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21ST EDITION
Inside this issue Villain or Victim - Did She Kill Taliep?
By Sanaa Petersen
W aheed Hassen’s 15- page
handwritten confession
revealed that widow Najwa Pe-
tersen pulled the trigger. ‘Taliep
was an innocent person. I could
not pull the trigger. Taliep was
as meek as a lamb that would
not harm anyone.”
Hassen is accused number 3
“It’s About Me” in the murder of Entertainer
PAGE 3 Taliep Petersen’s execution-
style shooting on the night of
December 16 2006.
These are extracts from
his confession admitted as
evidence in the Cape High
Court on 23 April 2008. They
start at the point where he
and his friend Jefferson
Snyders have entered the
Petersen family home and
bound Taliep’s hands behind
his back. The spelling is as in
Youth Media Pilot the original.
Project’
PAGE 5 “Then I saw the woman [Na-
jwa Petersen] was peeking
her room she then immedi-
ately came out, with me and
Jeff still holding him by his arms
because he would not submit
as we wanted to tie his feet,
she [came] to us as if she was
willing to guide us through the
house and grabbed the man
hugging him as if it was the last
goodbye, tears flowed from his
eyes as he realized that she
was in on the whole thing. But
Wat Sal Die Nabi
Petrol to Cross the
Gedoen?
PAGE 8
R9 a Litre Mark
P etrol price will hike up a fur-
ther 55 cents a litre as of 7
May, according to the Minerals
and Energy Department. This is
applicable for all grades of pet-
rol while the wholesale price of
diesel with a sulphur content of
Mustafa Jonker 0.005 percent will increase by
Alleged Terrorist 72 cents a litre. The wholesale
price for illuminating paraffin
My Story also rises by 55 cents a litre,
PAGE 9 single maximum national retail
price for illuminating paraffin
ISLAMIC MEDIA AGENCY CC by 74 cents a litre. According
CK 2002/001313/23 to the department, the increase
Editor: Sanaa Petersen
Religious Contributors:
Dr Abdul Malik
Printers: Independent Group
Contributors: Mariam Salie, Roshaan
Misbach and Nabeweyah Malick
466 Lansdowne Road,
Lansdowne 7780
Tel: 021 697 2294 • Fax: 021 697 2304
Email: info@islamicmedia.co.za
Website: www.islamicmedia.co.za
what seemed strange to me
is that with all the drama that
unfolded he headbutted her
as if he did not want her close
to him, at this point in time
Jeff gave him one very [hard]
kick and he went to the tiled
Protestors outside Cape Town High Court
floor the blood came out of his
mouth and nose.
“But he would not give up mov-
ing so I sat with my knees on his
back wile Jeff and the woman
bind his feet with a kind of lace
table cloth that was on the ta-
ble. After that she grabbed him
by the cheeks and she kissed
his face... Najwa hugged my
is due to the average interna-
tional product prices of petrol,
diesel and illuminating paraffin
increase.
Snapshot on the past 6 months:
December:
up by 43 cents a litre
January:
unchanged at R7.47 inland and
R7.33 at the coast
February:
up by 17 cents, the lowest in-
crease this year
March:
up by 61 cents a litre
April:
up by a record 68 cents a litre
May:
up by another 55c to cross the
R9 a litre mark
MAY2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
left arm and said in Afrikaans
you must shoot him you must
shoot him, hanging on me, I
kept my focus on the robbery
and walked with her to anoth-
er room and looked for more
valuable items but could not
find anything because she was
leading me to Boeta Taliep,
May the Almighty Allah make
his grave wide and grant him
Paradise she begged me in
front of him to shoot him....
“At that point in time I saw the
Jeff was sitting on his knees
before Boeta Taliep and Jeff
stroked his hand over his head
Government Gets R4bn
for Poor Planning
T he huge increase in the elec-
tricity price was the result of
poor planning and management
on the government’s part, so it
should not be allowed to get tax
income from that, the Business
Day reported on Friday. The
government would get a R4bn
boost in taxes if Eskom was al-
lowed to increase its prices by
a nominal 60%, the newspaper
said.
If the National Energy Regu-
lator of SA (Nersa) grants the
hike, Eskom has projected that
it would make a pretax profit of
R12.7bn.
At a tax rate of 28%, the extraor-
dinary tariff hike would generate
almost R4bn in tax, which would
see the government profiting
from its own bad judgment. The
wiped his face and the glove
was out of his mouth, All I could
hear from him was there is no
God but the one and only God,
Mohammed is the final mes-
senger from God. He said this
repeatedly as I went back to
the room to fetch a pink col-
oured cushion.
“I was afraid of him because
his faith so much stronger
than mine and he was not
the man of that caliber that
Fahiem had made him out
to me and told Najwa do it
yourself as I put the gun in
the cushion, I actually folded
the cushion like you would
fold a news paper, but with
the guns barrel in the scnter
of the cushion. I kept it with
both my hands on the out-
side of the cushion, she was
standing on my left hand side
about two feet away from her
own husband.
“At that time I was looking to
my right to see where Jeff is
and in a split second I felt her
hand between mine, one sin-
gle shot rang thru my ears she
screamed. I sanked so low it
was like a scene from a movie,
I knew I had to get away now.”
His confession was accept-
ed into evidence by the High
Court, the case continues.
newspaper quotes an unnamed
director of a listed company as
saying: “If the tariff increase is
granted it will constitute a steep
tax on consumers, due to a situ-
ation created by the bad plan-
ning of the state. This is ridicu-
lous. SARS should waive the
tax.”
Changed received from a purchase of
lip balm at a chemist in Uganda during
March 2008. Currency converter. 1
South African Rand = 224.244 Uganda
Shilling and 1 Uganda Shilling (UGX) =
0.004459 South African Rand (ZAR)
 2 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

NEWS BITES
COMPILED BY SANAA PETERSEN

Cosatu - Stayaway Protests on the Cards
Workers protesting against the sharp price increase on food, electricity and petrol
outside the office of Local Government: Premier Ebrahim Rasool in Wale street, Cape
Town on 24 April 2008.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Co-
satu) has begun a campaign of mass
action against the soaring prices and
the electricity crisis by submitting notic-
es to allow it to organise stayaway pro-
tests, said Peter Craven spokesperson
for Cosatu.
“The increases that we negotiated last
year may have seemed good enough
at the time, but they have been more
than cancelled out by rising inflation,”
said Craven.
In South Africa, the position was even
worse as a result of “criminal price-fix-
ing”, which had already been proven in
the bread and dairy sectors.
“Greedy companies, under cover of the
global price rises, are getting together
to put up their prices even higher, so
they can make even bigger profits at
the expense of their consumers.”
Anticipating that the electricity short-
age and oil supply crisis would put jobs
at risk, Cosatu said it would not allow
workers to pay the price for something
not of their own making.
“We are worried about the current roll-
ing blackouts. Employers in the mining
industry estimate that we may lose up
to 30 000 jobs if the rolling blackouts
continue.
-------------------------------------------
MJC Pep Wins Labour Job Creation
Trust Best Project Award
The project manager of the Agricultural
Resource and Information Training
Centre (AgRIC), (r-l) Yasier Gabriels,
Ms Zanele Mbeki and Nomonde Nofuma,
an emerging farmer who is one of
the beneficiaries of the MJC Poverty
Eradication Project
------------------------------------
Dubai to build museum of Prophet
Muhammad (SAW)
The government of the booming
emirate of Dubai has decided to
build the world’s first museum dedi-
cated to the life and legacy of Proph-
et Muhammad (saw).
“In the history of Dubai, this museum
will stand as a shining milestone as
it will give the world an opportunity to
learn about the life and message of
Prophet Muhammad,” said Omer bin
Suleiman, the managing director of
the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin
Rashed al-Maktoum, also the prime
minister of the United Arab Emirates,
has asked the Authority, only formed
in March, to immediately proceed with
the museum plan.
The museum, believed to be the first of
its kind in the world, will be dedicated
entirely to the life of prophet Muham-
mad. It will chronicle the life of the
prophet and introduce the visitors to
the main stops including his marriage,
the beginning of God’s revelation, the
demise of his wife Khadijah, the inci-
dent of Al Isra’a and Al Mi’raj, migration
to Madinah, the conquest of Makkah
and the prophet’s death.
“The project also clearly indicates that
Dubai is keen on playing its role not
only as a bridge between the East and
the West, but also between the Islamic
world and the rest of the world.
Professor Hussein Solomon Sued
for Defamation
The Association of Islamic Madaris
(Lajnatul Madaarisil Islamiyyah) has
lodged a defamation suit against Pro-
fessor Hussein Solomon for claim-
ing that madaris were being used for
military training and were a breeding
ground for terrorism.
Professor Hussein Solomon is the
director of the Centre for Political
Thought at the University of Preto-
ria and delivered a speech in Israel
at an international anti-“terror” con-
ference claiming that Muslims were
being prepared psychologically for
terrorism and that the local Muslim
community was “volatile” and would
provide safe-houses and money to
potential terrorists. Solomon also
said that South Africa was supporting
global jihad networks by providing
safe houses, moving funds, providing
ID`s for terrorists, and allowing para-
military camps. He added that gov-
ernment maintained an “ideological
blindness” which equates the anti-
apartheid struggle with the global ji-
hadist battle and as such was burying
its head in the sand on “terror”.

