Perhaps in this country, more than in most other countries, people are judged by the colour of their skins, the shape of their noses, the type of hair they have, and their African countries of origin. We have lived through long periods of different forms of racism, some of which were entrenched in the laws of this country. Even during the period of so-called democracy, xenophobia campaigns were directed at immigrants from countries near to us. We have found all kinds of prejudice against human beings, one of the most distasteful things in my experience of living in this country. Prejudice is not only directed against people for racial reasons, but you also get prejudices directed at old people, people with disabilities, and people of another gender. In many ways, South Africa is a classic example of how human beings should not be treated. Recently [2012] we came across the

In a previous letter to you, I mentioned that Futuwwah is the best possible behaviour that one can have towards Allah Almighty and His Messenger (ﷺ). There are also a number of other categories and in this letter I wish to cover Futuwwah towards the inheritors of the Prophets (a.s.). Nabi Muhammad (ﷺ) is the major religious guide for all of humanity. With his (ﷺ) demise, he (ﷺ) left the guidance to his (ﷺ) Companions whom he (ﷺ) referred to as stars. Of course, the Companions here included the members of his (ﷺ) family who had been defined in different ways. One of the interesting definitions of his (ﷺ) family, which is not a definition which I am using here, is that his (ﷺ) family are the members of his (ﷺ) household. Another definition is all those who follow him (ﷺ) in Islam are his (ﷺ) family, the definition I

Obeying the principle of “Futuwwah” is one of the most difficult things in Tasawwuf. By Futuwwah we mean to have the proper adab (etiquette or refined behaviour) on all occasions. Because of the way we have been reared, and the way we live, these principles have never really been implemented in our lives. The person who exemplified Futuwwah the most (other than Nabi Muhammad ﷺ) was Sayyiduna Ali (r.a.). He was known for his generosity, selflessness and granting honour to others. And so his adab became an example to all of us of proper adab. Of course, Nabi Ebrahim (a.s.) was called a “fata” in the Qur’an at the time when he destroyed the idols. And so the destruction of one’s bad characteristics and replacing them with admirable characteristics, are also part of Futuwwah. The destruction of the idols represents the harnessing of the lower passions or the ego. One

There are times in our lives when we do things or say things that cause major damage to our spiritual growth. This is mainly on an individual level. On a social or political level, there have been events in Islam, which not only caused major damage to the ethos operating in the community of Islam but caused damage of such a nature that it split the community into smaller parts. One such event was the killing of Sayyiduna Husayn (r.a.) at Karbala. We must understand that although the message of Islam is a sacred message and the one who brought the message is the most sacred personality of all time, it does not mean that after his (ﷺ) demise major corruption could not enter his (ﷺ) community. Despite the piety of the Companions (r.a.) and later generations, corruption was still able to hold sway amongst them. The killing of Sayyiduna

Allah Almighty says: وَ اصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدٰوةِ وَ الْعَشِىِّ يُرِيْدُوْنَ وَجْهَهُ وَ لاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ And keep your soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes pass beyond them (18:28). يَأَيُّهَا الَّذَيْنَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَ كُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِيْنَ O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful (9:119). Allah Almighty has provided us with guides from very soon after our births. Our first guides with regard to speech and all forms of behaviour are our parents and all others with whom we have close contact such as our siblings. Under their guidance, we learn about Allah (ﷻ) and His Messenger (ﷺ); about what we can do and cannot do; the dangers around us and how to speak. In fact, we learn most of our behaviour during our early

On numerous occasions we have mentioned to you that we are so specially privileged by being in the Naqshbandi Tariqah that came from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (r.a.). We are also so specially privileged, because we are the nation of the greatest Messenger (ﷺ), the seal of the Prophets (a.s.). This privilege is intensified even further by the fact that we have, as our guide, perhaps the most pious man on the surface of the earth, a Sultanul Awliya’. And he is accessible. What more can we as murids, ask? In one of his (ﷺ) descriptions of the Awliya’, a status which our hearts are burning and paining for, he (ﷺ) said: “There are those who love each other in Allah (ﷻ).” This statement tells us how we should start to be with each other, because of what we want to attain. We want one of the greatest honours from

Perhaps the greatest blessing that we have received from Allah Almighty is the blessing of existence. If this blessing were not there, then we would not have been able to come to know of Allah (ﷻ), of His Messenger (ﷺ) and of His Message. Our existence means that we were present on the Day of Promises to accept the Oneness of our Lord and to give recognition to Him as our Creator. Everything starts with existence. Our lives started like that. So our Lord, by bringing us into existence, gives us the opportunity to strive for servitude under His guidance on earth, and gives us the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of that servitude in the Hereafter. There are some of us to whom He gives a short existence. To others, He gives a long one. There are special blessings in a short existence. It means that you only have

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”justified” sticky_enabled=”0″] Perhaps the major challenge that we have to our work in this country is a very subtle and not very noticeable spread of the Wahabi-Salafi discourse. In fact, even a very cursory assessment of what goes on in our mosques and madrassas, shows a general decline in the spread and establishment of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah. We have said on numerous occasions that this is the understanding of Islam that we had inherited from our forefathers and that had prevailed at the Cape up to a few decades ago. Today, because those of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah were not watching their backs, the religious leaders trained in Wahabi-Salafi discourses have taken over many of our religious institutions. One of the greatest difficulties wherever we try

This is one of the forgotten verses in the Qur’an. If not forgotten, then, of course, ignored, because the Muslim Ummah has been split into numerous pieces, with some at war with others. I can understand today why on so many occasions Nabi Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “Ummati, Ummati, Ummati:  my nation, my nation, my nation”. This call must have come from the very depth of his heart when the realization dawned upon him that his nation was going to split and ignore all the teachings of brotherhood and togetherness. This must have been so painful to him (ﷺ). All his teachings and what he has left behind as a religious legacy for his (ﷺ) nation, were going to be trampled on. The pain must have been even more severe when he came to know that very soon after his death, the Muslims would have swords drawn against each other and

There are many matters in our religion that we have to deal with in very special ways as we walk this path of Tariqah with our hand in the hand of our shaykh. I’ve spoken to you on numerous occasions about the obstacles on this path and how difficult it is to see to all the observances that come one’s way. One sometimes comments that perhaps the criticism of Tariqah flows from the inability of people to be involved in the observances of Islam as were expounded during the initial stages of Islam. Perhaps this is the difficulty. In our Tariqah we have gone back to the initial stages and are trying very hard to walk in the footsteps of those who, during the first century, carried the flag of Islam. This was the greatest generation, the generation of Jihad. We are also a generation of Jihad, but at another