Ismail Kamdar – The South African Riots – Events and Advice
AI: Summary ©
The transcript discusses the aftermath of the pandemic in South Africa, including extreme cold and rain, extreme weather, and looting and destruction of property. The speakers emphasize the importance of forgiveness and apologizing for past mistakes, while also highlighting the need for continuous forgiveness and apologizing for past mistakes. The conversation also touches on the negative impact of the pandemic on Muslims, including the use of social media and "amsements of faith", the need for a wish list, and the challenges faced by people in the heat and heat. The hosts also mention upcoming shows and topics, including a jam-packed program and a presentation on the upcoming month.
AI: Summary ©
Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah early he was Sufi minister in the vicinity of Medina.
salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. We praise and thank Almighty Allah subhanho wa Taala. We put Salawat and Salam on the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam more so on a little Juma as a prophet solo while they were selling them to this for a while, I mean a Salafi increase in me or on me in Salawat on Friday and the night of Friday, which precedes the Friday in the Islamic calendar. salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. I'm joined by a very young man looking very dapper this evening, so I want to come to you doing walaikum Salah to light I love America to share. It's good to see you this evening once again, cold in Cape Town cold and wet in Cape Town Mashallah.
Alhamdulillah. But, you know, winter with is really my favorite weather, because I like to wear a jacket. And I like to be a neck scarf to just look foolish to wear that in, in the summer. Is that is that the shift Gabrielli that you need to be the scarf? You know, Romney, I think is that scarf? scarf like that.
was like one of those. It's not one of those those around the neck during winter Alhamdulillah. We have an interesting show this evening with an interesting name. And people but you haven't given us they've been asking was this Ali Baba? And who are the 40 thieves? And like I told you, I think one of the bandits hit us this evening, my Allah Subhana. Allah protect us. When we were packing our equipment and packing the cameras, one suddenly disappeared. So we are looking for that for we're looking for that bandwidth. But who is Alibaba? And who are the 40? Thieves?
So how do I shift my Mavic make it something better? In return, replacing that that camera inshallah? Yeah, you know, it's one of the very first me times put this very succinctly, you know, in
one of the first story books that I got to read as a kid, and I think many children and at a young age got to go to read this book. So maybe a grade one prescribed book at grade one.
I read Kathy and Mark, and then I think the Afrikaans equivalent was put put in circuit? I don't know, I don't know. But we are getting an moq. And so we're reading from Arabian Nights of 1001 nights was maybe something they did before my time, but we don't go there we go scratchy.
But it's an interesting novel of of, you know, a band of thieves, you know, going about and taking positions of individuals. And we just saw that, you know, when we look back at what's happened in our country, what's happening more, particularly in kwazulu Natal, people just went about on their merry old way and just gathered items that didn't belong to them, belong to others, and they went on home. And they know there's been some crazy footage that we've seen, you know, people couldn't get the items into their vehicles that they came with. handler. So this is funny, funny, funny stories like that, but I'm sure you know, for those individuals that had lived through the ordeal, as it
wasn't as
Have we may have seen it? Some of the items but very traumatic, very challenging. I think a time when you know we have to stand up and really protect our belongings our families, our communities, you know from from this character Scourge that's taken place. So I think shirt we've got some great guests on people that hasn't that as visible as before. Some are a little bit longer than others, but great to have them on our program this evening and we get you from all the way from Turkey and down to the the east coast of South Africa. salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah.
Somali
Polycom Mercado, the I'm stoked to get a teacher I said, I said Tikka. I must be angry. But I'm so happy to have our brothers from Devon suresmile campus America, Allah and all the way from Turkey that the use of Abdul Jabbar who reached out to us to really find out what's happening in South Africa. And you know, sometimes a story goes cold like, which happens very often with Palestine and Gaza because everybody's pretty guys are Free Gaza and then for a week, everybody's Free Gaza and then it goes cold. And so, you know, the looting has stopped, but the effect is still there. That's what we speaking about you this evening in Charlottetown. Allah inshallah Yeah, I think you know, to
Dr. Yusuf, welcome. It's great to have you on our program once again a humbler and surely smile. Maybe you can just you know, from somebody living in caves in in in Durban area. Tell us what was it like? What is it like right now, in terms of the atmosphere. I've got some colleagues that that's working on the ground in in Durban and case it in area, it gives me updates as well. But just from your side, give me an idea. Give us an idea of what's happening and what has happened over the past little while.
Okay, so hamdulillah salat wa salam, ala rasulillah. So it's quite interesting that just three weeks ago, I was on the program with you guys. And then like, a few days after that, all of this stuff.