The Girl Child Workshop SA Welcomes Palestinian Parents Of Murdered Children

P EG launched its Girl Child

Workshop on Sunday 20th
April, at the Savoy Lodge in
Rondebosch East.
The workshop was attended by
a diverse group of young ladies,
ranging in age from 13 to 19. One
of the exercises required a pairing
of the girls, and it was great to see
that they could not stop talking to
each other.
PEG feels very strongly that be-
cause of the challenges facing
young people, they should be nur-
tured and encouraged. The girl
child will become the woman, and
the woman has been blessed with
the “Raheem”, the mercy of Allah.
No creation of Allah enters the
world, except through the womb
of a woman. This is how special,
how sacred, and how honoured a
woman is. The workshop aims:
• To make them aware of how the
physical changes in their bod-
T he Human Rights Foundation and Human Rights Ac-
tivists welcomed Adalah, an independent, non-govern-
mental and non-partisan legal center, registered in Israel
in the knee; Omar Mohammad A’kkaw, 42years – shot in
the chest; Wissam Yazbak,25years- shot execution style;
Mohammed Ahmed Jabreen, 23years- shot in the left eye;
ies will affect them emotionally. to protect human rights and the rights of the Arab minority Ahmed Ibrahim Siyaam Jabreen, 18years – shot in the
in particular to Cape Town during April. Adalah (‘Justice’ buttocks; Rami Khatem Ghara, 21years – shot in the eye;
• To equip them to effectively in Arabic) visit is to appeal to international institutions and Eyad Sobhi Lawabny, 26years – shot in the chest; Ala
manage their emotions so that forums to pressurize Israel to protect the rights of its citi- Khaled Nassar, 18years – shot in the chest; Asel Hassan
they may develop into women zens and Palestinians. In October 2000 thirteen Palestin- Asleh, 17years – shot in the neck from behind. Adalah
with a healthy sense of self- ian 1948 borders, were killed by Israeli Police Forces, the has earnestly tried to have the killers prosecuted and af-
worth. murdered victims are Emad Farraj Ghanaym, 25years – ter eight years the Israeli courts closed the cases, citing
shot in the head; Walid Abdul-Menem Abu Saleh, 21years insufficient evidence. To assist Adalah and for more infor-
• To recognize and understand –shot in the abdomen; Ramez Abbas Bushnaq, 24years – mation log onto – www.adalah.org
their temperament, and how shot in the head; Mohammad Khamayseh, 19years – shot
this will impact on their lives.
• To provide them with the skills
to make responsible choices in
relationships, careers and ulti-
mately, a life partner.
The programme concluded with
lunch during which the girls gave
their evaluation of the programme.
The feedback was positive and it
was agreed that they would all get
back together during the June va-
cation. The workshop will be run
on a monthly basis

ADALAH lawyers and parents of murdered Palestinian children 1948 borders at a seminar hosted by PSG and District Six Museum
on 23 April 2008.

SAXONSEA HARDWARE & GIFTS

To speak a kind word and to forgive people’s
faults is better than charity followed by hurt.
Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Forbearing
Cnr Hermes Avenue & Grosvenor roads, Saxonsea, Atlantis, 7349
Clockwise from left: Zulfah Dolley, Maghmuda Abrahams, , Layla Solomon, Mariam
Abrahams, Taheera Rahman, Ayesha Bharoochi and Aneekah Mohamed Tel: 021 572 5466/4560 Fax: 021 572 7189
 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
SA National Zakaah Fund
– Spreading Wings Of
Compassion
O ver three decades of involvement
on a community level, SANZAF
was compelled to develop a blue print
to reach out and empower communities
with the emphasis on children, the aged
and families in need of social reconstruc-
tive services. Our outreach programmes
strives for an infrastructure that would en-
able SANZAF and other organisations to
implement various sustainable projects in
areas historically deprived and neglected
areas.
Additionally, SANZAF responds to dis-
asters with the sole aim of providing hu-
manitarian aid to victims affected by fires
and floods. The combination of torrential
rain and floods during the winter season
proves to be devastating, as many victims
experience huge losses when their dwell-
ings and possessions are destroyed.
SANZAF responds by providing food,
clothing and blankets, and in some cases
materials to rebuild the dwellings of the
victims. SANZAF workers and volunteers
are always ready to morally support and
counsel the traumatized victims.
Each year planning for operation Fitrah
and Fidayh commences two months
prior to Ramadhan. During this period,
full-time staff and volunteers attend to
referrals, interview applicants, conduct
home visits, assess needs and update
records of families in need. Additional
part-time offices are organized for the
month of Ramadhan to cope with the
caseload of approximately 12,500 fami-
lies. During the month of Ramadhan
SANZAF (Western Cape) must raise at
least R1.5million to assist needy families
in the Cape Peninsula, Boland, Garden
Route and Westcoast areas. The object
of Fitrah is to ensure that every Muslim
man, woman and child, be free from want
on the auspicious day of Id that marks the
successful completion of the sacred fast
of Ramadhan.
The well known Hadeeth ‘Poverty breeds
disbelief’ strongly motivates the need and
purpose of the SANZAF Da’wah and
Quran literary programmes to uplift the
poor and needy educationally and spiritu-
ally. Due to the socio-economic situation
and lack of employment opportunities the
decline in spirituality has reached critical
levels. Our Da’wah and Quran literary
programmes have proven that people
who are spiritually uplifted, cope better
with their problems and have confidence
of a better future.
SANZAF Spreading Wings of
Compassion
Contact SANZAF at:
Operations:
22 The Masjid Cornflower Street
Bridgetown, 7764
Tel: 021 638 5108
Email: cpt@sanzaf.org.za
Special Projects
No 1 Thornton Road, Athlone, 7764
Tel: 021 638 0965
Email: specialprojects@sanzaf.org.za
Zakah… A Means
for Poverty Allevia-
tion, Development
and Empowerment
3
“It’s About Me” For Women
T he Islamic Media Agency (IMA)
launched a creative writing club
titled “It’s About Me” for girls and
Guest speaker, Rayhaana Davis,
who has written her first book titled,
‘Doldrums that Cultivates’, shared
left many in tears. Caroline Davids, of
the Tibb Institute, implored the wom-
en to start caring for themselves, “We
acter sheets of individuals that influ-
ence/impacts on our development
and self.
women on the 12 April at the Country with the participants her relationship are constantly looking after others,
Manor, Schaapkraal. with writing. “As an adult, I discov- but when are we going to start caring July 2008 - start writing first draft
ered that whenever I was angry, I for the most important person in our from outline
The ‘It’s About Me” launch attracted was always frantically looking for a lives and that is us, women?”
over 80 women from diverse envi- pen and paper, from that realization, August 2008 - focus on usage of
ronments with a common vision of I just started writing and writing, I am After all the inspirational speakers, words/ terminology to identify stere-
sharing and preserving home-grown busy writing my second book,” said Sanaa Petersen, facilitated the first otyping, prejudice, discrimination etc.
stories and real experiences. “The Rayhaana. But this was not always lesson on the topic, ‘It’s About Me”. within thinking patterns.
club is about using the tool and skill the case, her past was very different, She dressed as an astronaut, to help
of writing to develop and support the young Rayhaana, an under-achiev- the participants visualize the impact The duration of each workshop is 1
positive growth of girls and women,” ing student at school assumed by that negative thoughts has on their X 3hour workshop per month at the
said Sanaa Petersen, founder of the family and friends to be nothing more development and choices in life. Af- following venues, starts 14 May 2008
club and CEO of the IMA. than average, excelled through her ter the mental exercises, participants and ends 17 August 2008
writing. “When I was young I wrote revisited their first writing experience,
In addition to promoting literacy and my first short story and showed it to drawing their story outline with cray- IRFSA – Welcome Estate/Heide-
encouraging writing, its core element my sister, she laughed and said no- ons. At the end of the ‘first lesson’ veld – Wednesday – 7 to 9pm (one
is to help women recognize the nega- one would read it, it was stupid. After each participant, received a creative Wednesday, per month)
tive elements including stereotypes, that traumatic experience I threw my writing toolkit, which consisted of an
prejudice, conditioning, expectations short story in the bin, thinking it was ideas box and creative writing journal MJC Boardroom – Athlone –
and fears (external and internal) that stupid,” said Rayhaana. But as grow- with ‘getting started writing tips’ and Saturday – 11 to 1pm (one Saturday,
inhibit the individual’s true potential. ing up, been exposed to a different course outline. per month)
environment, sometimes challeng-
Nabuweyah Malick, Public Relations ing, she realized that writing calmed The Course outline for the next Kalksteenfontein Masjid – Sunday
of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) her. She then revitalized her love for three months: – 11am to 1pm (one Sunday, per
– Media Desk and co-ordinator of the writing and has since published her May 2008 - Deconstructing the self month) – for more information con-
MJC-Women’s Forum expressed the short story in the You magazine and from the environment, using visuals tact Sanaa on 021 697 2294 or 074
importance of reading varied publi- another in a health magazine, with an and art materials. 2274345 or sanaa@islamicmedia.
cations, “by being exposed to varied international publishing house print- co.za
situations and difference of opinions, ing her first book and soon a second June 2008 - developing an outline
I’ve develop to be an individual think- book. (road map) which includes your vi- The course ends in a celebration of
er, more tolerant, appreciative of ex- sion, outcomes and purpose of your stories on the 20 August supported
pression and much wiser and braver Lauren Bates, a young poet, shared role (s) - (Envisioning the self in the by the MJC – Women’s Forum
in recognizing and countering propa- a different style of writing, her poem future, from the past and present),
ganda and untruths.” titled, Daddy Goodbye (see page 10), using character sheets - create char-
Sincere gratitude to our visionary sponsors/partners of the “It’s About Me’ creative writing club launch - geared to develop girls and women through
sharing and preserving of home-grown stories.
AdvocateMuhammad Abderouf cell 083 7319816 MRC Development Consultancy Mickaeel Collier-021 706 0048
Albaraka Bank 42 Corner Klipfontein and Belgravia Roads,Athlone Muslim Hands S & H Centre, No.1 Carnie Road, Rylands Estate,
Tel : (021) 637 8800 Tel: 021 633 6413
Amiena Bhayat Muslim Judicial Council Women’s Forum 021 696 5150
Anwa Shabodien 021 531 7037 SA National Zakaah Fund 1 Thornton Road, Athlone, 021 633 1555
Cosy Corner Restaurant and Take-Aways 119 Ottery Road, Wynberg Tibb-Institute SA, Dr Rashid Bhika IRFSA, 5th Avenue, Heideveld
Karriem Adams Colorado Park Masjied 021 638 4487
Kwantu Private Game Reserve 083 500 0344/www.kwantu.co.za Washiela Nagiah and Fuad Sonday Trust
Sanaa Petersen, founder of ‘It’s About Me’ club, dress as an astro- Women at the ‘It’s About Me’ launch participating in the mental
naut, to assist women with mental exercises in visualizing negative exercises
thoughts that stifles growth and new experiences.
Going back to being a child: Women drawing with crayons, this The girls of the Kalksteenfontein area - Nabuweyah Thorn, Sharifa
exercise helps in a fun way to identify individuals, events, factors that Donson (15), Galiemah Samsodien (14) Naiela Petersen (15) Sulayla
impacts on a woman’s development. Adendorf (15) and Fadwa Thorn (18) with their “It’s About Me”
creative writing toolkit.
 4 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

