The winds of change are blowing in the kingdom and its a breath of fresh air.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been a second home to my family and I. Each time i visit, i reminisce on the years i resided in the kingdom and try catching up with those who are near and dear over a cup of Arabic coffee with a slice of kunafah or my favourite basboosah. During my recent visit, i had the opportunity of meeting up with two really good friends who have been my pillar of strength and support for a decade. They both hail from two unique different backgrounds and im extremely proud of their achievements. The first person i met when I landed in Riyadh in 2008 was Fasahat. We were both new to Riyadh. I had just landed and needed to make a call home notifying my family that i arrived safely. I was told by the security personnel at the hospital that i needed to obtain a Saudi sim card etc from a specific department inside the hospital. Whilst trying to make my way to the relevant department, i bumped into fasahat who could tell that i was new and visibly lost. He was full of smiles and directed me to the relevant personnel who eventually provided me with a Saudi sim card and a home internet solution. From that day onward we became best of friends. We use to enjoy dinners together, visiting the annual janadriyya festival and of course when mom visited for 2 to 3 months yearly, Fasahat was our driver taking us shopping and spoiling mom on her birthday. When i worked night shift, he would send doughnuts and food to the pharmacy. At 7am when i was half dead after working night shift, id find him enroute home with a big smile, saying..' we going for breakfast to pancake house".Fasahat was born in Saudi Arabia into an aristocratic nawaab family originally from Hyderabad. Both his parents were specialist physicians. Whilst his dad passed away a few years ago, his mom is now semi retired. He is an engineer and an MBA graduate. He is intellectually inclined, technologically savvy and just so smart coupled with a great sense of humour, naturally we became great friends. Together, we experienced and encountered many hilarious situations with the Saudi religious police. We were mistaken for being Saudi on a few occasions. I was asked to change my tarha or head scarf to plain black as opposed to black with a pink border. I kept on questioning on what religious grounds or rulings was i not allowed to wear a tarha that had a pink border. My questioning didn't sit well with the mutawwah who assumed i was Saudi and asked for me to summons dad to the police station. As soon as I showed them my access control card and department i worked at, at one of the best hospitals in the world, I was let off the hook. My Saudi manager was also asked to intervene as they were not convinced that i was not a saudi.. Of course, with the new Saudi vision 2030 implementation by the crown prince MBS, the religious police or the mutawwah as they were referred to, are now a thing of the past. Fasahat and i both left KSA a few years ago to spread our wings and pursuit our dreams. Whilst i have returned to SA permanently, he travels extensively within the middle east and is now resettled in KSA due to his demanding job. We both resided in ksa at a time where women were invisible and unable to drive. I must admit though, i enjoyed being chauffeur driven. It was a time when there were no big cinemas like imax or vox.Hospital staff however enjoyed movie nights at the central hospital auditorium, a night we all looked forward to. There were no major concerts, stage shows or theatre productions. Sometimes however, we would get invited to the indian or pakistani embassy to attend a live private mehfil gathering. There were some parts of Riyadh where i had to adorn full abaya with niqaab or complete face covering to avoid unnecessary issues with the religious police who always assumed i was saudi. I had hilarious encounters with men who sold make up and underwearat all major retail outlets. Women at that time were not allowed to work in many sectors of the retail industry. The winds of change are blowing in KSA and its a breath of fresh air. When i landed in the kingdom 2 weeks ago i was so surprised to see women immigration officers carrying out their duties as efficiently as their male counterparts. I noticed young women driving on the busy roads of Jeddah. I noticed women in beautiful coloured abayas with matching tarhas as opposed to the monotonous black. The jeddah of the past is being revived where Saudi women wore traditional jalabiyyas heavily embellished with embroidery and beads. The concept of the black abaya is in actual fact foreign to Saudi culture. Many Saudis believe it was a dress code adopted from Shia iran and was used as a form of control. Believe it or not,there was an era where moderate islam was practised in Saudi and that era is being revived once again where Saudis are now saying, we want to show the world our culture, traditions, customs and faith. We want to show the world what Islam is all about through our hospitality as opposed to what is shown on television. Young Saudi men and women have welcomed and embraced the changes with many saying, " Finally we are now residing like the rest of the world'. However, there are many staunch hardcore fanatics within the kingdom and abroad who are quite apprehensive of the changes. Whilst standing in the queue at the immigration counter upon arrival, i overheard the ultra conservative South african couple standing in front of me say, "la howla wa la kuwwata illabilla-now we must be served by women". I asked myself why the hypocrisy. In SA muslim women in niqaab drive and there is a constant interaction here between men and women in all spheres of daily living. It does not mean that because the most important religious sites in the Islamic world are located in Saudi, that all Saudis now are saints. No. They reside in cities just like ours. They have the same dreams, wants, aspirations etc like the rest of us.A few days ago i met up with another good friend of mine, Abdullah who now resides in Jeddah. Despite the waiter at the posh Brazilian restaurant billing his card for an amount that was 10 times more the actual bill in error, we had a blast catching up, chatting about our past interactions as friends. Watch the headlines coming out of Jeddah this week, ' SAUDI MAN SLAUGHTERS WAITER AT JEDDAH RESTAURANT' as he is yet to receive his refund lol.Abdullah is half Saudi, half Egyptian with stunning emerald green eyes. He has two adorable kids Basma and omar.He hails from a very broad minded educated family. His younger brother is highly educated employed at a world class university. He married an Indian woman and they now reside in America. Abdullah was over the moon at the fact that recently when he requested for an Uber, he was picked up by a woman in full niqaab. In his opinion, this is a great victory for women residing in the kingdom. Women are now empowered to work, earn a living and support their families. Not all Saudis hail from rich homes. There are many homes where women have now become breadwinners as their partners or parents have passed away and so they have no one to support them or take care of their needs. They can now support themselves. For me the best part of being in the kingdom is undoubtedly the safety factor. It was a breath of fresh air walking at the Jeddah Corniche at 2am. The city is buzzing 24/7. There isn't this constant fear of being robbed or hijacked. I noticed construction and development in almost all major cities. Roads were being repaired and the Saudi government has invested billions in education. Whilst i do not agree with many of the Kingdoms foreign policies, credit needs to be given where due. I noticed drastic improvements in all major cities since i last visited in December 2016. The government has launched a massive clean up campaign encouraging citizens to keep the country clean. Citizens are now fined for littering and due to extremely tough driving laws implemented with jail terms enforced for minor offences, the driving culture has improved tremendously. The hop on hop off red city bus in medina is a must do activity especially for all first time visitors. The private and public sectors are all working together to make vision 2030 a reality. The state of the art train service from Medina to Makkah is fully functional at a reasonable price. Whilst our country is riddled with stories of crime, corruption, failing government parastatels, a stagnant economy, a 20 percent pass rate at school (why the helI attend school in the first place), I found the opposite within the kingdom.Of course, every country has their own fair share of issues and problems but nothing compares to whats happening in SA currently. Trust me, the world has taken note. I was told that many Saudi businessmen would not in a hurry invest in SA due to high crime rates and corruption. Mr Ramaphosa wants businesses to invest here but he has failed to create an environment conducive for investment. As much as we want our country to be a champion country or a global player on the international stage, our country is in essence a banana republic. The mass looting is now done openly and there are no consequences for those in power who steal tax payers money. Steal, rape, murder, do as you please, you will be granted bail and life goes on. Mr Ramaphosa is just as useless as his predecessor's. Our government is not for the people. Its a government that satisfies the whims and fancies of the elite few at the top. With all systems go working towards making vision 2030 a reality,the winds of change are blowing in the kingdom and its a breath of fresh air.