I think it's actually the day after that it started. But like, so I think most of us know the story, the ex president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma was arrested. And there were protests against his arrest. And really, nobody really understands what happened next. But somehow, the protests escalated into riots, and the riots escalated into looting. And the looting escalated into the burning down and destruction of property. And for a few days, we were basically living in a war zone. Like we literally had to barricade the entrances to our roads, people had to stand guard at night with guns for multiple nights in a row. We couldn't sleep all night, you
know, all night, we could hear gunshots, we could hear helicopters, you could hear sirens, and you afraid of people getting into our neighborhood. So for those basically, first event after the industrial areas, and the biggest stores like macro, and you know, these huge warehouses and the malls, and they started looting. And then they start moving into the residential areas. And when you start moving into the residential areas, that's when,
you know, the reaction came from the community when the community realized that the police aren't defending us, the Army's taking too long to arrive. It's up to us, we have to do something. And so it was actually quite impressive how the community is mobilized to change.
So
people barricaded the roads, they cut the guns out. And they literally, you know, for a few days, there was basically a lawless land where people were shooting at each other. Some people were looting others were defending their homes. It just got really crazy. And then after a few days, the police the army arrived, and things settled down. And until today, we still dealing with the aftermath. So for like one week after this ended, there was a food shortage and a sense of shortage in the community. Because many shops had been looted. Many of the warehouses had been looted. And many of the trade routes have been blocked out. So there was a shortage of food for a few days. And
there was a second thing to deal with. And we are until today still dealing with that in some areas. And more than that dealing with the businesses that have been destroyed. The jobs that have been lost the poverty that has been in
the current situation that we're dealing with
Dr Yusuf
I think you have some questions of your, your own insha Allah being in Turkey and wanting to know more so the floor is yours Mashallah.
Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah here or below alameen wa Salatu was Salam. ala rasulillah Karim, Allah Allah. He was happy here to mine and my bad. Yeah barakallahu li for having me on the show again. It's been a little while. Since Ramadan we made our special drinks. Yes, yes. You guys remember it smile doesn't know this. But yeah, we were having lots of fun anyway.
Yeah, hamdulillah it's very worrying because we had we heard about this, lots of people in England, confused, you know what's going on? And for me, really, it's
a lot more real, because, you know, I visited about three years ago, I've got good friends like you and few other families that are very close to us. And
hamdulillah we started panicking thinking that it was nationwide. And we thought, you know, if you're alive, what's going on? Then I see you instagramming I thought, Okay, he's a chef. He's,
he's still he's still. He's still uploading, you know, so he should define
hamdulillah but it is disturbing, because you know what it is, we live in a time where there's so much craziness going on. You hear these floods, floods in London, which is unheard of in the month of July, in certain parts of London, you know, East London excetera floods and and it's very flash. And then you hear well, also today, by the way, there's a massive fires, forest fires and things in alanya, which is also on the coast,
or areas of Turkey, massive fires, you know, so you just wonder what is going on with the world and are we edging closer to n times and this sign also South Africa. Also the professor seminar Hadith, we know about chaos and corruption and the Luma darkness because really, it's sad because of Okay, the president gets arrested, but suddenly, this people's other second nature erupts. And they they start ganging up, let's say, the blacks against the Indians, and Whoa, okay, it's a free for all people lose ethics. And it's a free for all, you know, and it's a chaotic, it's very worrying. So I wanted to find out from yourselves and hence, say, let's go on and find out so there'll be a lot of
people inshallah, we'll be playing this back, to get an accurate understanding, also a lot of rubbish going around, you know, a lot of just forwarding and messages and a lot of lies and a lot of misunderstanding. It's really unfortunate. And that's why it's good for yourselves and a smile also suresmile because he's there. And I just have really good memories of South Africa. Because when I visited Durban Cape Town, there was like a holiday in five star holiday in Bahamas, you know, people People say, what's wrong with you? Didn't you get kidnapped? You're still alive, you're back? In so why, why are you going to South Africa? You know, you get these? What do you call it hype? Even now
here, you know, you guys, some of you know, I'm in southeast Turkey. And this is part of kind of the original lands of a sham. And it's not far from the original, a sham, meaning Syria, and the people saying, Are you safe? You know, are you? Are you still alive? What's going on? So a lot of sense a sensationalization that you know that this is unsafe. And so that's why it's important for us to clarify and get some information from on the ground. And inshallah we make the offer our brothers and sisters because we have a very beautiful, progressive, rich, very integrated, very respected Muslim community in South Africa, amongst the locals, you know, and that's what really impressed me
and, and that's why it's so important to support and speak the truth about our brothers and sisters on what's going on not to be
what do you call this stereotyped and be twisted by the media? or forgotten by the media? You know, because now you're right, people are picking I saw some videos where they were, you know, this is worrying you have a line of youth. Now the 100 meters away another line of use, and they're just firing at them randomly just saying, Yeah, we'll kill that one. We'll kill that one. Imagine if that's your family, that's your brother. That's your cousin. You know, what possesses what possesses people to do things like that, you know, what is the what is the reason? What is the incentive? What is the lawlessness Why have people just law lost their ethics and morals overnight? So that's really
what I want to find out a bit more. And you know, to see what does it hold for the Muslims of South Africa long term because Muslims are very unsettled everywhere. You know, in Turkey Alhamdulillah. It's a big mix.