2007 Matric Results Catastrophic for Learners of ‘Colour’

By James Myburgh
disadvantaged Black and Col- came to power. The pass rate for pupils has increased from 49,5% The effect of these measures, ever

W hat the 2007 matric results

say about the state of our
country.
oured South Africans.

Last year 277,941 (60,6%) of

The racial breakdown of the 2007
matriculation results, released
by the Department of Education
last month, provide an important
insight into the cause and ex-
tent of the crisis currently facing
South Africa. The Department
points out these statistics "cannot
be regarded as completely reli-
able" based as they are on self-
reporting. There are pupils who
refuse to classify themselves by
race and others who misclassify
themselves by mistake. Last year,
apparently, numerous Indian and
black pupils erroneously classi-
fied themselves as ‘Asian.'
Last year 591,251 pupils wrote
the government matric, 386,051
(65,3%) passed, and 89,838
(15,1%) passed with exemption
- the minimum grade needed to
progress on to university. In ab-
solute terms more pupils passed,
including with exemption, than
ever before. However, there was
a small decline in both the pass
and exemption rates. See Table
3. In assessing the overall state of
education one also needs to factor
in the 7632 pupils at independent
schools who wrote the separate
IEB exams: 7283 passed (98,9%)
and 5780 (78,5%) passed with
exemption. See Table 4.
When one breaks these figures
down by race, they reveal how
little progress has actually been
made since the end of apartheid
in extending quality education to
these pupils has dropped from
82.8% in 1991 to 78% last year.
More worryingly, only 15,4%
in 1991 to 55.2% last year. For
white pupils it has increased from
41,5% to 52%. This increase is
more strictly applied, is to prevent
young Indian and particularly
white South Africans from pursu-
black pupils passed matric. This (5367) of the these pupils passed largely a reflection of the soften- ing their ambitions in the land of
is a doubling of the number who with exemption. This represents ing of standards in the new matric their birth. What this means is
passed in 1991 and it represents a decline of almost a third in the relative to the old one. that the country either loses these
a fifty percent increase in the pass exemption rate from 1991 when it youth to other countries or refuses
rate. However, when one looks at stood at 21,9%. While white and Indian pupils are to take full advantage of the abili-
the exemption still able to ac- ties of those that remain. South
rate this bright cess reason- Africa thus deprives itself of many
picture dims con- ably good edu- of its best and brightest minds.
siderably. 49,950 cation through White and Indian pupils made up
black pupils the school sys- 9,5% of all those who wrote the
passed the gov- tem, as soon government matric in 2007, 14,1%
ernment matric as they leave of those who passed it, 33,1% of
with exemption matric they are those who passed with exemp-
last year, up from faced with a tion, 42,2% of those who passed
30,389 in 1991. wall of state- with merit, and 77,5% of those
However, the sponsored who passed with distinction.
exemption rate racial dis-
(10,9%) is no crimination. In In the early 1990s it was known
different now to 2001 the racial that there would be a shortage
what it was then. composition of of at least half a million skilled
See tables 1 & the population workers - ‘professional, techni-
2. The Eastern was estimated cal, highly skilled, executive and
Cape had the at 79% black, managerial' - by the end of the
worst pass rate 8,9% Coloured, decade. The ANC responded to
for black pupils 9,6% white, and this challenge by creating a truly
(54%) as well Theresa Jackson is 11years old and lives with her grandmother in Kalksteenfontein 2,5% Indian. perverse system. On the one
and attends Montana Primary School. pic Sanaa Petersen
as the worst ex- The intention hand it has fostered a dysfunc-
emption rate (6,9%). This lack of These statistics suggest that, out- of the ANC is that every sphere tional school system which pre-
improvement has been achieved side of Model C and independ- of human activity in South Africa, vents most pupils from realising
despite the equalisation of funding ent schools, black and Coloured at every level, should conform to their real potential through educa-
for school children; the integration pupils are being deprived qual- these proportions. Racial discrimi- tion. On the other hand it refuses
of formerly white, Coloured, and ity education; without which they nation is regarded as necessary to utilise the skills and talents of
Indian schools; and, the end of cannot progress into the profes- and justified until demographic many of those that do manage to
the politically inspired disruption sions or compete with the children representivity has been achieved gain a decent education because
of schooling by the ANC and its of the middle classes. everywhere. As the party's 2007 they are of the ‘wrong' colour. It
allies. Strategy & Tactics states, the need is a system to the benefit of no-
The pass rates for Indian and for such measures will only de- one but a hyper-privileged ruling
The statistics for the 34,741 white pupils are largely un- cline when "all centres of power elite; which has fixed the rules to
Coloured pupils who wrote the changed from 1991, although and influence and other critical ensure that they do not have to
government matric suggest that the number of white pupils writ- spheres of social endeavour be- compete with individuals from ei-
something catastrophic has hap- ing the government matric has come broadly representative of the ther the racial minorities or the still
pened to education in the Col- now declined by over a third. The country's demographics." disadvantaged majority.
oured community since the ANC matric exemption rate for Indian