Video links:

https://www.facebook.com/sumayya.mehtar/videos/vb.739292781/10159285957582782/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

https://www.facebook.com/sumayya.mehtar/videos/vb.739292781/10159282353707782/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

https://www.facebook.com/sumayya.mehtar/videos/vb.739292781/10159276030437782/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

INDIA'S FAVOURITE SINGING COUPLE - SAMIR AND DIPALEE LIVE IN CONCERT IN SOUTH AFRICA

With over 200 international concerts accredited to their name since 2012, they are back once again! For the very first time on South African soil, Ahmed Timol Secondary School proudly presents India`s favourite singing couple, Samir and Dipalee live in concert. This dynamic duo will be performing exclusively for one night only in Johannesburg on Saturday the 7th of December 2019 at the Lyric Theatre Gold Reef city to raise funds for a noble cause. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Ahmed Timol Secondary school. Let us keep the legacy of the late Ahmed Timol alive by supporting this worthy initiative in the interest of 1000 school kids.

Samir Date is the son of the legendary composer Ravi Date. As a singer, he has the flair for delivering soul-stirring performances. He alongside his wife, Dipalee Somaiya Date are multiple award-winning Bollywood playback singers who are constantly on tour & regularly stunning audiences around the world with their onstage chemistry and voice. Hailing from a long line of esteemed musical talent, Samir has added to the allure of his family! The singer has won a number of awards including the honourable "Pillar of Indian Society". He was also the host of the famous Balaji Telefilms production, "Dhun Dhamaka" and sang for super stars like Salman Khan and Amir Khan in hit movies like Maine pyar kiya, Jazbaat and Parampara to name a few.

Dipalee Somaiya Date is a well known playback singer & Saregama TV star since 1994. She has sung in over 200 Hindi/ Gujarati films. She has been awarded the "Best Playback Singer" award by Gujarat Govt. 4 times in a row and twice by the Prime Minister of India. She has also won the "YUVA PRATIBHA" & "KUTCH RATNA" award. Tickets are available from R200 and can be purchased from Computicket or any Shoprite Checkers money market counter.Buy your ticket today and stand a chance of winning a return flight to Mumbai plus 4 nights accommodation courtesy of Sure Mitha travels in association with Mantana tours and travels. The winner will be announced on the night of the event.For further information contact Mr Sagren Naidoo, the principal at Ahmed Timol Secondary School at (011) 413-1323 or SGB member Mr Don Patel at 0794274209

Let us Coexist

                                                               igurudwara.com                                                                        

South Africa is a melting pot of cultural diversity. There are people from all over the world residing here and despite our past, in general most South Africans do get along well with each other. Over the past few days though, I am quite disheartened to hear that there are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi families residing in our suburb who have stopped talking to each other in light of the current happenings in the Asian subcontinent. These are people who have been friends with each other for years, their kids play with each other, they go to school together and now suddenly they have stopped talking to each other. Please do not let the issues in that part of the world spill over here. What example are you setting for your children? How can kids born here in South Africa hate their Pakistani or Indian neighbours due to the political situation in another part of the world? Teach your kids how to respect and be good to everyone around you irrespective of caste, creed or race group. Don’t make it a religious issue either. No religion in the world teaches hate and intolerance. This is all about a fascist government trying to indoctrinate a nation with a supremacist ideology. It is the same concept that was propagated in Nazi Germany in the past and it is the same concept propagated now in Zionist Israel. Judaism does not teach hate and supremacy and hence there are Orthodox Jewish communities globally that are totally against Zionism and Zionist Jews in particular. You cannot break ties with your neighbours and friends just because you are of a different faith. However, if you have friends and acquaintances that are in favour of war, in favour of killing and oppressing people, in favour of murdering and butchering innocent kids then yes by all means you have every right to stay away from such people and you should break off ties with them. We are not residing in the Stone Age where people should be colonized and annexed. We are living in a progressive world where people have every right to live happily with dignity wherever they wish to live without any fear of being oppressed due to their faith or belief systems.

Salaamedia interviews a member of the Muslim prison board – my response.

It seems to me that not all but some of our moulanas have become masters in deception in order to deflect the truth. Allow me to set the record straight. The open letter that was sent to me was written collectively by the prisoners at Medium B. A copy of this letter was also handed over to the prison management. Feel free to contact any of the following people inside the prison who will verify this, Area Commissioner Luckyboy Mathiba (011) 933 7006, the head of the prison Samuel mahlangu at (011) 933 7113/4 or the Deputy Director Hendrik Kroukamp at (011) 933 7111. This now settles the first comment that since the letter was not signed with an official stamp, it’s possible that anyone could have written the letter in order to malign the supposed good work by the Muslim Prison board. I find it really ironic that the executive members of the prison board come on radio talking about the happenings inside the prison and yet none of the prisoners I interviewed actually met these executive members in person. Apart from visiting the prison management occasionally they do not visit the prisoners or interact with them personally. So this equates to a person running a big company but not knowing the target market or understanding the needs and wants of the clientele you providing a service to.

In an interview that was conducted on radio Islam during the month of Ramadhaan, a member of the Muslim Prison Board stated on air quite proudly and clearly that the MPB facilitates basic Islamic education within the prisons. Subsequently, the same MPB member and his counterpart in a recent interview on Salaamedia stated that the role of the MPB is merely Islaah, that is to reform by encouraging prisoners to be good. This concept of Islaah works hand in hand with acquiring Islamic education in my opinion. You can’t tell someone to be a good Muslim, if they are reverts and do not know how to be a good Muslim. The situation inside is such a sad state of affairs that as per the amir in medium A there aren’t enough prayer mats and books to learn about Islam. “We only have 1 kitabu salaah which was brought by my wife. So please tell me sister, how will over 200 Muslim inmates share one book”. Whilst listening to the radio Islam interview, I was in stitches of laughter at how the member of the MPB created a very rosy fairy tale scenario of how prisoners are treated during the month of Ramadhaan, a far cry from the actual reality. He spoke about prisoners breaking fast together in fasting cells, praying taraweeh etc, absolute hogwash. During the month of Ramadhaan prisoners are allowed hampers of tea, coffee etc that they can use for iftaar and sahoor. This year the prisoners only received a few boxes of dates on 2 occasions and their own families put money in their accounts to purchase other items from the prison shop. Those prisoners who have family that can afford to give them more money then purchase groceries from the shop and share with the other prisoners who get no visitors. In Ramadhaan inmates now get a warm meal at fatoor due to the fact that the prisoners themselves took the prison management to court for violating their rights as per the prison policy. Again the MPB was not a part of this initiative. Medium C does not have fasting cells. Prisoners still remain in their own cells with their roommates during the month of Ramadhaan. There is no taraweeh in congregation or breaking fast together. Medium B and A has a fasting cell where all prisoners gather and this is due to the fact that the prisoners at Medium B took the prison management to court and won the case. I have documented evidence of this. Again the MPB was not involved in this process. (“Slmz. Im writing regarding the prison conditions and would rather not touch on the subject of indian muslims coz thats another topic for another day. I visit the prison every month for the past 2 and a half year coz soneone very dear to me is incarcerated there. The reason for his incarceration is not important but i can comment there is no food for iftaar or sehri provided by any islamic institution during ramadaan. The lunch time food is kept by the prisoners for iftaar and the bread n tea they receive for supper is eaten at sehri. Our muslim counterparts are forgotten during these times. May Allah grant them sabr and allow us to remember all muslims in our duas. I am going again on sunday and if this brother is at sun city as it is called. I will glady pay him a visit if he wishes. Thank you for posting his letter. May Allah reward you for all your efforts. Ameen” )