secular medium practicing, but again as a restlessness everywhere for Muslims unfortunately,
to check.
Yeah, you know, definitely. And I think that you know, we live in a country actually when you look at the South African Muslim and
Muslims are that are resilient Muslims that have gone through many years of struggle came here into South Africa as slaves many centuries ago having fought the old regime in terms of apartheid and and dealing with that being resilient being at the forefront of that and are facing this. So So Jeff is my you know, we we look at this and and one of the messages that I received out of kwazulu Natal has been that from from big business people say, Do not send any items to kwazulu Natal don't send anything to Durban or as as commonly known, we've got enough, we have enough supplies, we have to unlock the supply chain to be able to make sure that people are getting fit. But between that time
of that statement being made, and time food actually starting to get unlocked locally in encase it in at was about five or six days already. What was I mean, people there was there was kind of chaos, even after this whole aftermath of the looting and stuff of people waiting for food. And you know, there was that restlessness that Dr. Yusuf speaks about, that that restlessness I was there even to try and solicit a loaf of bread to feed the families? What was it like, I mean, you've living through that in your areas as well shop for handler. Okay, so hamdulillah that did not affect me specifically, mainly because of COVID. And the lockdown, I had already been stockpiling and buying
groceries once a month, because I don't want to go shopping in this pandemic. So I already had enough groceries and things in my house to last two weeks before any of this started. But what happened was about by the day, after everything settled down, I decided to go for a drive to see the situation on the streets. And the few shops that were open, they were like
they were like lines of 1000s of people waiting to get into the stores to buy milk and bread. And people have to stand in these lines for like seven or eight hours because again, I am able to have the Allies privilege me with the risk we can buy when retirement you know in one day, but the average South African has to buy milk and bread every single day, they can't do have the luxury to to shop once a month. So for people who are accustomed to buying their groceries every single day, for six days in a row not to be able to buy anything means there's nothing in their homes at all. And then they go to the store they have to stand in this queue for six to seven hours risking COVID
because the pandemic still going on. And when they get to the front, everything sold out. There's nothing because there's no trucks coming into the into the city. So there's no new supplies coming in. So it's so now you have to go stand in another queue at another shop hoping to get it again. This is where the Muslim community stepped up once again Alhamdulillah because at the masjid, they were long queues of Muslim and non Muslim men and women everybody of every race standing outside the masjid because at the masjid, the Muslims are distributing free milk and bread. And while some people are taking advantage and hiking up the price of milk in red because of the shortage, Muslims
are distributing it for free. And so Muslims regarding the neighborhood's Muslim redistributing milk and bread for free, Missouri, this reading essential for free. So even for us on eBay, it's we didn't really have either because the community was in a state of shock. Everybody's some people didn't have food, some people didn't have essentials, those of us who had these things were still in, in a state of shock, we're still traumatized by the situation. I spent it morning collecting essentials, or to deliver to another area and then you know, my mother took to the central and and distributed amongst the people. And that's how he they went for us as well. So hamdulillah the
Muslim community stepped up. Allah has blessed the Muslims of this community with well to because of the generosity and the demand.
And Muslims in Durban are by the nature of people who are community focused and generous and think about others before themselves. And this really shine through during that period because every day for a week if you wanted anything, Muslims will give it to you for free. But that's that's how you can come together.
Share your words amazingly Am I reminds me of the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi salam or Jubilee amaryl movement How amazing is the the fee of the believer and sheer use of the use of you know, we've seen online posts, social media posts of people really, really really looking the you know, the idea of what the Muslim is people saying you know,
We used to be afraid of seeing a beer The guy with a shotgun in the road. But we actually saw these people coming to protect the neighborhood, securing the neighborhood, we felt safe. And like Seamus, might you'll see the food was being distributed trucks were coming in from other parts of, of South Africa. And basically the the idea or how people looked at Muslims, suddenly, in all this chaos changed, and there was a more positive outlook and, you know, an approach to towards Muslims.