Table 1: 1991 matriculation results by race

Race Candidates Passes Exemption

Number Proportion Number Proportion

Black 280918 114695 40.8% 30289 10.8%

Coloured 22405 18557 82.8% 4911 21.9%

Indian 14258 13558 95.1% 7062 49.5%

White 65933 63504 96.3% 27356 41.5%

Total 383514 210314 54.8% 69618 18.2%

Source: SAIRR, Race Relations Survey 1992/1993

Table 2: 2007 government matriculation results by race

Race Candidates Passes Exemption

Number Proportion Number Proportion

Black 458836 277941 60.6% 49950 10.9%

Coloured 34741 27101 78.0% 5367 15.4%

Indian 13534 12590 93.0% 7475 55.2%

White 42617 41921 98.4% 22145 52.0%

Other/unknown 41523 26498 63.8% 4441 10.7%

TOTAL 591251 386051 65.3% 89378 15.1%

continue on page 6
 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
Youth Media Pilot Project
T he Islamic Media Agency (IMA)
has over the past two years,
through its publication, Community
News, developed a youth media
studies project to support young
persons understand the media
environment, its functionality and
the impacts that it has on their
development. Last year the IMA
periodically tested the journalistic
aspect of the project on the 2007
Matriculants of the Al-Azhar High
school in Athlone. The result was
a huge success culminating in a
one-page ‘school newsletter’ in the
Community News, sourced, written
and photographed by the students.
Two exceptional students were
Zachareeyah Panday, 17 years,
who submitted throughout the year
newsworthy photographs that was
published and designed the logo
of the IMA. The other student was
Wi-ahm Petersen, 16 years, who
compiled a matric finale article, in-
terviewing and encouraging five of
her peers to submit their comments
within the deadline.
The second part of developing the
youth media studies was to intro-
duce the media including its tools
and techniques, to young persons,
ages 14-18years, that are not ac-
tive in mainstream schooling. The
Imaam adopted the Ibn Al-Jazariy
Hifz Academy, Masjidus Sunni in
Kromboom. The Academy’s prin-
cipal is Sheikh Abd’al Rasheed
Brown, whom we are eternally
grateful to for providing us this
platform. First the students were
quite apprehensive about the new
lessons and couldn’t link their im-
mediate environment to external
existing world which directed the
project back to the drawing board.
“We had to incorporate a life skills
programme, with a strong focus on
‘Abu Hurairah reported that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said
“Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you
should not be extremist, but to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded, and gain
strength by offering prayer (salah) in the mornings, afternoon and during the last hours of the nights
the individual’s identity and thinking
processes, then slowly incorporate
the tools of the media,’ said Sanaa
Petersen, Project Developer of the
Youth Media Studies project. In-
stead of using the products of Me-
dia like newspapers in stage one,
the reading of non-Islamic books,
like fantasy, fiction and narratives
were incorporated. The class of
20 students were divided into two,
the first half was instructed to read
a book and present their review,
the other half was instructed to
research organisations that has
an impact on their development,
namely SA Government, MJC,
OIC, WICS, UN, G8 and present
their findings. The outcome of the
reviews were to create an aware-
ness of the benefits of reading and
researching (asking questions) and
to visualize the link between their
environment and the ‘external’ fac-
tors that impacts on their develop-
ment. From that understanding the
learners were introduced to the
factors that make the news and
the presentation of the news in the
media and the tools used. They
have previously only been exposed
to the Palestinian issue within the
frameworks of the Muslim commu-
nity and the IMA introduced them to
young persons, Muslims and Jews,
from Palestine 1948 borders who
were guests of the Jewish Maritime
League. During their interaction
they realized that irrespective of re-
ligion, class, race or circumstance,
they were all members of one com-
munity and that was the community
of the Human race. “We all share
the same responsibility towards
each other,” said Raees Ismail,
learner of Ibn Al-Jazariy Academy.
The same evening they welcomed
the parents of the youth that were
killed by the Israeli Military whilst
5
Learners of the Al Jazariy Hifz Academy and youth from Palestine 1948 borders at the Royal Yatch Club,
hosted by Jewish Maritime league
living in Palestine 1948 borders.
These Palestinians were guests of
the Foundation for Human Rights
and the Palestinian Solidarity
Group. The learners’ debate with
respect to the two groups of Pales-
tinians from the 1948 borders with
very different stories, opened the
flood gates to 1001 questions. Next
they met and interacted with author
Shaun Johnson and Ryland Fisher.
They then ‘reported’ on a protest or-
ganized by COSATU in response to
the increasing high prices of food-
stuffs, petrol and electricity and on
Wednesday, they participated in a
Mediawise radio programme aired
on the Voice of the Cape. All these
experiences enabled the learners
to understand the techniques of
the media and its impacts on their
development and their responsibil-
ity in consuming it. Next the learn-
Interaction with ex-Cape Times editor, Rylands Fisher, at the Centre of the Book in
ers will be exposed to the television April. (back) Muzaffar Mohamed, Raees Allie, Ryland Fisher and Yusuf Karriem
and film industry (front) Sanaa Petersen, Zakkiyah Lalla and Miekaeel Adams
Lentegeur,
Mitchells Plain
Tel: 021 372 1106
Fax: 021 372 1110
(reported by Bukhari)
 6 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

continue from page 4

Government matric results 1980 - 2007

Year Candidates Pass % With Exemption % Table 4: IEB matric results 1994-2007
1980 109807 82597 75.2% 34011 31.0% Year Candidates Pass % With Exemption %
1981 125291 88639 70.7% 34742 27.7% 1994 1305 1225 93.9% 920 70.5%
1982 139488 95916 68.8% 35289 25.3% 1995 1371 1306 95.3% 956 69.7%
1983 154245 104183 67.5% 37666 24.4%
1996 2994 2913 97.3% 2158 72.1%
1984 167842 113852 67.8% 49787 29.7%
1985 164967 110810 67.2% 41164 25.0% 1997 4269 4137 96.9% 3052 71.5%
1986 245509 133373 54.3% 48025 19.6% 1998 4602 4542 98.7% 3479 75.6%
1987 291349 170856 58.6% 60195 20.7% 1999 5550 5478 98.7% 4124 74.3%
1988 316842 199742 63.0% 68700 21.7% 2000 5493 5423 98.7% 4157 75.7%
1989 360452 185092 51.3% 61223 17.0%
2001 5414 5360 99.0% 4222 78.0%
1990 408468 191249 46.8% 60281 14.8%
1991 448491 221407 49.4% 73054 16.3% 2002 6052 5961 98.5% 4599 76.0%
1992 472458 250527 53.0% 75601 16.0% 2003 6290 6189 98.4% 4906 78.0%
1993 472458 242310 51.3% 68820 14.6% 2004 6415 6357 99.1% 5099 79.5%
1994 495408 287343 58.0% 88497 17.9% 2005 6763 6635 98.1% 5295 78.3%
1995 531453 283742 53.4% 78821 14.8%
2006 7035 6915 98.3% 5544 78.8%
1996 518225 279487 53.9% 80015 15.4%
1997 559233 264705 47.3% 70127 12.5% 2007 7362 7283 98.9% 5780 78.5%
1998 561029 279356 49.8% 71773 12.8% Sources: SAIRR and IEB
1999 511159 249831 48.9% 63725 12.5%
2000 489941 283294 57.8% 67707 13.8% CRAVENBY
2001 449371 277206 61.7% 68626 15.3% CASH & CARRY
2002 443821 305774 68.9% 75048 16.9%
2003
2004
440821
467985
322492
330717
73.2%
70.7%
82010
85117
18.6%
18.2%
For the best Wholesale Prices
2005 508363 347184 68.3% 86531 17.0%
2006 528525 351503 66.5% 85830 16.2% PHONE: 931-9487/932-3717/42 142 BALVENIE ROAD
2007 591251 386051 65.3% 89378 15.1% FAX:932-3682 CRAVENBY ESTATE 7490
Sources: Department of Education and South African Institute of Race Relations

DNA Testing at Simon’s

Town Museum
S
imon’s Town Museum, in conjunction
with the Simon’s Town Phoenix Commit-
tee, asked Professor Himla Soodyall, Director
of the Human Genomic Diversity & Disease
Research Unit to undertake DNA testing for
members of the Simon’s Town community in
November 2007. The study concentrated on
persons forcibly removed from Simon’s Town
under Apartheid. The study encouraged men
to volunteer for testing as DNA testing could
be done on the man’s X and Y chromosomes,
whereas with the ladies, there are only the X
chromosomes to be tested. This means that
a man’s father’s line (Y chromosome) as well
West Java in
Cape Town
as his mother’s line (X chromosome) can be
tested, but with the ladies, only their mother’s
line (X chromosome) could be investigated.
The testing enabled the participants to find
out where their earliest ancestors originated
namely, whether that is in Africa, Asia, Eu-
rope, etc. Former South African president
Nelson Mandela participated in the study.
Visit the Simon’s Town Museum for more in-
formation. The address of museum is ‘The
Residency’ Court Road, Simon’s Town – Tel:
021 786 3046

Residents and displaced residents of Simon’s Town
participating in the Simon’s Town Museum DNA
study held on the 24 November 2007
The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Cape Town and the Tourism and Culture Office of
West Java Province hosted ‘A Gala dinner and West Java Cultural Performance’ on the 26 April. Guests
were enthralled by the energetic and cultural performances of West Java and captivated by the ‘lesson’ in
Displaced resident of Simon’s Town, Ebrahim
Angklung, a bamboo musical instrument. Pic Sanaa Petersen
Manuel, displaying the results of the DNA study

MANUFACTURERS OF SUPER QUALITY COLD MEATS & MEAT PRODUCTS

Cnr. Silversands & Merrydale Rd. Portalnds Tel: 371 6882/Tel: 371 9600/Fax: 371 4315
Nnr. Kimberley Way & Montegue Dr/ Portlands TEL: 392 2565 TEL: 392 7920/FAX: 392 0581

To satisfy the various tastes of our customers we now boast an assortment of new
products which include:
★ BBQ CHICKEN ★ SMOKED CHICKEN ★ CHICKENBURGERS ★ CHICKENLOAF ★
★ CHEESE BURGERS ★ PASTRAMI ★ STEAK LOAVES ★ SMOKED ★ VIENNAS ★ SOSATIES
 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
7

The Most Trendiest

Restaurant in Wynberg
C osy Corner Restaurant and Take-aways is one of the oldest, most vibrant and now
the most trendy Halaal restaurant in Wynberg. This family owned establishment
was first opened in 1973 by the late Ismail Hartley and his wife Zuleigha. Today, Cosy
most exciting dishes, with signature basting sauces to tantalize and satisfy any palate
(and pocket). The restaurant’s new look with Malaysian Teak furniture and gold and
red decor, has been designed by one of Cape Town’s top interior designers, Guy of In-
Corner Restaurant and Take-Aways is managed by their youngest son Yusri and his wife teriors at Dean. The restaurant seats 60 and caters for functions. The Take-Aways décor
Tasneem. This young management team has revitalized the décor and menu, serving the is trendy and has the feel of a traditional American diner style.

