Jamiatul Ulama KZN Council of Muslim Theologians
“Warning – Change your lives” – Short Audio Clip
by Moulana Dawood Seedat
Maulana Anwar Bismillah
With the recent occurrences of rioting and looting, Muslims / Indians have become soft targets and hence feel threatened by all of this.
A vast majority of indigenous South Africans still suffer today, like in the past during apartheid; with almost three decades having passed by, hardly any changes, in fact conditions have worsen with the economic climate change being currently experienced.
Job scarcity is on the rise, the rand weakens further, business in general is on a decline. How do we as Muslims respond to the current situation. For this we need to do some serious soul searching.
Let’s us ask ourselves; How much have we inspired our local indigenous communities with the true values and guidance’s which we ourselves enjoy today or have we yet not embodied our very own lives with those very values?
A vast majority from amongst us are lost and trapped in our daily routine of lifestyle; there seems to be nothing beyond going from our business / Job and back home; our weekends are nothing beyond leisure, shopping and eat outs; are we not guilty of abandoning our social responsibility to our indigenous people; when last have we spared time for any outreach initiative for the locals by way of empowering them, social interaction with them, or even by the minimum of doing so during business time or have we perceived that this responsibility ought to be shouldered by a few in the community in the field by welfare efforts, propagation works and so on, and hence we are relieved from all our other social responsibilities.
Some of us even consider that by way of monetary contributions; that offsets us from all our social responsibilities. The critical question is: Have we ever positively impacted on our customers, clients and co-workers on a day to day life in transmitting true practical Islamic values to them, or has it just become a daily norm of trade with our customers purely for monetary gain, absent and void of any interaction or transmittance of any knowledge or spirituality of any kind.
We fear that we have drifted and instead made worldly gain our primary ambition of life; and so we struggle and strive towards achieving it by any means that we deceive and deprive the lawfully deserving recipients of what is due to them and trampling upon their rights.
We often complain of the crisis in Syria and other countries; yet we forget to realize that we ourselves are experiencing a Syrian-like Crisis in our own lives on a smaller scale.
Our regimes on family and community levels sometimes far surpasses the injustices of others when measured against them. Our Masaajid and institutions these days are not led by merit of qualification and deserving, but rather by the current status quo. So how do we expect the larger world to reform from the injustices and oppression whilst we ae victims of that ourselves. In our communities, heirs are deprived of their right of inheritance, business deals in partnership are dishonoured.
The general mannerism indicates that there is nothing we are offering beyond, in the form of transmitting good values to our neighbouring communities. Imagine how far have we drifted; This lack of responsibility in transmitting good values ‘can’ be the reason which can threaten our existence in this country.
The need to re-route our lifestyles towards a correct way is the call of the day; along with fulfilling the purpose of our existence; which is to inspire our local underprivileged communities by any form, which is the actual definition of the word “Da’wah”.
Re-defining the term ‘Da’wah’ in such more simpler terms sets the straight the understanding and dispels other forms of ideologies and mind-sets which contradicts the true understanding of Da’wah; and which is definitely not about criticizing other belief system, or causing rifts within the community on basis of minor and trivial matters;
Ultimately, our choice of reformation and inspiration will cause transformation which will inevitably counteract against the past mishaps of our community and bring about favourable conditions in the future.
We need to correct our understanding, that Allah has selected us as South African Mu’mineen for the benefit of the local people; we haven’t just come, but we’ve been sent; with this understanding in mind; we need to inspire our neighbours in benefiting them with the true way and correct lifestyle;
How much are our neighbouring communities inspired by us; let us ask think a little deep; Are the general Sowetans inspired by those in Lenasia; Is Khagiso inspired by Azaadville; Is Rustervaal inspired by Roshnee… Likewise every community is a neighbour to a local indigenous community.
The need to redirect all our efforts toward inspiration of any form, be it medical care and assistance, welfare and empowerment, life skill programmes and counselling…the need to minimize our contributions abroad and give back to our neighbours. In this way perceptions will change and bring about a sense of belonging between us and our local communities.
Teach our children respect, not be racist, interact amongst the locals; In my humble opinion, learn the local African languages, this will break all the barriers of racism..
Think about this: Arab traders inspired Africans in Mozambique and other African regions without any Da’wah workshops or welfare organizations and ngo’s, instead dwelled amongst them and transmitted good values to them that we find a big population of Africans to be Muslims.
Undeniably, the social infrastructure within the Muslim community until thus far is well and deep routed in the forms of its Masaajid, Madaaris, Muslim schools, Zakaat welfares, Tabligh etc. Its routes and deep routed, but its branches are not far enough spread to overshadow and cover other social responsibilities.
I plea to my community to escalate efforts towards the local communities and live to fulfil the purpose of our existence. May Allah guide us.
