The Hejaz Railway

 

A century ago, the Ottoman empire came to and end and so did the caliphate. With that came to an end the singularity of the ummah (the followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). I dare not say unity of the ummah, because it was the gnawing away, by the enemies of Islam, at this singularity that caused division in Muslim lands. The enemies needed to end the caliphate.

How is this important to us in Cape Town. Firstly, we are part of the global ummah. Now that word “global” with reference to “ummah” is redundant because a Muslim naturally is attached to the body of Muslims. Secondly, as an illustration of our connection to the Caliphate, the Muslims of South Africa, although under British rule in the early twentieth century, sent a monetary contribution towards the Hijaz railway project. Now, we (our forebears of the time) were not going to benefit from this project because it was from Istanbul to the Hijaz. However, that singularity in that when the Caliph (Abdul Hamid II) called for financial assistance, Muslims the world over responded, even those who were not under the Ottoman Empire.  Two things become important in our discussions. Firstly, it is the singularity that we are one when we have a single leader. This is something clearly seen through a “political” structure. Unity is the manifestation in our hearts and minds of this singularity and that this ummah is a single brotherhood. The caliphate fell because the unity was disturbed when love and understanding became secondary to selfish interests – to put it in a simplistic way. While the unity was brittle, the singularity gave hope that this unity can be mended. Today, we have neither learned from history, largely because we are ignorant and oblivious of the past, nor have we a sense of moving beyond the yoke of what these same colonisers have placed upon us. Accepting a system which challenges our morals, our values and our beliefs means that we are not preparing for this singularity. All this is possible because unity is a mere ball being kicked around and its benefits have not translated beyond lip service.

Your intention is what matters most and then which team you join. If you want South Africa great or America great, then that’s your intention. Ultimately, you can only join one team. You decide but the right team will win, with or without you. Our forefathers sent money for the Hijaz Railway Project because they wanted to be part of the right team.

 

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Cold Soup on your Wedding Day

 

Imagine. Imagine your wedding day is subject to loadshedding. Let’s serve everything cold and maybe it will be too dark for the guests to know what they are eating. Yeah loadshedding. It has been with us for so long already that you can actually say “good ol’ loadshedding”. And they say it is the ANC that messed up the country.

I cannot be defending them, but for the most part, they fell for the joke. A country that miraculously had apartheid outlawed, just when you thought the chips were down. There was no revolution, not even in a political sense and here you are in a new South Africa. Muslims in Cape Town are quite divided in their political leaning, i.e. political party leaning. Racism is as rife as ever and the Muslim community is not free from it. Nevertheless, when you talk about loadshedding, you talk national government and ANC. Truly the ANC must be lambasted because they did not bring any freedom to the people of South Africa. In places, sure there were gains for some of the population, but overall, the ANC’s score is negative. This in no way means that the other political parties are better, right and justified. Each must take part of the blame. Some of the smaller parties will argue that they are handcuffed by the regulations and workings of parliament. This is what they signed up for and therefore they are tainted by the dire state of this country and many of the immoral laws and regulations and they must have their portion of blame. Loadshedding is like being hit with a blunt object but it is not the worst of our woes. The arrows that are causing more than a trickle of blood include such matters as the Marriage Bill and the bills affecting education which threatens our relative freedom. Now there are more matters that will take our freedoms away soon and those discussions are being had but only a few dare to fight for their freedom. People who stubbornly support government or any political party are selling more than they are supposedly getting. Every decision, every regulation that is passed against the laws of Allah, will bear your name, if you are a supporter of, especially, the bigger political parties. Gaining the world as a favour when you transgress one law of Allah is actually a major loss.

You will be waiting for a very long time, an inordinate long time, if you are wating for a leader or someone else to do something. You need to wake up and take the first step. Perhaps, soon enough people would have taken similar steps to a common ground. I am saying this while we have stage 6 loadshedding or massive rolling blackouts which is an invitation to criminals while also causing many other difficulties. All the while, a disastrous marriage bill is being reviewed and then there is the Bela Bill and so much more.