On air, the prison board member stated that Muslim spiritual care workers are only allowed access to prisoners once a week. What he forgot to say is that they also allowed access for Juma prayers weekly. If indeed only one visit is allowed, why are there different rules for Muslims as opposed to other denominations who I know for a fact visit for longer than one hour and more than once a week. One now wonders whether Muslims are being discriminated against or is the MPB misrepresenting the facts. I make the claim of the latter on the basis of knowing that at some prisons, Muslim SCW enter many times per week, at times daily such as in Barberton during Ramadhaan. I need to state on record though that Currently at Medium B Brother Mahmood goes once a month (I don’t blame him as he is old) and at Leeukop Medium C Moulana Ebrahim visits roughly once every 3 months. Why the deception, why not say we have a problem with volunteers and use the publicity to ask for help?

In the first Salaam media interview conducted just before eid ul fitr, the prison board member stated that Juma is conducted in all prisons weekly by spiritual care workers. This is not the case. At Medium B Jumu3a is performed only once a month and I was quite shocked to hear on national radio how Moulanas manipulate and change fatwas and rulings to suit them. On air, the prison board member stated that they cannot dictate and tell moulanas to go to the prison and perform the Jumu3a prayers as it is supposedly a very bad and sad environment to be in. According to some scholars Juma prayers is not compulsory for those who are incarcerated. Well folks from my observation, not all but most theologians want to be stationed in posh affluent areas and be seen hanging out with the who’s who of society. The real dawah work that must be carried out in informal settlements and within prisons is being totally overlooked and ignored. How do you make a revert Muslim understand Islam if you do not show them how to make salaah, how to perform Juma etc etc etc? It’s an absolute joke. If the prison board is struggling to hire full time aalims to carry out this task due to financial reasons then we need to be asking ourselves, why is million of rand sent to other countries especially during the month of Ramadhaan when we have serious issues at our doorstep that needs to be dealt with. Mufti Ridha ul Haq visited the prison a few years ago, he issued a fatwa and stated that Juma prayers must be performed in all sections of the prison. . Is it not prudent, vital in fact, to perfom Jummuah where the policy allows for it and allows the inmates the freedom to perform Jummuah? 

With regards to the consent form that the family members of Muslim inmates need to sign in order to log the prisoner as a Muslim on the system, this form was created by the MPB and not the prison management. I have seen forms filled out by men in their 30’s, 40’s that have been rejected by their family members. In other words if the family members do not sign the form the prisoner is not considered a Muslim inmate and is denied all rights pertaining to a Muslim inmate. This is definitely unconstitutional in my opinion and needs to be investigated. On air, the prison board member stated that this only applies to juveniles or people under the age of 18. This is a lie. Muslim inmates within the prison are of the opinion that this form was created to absolve the MPB from their duties and responsibilities. If the family members do not sign the form , the MPB members can then turn around and say, “ sorry, you are not our responsibility. We cannot assist you.”

At the end of the day it is evident that there are major issues that still need to be addressed. Interviews and posts create much needed awareness but debating them is not the solution. MPB should meet with the prisoners on the ground, face to face, hear their challenges on the ground and proactively address the issues. As they use various platforms to share their good work they should also use them to explain challenges and seek assistance. Their mission and goals are noble but much effort from all spheres is required to make it a reality. That ultimately is all I am trying to achieve.