Yusri Hartley with his mother Zuleigha. in the newly decorated restaurant, with exotic fish backdrop

Cosy Corner Restaurant and Take-Aways,

119 Ottery Road, Wynberg. Tel: 021 797 2498.
 8 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

Wat Sal Die Nabi Gedoen?

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) celebrated the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) at the Desmond Tutu Hall, Khayalitsha in March, the Premier
of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rasool gave the following very thought provoking and inspiring talk.
Transcribed and edited by Nabuweyah Malick

I t begins to say that we have a lead-

ership amongst the Ulema who
have understood that the Muslims
are at a cross roads. The cross roads
is very simple, are we in the Cape,
forever going to be a Muslim com-
munity defined by our Malayness, or
are we going to be a Muslim com-
munity that will indeed be a Ummah,
those who have been touched by the
mercy of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
This is not a light hearted decision,
because when the Muslim Judicial
Council decides to spread the wings
of mercy to all who want to recite the
kalimah, La illaha illalla Muhammadu
Rasullulah, with it comes enormous
responsibilities because it takes the
Ummah out of the comfort zones that
we have become used to.
It is almost as if over 300 years we
have become comfortable being
Malays, comfortable in being Indi-
ans and we have become reluctant
at worst and sometimes patronizing
at best in our relationship with Mus-
lims who are of a darker colour, who
speak the language of Xhosa and
who live in the townships on the out-
skirts of the Western Cape.
There has never been a more im-
portant moment to remind us as the
Quran does, when Allah (swt): wa ma
arsal naqa illah rahmata lill alameen,
“I have not sent you Muhammad
except as a mercy to all creation”.
There is something derelict; there
is something wrong if we continue
to deny the mercy that is Muham-
mad (saw) to all of creation because
we are only comfortable in our own
a day, where let alone a BEE deal,
they struggle to find a job, where let
alone the petty squabbles that we
we mean that we must embrace the
challenges that go with it.
Is it because we only give to those
we know, whose degree of poverty
may not match some of what we will
comfort zones in the suburbs of the have, they struggle to be human”. And so, this Rabi Al Awwal, this see as we shift more and more into
Western Cape. Mawludan Nabi celebra- Khayelitsha, Phillippi, Mfuleni and
tions are very special, Gugulethu. Those are the challeng-
And so when today and that is why I am hap- es that we now face. It is one thing
in this month of Rabi py that Minister Essop to shift into an area and it is another
Al Awwal, the month Pahad has flown down to do our duty to that area.
of the birth of the to join us from Pretoria
Prophet (saw), we so that he can be a wit- We have so many teaches coming
say we are a mercy ness to it. And hopefully out of the ranks of the Ummah. Doc-
unto all humanity, we can all begin to see tors, scientists, engineers, nurses,
unto all of creation. that there is an Ummah etc. if only 10% of them contribute
I get the impres- that is willing not to wait their services on a Saturday, fol-
sion that we say so what government is go- lowed up on this Mawlud programme
with so much more ing to do about racism in a hall like this to teach maths, sci-
sincerity because and xenophobia and ence and history will we not create
The children of Mfuleni sharing in the MJC celebration of the birth of the
we are reaching out Prophet Muhammad (saw) at the Desmond Tutu Hall, Khayelitsha in April poverty. But an Ummah the potential for a major upliftments
beyond our comfort that understands that out of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance.
zones. And the responsibility that And so, what it means is, is that with reaching out the rahmah that is Is that not the meaning of “rahmatulil
goes with it is that when we embrace this leadership that has brought the encapsulated in the life of Muham- alameen”a mercy unto all creation.
the entire community we also em- Mawlud celebrations into Khayelit- mad (saw) comes the responsibility
brace the challenges that go with it. sha, is a leadership that will under- to be in the forefront even ahead of Maybe we are held back by our own
stand what the responsibilities are the government by giving food and issues, sometimes Malay issues,
It is no longer good enough to dis- now against the fight against poverty sustenance to people, removing rac- sometimes Indian issues, some-
cuss in the suburbs of the Ummah so that we unleash the potential of ism from communities and stopping times we are held back by our own
the construction industry, the BEE this Muslim community to be in the xenophobia in its tracks. entrapment in the world. Sometimes
deals that we are busy with, what forefront of the struggle against pov- the wedding that is a month away
we ate last night, what happened erty, the struggle against unemploy- We have seen the statistics of grow- keeps us busy for an entire month.
at that wedding, how nice the food ment, in the struggle against hunger ing Muslim wealth in the suburb sec- We have to do our duty to all of hu-
was, hoe lekker het die mense ge- and homelessness, the struggle tion of the community. People who manity. The biggest test that a Mus-
sajjie, the lovely barakat that we took against crime and drugs and all ten years ago were artisans, today lim can commit to, on the occasion
home. That has been the comfort those negative things. We will then are sub contractors, from contrac- of Mawludun Nabi, is always in every
zone that we have been caught up in find that the problems are more than tors to shareholders of big compa- issue when confronted with a situa-
and when we make this change we the problems of Malays, the prob- ny’s, from shopkeepers today are tion is to always ask ourselves this
now have to say, “What is the condi- lems are more than the problems of industrialists. I wonder if we are question, “What would Rasulullah
tion of those amongst us who live in Indians, they are human problems. growing as we are, why is our zakah (saw) do in this situation at this time?
the townships when let alone a bar- When we say “rahmatulil allamin” - not making the impact that it should Wat sal die Nabi gedoen het?
akat, they struggle to find one meal a mercy unto all of creation. Then be making to the poorest of the poor.

Mawlid in Uganda
T he World Islamic Call Society (WICS) with its leader
Muammar Ghaddafi invited Muslims from around the
world to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) and witness the opening of the Muammar Ghadafi
Masjid in Old Kampala, Uganda during March 2008.
Over 30 000 Muslims attended the celebration – a plethora
of cultures and dialects captivated Uganda including rep-
resentatives from South Africa - from the Muslim Judicial
Council (MJC) was Sheikh Achmat Sedick, Moulana Kha-
liq Allie and his wife Khadija, Mogammad Groenewald and
Asief Essop from the Muslim Youth Movement and Sanaa
Petersen. Amidst, past corruption and conflict between
the Ugandans, Muammar Ghaddafi finally handed over
the three-storey masjid with a capacity to accommodate
15000 musallees, a state of the art, fully equipped, con-
ference centre, Renaissance Quranic Memorisation class
and an IT training centre.

On the 19 March 2008, over 30000 Muslims from around the world gathered in Old Kampala, Uganda to Libiyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi leads Thur solaah to the over 30 000 Muslims in Old Kampala, Uganda
celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad (saw) on 19 March 2008
 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
9

Mustafa Jonker ‘Alleged Terrorist’- My Story

By Khadija Abdul Qahaar | Jihad Unspun (JUS)