 

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Real honour of our women

The Muslim population of Cape Town is sizeable. On every known platform, they themselves proclaim to be of the best communities in the Muslim world. I styled it as Muslim world because Muslims believe that this nation, the Ummah, is but one ummah. Yet, giving “da’wah” or presenting the religion of Islam to others, is complicated when there are contradictions, not in the teachings of Islam, but the message Muslims deliver through their speech and action.

No doubt, Islam honours women and no Muslim will dispute that. There is a chapter named “The women” and one called “Maryam” (Mary) and many other places in Quran where women are edified, and their rights confirmed. There are hadith indicating to the importance of women and mothers. Islam is the perfect religion, is it not? Does not the message of Allah and His messenger, Muhammad – peace be upon him – supercede all else? If then, Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – delivered the message, is there a need to add more when the word of Allah and His messenger, Muhammad – peace be upon him – suffice? Today, we have Muslims lauding and celebrating “Woman’s month” and a short while ago “Mother’s day”.  Do we have a need to borrow from outside of Islam when Islam is complete and perfect? Must Muslims jump on the bandwagon when Muslims have the Book brought by the Messenger who is the mercy unto all creation? Ah the contradiction. Have you not thereby adopted as word other than that of Allah? Whatever your justification for doing this, it can, at best, be considered an add-on. You may even suggest it has nothing to do with religion or it does not contradict religion. Yeah, the semantics. Did Allah and His messenger – peace be upon him – pronounce on the matter of women? Does “Woman’s Month” honour women as per the guidance of Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – or is the script different? What about “Mother’s day” – one special day? And we can expand this conversation on the topic of women to so much more. Yet here you are “honouring” women because it is woman’s month but for the rest of the year you are silent, muted and concerned about other matters. Every day, there is a case for honouring women, our mothers, our wives, our sisters. A significant event happened in August, hence the reason for South Africa’s woman’s month. And the world has one in March espousing equality. What is this equality?

What is the agenda to this all? Why won’t you teach the world about the great Muslim women in history? Why won’t you teach the world about the role of women and about modesty. Why won’t you teach people about Islam having given women their rights while so-called civilised nations saw women as lesser beings. Why won’t you expose the agenda, in the name of equality and freedom, while it amounts to nothing but abuse and exploitation. Why don’t you teach them that paradise lies at the feet of the mother while they threaten the concept of motherhood and parenting. Is it not time that you submit to Islam in totality and leave them to their “religion”?

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The language of the people

 

Apartheid had a place because there was a need to oppose a system of discrimination and oppression. If we look back further to when our ancestors came here as slaves and political prisoners, there was the mentality of opposition. Having been brought here by the Dutch, Afrikaans became a language as our forefathers defied the colonialist oppressive Dutch.

As time passed and we reached the mid twentieth century, there was this inclination to adopt the English language, the language of the other coloniser. This happened for a few reasons, one of which is that the ruling class adopted Afrikaans as their language. Secondly, English was seen as the universal language and the queen's language. Forgotten was the fact that Afrikaans was the language of defiance. In fact, those who now are known as Afrikaners understood that having your own language was an important cultural element. Few speak Afrikaans today, especially the younger generation. With that we gave up part of our identity of which part was that of resistance to oppression and injustice. While you can cite many other reasons for our decline and virtual disintegration as a cultural group, language certainly had its role to play. Today, we have integrated into a society to the extent that many of our principles have fallen by the wayside as we adopted concepts foreign even to our beliefs.

Shall I call upon my people to return to their roots and rather be slaves physically chained, than chained to ideologies and cultures that mean us only harm.

 

Ons sal mos lankal opgestaan it tien die goewerment met alles wat aangaan soes crime en die hoë cost of living. Ja, ons mieks somma oek die tale want os is vannie kaap.

 

 

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Days of our lives

 

Wagging tongues definitely make for days of our lives. And how? The social and personal lives of others make for much juicier topics than the many real issues in the world, even crime. This is how social norms are often formed by the opinions expressed in circles of gossip. Can people who are divorced remarry their previous spouses or can a divorced person marry a person who was not married before?