The Trials and tribulations of Muslim inmates in South African prisons - Part 2

A few weeks ago I posted a letter from a prisoner and the contents of that letter was undoubtedly thought provoking. There were many people who agreed with what was stated and of course for some it struck a nerve. Subsequently, Salaamedia ran a program hosted by Mr. Ashraf Garda . He was in conversation with Ml Namatumba from the Muslim prison board. As I did not agree with what was being stated on air, I called in to voice my opinion based on my observations and interactions with prisoners and their families over a 2 year period? I want to state on record that following my on air discussion on Salaamedia, my details were given to Ml Namatumba who stated that he will contact me and perhaps even meet at the prison to discuss the way forward. I am yet to hear from him. In today’s post I will prove to you, that the majority of Muslim inmates inside the Johannesburg prison are disappointed with the lack of dedication on the part of the Muslim prison board as stated in a letter that was sent to me a few days ago by the Muslim inmates residing at Medium B. This letter was forwarded to the jamiat at the following email address info@jamiatsa.org a few days ago and was resent again yesterday morning. I am yet to receive a response or an acknowledgement of receipt of the email. Ml. Namatuba stated on air, that Al Tawheed (they were doing a great job) withdrew their services from the Johannesburg prison as one of their members was attacked by a prisoner. This is absolute hogwash in my opinion. Why would an entire organization simply withdraw their services over one isolated incident? Did this incident even occur as no one inside the prison is able to confirm if this is what transpired? I find it strange that the prisoner or prisoners only attacked members of the Al Tawheed organization and spared the lives of the Christian Pastors. As a woman visiting the prison alone regularly I can state on record that I have not once felt intimidated in any way by any prisoner. I have chatted to convicted rapists, murderers and fraudsters face to face not separated by any burglar bars and I did not feel threatened at all. The responsibility of the Muslim Prison board is to rehabilitate Muslim inmates so that when they do come out of prison they are productive members of society. How are they doing this? What systems do they have in place? What syllabus do they have in place regarding Islam and Islamic studies? Sending an aalim for an hour once a week to meet some inmates, performing Juma prayers once a month or occasionally is NOT helping the rehabilitation process at all. I am also aware of the fact that there are individuals who are trying their best to support and assist the prisoners where they can in their own personal capacities and may Allah reward them in abundance for their noble actions but they need help. They need assistance. They cannot carry out this mammoth task alone. There isn’t a proper system or program that’s in place unlike Christian organizations like Kairos that have an excellent system in place with regards to rehabilitation. If the Muslim prison board is being run inefficiently due to a lack of funding, then the question we should be asking ourselves is this, why are we pledging millions of rand to other countries when we cannot attend to the rights of fellow Muslims and other human beings right at our doorstep? Charity begins at home first. A proper organization needs to be set up where aalims are employed and paid to carry out dawah wok inside the prisons. Social workers and lawyers need to be a part of this team as well. There are many inmates who want to study through online correspondence universities to improve themselves but they are unable to as they do not have access to the internet. Some are studying through Unisa but the lack of internet access to acquire information makes the entire study process quite a tedious task. This is where the lawyers would step in asking the court to grant the prisoners limited access to the internet for study purposes only. There are inmates convicted of crimes they have not committed and hence they too require the assistance of a lawyer to overturn their sentences. If the board is being run inefficiently due to poor leadership then the powers that be need to step in to bring about positive changes. Sitting on a board comes with responsibilities and if you are unable to do justice to the position you are in then you need to step down and make way for people who can implement changes. My colleague had quite an insightful discussion with a senior member of the Kairos organization and this is what we have established. “Kairos volunteers go into prisons in teams of 30 to 40 to pray, share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, share meals, and fellowship with the incarcerated on a one-to-one basis. The first visit is a three-day event ( like an ijtima- prisoners reside in tents), during which time the team teaches a short introductory course on Christianity. Subsequent visits are monthly half-day reunions with the prisoners over a twelve-month period in addition to weekend programs for all Christian inmates. The inmates also have access to one on one counseling sessions. Kairos Outside provides spiritual healing to families of the incarcerated, who often feel that they too are “doing time”. Spouses, parents and other relatives of prisoners meet with the teams of Kairos volunteers to share their faith and gain strength from Christian community. Families are counseled to re accept the offender after the full term of sentencing has been served. Kairos Torch provides a ministry to youthful offenders, the most rapidly growing segment of the prison system. Once an offender is released from prison, the organization assists in finding a suitable job for the person so that they can be reintegrated into society as productive human beings putting their pasts behind them. Volunteers many of whom are students assist with baking cookies and making food which is distributed during the retreat program that usually occurs a few times during the year. Some prisoners start their own ministries, pastor churches, whilst others run re-entry programs, and become mentors.” This entire system is lacking when it comes to the Muslim Prison Board. But why is it lacking? Every year we have so many aalims graduating from the various Islamic institutes across the country. These aalims should be made to do an internship or a community service for a year inside South African prisons rehabilitating and teaching prisoners not only about Islam but how to read and write. The Muslim Prison Board can implement the exact same model as Kairos, but the question is why isn’t it being done? With regards to the letter below, the one point that totally shocked me and saddened me was the fact that last week a Muslim inmate passed away. The Muslim Prison Board was contacted to assist with the burial process. They promised to send someone. No one went. According to the prisoners at Medium B, when they called again they were told that Sheikh Nasif has bronchitis and is hospitalized and so no one can come out to assist. The body was eventually taken away by the government mortuary and then handed over to the deceased’s family. They were well aware that the prisoner was a Muslim following the Islamic faith and didn’t mind him being buried as a Muslim. The dilemma they faced was not knowing how to do a Muslim burial. Eventually they managed to get assistance and the person was buried 4 days later. To be honest I had sleepless nights thinking about this situation. It is bothering me. Why is this happening? Why are we allowing it to happen? Why aren’t these issues being addressed? In closing, I humbly request the Jamiat and the Muslim Prisons Board to respond to the grievances stipulated by the prisoners at Johannesburg prison. Upholding the rights of prisoners is a very important aspect of the Islamic faith as pointed out by the Prophet Muhammed (saw) and I hope and pray that a positive stance will come out of this post in the interest of the community at large. Remember ,these prisoners will one day be a part of society once again and if we don’t rehabilitate them properly inside prison by teaching them skills and molding them into kind, caring and productive members of society, we only have ourselves to blame if they default and commit more crimes once they are out of prison. There needs to be a support structure put into place for prisoners who are out on parole. They need to be in a stable job etc etc etc and all of this forms part of the duties of the Muslim prisons board. Everything that I have stated in this post pertains to Johannesburg correctional services also known as Sun city. What is happening in other prisons, I am not aware of and cannot comment until I conclude my investigations in other prison facilities. I will leave you with a few comments that were made in my previous post that concurs with what is mentioned in the letter below. I trust and hope that a positive outcome will be reached. 

“Im a specialisee criminal law attorney . Last ramzan there was a moulana that lectured in a mosque in a certain place in north west. He told us his the head of prison board in joburg . I asked him that we there are muslims that need desperate help in some serious criminal cases where from the case dockets they are on the face of it seen to be innocent. I can as a muslim help and not charge my fee. What i need is if a council is appointed to pay them . I think it is more important to release innocent people also. He didn’t really take me serious. Disgrace even those that are sentenced we must take care of them.”

“Well I can say to you is in the time I sat in the prison I refused to partake of any of their food as being involved in the livestock trade and on the point of halaal meat being cut I can clearly say that the cut meat supplied as halaal at the kurgersdorp prison was undoubtedly not halaal as I personally know and knew the person who had the contract in bosasas time to supply the meat there were times we cut out cattle at a certain place and yes when I say place I mean backdoor cutting because sending the cattle to the abbitours doesn't work out profitable as you loose money instead of making money and the said person was a non Muslim and he had his own workers who used to slaughter the cattle when I came to know that he had the contact and I got the facts I made it a point to slaughter the cattle whilst I was there slaughtering my own cattle but unfortunately I couldn't be there all the time to slaughter all the cattle that was going to bosasa and thus why I say the halaal issue is yes indeed a serious problem in the prisons and needs serious attention I agree with you on this point”

“Slmz. Im writing regarding the prison conditions and would rather not touch on the subject of indian myslims coz thats another topic for another day. I visit the prison every month for the past 2 and a half year coz soneone very dear to me is incarcerated there. The reason for his incarceration is not important but i can comment there is no food for iftaar or sehri provided by any islamic institution during ramadaan. The lunch time food is kept by the prisoners for iftaar and the bread n tea they receive for supper is eaten at sehri. Our muslim counterparts are forgotten during these times. May Allah grant them sabr and allow us to remember all muslims in our duas. I am going again on sunday and if this brother is at sun city as it is called. I will glady pay him a visit if he wishes. Thank you for posting his letter. May Allah reward you for all your efforts. Ameen”

                 

In conversation with Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan Sahab

The world of poetry and ghazals is undoubtedly synonymous to the musical maestro Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan Sahab. He belongs to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana which owes its allegiance to Miyan Tansen's tradition. From a very young age, he was introduced to the world of music by his late grand father, Ustad Jafar Khan, a well known Sarangi player of India. Apart from singing in his trademark mellifluous voice, Abbas Sahab is also an accomplished composer and music director. He has performed in music festivals across the globe. My family and I had the opportunity to enjoy a meaningful conversation with Ustad Sahab and his lovely wife Shadma ji during our recent trip to Mumbai. Read on to find our more in his words.

1. Firstly Abbas ji, thank you so much for taking time out to be interviewed by me on such short notice. Tell me a little more about your family background and life from childhood until present? What was it like for you as a child growing up in an illustrious world renowned musical family?

A: First of all thank you so much for your kind words and love.
I belong to an illustrious family of Hindustani Classical Musicians known as Rampur Sahaswan Gharana. It is among the most respected families of the Indian Classical Music and our roots are more than 500 year old.
As a child I grew up to the riyaz of my legendary father Late Padmashri Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan Sahib. Music is still a way of life in our families. And I feel blessed to be born in such a family that has dedicated many generations in serving the great tradition of Indian classical music.
Initially however, my childhood days involved more of sketching, poetry and cricket than music as those were things that interested me back then. Music of course was an innate part of me, and would come naturally to me even as a young toddler. I still remember when I was enrolled at the nursery school in Old Delhi, my teachers would ask me to sing songs from films, to keep me and the others entertained. One song I still remember singing was, Mohd. Rafi Sahab’s ‘Rukh Se Zara Naqaab Utha Do Mere Huzoor’.

