he taught English Literature and Islamic Studies. During his tenure in Saudi Arabia he completed the following degrees: BA (UNISA) in English, History and Arabic, BA Hons (Lon) in Arabic and Islamic Studies, MA (KAU) in English Studies and a Ph.D in English Lit. (Indiana). Before his untimely death he was enrolled as a Ph.D candidate at the University of London where his proposed thesis was on Islamic Law and Human Rights. He still had two outstanding chapters to complete for this thesis. His manual on Hajj also remains incomplete.

After his retirement in 2001 he returned to a liberated South Africa in January 2002 and died of chronic emphysema in May of the same year. Many will rue the fact that we missed many of his most academically productive years through exile. It is however heartening to note that this son of Claremont left us a legacy in the books that he authored and a model of intellectual rigour, dedication and self sacrifice that will be hard to emulate.

References:Gamieldien, F (2004) The History Of The Claremont Main Road Mosque, Its People And Their Contribution To Islam In South Africa, published by CMRM

Haron, M (2002) Tribute to Abu Bakr Fakier, Unpublished paper

“Fakier opened the eyes of his contemporaries and empowered them to understand the reasons for their social condition.”

“Imam Haron may have been the public face of the political Islam ...but the ideological engine was driven by Abu Bakr Fakier.”

The one outstanding historical moment of 2011 is what the media has labelled “The Arab Spring”. It is not often in history where one revolt snow-balls and affects an entire region over a relatively short period of time. The last time this occurred was during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the USSR (1989 – 1991); other instances were the Hispanic American Wars of Liberation (1810 – 1825) and the European revolutions (1848-1849). In the Middle-East the sentinel rebellion in Tunisia was followed by uprisings in Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Syria. Oman, Jordan and Morocco also had instances of revolt which petered out with the rulers of these entities making concessions to blunt the anger of the populace. The bravery of those who took to the streets and led these protests can only be lauded as this required the building of civil organisations within an extremely repressive environment. Whether their calls for social justice, economic transformation and democracy will be realised is anyone’s guess, but a failure to achieve this would be a betrayal of the martyrs and aspirations that the uprisings produced. Whether the popular rebellions transform to revolutionary change or not, one credit that the Arab Spring can claim is their ability to inspire similar movements in other parts of the world, most notably in Israel and the United States.

The dictatorships that have ruled this region are characterised by their longevity (some passed through generations), intensity of repression (lack of civil liberties, arbitrary detention, torture, extra-judicial executions) and inter-dynastic solidarity (as seen in the support that Saudi Arabia provided to Bahrain). Libya’s Gadaffi was in power for 41 consecutive years, Egypt’s Mubarak for 29, Tunisia’s Bin Ali for 23, and the Alawite Asads in Syria for 40 years. Some of them went through the façade of elections every few years without any popular legitimacy, but ruled through hegemony established through political and civil repression, co-option of religious authority, patronage of the business class and control of the media. The military or

other organs of state repression were always arbiters of power. This rule continued for decades through tacit and sometimes overt support of the United States and other western powers who were willing to turn a blind eye to the gross human rights violations in these countries. Strategic interests trumped human rights, civil liberties and democracy all the time.

To imagine the current uprising as a spontaneous eruption would be simplistic: specific events may have rendered it acute but the hardship of the population and the building of popular organisations was underway over a prolonged period. The acuteness of the current crisis was generated by the global economic downturn and its impact on local economies – where patronage was not sufficient to blunt the effects of this crisis on local populations. Furthermore, there was a growing educated class of youth with no future prospects of jobs and whose aspirations for a democratic future was fuelled by personal aspirations nurtured by increasing contact with the outside world. Media such as Al-Jazeera also sought to create critical debate about such issues and their coverage of these uprisings spurred others. With growing discontent organisations were formed to give vent to frustration. These youth organised through social media including Facebook and Twitter, making a mockery of crude attempts at censorship.

While the current revolts have dislodged those in power various dangers and challenges remain. The first is where the past elites metamorphosise to retain their hegemony over political and civil society, as well as the economy. This would simply be the old regime in a new garb and would threaten the gains of the revolutions. The second challenge is the dominance of the military in these countries where civilian authority is subservient to the military interests. The military needs to be brought under the control of an elected authority so that the spectre of military control is eradicated entirely.

The third is to entrench democracy through political and civil institutions, a free media, a representative parliament and multi-party democracy. The form of government needs to be as inclusive as possible. Fourthly, without a carefully crafted economic policy the lot of citizens would be no better than currently. Liberty needs to be linked to equality or else the simmering tensions would continue to

spark unrest and instability. Fifthly, the task of building a nation is imperative because of the history of tribal, sectarian and religious conflicts that characterise many of these countries. Without this, like in Iraq, internecine conflict will continue with society fractured along various lines - in Syria the Alawite-Sunni conflict, Sunni-Shia in Bahrain and the tribal divisions in Libya. Furthermore the Christian and other confessional populations in these countries also require assurance that they form an integral part of the citizenry and not a minority to be tolerated. Moreover the challenge of managing the relationship with the west is a vexing one, particularly in a context where the west would want to continue to dominate this area as part of its sphere of influence and to protect its oil interests.

Last but certainly not least – the new power brokers always run the risk of falling into the trap that most post-colonial rulers succumbed to – corruption, self-enrichment, nepotism and what Frantz Fanon terms “an indigenous ruling class luxuriating in the delicious depravities of the Western bourgeoisie”.

In most of these countries it is evident that the most organised social movements and political organisations are those of the Muslim Brotherhood or fraternal organisations, who did not necessarily play a lead role in the popular uprisings. The latter was led by urban youth with no links to these movements in most instances. Being the main political actors, the Islamic Movements face challenges in addition to those discussed above. The first challenge would be to contain the extremist elements both within and outside the party. The second challenge would be the form of government that would result – a civil state in the current context would be the most appropriate form of government rather than a religious state. The third challenge would be to give form to their religious rhetoric. Here the economic policy would be crucial. An-Nahda’s Rachid al Ghannoushi who spent many years in exile in the UK has an extremely pragmatic approach to politics – but whether he can win the backing of the party for these views is a challenge.

However the current conjuncture in the Arab world has its own challenges and dangers. Vigilance by progressive forces is imperative in this interregnum where in the words of Antonio Gramsci ‘the old was dying but the new was yet to be born”. This is the moment where reactionary forces will attempt to hijack the revolution.

“… the most organised social movements and political organisations are those of the Muslim Brotherhood or fraternal organisations…”

The Arab Spring – History In The Making

NEXT ISSUE OF AL-MIZAN

17 June 2012

Laylatul Mi’raj

Dr. Shuaib Manjra

‘Id Milad-un-Nabi MubarakMay you have a blessed and joyous Mawlud