Report on Umgubaba Dawah Program

This important opportunity for Da’wah started with a woman who read the weekly article on Islam in Umm Afrika newspaper by Br Zaid Muslim. This lead her to listen to Br Zaid’s program on Ukhozi FM, the second largest radio station with a listenership of about 7.8 million. She eventually contacted Br Zaid Muslim, and accepted Islam. She then introduced Br Zaid and the Da’wah team to Ukosi Luthuli, the main Chief of the Umgubaba district.

Alhamdulillah after a series of meetings with Ukosi Luthuli, the Chief of the Umgubaba district, together with some of his Indunas, it was agreed to allow an introductory presentation on Islam at their community function. The function was held on Friday the 20 December 2013 and well over three thousand people attended.

Our Jamiat Da’wah team included Ml Rafiek Mohamed, Sh Walid El-Saadi, Ml Bilal Islam, Zaid Muslim, Hamza Mbhele, Hafiz Junaid, Ameen Raheen, Saeed Muslim and were well received by King Luthuli and his community, Alhamdulillah. Sh Waalid, via translation by Br Zaid Muslim, addressed the crowd with regards to the common lineage all human beings have through Prophet Ebrahim(Abraham-the Father of nations) and then also linked Tauheed with an African concept well known to many elderly indigenous people of this country.

He stressed that belief in one God Almighty is not strange or new for people of Africa, but something that resonates deep within them. As such Islam is a continuation of that belief. One young educated man, Siphiso, working for an NGO and taking photos of the event engaged us for a short while after Sheik’s talk, and then took shahadaat at Sheik’s hands Alhamdulillah.

The huge crowd was introduced to a beautiful rendition of the Quran by young Hafiz Junaid, a revert and a student of Abu Darda Institute. Ml Bilal Islam translated the verses side by side into Zulu. Br Hamza addressed the crowd on Islam as well. The important points stressed was that Muslims believe and accept all the divinely appointed Prophets, and that Islam is not an Indian religion, even though regrettably, that impression is created by some of it’s followers.

The Chief told us that this should not be the last program , but there should be a follow up to which we readily agreed.

Make dua that Allah spreads the winds of His Divine Guidance to these areas, ameen.