2. Apart from learning music from your grandfather, did you also learn music from your dad? Is the art of music passed down from generation to generation?

A: Yes, I initially started learning from my grandfather Ustad Ghulam Jafar Khan Sahib who was the great Sarangi Player. My grandfather passed away when I was 15. After the demise of my grandfather I started learning under the tutelage of my father Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan Sahib and continued doing so until his demise in May 2016.

3. How does an individual become a Classical singer? How much of practice is involved and how is this art form taught to students?

A: Indian Classical Music is based on Gharana and Guru Shishya Parampara.
This means that there are a few families which carry the responsibility of passing on the great tradition of music through generations for centuries, keeping it alive. This is done through the tradition of Guru Shishya (teacher and student) parampara. The knowledge and the singing style is passed on to blood relatives, however it may not be limited to just them, and is passed on to anyone who willingly seeks it, that is outside the family too. This comprises of a Gharana.
Thus, in order to become a Classical vocalist, it is extremely important to be trained under an eminent Guru, and of course practice daily. I personally recommend at least 2 to 3 hours of riyaz a day.

 4. Is Indian classical music a dying art form or do you think that it is an art form that requires more exposure globally?

A: I do not think it is a dying art form, however there is some negligence on the part of the commercial media, which only promotes what they think would bring money easily.
Every Classical art form has a niche of its own. Indian Classical Music is an art form of centuries, which means that there have been, and there always will be people who would be interested in it. The art form just requires a certain level of depth and understanding, to evoke love and interest towards it.
I also do believe that it’s a good time for music and culture globally, given the time that we live in, the Internet has played a significant role is giving our music and culture the exposure it deserves, and has got many young people attracted to it.
Thus, more such exposure is definitely required! And I am very optimistic about the future of Indian Classical Music.


5. If you could be granted one wish and have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?

A: If I were to be granted one wish then I would abolish the term of religion from this world. Because the term has divided mankind and is the reason for most of the bloodiest killings in the world. I strongly believe that all of worship the same Almighty and the path through which we do so really shouldn’t matter, as all of them lead to him.
As for the one talent, I would ask Allah to make me a musician each time I am born and make me a singer as great as my dad.


6. Since you hail from a family that has won many national awards in India for music, are any of your kids embarking on a career in music?

A: Yes, my older son Ghulam Hasan Khan is already professional Classical Vocalist and by the grace of Almighty he is among the finest young classical vocalist in India.
My younger son Aadil too, is being trained in music to pursue it professionally.
Apart from them, I have three daughters, all blessed with a talent and inclination towards music.

7. There are many people out there who aspire to be budding singers. How do you identify talent? What qualities do these individuals need to have in order to become singers on a global stage?

A: Firstly, You should have the soul for the music, if you are blessed with that then half of the battle is won.
Secondly, if you are born with good voice quality it is again a blessing of Allah which you must nurture.
And, you must get trained under a good Guru and do rigorous riyaz.
Finally, you must be willing to work hard, hard work is the key to success, and it is on you to practice and become better and better, and to promote yourself.


8. What has been your most memorable performance thus far?

A: There have been many memorable performances in my career but if I name one, it has to the performance at Griffith University Brisbane, Australia, in 1998, when I performed Raga Miyaan Ki Todi. It was a morning concert, it was houseful, and among the audience were a majority of white youngsters. I received standing ovation and continuous applause for more than a minute. I would never forget that concert, and it is amongst the memories I cherish.

9. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

A: I wish to serve this beautiful art until my last breath. I want to teach more and more students those who seriously want to learn Indian Classical Music and I want to do more and more creative research in different forms of Indian Vocal music.
I have recently created three new raagas: Raag Mohini Bhairav, Raag Moh Bihaag, and Raag Vibhashree. I do plan on working towards more such creations.

10. I understand that you also have many students around the world who are learning music from you? How does an individual become a student? How are classes conducted? If a student is unable to play the harmonium for example, are they still able to learn how to sing?

A: If you are blessed with musical talent and people around you recognize it, you should nurture it and start learning under the good Guru.
Classes are either conducted in physical space, one on one, otherwise online. Nowadays technology is playing a significant role in connecting people around the world. This encouraged me to start online classes (via Skype and WhatsApp) worldwide. I have students in USA, Canada, Australia, U.K., Germany and other parts of the world.
Thus the only prerequisite to become a student is the willingness to work hard.
As far as the instrument is concerned, I teach my students without the harmonium, using just the tanpura, and the tabla, both being electronic for the ease of the student. Once the voice
is trained enough, only then do I introduce to them the harmonium, which again is taught step by step, easing the student into it.

11. What advice would you give to young aspiring musicians out there?

I always tell youngsters that Indian Culture is one the richest cultures in the world and our music is very special. Thus it is our responsibility to carry it forward. My advice has always been for them to learn under an eminent Guru and follow the Guru shishya parampara seriously. This will not only nurture your potential but also heal you spiritually.

Once again Ustaad Sahab, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed by me . Desert Moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours. Hope to see you soon in South Africa!

THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF SOUTH AFRICAN MUSLIM INMATES

A few days ago I posted a letter that was written by a prisoner. Judging from the many inbox messages i received coupled with hundreds of comments online, the letter definitely got the community talking. Whilst many of the comments were constructive and critical there were some comments that were just downright disrespectful and demeaning. I know exactly where all of these comments and sentiments stem from as i was probably going to react and comment in the very same way that many of you have until one day i decided to see life from a different perspective. My entire perspective about life changed the day i received a letter from a prisoner a few years ago. Of course i was shocked and surprised but at the same time i was curious. I discussed the contents of the letter with my family. Alhamdulilla Allah has blessed me with amazing parents. I have parents who are kind and caring. They are compassionate when it comes to the plight of others and so my parents took me to visit the inmates in prison and they have subsequently encouraged me to visit as often as i can to be a pillar of strength for another human being. Whilst visiting over the years and reading case transcripts of many inmates, i have come to realise that there are so many inmates who are serving sentences for crimes they didnt really commit. Many have found themselves behind bars due to bribery and corruption. Of course reopening a case or appealing a case costs hundreds of thousands of rand that most prisoners can not afford and lets not forget the lengthy judicial process. It is only through my visits at the Johannesburg prison that i started researching and learning more about the rights of prisoners in Islam. There are so many books and articles on this subject matter and yet as a student in madressa years ago, this topic was never really discussed in depth. This article is not about ulema bashing but rather it is written to simply highlight the issues that Muslim prisoners are faced with on a daily basis. I am writing this article in the hope that the powers that be realise the importance of maintaining the rights of prisoners in Islam and of course fulfill their duties and responsibilities they have undertaken towards the prisoners.
Muslim inmates are assisted for their Islamic needs by the Muslim prisons board. Ulema of the past have been instrumental in structuring policies to cater for the needs of muslim prisoners. There is a general policy that is instated and implemented throughout the year and then there is a policy in place that applies specifically to the holy month of Ramadhaan. All of these documents and policies are in my possession should any one out there wish to view them.In theory, these policies are brilliant and provide revert Muslims an opportunity to have an easier, more comfortable Ramadhaan. However, in reality these policies are not being adhered to by the Muslims prison board. My question is, why not? The following is a detailed account by a Muslim inmate I visited over the weekend. I have also spoken to family members of other inmates and received feedback from the head of the Kitchen in Medium C Johannesburg prison.

