Kashmir - The ground reality part 2

5th September 2019

The media is undoubtedly the biggest weapon of mass destruction. Whilst Indian news channels continue to fool the public by spreading false propagandist information with regards to Kashmir, the ground reality is in actual fact catastrophic. Alhamdulilla with Gods grace, we managed to speak to a very close family friend this morning who is originally from Srinagar. Our relationship with this family goes back to the sixties when dads brother resided in India to complete his studies. Whilst at university he got very ill and was diagnosed with jaundice. Of course he wanted to return to South Africa but my dadaji instructed him to go to Kashmir to this family. He spent a few months in Kashmir and of course recovered from his illness there.This timid, middle aged gentleman and his family have managed to leave Srinagar for another city. They simply locked their home and left saying that Allah will protect their belongings.When i heard about the hardships and oppression meted out to the Kashmiri people i couldn't hold back my tears. There are army personnel every 100m. Many of these so called military personnel are in actual fact members of the RSS who were just given army uniforms. They have carte blanche to do as they please. Kashmiri people can not step out of their houses as a family. So if your family and friends are walking together, maybe 4 or 5 people you will be stopped and arrested. The army or should i rather say these goons are not there to protect civilians from so called terrorists attacks. They are there to harass and humiliate the locals. The locals are taunted by words like, " This is our land now. Your houses are ours." There has been protests down town Srinagar more towards the old city. Reports of the army raiding homes and kidnapping young boys during the night is all true. The exact same oppression carried out in Gaza by the Zionist jews is being carried out in Kashmir under a fascist barbaric inhumane regime. Perhaps the biggest violation of human rights in Kashmir is the fact that ordinary Kashmiris are unable to access life saving health care. Medical supplies are running critically low. The uncle told me that his sister is a diabetic and due to stress and anxiety she became very ill. She started developing blisters on her hands.There was no ambulance or transport available to take her to the hospital. The uncle risked his own life to get to another suburb where his sister resides. He then took her to the hospital himself after enduring much difficulty. He was repeatedly harassed at the checkpoints. He witnessed many other Kashmiris being harassed as well. Food supplies are running low too and most grocery stores are only open between 6pm and 9pm. This is when most people rush out of their homes scampering quickly down the road to see what they can buy. The economic situation is critical. The area relies on tourism and since all the tourists have left thousands of people are not earning any income. The "Gujurat butcher" is not interested in the people of Kashmir. He is only interested in their land. The atmosphere in Kashmir is dull and gloomy. The Kashmiris are happy at the fact that PM Imran Khan is highlighting the plight of the Kashmiri people to the international community. However the vast majority of Kashmiris do not wish to be a part of India or Pakistan. They want to be able to exercise their right of self determination as was promised decades ago. All they want is to be able to reside in peace on their land . All they want is freedom and independence. We are not living in the stone age. Its 2019, how can you keep millions of people under siege in an open jail cutting off all forms of commumication. Put yourself in these peoples shoes. These draconian laws undoubtedly highlights the pathetic mentality of those in power. They are oppressing Kashmiris simply because they are Muslim. They are oppressing Kashmiris to make true their dream of a full fledged purist Hindu India. They are oppressing Kashmiris because there is no place for minority groups in Modi's India. The ripple effect of the Kashmiri situation is spreading to other parts of India as well. My "brother" a devout Hindu who resides in Delhi has landed up in a deep financial crisis. He too works in the travel and tourism industry as a driver and tour guide. The mere fact that all the tourists left means that he is now left without a job temporarily as he has no one to drive to Kashmir or other parts of India. His boss can not afford to pay staff salaries as many tourists have cancelled their trips. No tourists means no revenue. Many poets and writers have described Kashmir as heaven on earth. In my eyes, it is such a magical place that words can not describe the beauty of the place. Kashmir is beautiful because of the warmth and hospitality of the Kashmiri people. I can not forget the tranquility and serenity i felt whilst walking through the valley of the shepherds. It is a place where strangers accept you as their own. Their culture and way of life is so simple yet so unique. And whilst you are greeted with big smiles and hugs, there is deep hurt and pain that dwells inside the hearts of all Kashmiris. Their heaven on earth, their paradise has always been a hell to reside in being the most militarized area in the entire world.To those Indians who worship Mr Modi as though he is a God, to those Indians who believe the propagandist crap they see on television day in and day out, wake up. Stop watching television and start reading books. Start educating yourself. Stop seeing the world through blinkers. Feel the plight and suffering of others. Today, they are suffering, tomorrow it could be you.