O n January 25, sixteen police

officers, including bomb squad
members, some with firearms and
a man who appeared to be an Is-
raeli national, raided the outbuilding
where Mustafa Jonker, an Arabic/
English translator and law student,
lives with his parent’s in Muizen-
berg. The raid was conducted on
the suspicion that Mustafa and
three others were involved in “ter-
ror” activities.
Mustafa, who studied Islamic Law in
Saudi Arabia, awoke to a loud bang
at about 5.30am and discovered
some sixteen people in his house
along with an explosives unit in his
backyard. After a lengthy search,
in the end the authorities seized a
bottle of liquid pool cleaner, a bottle
of paint remover and a bottle of hair
bleach, all items that could be found
in any household.
Now, Mustafa and two of his rela-
tives are fighting back. They have
issued an urgent application in the
Cape Town High Court to set aside
the search and seizure warrant that
facilitated the raid.
As his high profile court case is
heard, JUS sat down with Brother
Mustafa, to learn more about his
personal struggle to fight the stere-
otype of a “terrorist” and violation of
civil liberties. Here is the interview.
We remind our readers that the
opinions and points of view ex-
pressed in this statement are those
of the author, Mustafa Jonker, and
shall not be deemed to mean that
they are necessarily those of JUS
and the Islamic Media Agency, the
ANC has a history of concern for
only the middle and upper class
blacks. Today South Africa has the
biggest gap between rich and poor
in the world; a direct result of the
governments neo-liberal capitalist
policies. A wealthy elite own South
Africa’s wealth while 30 million peo-
ple suffer from poverty. Resulting
from this poverty is crime of which
South Africa has the highest statis-
tics in the world as well. As far as
this word ‘terrorist’ goes, it is a label
placed on anyone challenging the
greedy bloodthirsty agenda of the
West and I therefore take pride in
it.
JUS: What were the immediate cir-
cumstances that lead up to raid?
Mustafa: Positive steps have been
taken over the last few years to alert
our Muslim brothers and sisters to
evils and dangers of this new Amer-
ican led imperialism. We reminded
the youth of the Cape flats that the
Qur’an is our constitution and that in
complete submission to Allah alone
and rejection of everything besides
Him can this nation face its ene-
mies. We gave advice to the Mus-
lim Judicial Council through several
communiqués encouraging them to
distance themselves from the ANC
and reminding them that democra-
cy is a religion other than Islam and
that it spoils faith like vinegar spoils
honey. We advised the students of
religion studying abroad that the
purpose of knowledge is not accu-
mulation but implementation and
that the essence of knowledge is Al-
lah’s oneness and all that this testi-
mony holds of implications. We also
engaged South African socialists, in
particular the Anarchist movement
them?
Mustafa: They were obviously dis-
tressed especially since most the
houses raided had small children in
them.
JUS: The press is reporting that
authorities confiscated a bottle of
liquid pool cleaner, a bottle of paint
Mustafa Jonker
remover and a bottle of hair bleach
from your home. Did they take any-
thing else? Is this what they are
considering as evidence?
Mustafa: They also took all my
books, documents, computer hard-
drive, cell phone, I.D., passport and
drivers license.
JUS: There was an Israeli national
in the raid. What was he doing there
and what do you think this signi-
fies?
Mustafa: I say that whether there
was an Israeli in the raid makes no
difference as it is a fact that the Jews
around the world using the Crusad-
ers are the main benefactors of this
global campaign
this is the nature of the suspicions
mentioned in the search warrant.
JUS: Why do you think that you
were singled out for this raid?
Mustafa: They say that I am lead-
ing an organization planning to
overthrow the government.
JUS: One of the startling aspects of
this story is the fact that it occurred
in South Africa which is viewed as
a liberal democratic country and not
viewed as having “terrorism” prob-
lems. Is this an isolated incident
or reflective of tightening laws de-
signed to conform Muslims to west-
ern thinking?
Mustafa: This is not an isolated in-
cident. South Africa has a history of
compliance with America. In 1999
South Africa co-operated with the
FBI in arresting and extraditing our
brother Khalfan Khamis Muham-
mad to America, even though South
Africa’s law forbids it from extradit-
ing anyone to a country that practic-
es the death penalty. Just over two
years ago Sheikh Khalid Rashid,
a respected Sheikh from Pakistan
who was known to speak the truth
without fear, was kidnapped and
during a night raid in Durban by the
South African intelligence, taken to
a military base and put on a C.I.A
plane out of the country. For months
nobody knew the location of this
respected scholar. A pre-condition
to South Africa hosting the 2010
world cup was that it passes Ameri-
ca’s “anti-terrorism bill”. The reason
behind this subservience became
clear when we were told by a re-
spected scholar from Cape Town
who attended a meeting discussing
the concerns regarding the pass-
ing of the “anti-terrorism bill” that
a member of government said in
the meeting: “Nobody can oppose
America because America is not a
superpower it is a “hyper-power”
JUS: How you are coping with the
pressures of this struggle?
Mustafa: Whilst matters like this do
cause us financial and social hard-
ship, we are comforted by the fact
that our fate has already been writ-
ten by Allah.
JUS: Are you getting any support
at all from the Muslim commu-
nity locally? What are your current
needs?
Mustafa: Praise be unto Allah we
have received some good support
especially from individuals and fami-
lies who have a history of bravery in
confronting oppression. As far as my
needs are concerned, Allah is suf-
ficient, but I say that South Africa’s
women and children need brave
freemen to protect them and to ward
off the overcast of this dual religious/
economic onslaught. The Muslims
need from their scholars in the MJC
to distance themselves from the in-
justices of the system and its root
causes, and to remember that truth
does not lie in numbers but in princi-
ples and to know that the families of
the victims of the crimes around the
country and the millions of poor in
the townships are waiting for you in
earnest to raise the word of : “There
is no god but Allah and Muhammad
is His messenger.”
(Curtesy of Mustafa Jonker, full-ver-
sion on www.jihadunspun.com)

publisher, editor, writers, contribu-
tors or staff.
JUS: Can you please tell our read-
Palestinians turn to
in talks and debates in the hopes of against Islam.
reaching a common ground in our
mutual animosity towards the states JUS: You are
unjust economic system. Our ac- challenging the

ers a little bit about your background
and how you came to be the target
of authorities and suspected of so-
called “terrorism”?
Mustafa:. I was born Mustafa Ghalib
Jonker in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town in
the year 1979 as a Muslim. After the
oppression of the unjust apartheid
regime became unbearable, com-
bined with the oppression we faced
by the disbelieving Qadiani/Ahmadi
sect, my father immigrated with us
to the Arabian peninsula in 1986. I
grew up and finished my studies in
Hijaz and spent 16 years of my life
living in the cities of Makkah, Jed-
dah and Madinah. I, like thousands
of Muslims like me am concerned at
the plight of the oppressed in gen-
eral and of the Muslim Ummah in
particular which over the last centu-
ry has witnessed an unprecedented
onslaught from global disbelief. We
returned to South Africa in 1999
and I soon realized that while the
racist apartheid regime had been
removed, this new “democracy”
had come about by the African Na-
tional Congress selling South Africa
to multi-national corporations. The
SA for help
tions were due to the pain we felt warrant that lead
with the poor, downtrodden and op- to the search and
pressed. This is a bit of the circum- seize to begin
stances leading to the raid. with. On what
grounds are you
JUS: I understand that authorities asking the courts
raided your home in the early morn- to set the warrant
ing of January 25, 2008. Can you aside?
please tell us about the raid itself? Mustafa: The
Mustafa: My parent’s house, my police have of-
sister’s house next door, and two fered no proof for
other family homes along with a the charges upon
house related to two of the broth- which they found
ers mentioned in the search warrant a need to raid
were all raided at the same time. Ex- my house nor did
plosive unit members were present they find anything
as well as police officers armed with during the raids
semi-automatic pistols and Uzi sub- to arrest me.
machine guns. I heard that a police
officer pointed a pistol in the face of JUS: If you are
a young boy in the house related to unsuccessful in
the two brothers. Some other details convincing the
of the raid were mentioned in the courts to set aside
media but what was not mentioned the warrant, are
is that the South African police has you expecting to
committed an act of great stupidity be charged with
April 2008 - Human rights activist, Susan, sharing the experiences of the Trojan Horse Massacre in
by repeatedly targeting Muslims. some “terrorism- Athlone, SA – 15 October 1985 with Palestinian parents who’s children were targeted and murdered by the
related” offense? Israeli Military. The Palestinian parents, living in Palestine 1948 borders, had through the Israeli Justice
JUS: How did your family react Mustafa: This is System accused the soldiers of murder, after 8 years, the Israeli Courts closed the cases citing ‘lack of evi-
and how has this incident affected a possibility as dence’. The Palestinians are hoping to learn from SA past and support in asserting International pressure
on Israel to re-open their cases and act justly.
10 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

MAIL BAG – LETTERS, EMAIL AND SMS

info@islamicmedia.co.za • fax 021 697 2304
sms 074 227 4345
Daddy Goodbye
Daddy, why did you leave
mommy?
Sweetie, here’s a menu.
What would you like? You
can have anything
I know you used to fight a
lot, but there good days. I
don’t understand?
Have you decided what
you’d like my angel?
I miss you o much and
I need you, otherwise
I might have to find
daddies else where, and
they might not be good
to me.
Mmmm, chicken nuggets,
good choice. I remember
you used to like those
poppet.
I wish you remembered
more about me daddy.
Sometimes I feel like I’m
slipping from your mind.
Oooh, here’s our food,
smells good my precious,
enjoy.
I enjoy being with you,
daddy, why can’t I see
you everyday, why only on
Saturday’s?
Lovie, why are you eating
so slowly. Don’t you want
pudding?
I want more of your time
daddy, can’t you see I’m
desperate.
Oh, here’s the bill. Wasn’t
that lovely my girl.
I won’t always be your girl
daddy, one day I’ll be a
woman and I’ll need you
more than ever.
Ah ha! Her we are at your
house. It was good to see
you my darling. See you
next Saturday.
I love you Daddy, goodbye.
By Lauren Bates
FATWA – Quranic ringtones
haraam
Saudi council of Muftis
have given an unanimous
Fatwa that ring tones on
QURAN AAYAT are hara-
am because the AAYAT are
not complete when we pick
the phone and meanings of
AAYAT changes when they
are not complete. QURAN
is for Hidayat and not for
ring tones,
Please inform others
Zivia Sallie
Please help, they playing
games
as,aleykum?my name is
mahmuod mohammed, I
shall be glad if u shall assist
me in this matter please.
I used to work for a secu-
rity company,westpoint for
almost two years,actually I
did resign on 30/06/2006,I
as usual I did compete
my termination forms and
handed them at NBCI in
c/town branch.since that
time I have been waiting
for them to pay my provi-
dent funds,last time I did
phoned them they gave me
my reference no.XXXXX.
but till this moment I haven’t
receive my funds.last week
I phone them they say they
are offline and they don’t
know till when.honestly I
just feel like they are play-
ing games with me,could u
kindly help me kanalla on
this as I have been to labour
,but they say they don’t deal
with this matter.may allah[s.
w]give you power to assist
me on this shukran.
Dear Mahmuod,
We tried contacting you
with respect to your query,
but have not received a
response from you. One of
our labour brokers has vol-
unteered to assist you in
this matter. Please contact
our offices 021 697 22494
or email: info@islamicme-
dia.co.za