" At the time of my sentencing many years ago, I was admitted to Johannesburg correctional centre at Medium B. At that time, an organization by the name of At- Tawheed (founded by Sheikh Bassioni) adopted all the male prisons. There were 5 full time ulema who rotated between the prisons. Madressa was held twice a week and juma prayers were conducted in congregation by a qualified aalim at all the male prison centres. Our every need was seen to with haste and urgency. In Ramadhaan as per the internal prison policy, hampers and food items were provided to all Muslim inmates and we had daily visits. The morale of the prisoners were positive and there was a feeling of brotherhood. We didnt feel alone or abandoned. Jamaats and guest ulema use to visit frequently. Dawah work progressed on a daily basis and many wardens became Muslim by simply observing the Juma prayers.

After some time i was transferred to Leeukop maximum centre. On my first day at the facility, i realised there was a huge problem there with regards to halaal food. Phone calls to the halaal co-ordination confirmed my concerns. I chose to abstain from the food as it was too doubtful. A few weeks later i met the spiritual care worker assigned to the prison by the board. His investigations shocked him as he confirmed my reservations. I kept on wondering, why wasnt this issue taken up by the prison board a long time ago considering that there were already other muslim inmates at the Leeukop facility prior to me arriving. The spiritual care worker and I met with management and promises were made. Sadly nothing changed. I waited for a few months in the hope that the board will assist but when nothing materialised i decided to take the matter to court. A lawyer volunteered to assist but as the board member was not willing to testify, i lost the case. My health suffered drastically and i needed to get medical help as I survived for 18 months on milk and bread. Up until i left, the situation at Leeukop did not change. Perhaps it has changed now and it would be great news if someone out there can verify if changes have taken place at that prison facility. By the way Halaal food was not the only issue. In the 18 months i was there, i only saw a Muslim prison board representative a few times. Juma prayers was never performed and there were many more issues during the month of ramadhaan. What surprised me the most was the fact that at Leeukop prison, there was a Shia Jamaat who visited twice a week and did a lot in terms of providing support to the muslim inmates.

I was transferred back to Johannesburg correctional facility to the Medium C centre. At that time At Tawheed were still doing a sterling job and their hard work and dedication impacted positively on both Muslim and non Muslim prisoners. The situation however changed. For reasons unknown and unclear but possibly due to a power struggle between the muslim prison board and the At Tawheed organisation, the muslim prison board terminated the services of At Tawheed and hence the good work that their ulema were doing came to an abrupt end. For 3 years no one came to the prison. With a lack of support and guidance many reverts became born again Christians. Shortly after Ramdhaan in 2018, Sheikh Salaamah started visiting us once a week for an hour as a volunteer and we are immensely greatful that at least he does care. During the 3 years of no official support, we learnt to make means for ourselves. For example, as per the policy, during the fasting month,the policy states that all Muslim prisoners must be provided with a hot meal at the appropriate time of iftaar. In the past Muslim prison board members stated that this was impossible or impractical. There response in essence was one of disinterest. Alhamdulilla one brother took on the authorities with the assistance of the human rights commission and now shukr at the time of iftaar the prison provides us with a hot plate of food. Other prisons and ulema at those facilities need to be aware that it can be done to ensure that muslim inmates benefit from the policies that are in place.

As only appointed people by the board can bring in food and hampers for the prisoners, we obtain donations from family to help the majority of inmates who dont get visits by purchasing items such as tea and coffee from the prison shop. This year however, has been tough as the prison shop did not open at all during the month of may."

So what i gathered during my chats and conversations with family members of inmates is that the issue is not that the muslim community do not want to help prisoners. Their efforts are being blocked by disinterested lax muslim prison board members. According to the head of the kitchen at medium C (pls feel free to call her to verify this info), a muslim prison board member dropped off one box of dates at the facility this year. She literally pleaded with him for more boxes of dates as it would not be sufficient for all the prisoners residing at that facility for the entire month. Reluctantly he gave her 4 boxes in total. She then asked him about the list of other food items that the muslim inmates are allowed during the fasting month. He responded by telling that he will drop it off the next day. Till today she is still waiting. She also mentioned to me that this individual( i have his name) lied to her last year as well. A few days before eid, he promised to drop off a pot of biryani for the inmates at the Medium C facility on eid day. As it was her off day, the head of the kitchen at medium c changed her plans and went to work on eid day to receive the pot of food. She waited until 3pm the man didnt pitch. She thought to herself, maybe muslims are like this. They dont care for their people. I have been told by family members of inmates that when they asked prison board members to take in hampers for the prisoners during ramadhaan and eid, their request has been refused point blank. One gentleman made a pot of biryani on the day of eid. After making prior arrangements with a muslim prison board member to take the food in, the man did not pitch up at the prison. He then contacted another board member who told him that he must take the food and dump it as he can not assist. ( Again these are proper factual accounts and people can be contacted for verification)

On the topic of juma prayers, occasionally an aalim performs juma at the Medium B prison. In actual fact juma needs to be performed every friday at all male prison facilities within Johannesburg prison as per a ruling passed by Mufti Ridha ul haq Sahab who visited the prison facility years ago. Hence, when At Tawheed adopted the male prisons juma was performed by a qualified aalim every week at all prison facilities and this prayer had a huge impact on many wardens who eventually entered into the fold of Islam. When the muslim prison board took over, inmates were told that "For those incarcerated Jummah is not a requirement and should perform Thuhar." I have this on record as well. Juma will only be performed at some facilities if possible.

Through my constant visits at Johannesburg prison i was quite impressed in the manner in which Christian organizations work within the facility. They have pastors visiting the prison everyday and apart from doing group sessions following a proper syllabus, they also provide one on one counselling for inmates. Inmates can access the services of a psychologist or social worker. Over the weekend they have in depth sessions from 9am until 13h00. On the other hand the muslim prison board has no proper plan of action in place. You can not just have aalims on the board. You need to have educators, psychologist, social workers and lawyers on the board. I was chatting to my dad telling him that when aalim graduates here in South africa they all go for jamaat to countries like india and pakistan spreading the principles of Islam to people who are already born muslim in most cases. How ridiculous and idiotic. It should become mandatory for these aalims to do a one year internship program within a prison facility. This is real dawah on a ground level.Not flying from one country to another on a joy ride.One Christian organisation offers a 3 day retreat inside the prison. They put up tents and serve meals whilst they teach and preach. Every month they visit for follow up sessions again with food, motivational speakers and volunteers. More than 10 volunteers visit at a time. It is quite an impressive program that they have implemented and hats off to them. On the other hand our muslim prison board members do a visit in haste. Its more a case of let me just show my face, sign in and leave with the exception of Sheikh salaamah who visits for an hour or two on a weekly basis. Some board members have not visited the prison facility in years from what i was told.