These are the details discussed and analysis are made of the parties to such marriages. Divorce happens. Sometimes the parties are too hasty and do not give reconciliation a chance or it is just a decision that works for them at the time. Circumstances can change afterwards and there is a mutual understanding and agreement to remarry the ex-spouse. What is there to talk about except others may learn from it. Nevertheless, a prayer is welcome. Many-a time these marriages are better than their first stab at marriage. Of course, there are a few that go exactly like the first time they were married to each other. And that is life. There is no problem getting back with your ex-spouse, so negative chatter about it is uncalled for and problematic. People make mistakes in marriage for a number of reasons and marriages fail. These people have not given up on the sanctity of marriage and later remarry someone who may not have been married before. Why is the divorcee’s status important beyond the few that really matter. It may matter to the inner circle if there are children from the previous marriage. Other than that, the normal background check on the prospective spouse is in order. Outsiders should only contribute if they have pertinent information for either party to the marriage. Otherwise, there is no need for talk to be about the previous status of either party. Why must you be like that?

Now let them getting married and pray for them.

 

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Entry Level

 

“Jam and bread” are often considered the minimum to survive on when times are tough. This got me thinking what the minimum needs are to get through life.

It is a tricky question. Parents today look at their kids and it as if they are merely providing them with a base. Daily they send them to school and then the kids return. Some kids go to “slamse skool” or madressa or madrassah in the afternoon. Others might go on a weekend. Some never go. The parents are proud when the pass this grade and the next and so on. So, some parents sit with the kids with their homework and even do their projects. Then there is that thing called exams. However, considering all this, many parents do not really have a clue what their kids learn, whether they fulfil their potential and where they are headed. Of course, people are more clueless when it comes to Islamic studies. The question is still “what is the minimum requirements to get through life?”.  Can you articulate this with respect to yourself and your children? Dare I say that if there is focus, then it is in the wrong place. Were you created to avoid eating jam and bread so that you are not at the poverty line? That is the physical aspect? What is the bread and jam on the religious and spiritual front?

The Muslims have been in the Cape for over three hundred years. How is there no plan, a culture in place that sets the basis for Muslims and those that share similar ethics and morals?  Are we in equipped to pass through this world and exit it into paradise? Are we lacking resources or is it about whether you and I are teachable and are prepared to work together for mutual benefit in this world and beyond? Perhaps, for starters let each one assess his and his family’s situation whether they meet the minimum requirements to go through life. A time to brainstorm, don’t you think?

 

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Koesiestes or koeksusters - That is the Question

 

Koesiestes are not koeksusters. You have to say it like it was meant to be said and how we have come to know it. Cuisine is part of culture. Language is part of culture. Mentality is part of culture?

Strong communities have a strong culture that permeates throughout. That we come from various backgrounds and integrated into our “newfound” environment and land would have impacted culture to some degree. The abolition of apartheid resulted in further integration.  Television, movies and other forms of entertainment certainly have its fair share of eroding culture. Then we have an education system that, while may be taught by members of our community, the system, with its contents, is not ours. You will argue that we have a fair bit of culture left and you will point to titbits  by which few, if any, will define us. We are no longer distinct except, as you say, those titbits. Others will argue that we are South African and that it is right that we are integrated. No major qualms about that except that South Africans do not have a unique culture (more about that another time). And if you believe that diversity is our culture then why use the term “cultural diversity”. And before you get all like “what is your point?”, let me clarify. As Muslims we ought to be at the forefront of all things good. We ought to be standouts and be “the best evolved for mankind”. Yet, here we are, hardly noticeable except if someone needs to add the tag “terrorist” to someone or if there is a Palestinian march. Now the Palestinian, Al-Aqsa, matter is massive, but we cannot be defined by that. We ought to be more than that.

Our language is not unique, and the question is “can it be” with some at least trying to keep in touch with how our forefathers spoke Afrikaans way before anybody else. Our cuisine has integrated and lost its taste as the multinational food franchise products are seemingly more desirable. Our weddings are held at wine farms. If we then go down the list, then there are a few religious rituals “defining” the culture albeit that is holding on by a thread. Dress code does not make the list for culture. Oh, you will be frowning that I don’t mention the klopse and Malay choir as part of culture. I will come back to you on that.

The bottom line is that to make a meaningful impact, there must be a clearly visible culture. A visible culture is part of the fabric of every member of that community. Are we then not just a random group of people and not a community?

 

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