Book Reviews SAVOURY

Title: I Can Wear Hijab Anywhere
Author: Yasmin Ibrahim
Publication: Islamic Foundation
RICE
By: Layla Misbach The Shaikhs Exotics Way
Ingredients Method
• 2 cups Basmati rice 1. Boil rice in 6 cups of water
• 1 onion sliced finely and 1tsp of salt. Drain and set
• 2tblsp butter or oil aside.
• 1 ripe tomato chopped 2. Heat butter and add onions.
• 1 red pepper cut in cubes Braise until golden brown.
• 1 yellow pepper cut in cubes 3. Add tomatoes, garlic salt,
• ½ punnet of mushrooms, saffron, Malay/ Thai spice and
washed and sliced herbs and cook for 5 minutes
• ½ cup peas 4. Add peppers, mushrooms and
• 1tsp salt peas. Cook for few minutes.
• 1 tsp crushed garlic or paste 5. Add cooked rice and chopped
• few strands of Shaikhs Exotic coriander / dhanya.
Saffron ( pour boiling water Mix well and steam for a few minutes
over saffron and allow to steep untill all flavours have blended into
till needed ) rice.
My name is Layla Misbach and I am 10 years old and studying hifz • 10ml Shaikhs Exotic Malay/ Thai
full-time at the Imam Hafs Academy in Rondebosch. My mommy, Roshaan, spice
writes for the Community News and has many book parties. I love to read and I • 2.5ml Shaikhs Exotic mixed
especially enjoyed this book very much. The book tells me herbs
about Hijab and that I can wear it in lots of places. • ¼ bunch of fresh
The book is filled with such pretty pictures of beautiful girls in coriander / dhanya
hijab. When I saw these pictures I realized that I don’t have (washed and
to feel embarrassed to where my scarf at all. chopped)
It does not matter how old I am , how I wear it or even where
I am.
What is important is that it is beautiful and I choose to wear
my hijab because it pleases Allah.

email your review and photograph to info@islamicmedia.

co.za or fax 021 697 2304 – We would love to hear from
you. Shaikhs Exotics
Blomvlei Road
Lansdowne
 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429
My Father Died Alone in Gaza
By RAMZY BAROUD
I still vividly remember my father’s
face - wrinkled, apprehensive, warm
- as he last wished me farewell four-
teen years ago. He stood outside
the rusty door of my family’s home
in a Gaza refugee camp wearing
old yellow pyjamas and a seeming-
ly ancient robe. As I hauled my one
small suitcase into a taxi that would
take me to an Israeli airport an hour
away, my father stood still. I wished
he would go back inside; it was cold
and the soldiers could pop up at any
moment. As my car moved on, my
father eventually faded into the dis-
tance, along with the graveyard, the
water tower and the camp. It never
occurred to me that I would never
see him again.
I think of my father now as he was
that day. His tears and his frantic
last words: “Do you have your mon-
ey? Your passport? A jacket? Call
me the moment you get there. Are
you sure you have your passport?
Just check,one last time”
My father was a man who always
defied the notion that one can only
be the outcome of his circumstance.
Expelled from his village at the age
of 10, running barefoot behind his
parents, he was instantly trans-
ferred from the son of a landown-
ing farmer to a penniless refugee in
a blue tent provided by the United
Nations in Gaza. Thus, his life of
hunger, pain, homelessness, free-
dom-fighting, love, marriage and
loss commenced.
The fact that he was the one chosen
to quit school to help his father pro-
Pressure Not Placation is Needed to
Finally Effect Change In Zimbabwe
The interesting thing about the
recent elections in Zimbabwe
is not that Zanu-PF and Robert
Mugabe lost the vote (which has
happened before) but that they
seem to have lost the count as
well. In the March 2002 presiden-
tial poll the Movement for Demo-
cratic Change leader, Morgan
Tsvangirai, won a substantial ma-
jority of votes cast. However, the
count was fixed to give Mugabe
victory. The International Herald
Tribune reported at the time that
all results had been channelled
through a Zanu-PF command
centre in Harare headed by two
Mugabe loyalists.
Zanu-PF certainly had the power
to something similar this time
around, as the Zimbabwean Elec-
toral Commission is completely
under its control. According to
The Guardian (UK) Mugabe met
with his intelligence and military
vide for his now tent- dwelling fam-
ily was a huge source of stress for
him. In a strange, unfamiliar land,
his new role was going into neigh-
boring villages and refugee camps
to sell gum, aspirin and other small
items. His legs were a testament to
the many dog bites he btained dur-
ing these daily journeys. Later scars
were from the shrapnel he acquired
through war.
As a young man and soldier in the
Palestinian unit of the Egyptian
army, he spent years of his life
marching through the Si-
nai desert. When the Is-
raeli army took over Gaza
following the Arab defeat
in 1967, the Israeli com-
mander met with those
who served as police of-
ficers under Egyptian
rule and offered them the
chance to continue their
services under Israeli rule.
Proudly and willingly, my
young father chose ab-
ject poverty over working
under the occupier’s flag.
And for that, predictably,
he paid a heavy price. His two-year-
old son died soon after.
My oldest brother is buried in the
same graveyard that bordered my
father’s house in the camp. My fa-
ther, who couldn’t cope with the
thought that his only son died be-
cause he couldn’t afford to buy
medicine or food,would be found
asleep near the tiny grave all night,
or placing coins and candy in and
around it.
chiefs on Sunday evening to dis-
cuss their response to Tsvangi-
rai’s apparent victory in the pres-
idential poll. The article quoted a
diplomatic source as saying that
one option was for Mugabe to
simply “declare victory. Cooler
heads prevailed. It was decided
to use the [election commission]
process of drip, drip where you
release results over a long peri-
od, giving the opposition gains at
first but as time wears on Zanu-
PF pulls ahead.”
This may have been a fatal mis-
take. Because the count was
posted at each polling station
- as well as sent through to the
ZEC - the MDC and independ-
ent monitors were able to collect
these results, publish them, and
thereby pre-empt any Zanufi-
cation of the results. The re-
gime was forced into conceding
through The Herald, firstly, that
My father’s reputation as an intel-
lectual, his passion for Russian lit-
erature, and his endless support of
fellow refugees brought him untold
trouble with the Israeli authorities,
who retaliated by denying him the
right to leave Gaza.
His severe asthma, which he devel-
oped as a teenager was compound-
ed by lack of adequate medical fa-
cilities. Yet, despite daily coughing
streaks and constantly gasping for
breath, he relentlessly negotiated
his way through life for the sake of
his family. On one hand, he refused
to work as a cheap laborer in Israel.
“Life itself is not worth a shred of
one’s dignity,” he insisted. On the
other, with all borders sealed except
that with Israel, he still needed a way
to bring in an income. He would buy
cheap clothes, shoes, used TVs,
and other miscellaneous goods,
and find a way to transport and sell
them in the camp. He invested eve-
rything he made to ensure that his
sons and daughter could receive a
Mugabe had not won a majority
of votes cast; and, secondly, that
Zanu-PF had lost its majority in
the lower house of parliament.
The Zuma factor
It is notable that Robert Mugabe
retained his grip on power for
longer than Thabo Mbeki did, but
not much longer. It is only now
that Mbeki is finished politically
that Mugabe’s hold on power has
begun to slip. In the last three
stolen elections Zanu-PF could
always safely rely upon Mbeki to
go to great lengths to legitimise
the results. Could it be that one
reason for Zanu-PF’s prevarica-
tion last Sunday was that they
were now suddenly unsure of
the ANC’s continued support?
Whatever his earlier complicity in
keeping Zanu-PF in power, Jacob
Zuma certainly owes a moral and
political debt to the anti-Mugabe
forces Zimbabwe.
good education, an arduous mis-
sion in a place like Gaza.
But when the Palestinian uprising
of 1987 exploded, and our camp
became a battleground between
stone-throwers and the Israeli army,
mere survival became Dad’s over-
riding concern. Our house was the
closest to the Red Square, arbi-
trarily named for the blood spilled
there, and also bordered the ‘Mar-
tyrs’ Graveyard’. How can a father
adequately protect his family in
such surroundings? Israeli soldiers
stormed our house
hundreds of times; it
was always him who
somehow held them
back, begging for his
children’s safety, as
we huddled in a dark
room awaiting our
fate. “You will under-
stand when you have
your own children,” he
told my older brothers
as they protested his
allowing the soldiers
to slap his face. Our
‘freedom-fighting’ dad
struggled to explain how love for
his children could surpass his own
pride. He grew in my eyes that day.
It’s been fourteen years since I last
saw my father. As none of his chil-
dren had access to isolated Gaza,
he was left alone to fend for him-
self. We tried to help as much as
we could, but what use is money
without access to medicine? In our
last talk he said he feared he would
die before seeing my children, but
As noted before, Aristotle ob-
served in Politics, “it is not easy
for a person to do any great
harm when his tenure of office is
short, whereas long possession
begets tyranny in oligarchies
and democracies.” By keeping
Mugabe in power, and allowing
him to bring ruin to Zimbabwe,
Mbeki provided the ANC with an
object lesson in the danger of
allowing a leader to extend his
term of office. The metaphor by
which the delegates at Polok-
wane justified their rejection of
“Thabo Mugabeki” was that they
didn’t want “another Zimbabwe”
in South Africa.
Diplomatic Virodene
The West can always be relied
upon to do the wrong thing in
Africa. The Times reports that
Western diplomats are involved
in brokering a deal whereby Mu-
gabe will - in return for accept-
11
I promised that I would find a way.
I failed.
Since the siege on Gaza, my fa-
ther’s life became impossible. His
ailments were not ‘serious’ enough
for hospitals crowded with limbless
youth. During the most recent Israe-
li onslaught, most hospital spaces
were converted to surgery wards,
and there was no place for an old
man like my dad. All attempts to
transfer him to the better equipped
West Bank hospitals failed as Israeli
authorities repeatedly denied him
the required permit.
“I am sick, son, I am sick,” my father
cried when I spoke to him two days
before his death. He died alone on
March 18, waiting to be reunited
with my brothers in the West Bank.
He died a refugee, but a proud man
nonetheless.
My father’s struggle began 60 years
ago, and it ended a few days ago.
Thousands of people descended to
his funeral from throughout Gaza,
oppressed people that shared his
plight, hopes and struggles, ac-
companying him to the graveyard
where he was laid to rest. Even a
resilient fighter deserves a moment
of peace.
Ramzy Baroud teaches mass com-
munication at Curtin University of
Technology and is the author of
The Second Palestinian Intifada: A
Chronicle of a People’s Struggle.He
is also the editor-in-chief of Palesti-
neChronicle.com.
ing his loss in the elections - get
immunity from prosecution and
the right to retain his ill-gotten
property. Zanu-PF will mean-
while continue in power through
a government of national unity.
The article quotes a Western
diplomat as explaining way the
moral squalor of this proposal
by describing it as “African solu-
tion to an African problem.”
The ANC, to its great credit, did
not buy into this kind of Afro-
nonsense when it came to jet-
tisoning its own leader. It voted
Mbeki and his cronies out of of-
fice and they just had to accept it.
There was no “African solution”
there, just a perfectly normal
democratic one to a problem of
a leader who had outstayed his
welcome. (Moneyweb-edited by
Sanaa Petersen)
 12 MAY 2008 - Rabi Al-Akhar 1429