Another big issue facing inmates is the reversion process. This issue shocked me and im so surprised that the Muslim prison board has not addrssed this issue as yet. So if you wish to follow judaism inside the prison all a prisoner needs to do is write an affidavit that he or she is reverting to Judaism and sign it. For Christians there is no affidavit. It is simply locked on the prison computer system that the prisoner is now Christian. If a prisoner wishes to become a Muslim, he or she must first request a form that must be completed by the inmates family members. Here's the irony. This ridiculous form was structured by the muslim prisons board. Grown up individuals need to get permission from their family members in order to become Muslim. In the majority of cases these prisoners do not get any family visits at all. There were cases where the inmate reverted but the family did not sign off the form. I am not a lawyer but im thinking that from a constitutional point of view if i want to become a muslim as a grown up adult person, why do i need permission from family members who in most instances will refuse to sign the letter of consent. Now if a prisoner practices islam inside the prison but the consent form is not signed off by the family this effectively means that the prisoner is not considered to be a muslim. Hence a muslim burial will not be allowed and all other policies that apply to muslim inmates will not apply to the prisoner.

Prisoners are sent to prison to undergo a full rehabilitation process. In order to be eligible for parole one day, prisoners need to complete mandatory courses that have been structured by the department of correctional services. Some courses are put together by the Christian organizations as the DCS can not afford to run all the courses themselves due to a shortage of resources. These courses are fully accredited and counts towards a prisoners advantage at the time of parole. The Muslim prison board does not have a single course for muslim inmates as confirmed by personnel inside the prison and hence in order for Muslim inmates to acquire credits for parole, they are forced to attend the courses put together by Christian organizations run by pastors. I personally have absolutely no issues with this. I personally am a huge advocate of cross cultural and cross religious dialogue. I love learning about other faiths and religions but i have a problem with the muslim prison board being lax in their duties and responsibilities towards the prisoners. If you as a board member can not be pro active in fulfilling the rights of prisoners then maybe you should consider stepping down and rather appoint a person who wants to be pro active. Many family members of inmates approached the muslim prison board asking them if they could join the organisation and volunteer their services but no one ever gets back to them. They are promised to be invited at the meetings but again they are never told when and where the meetings are held. Why has the situation at Johannesburg prison regressed after At Tawheed pulled out?
I was told by prison personnel that the department of correctional services allocates a budget for all volunteer organisations including the muslim prison board to cover some of their expenses like transport etc. They were unable to disclose the exact figure and hence im not sure if this statement is correct or not.

The halaal food saga will always be an ongoing Issue that needs to be monitored at all times. At tawheed provided the muslim inmates with their own freezer to store halaal meat. They were fully aware at that time that it is incorrect for the same oven to be used to cook pork and halaal meat. At that time they didnt have the necessary funds to put in a separate oven for muslim inmates but they were going to escalate the issue to the muslim prison board who is aware of this issue. Again fast forward 2019, still nothing has been done about this issue. According to inmates working in the kitchen, the oven is not cleaned perfectly and hence the chances of cross contamination between halaal meat and pork does exist. Prior to Bosasa pulling out from all prison facilities, all halaal meat was sent cut, packed and sealed. After Bosasa left, the meat no longer comes cut. Whole carcasses are delivered to the prison. Now heres the issue, the same machine that cuts pork is also cutting the halaal meat. According to the prison policy halaal meat must be cut first followed by the pork or non halaal meat items. The care worker who visits the Johannesburg prison has been aware of this for the last month and he has reported this to the prison board. Thus far no action has been taken and hence many inmates are abstaining from consuming the beef. An inspection was done prior to Bossasa leaving and so at that time everything was fine. Well, with the exception of the oven. Now that Bossasa has left the cutting process etc needs to be inspected. It is quite interesting to note that whilst Muslim inmates do not have their own separate oven, a tiny minority group of Buddhists have their own kitchen utensils and catering equipment. The Muslim community in this country pledge millions of rand towards relief aid for other countries yet there are people here who need help. Let us strive towards fixing our own country one step at a time. Being a Muslim is not about wearing an Islamic dress code. Being a Muslim means humanity first. Whilst it is easy to sit behind a computer in the comfort of your home bad mouthing the sentiments expressed by the prisoner in my previous post,you will never truly understand what prison life is all about until you visit and understand the dynamics of prison life yourself. The Prophet Muhammed (saw) fondly spoke about the rights of prisoners and the importance of those rights to be upheld with sincerity. I trust and hope that this post will enable those who are in power to reflect on their actions and bring about positive changes with regards to the rights of Muslim inmates in all prisons across the country. Remember that being on a board comes with responsibility and one day you will be answerable to your Creator for not carrying out your duties with love and dedication.

LETTER FROM A PRISONER - INDIAN MUSLIM RACISM

22 MAY 2019

                                                                       DAILY VOX 

As a Muslim Indian South African, I am truly proud of my religion, culture and country. These three are indispensable constituents of what makes me, me. The South African Muslim Indian diaspora is truly unique. The diaspora has some remarkable qualities and has achieved much success, amplified when viewed numerically. Sadly, there are numerous negative qualities too. I am neither a pessimist nor one to dwell on negatives but my incarceration has opened my eyes in many ways and I cannot simply remain silent when my voice has the potential to, at minimum, cause some to reflect, if not to act. 

I was brought up in 2 Muslim Indian communities in Johannesburg and spent just over a year between the 2 in a coloured area. I attended multi-racial schools for most of my school days, attended a multi-cultural dojo for over a decade, attended a public university and worked in a few environments with people of multiple ethnicities and religions. As much as I was exposed to people of different backgrounds to mine, my interaction with them was primarily confined to the said schools, dojo, university and work places. My social interactions were with Muslim Indians. This is typical of most Muslim Indians in South Africa.
Despite this exposure and having been brought up by parents who both tried to make a positive difference to the indigenous of the country, it was only in the prison environment that I truly became a part of the rainbow nation that is South Africa. In prison, I have had to share living space with the overwhelmingly black populous as well as predominantly black authorities. At first it was, and still after a decade it continues in some ways, to be a culture shock. The way we live, the values we have and the way that we think is different in many respects. Aside from the obvious language barriers, things like; the type of food, the amount of noise made, the lack of emotion and empathy, differences in cleanliness priorities and the like took a long time to get used to. It was only once I put my prejudices aside and interacted on a personal basis with black men that I began to understand their ways and even some of their crimes.
Through studying Islamic studies, sociology, anthropology, psychology and comparative religious studies; I have learnt so much more about my religion, culture and country. Upon reflection, one glaring conclusion is that Muslim Indian South Africans are, in general, racist. Muslim Indians who read this, may naturally be furious at the accusation; that will be no surprise to me. Whilst Muslim Indians of this country may, for the most part, not be overtly racist; racism is deeply ingrained within through decades of stereotyping, prejudice and attitudes of superiority.
The notion of attitudes of superiority requires some elaboration. Simply put, Muslim Indians think that they are better than others. I have witnessed this terrible logic in various ways.
My first exposure to this was learning how Indian Muslims made Malay Muslims feel belittled and secondary. I witnessed this first-hand due to the fact that my 100% Kholvad nana had married a 100% malay woman. In my interactions with nani’s family, it was clear to see that there was underlying animosity between Indians and Malays due to the superiority complex of Indians. I was also privy to numerous instances when kids in school would remark about my Malay family.
In later years, I would come to see even worse manifestations of this. The worst to me was probably my exposure as a Hifz student. In the late nineties, I was but a boy learning to memorise the Quran. For two years, a couple of my friends along with our dads went to lead the taraweeh prayers in Soweto. Even though there are thousands of Huffaaz in South Africa, nobody wanted to lead taraweeh in a black township. I could not and still cannot fathom how the Indian Muslim community, with its plethora of organisations, could fail so disgracefully in serving an indigenous community in need of something so important, that too in the month of Mercy!