Kashmir - The ground reality part 1

30th August 2019

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Years of treachery will come over people in which liars are believed and the truthful are denied, the deceitful are trusted and the trustworthy are considered traitors, and the disgraceful will deliver speeches.” It was said, “Who are the disgraceful?” The Prophet (saw) said, “Petty men with authority over the common people.”  What we seeing now is exactly as the Prophet Muhammed (saw) prophesized. We have lunatic Trump in the USA, we have blood thirsty MBS in Saudi (killing Yemenis) , we have Sisi the dictator in Egypt, we have a loony Kim Jong-un North Korean leader, psychopath Netanyahu in Israel, tyrannical Assad in Syria and now we have the Hitler of our time, India’s Narendra Modi  who has annexed Kashmir making it his own whilst oppressing millions under his fascist Hindutva regime. Speaking  to a close Kashmiri friend of ours now in Delhi, I am extremely hurt and saddened of their plight. As a businessman involved in the travel and tourism industry, his company has experienced massive losses. Tour groups from Malaysia, South Africa and Europe that should have already arrived in India have all cancelled their travel arrangements. Many tourists have vowed to never visit India in the future unless and until the dignity of the Kashmiri people are restored. His company has a reasonable staff compliment of mainly Indian nationals and due to the excessive losses the company has incurred almost half the staff compliment will be retrenched by month end. This is an individual who has always given back to the community and now his own businesses are in jeopardy.  The gentleman left behind his wife and kids in Kashmir.  Their landline was only connected for 2 days. When he left home, his son had a bit of a cold and some of his close friends were on their way to their villages outside of Srinagar. Now he has absolutely no contact with anyone at his place of birth. He stated that over the years they have been through curfews and they have been oppressed but they managed. But what is unfolding now is the worst ever. In the past despite the curfews in place there were no communication barriers. People could still get their work done and online based businesses could still service the needs of their clientele. However, the situation now is catastrophic. There is no food in many homes and gas supplies used for cooking are running low as well. Kashmiri youth located in other parts of India are being taunted and harassed on a daily basis. These are the kind of remarks passed at them, “Kashmir is now ours. Go to Pakistan.” It’s been almost 3 weeks since I’ve heard from my other friends and family in Kashmir. These are people I was in contact with on a daily basis and so I really miss them immensely. Can you imagine the agony of living life through hundreds of check points being stopped by heavily armed military personnel  just to get your child to school  and having your entire suburb barricaded with barbed wire. Can you imagine how traumatized the kids must be seeing heavily armed military personnel day in and day out? It’s definitely not a normal way of life and upbringing.  These same security strategies have been put into place in Palestine and I’m one hundred percent sure that either an American or an Israeli company had a hand in implementing these methods of control in Kashmir. It breaks my heart knowing that people who are close to me are going through so much of hardship and difficulty. I wish there was more I could do to ease their pain and suffering.  Many Kashmiris who have bonds or taken loans are in great difficulty as they are unable to make payment to the banks. Many are unable to pay their rentals. Despite everything that is happening in that part of the world, the middle aged gentleman said, “This is a test from God Almighty. He is testing our faith and one day His help will come to alleviate our people’s hardship. God willing everything will be fine in the future. Allah tests us in many ways. He puts us through hardship to make us pray more and bring us closer to Him.” Whenever I’m having lunch or dinner with my family, I always think about my Kashmiri friends and family. Do they have food? Did they eat a decent meal? I can never ever forget the love, kindness and hospitality they showered on my family and I when we visited that part of the world a few years ago. They went out of their way to make us comfortable.  I find it appalling and disgusting that there are celebrities and people out there who support war and enjoy seeing the suffering of other people. In our quest for materialistic gain, our hearts have become so hard that we find joy and pleasure at seeing innocent kids being blinded, butchered and murdered. We have lost our moral conscience. I find it so strange and difficult to comprehend that people who love their own kids and want their own families to be protected are raving and happy at seeing families in Kashmir lose their loved ones . They are rejoicing at seeing the family unit disintegrating.  For many it’s a feeling of happiness out of revenge or a deeply ingrained hate for Muslims. But then I wonder, how can you take revenge on a people for atrocities committed decades ago? Why should an innocent two year old be blinded over a decade’s long conflict?
The revocation of article 370 & 35a has brought to the fore religious bigots, islamaphobes and racists both locally and abroad. Take away politics and religion, people are just people. In the same way that you want a secure, happy and bright future for your own kids and family, people in all other countries wish the same. The biggest issue with the kashmir situation i find is the deeply ingrained hate that is instilled even in young kids born today.Hindus hating Muslims, Muslims hating Hindus, indians hating pakistanis, pakistanis hating indians. This needs to end. Both sides should advocate for peace and peace must be brought about through love, dialogue and understanding. You can’t achieve peace by force. You can’t achieve peace by enforcing draconian rules and regulations on a nation. The majority of Kashmiris are timid, kind, and peace loving people. They are warm and hospitable ( Muslims, Jains, Pandits and Sikhs).For me, humanity is the mother of all religions. Love, live and let live. Always put yourself in the shoes of those who are oppressed and ask yourself, will i be happy being in this situation. Will i want my own kids and family to be barricaded and surrounded by armed troops and barbed wire.If your answer is no, then you cannot wish harm on others. You need to be sympathetic and empathetic to their plight.

Today, being a Juma, I ask from all of you to please make a special dua and prayer for the oppressed people of Kashmir and for all people residing in war torn countries. May Allah ease their pain and suffering and may He liberate them from tyrannical leadership. To those who oppress others, may God Almighty guide them on the straight path, the path of those whom God has favoured and not the path of those on whom God Almighty’s wrath will befall 

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!