When deciding on Divorce
ish reasons such as greed, power or lust
but more so because it is in the interest of
oneself, the children and the spouse col-
lectively only because the relationship is
destructive. Islam does not reject Talaq
(divorce) but provides that it is the most
hated legal thing!
A woman often fears that if she leaves her
husband, she will not be able to exist inde-
pendently from him and they tend to be of
the opinion that as a result the children will
suffer, when in fact at times, by staying on
fer can dramatically affect later on in life.
Children look up to their parents to be their
mentors and their safety net.
For those who feel the need (for whatever
reason) to remain in an abusive relation-
ship, it is not the end of the world. There
is hope and they can continue to work on
the marriage and hope but over and above
that they can make conscious decisions
whether or not to approach help in order to
force the abusive partner to behave and to
treat them with dignity.
of the abuse.
Protection orders offers various forms of
relief. It could order the respondent (per-
son committing an act of domestic vio-
lence) to pay emergency monetary relief,
to be prohibited from verbally, emotionally
or physically abusing the applicant, from
threatening to prevent applicant and/or
children from entering or remaining at the
common home (regardless if the home is
rented or owned by the respondent and
even paid by respondent).
The applicant can go to the court in the area
which he/she, or the abusive partner lives
or works or where the abuse took place.
In addition if physical abuse took place, the
complainant is then entitled to report a crim-
inal charge of assault regardless of whether
there is an interdict in place or not.
Interdicts should however not be taken
lightly nor should it be misused as it has
serious consequences. For example a
person who commits perjury (tells lies) un-
der oath in order to obtain an interdict can

I ndividuals should assess the degree

and effect of abuse they are subjected
to and the impact that it has on their re-
in the marriage, parent’s causes the chil-
dren more harm. One should first try approaching relatives
or religious figures in the community to
It could also order the respondent not to
slander, humiliate, stalk or harass the ap-
be fined up to R2, 000.00 or imprisoned for
up to 2 years.

spective children. If they are feel that they
are not emotionally capable as well as in
a position to objectively assess their own
situation, then it is advisable to seek as-
sistance from professionals.
If it turns out that there is no alternative
and all genuine attempts to save the mar-
riage has failed then it is better to end
such a marriage. Not for one’s own self-
Women possess many untapped qualities
and once they are faced with challenges
or emergencies, they are amazed at their
skills, talent and strength and their ability to
cross any hurdle.
Many parents tend to think that staying in
the marriage is better for the sake of their
children but this is not always the case
since the psychological harm they suf-
address issues in the marriage and if all
else fails then approach a court of law for
a protection order at the domestic violence
court. Such an interdict as it is commonly
called will order the abuser to refrain from
committing any act of domestic violence.
Should the abuser breach the interdict
he may be arrested or ordered to ap-
pear in court depending on the severity
plicant, etc.
The Domestic Violence Act provides that
anyone who is in a domestic relationship
with someone who or is subjected to abuse
by his/her partner may approach the court
for a protection order. The only cost to be
paid is the sheriff’s fee for service of ap-
proximately R70.00
Until next time
Salaams Nurjahan Khan
If you would like to more information
or to share your experiences or have a
general legal question please contact
us on info@islamicmedia.co.za or fax
021 697 2304

Defining Our Legacy part 2

Masjidul Ishraaq
Committee members their roles
and contact numbers
• Sedick Gamiet (Chairperson)
Tel.797-1574, 072 6243517
• Thaabit Sambo (Vice Chair)
Tel.706-9303
• Ismail Adams (Secretary)
• Achmat Adams (Treasurer)
• Ebrahim Sambo (Fundraising)
• Mansoor Sasman
(Building/Maintenance)
• Ridwaan Sambo (Social Welfare)
• Ebrahim Abrahams (Trustee)
• Moosa Appels (Trustee)
• Abdullah Slamang (Trustee)
5th Avenue, Lotus River
Brief History Activities
1980 - Land acquired 1. Educare classes, Mon-Thurs
1984 - Construction commenced from 7.00am-5.30pm
1989 - Construction completed 2. Madressa classes, Mon- Thurs
1986 - First jamaah salaah per- afternoons.
formed 3. Ladies classes : Monday evening
Major renovations undertaken in and Tues & Thurs mornings. The ladies committee of Masjidul Ishraaq in Lotus River commemorated the birth of the
holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) with their sisters of Saydina Bilal Masjid, Makazar, South
1999 4. Fiqh classes : Monday evenings.
Khayalitsha. The women shared their traditions and stories of the life of the Prophet.
5. Hajj class on Tuesday evenings.
Previous Imaam 6. Arabic language on Wednesday Kindly sponsored by :
Sheikh Ahmed Ismaeel Samaai (1997) evenings.
Current Imam 7. Tableegh programme on Tues-
Asst Imam Mogammad Allie Bassier day after Magrib.
(1986- present) 8. Raatibul Gaddaad on Thurs after
Sheikh Shaheen Abrahams Magrib.
(1998-present) 9. Ladies Tableegh on first Tues 4 Avenue, Grassy Park Tel: 021-706 1974
morning of every month.
24hr Contact 10. Tahajjud salaah one Sunday a
Waseela month, an hour before Fajr.
Tel.705-5471, 082 2186704 11. Ghatamal Quran once a month
on Sunday after Magrib. Buck Rd, Lotus River Tel: 021-703 0177
Bank Details
First National Bank
Grassy Park Branch
A/c No.54820736080

Saudi Teachers College Hands “Cape Town the City of Bondage”

Over Qurans to Hifz Academies
Dr Abdul Rahaman Madkhali,
Human Development Official
Trainer, for the Jazan
Teachers’ College in Saudi
Arabia handed over Qurans
to the Muslim Judicial Council
Quranic Affairs on the 15 April
2008 at their new offices in
Little street, Athlone. This
symbolic gesture will pave the
way in developing a uniform
methodology in memorizing
and teaching the Holy Quran
- internationally.
The official launch of book titled,”Cape Town the City of Bondage” by Mogamat Ganief Kamedien, a
(l) Dr Abdul Rahaman Madkhali handing over the Qurans to renowned South African Slave researcher at Wynberg High school on the 16th February 2008 under auspices
Hifz Academies with Moulana Ihsaan Hendricks observing the of Cape Family Historical Society. (L-R) Mahdie Mohamed, researcher Mogamat Ganief Kamedien and
hand-over. Mogamad Hartley