Islam and Indians came to South Africa in a similar period in history. Both have been part of the landscape for over 3 centuries. Indian Muslims constitute the majority of Muslims in the country, followed by Malay Muslims. If you did not see the problem in the preceding statements, then my point is made! Muslims in South Africa have not made an impact on the indigenous population in over 3 centuries! Despite boasting infrastructure that rivals some Muslim states, we have failed miserably. This notion raises many further questions and thoughts. Why is it that indigenous black people constitute a tiny proportion of the Muslims of this country? When the Arabs traded with East Africa, their business ethics won the hearts of the locals and within decades Islam became the majority religion in vast areas; yet we who live with the locals for decades cannot make a positive impression. With much fanfare, Islam was officially presented to the Zulu king a couple of years ago; why did it take 300 odd years for that to happen? We have world renowned dar-ul-ulooms which make a habit of publicising the nationalities of their students, it is truly remarkable and commendable, but it is more remarkable that the percentage of local black students is negligible. We have tablighi jamaats that admirably traverse the world calling to Allah, yet we have local blacks who have never been exposed to Islam. Indian Muslim areas boast magnificent masjids whereas other communities struggle to construct and then maintain simple masjids. South African Muslim organisations donate so generously to causes all over the world; why then is it that local black Muslims are overlooked?
The situation in prison is the same. A national Muslim Prison Board exists which is supposed to see to the needs of Muslim prisoners. In all three prisons that I have been in, their assistance has been minimal. Halaal food issues, lack of spiritual care workers, lack of education for reverts, issues with reversion, death and burial issues and the complete lack of Islamic rehabilitative courses are some of the issues faced by Muslim prisoners. Within the prisons, other faiths are involved with prisoners on an almost daily basis; whilst we go for months on end without a single visitor. I have approached many ulema over the years and they have all responded to me by coming to see me or to kindly offer assistance to me, but my cries have not been for me but for my brothers inside.
Most of the Muslims in prison, reverted in prison. Islam is the fastest growing religion in prison and surpasses the national growth rate. Reverts require much assistance in terms of education, guidance and motivation which is almost entirely absent. One may feel that there are so many other people to help in this world, so why help a prisoner. Aside from the humane aspects, reverts have their past indiscretions wiped clean by Allah upon reverting to Islam. In that way, they are far better off than “born” Muslims who have their entire adult lives to account for. If Allah has guided them to Islam, then they belong to the same ummah as every other Muslim out there. Why then are they overlooked? Indian Muslims also need to be aware that statistically, Indian Muslims are represented in prisons proportionate to those outside, crime does not discriminate!
Internationally, Muslim communities do so much for their fellow Muslims behind bars. In my experience, it has only been foreign volunteers who have displayed any dedication or willingness to be of assistance. A similar occurrence happens within the black townships of South Africa, where it is mainly foreign Muslims who assist the locals.
Amongst these questions and thoughts is the simple, albeit harsh, conclusion that Indian Muslims are generally racist. As Ramadhaan dawns upon us, it is high time that we do some introspection. Muslims are proud and all know that there is no racism in Islam, it is high time we act upon it and change our attitudes so that Islam flourishes in our beautiful country. Whilst there is merit and our hearts bleed for those distressed abroad, we need to practice upon charity beginning at home, some amazing efforts are being made but so much more can and needs to be done.

A tale of social cohesion and religious harmony

                                                       

                                                    
This time of the year the Mehtar household is busy busy busy. We usually have guests from Malawi that visit South Africa to attend the graduation ceremonies at the various Islamic institutions. When they leave, our guest from India arrives and then of course after Eid my Saudi family make their way to sunny South Africa.It's always such a pleasure coming home to a house full of people, laughing, joking and interacting at the dinner table. In light of what transpired this week with regards to the racist remarks and comments that were made when a plea went out urging the community to donate funds towards the local government school, i would like to share a story with all you that was related to me by our guest. He is a theologian and a well respected citizen of Malawi and he runs a non governmental organisation that is recognised by the Malawian government. The main objective of this organisation is to provide education both Islamic and secular to the poorest of the poor especially a girl child.This humble friend of God is so loved by the local Malawian people that they even composed a song in his honour. The organisation is funded by local Malawians as well as by individuals and families around the globe. Every year a wealthy philanthropist from the UK visits Malawi, his country of birth. His sole intention and purpose of visiting is to empower and uplift his own community. His life story is truly remarkable. He was born into an extremely poor home. In fact he was so poor that his parents could not afford his school fees. On one occasion, his teacher made an announcement in class asking all those students who did not pay their school fees to stand up. From his entire class, he was the only one that stood up reluctantly with his head down in shame.He was mocked at and of course humiliated. His teacher took a ruler and hit him on his knuckles repeatedly. He was then asked to leave the classroom never to return until the fees were paid. With tears in his eyes he walked out but at that same moment he said a prayer, " Oh Allah, if you at any point of my life improve my living conditions and increase my sustenance then I promise you that I will never allow any child to be deprived of an education just because they are poor. God Almighty accepted his prayers and today he is a multi millionaire residing in the UK. He supports the NGO throughout the year and has made it clear that if any child irrespective of religion, race,creed or culture approaches the organisation wanting to be admitted into a school, any school in Malawi then the organisation must cover the school fees in full without pressurizing the family to pay back the money. There was a place in Malawi that was predominantly Christian and the best school in the province is located within this suburb. The school is a convent private school that only the elite can afford. The Muslim families residing in that neighbourhood are of a middle class background and so desipe the fact that there is a school close by, the kids wake up early in the morning and travel a great distance by foot to get to the nearest government school. When news spread within the community that the NGO would cover the school fees of kids hailing from poor, impoverished backgrounds, many Muslim kids were given admission into the convent school. After a few months the head Pastor at the Convent school visited the Sheikh administrating and facilitating the NGO. He asked the Sheikh, ' You have admitted these kids into my convent school, but have you not thought about their studies regarding their religion." The Sheikh was surprised by the Pastors words and actually felt guilty. The priest went on to say that he will provide a classroom in his school for the kids to learn about their religion, provided the NGO appoints a teacher and pays the salary. And so over a period of time both schools started working together in the interest of the kids and community at large. A few weeks passed by and the Pastor visited the Sheikh for the second time. He told the Sheikh, 'I did not know that Muslims wash before praying, but through my observation of these kids my perceptions about Muslims has changed. There isn't enough water at the school for these kids to wash before praying." He then suggested that both schools jointly should raise funds to dig a borehole on the school premises. This borehole is now used by the kids as well as by the people residing in the surrounding villages. May God Almighty reward the philanthropist from the UK. 

Through his vision and forward thinking he has brought two communities closer together. Through his wisdom, two communities with different religious beliefs and customs are now living together and working together side by side in communal harmony to provide their kids with a better future. His life story is one of faith, perseverance and dedication but most importantly it reflects qualities of humility and simplicity. He is undoubtedly an inspiration to me and im sure to many of you out there as well. He is an unsung hero who has dedicated his life to making this world a better place for many. This is a perfect example of how we all should be striving to build bridges between communities rather than causing divisions through racism, a sadly reality in our country.