Yeah, I mean, that's really
great, because, you know, we need to do more our actions speak louder than words. And the similar things happened with COVID, in England, where the Muslim charities, you know, and the mosques, the charities that I, you know, I'm affiliated with a number of them. And what they've been doing during COVID, taking risks, making food packs, and taking them to the vulnerable, knocking on their door leaving them and these are completely strangers in the neighborhood. And they've been doing that also the the mosques have had
food distribution. So anybody have any faith, any color, any ethnicity, it didn't matter, because this is for insan humans. And they would come and collect the essentials, bread, milk, oil, sugar tea, and the Muslims have been doing that for months during COVID. You know, so it really does show that Islam is compatible in the West. And Muslims we have we are much more than a very, let's say, a closed religion that only cares for them their own selves know, Islam is a religion that takes care of the wider community. And so this pandemic, and this crisis has been a bit of a positive branding for Islam and Muslims, you know, and because normally we wouldn't hamdulillah Normally, we wouldn't
do that we're a bit shy to go out the neighbors and, and this really has been one of the positive sides of the pandemic, and of the situation, let's say in South Africa.
And I know that you're the South African, you have a very good relationship. And with the community, South Africa, but South Africa is very complicated, as we've seen different moods, different mindsets, different tribal
people, so Alhamdulillah, that's really good. But I want to ask shutter smile. Do you think there's something more
more deeper than this riots that, you know, is there something more greater? And does it have anything to do with a lot of the other global things that we're seeing in terms of chaos? and end times? Do you think that you know that there's something on that? Okay, so I'm one of the few people I know who doesn't believe we living in the End Times.
As a historian, as somebody who studied history, I don't like the whole entire mindset because I study history, I notice every generation believes they're living in the times, right? So 600 years ago, the Mongols invaded, and people thought he was Dr. Judah module, and they thought they were living in the end times. But there was a whole Ottoman Empire to come after that. I believe in a similar point in our history, right. So my way of dividing history is 600 years we had the Arab Empire, then we had the Mongol invasion, he was no healer for a while, then we had 600 years of the Turkish Muslim Empire. Now we have no falafel for a while, inshallah, one of two things will happen,
either in the end times, or either there's going to be a third Empire. Right? So I like to be optimistic. And I don't viewed as the end times we I view it is that Allah Subhana, Allah created this world to test us. So every generation, every community, every country, every person is going to face test in their life, Allah has promised us whether w wanna come I will definitely definitely test you, the Lamb of the Akita and the noon of tequila, I will definitely test you would fear with hunger with loss of wealth, loss of lives. You know, the what we saw last week was all of that in one. And every community faces that, whether it's through an earthquake, whether it's through a
pandemic, or whether it's through riots ready through Civil War, whether it's through a flood, a tsunami, whatever it is, but every community will face tests. And I think one of the reasons why Muslims shine during these times is that we are the only ones who are psychologically and spiritually ready to face these things. Or most other people are living for the dunya. So when the junior is taken away from them, they don't know what to do, and they get scared and they get depressed and again worried. But for a Muslim who understands his religion, when the junior is taken away when things go wrong. They see what Allah and His Messenger have promised us. They see what
what what the Quran has promised.
And so we step up, and we are able to shine in times like this, because Allah has prepared us through the Quran to handle situations like this. So that's my perspective on this Allah knows best, although we're very positive. And I think that's that's something we all need the shift right now because, you know, the rest of the country, the infection rates and the fatalities have somewhat, you know, dropped but in Cape Town, we were burying family and loved ones every day and if we're going to be facing, if we look at what we're facing as total gloom, then you know, how are we going to stay strong for those people that we need to support? Yeah, so just last week, on I had two
messages in the same day from people who I grew up around, had passed away for COVID and had to decide which one I'm going to go for.
The brother that assists you with you, how's he doing? The brother with this issue with your lectures and he's still in hospital? It's been six or seven weeks now. He still is still on the ventilator. Hello, cure him?
I mean,
yeah, we living in challenging times, we're living in very interesting times as such, and you know, the pandemic be one of it, we looked at what's happened now in kwazulu Natal. And as Dr. Yusuf mentioned, better across the globe. This means many challenges with that as an oma, were facing on a day to day basis. But I think when we're speaking about this community in South Africa, because what happened in kwazulu Natal gave us an opportunity to sit not the record straight, but to show people what we do. When we help people when we help communities, is many times we don't ask, What is your religion? What is your belief? What is your status? What race are you from, we help for the sake of
helping somebody to give to improve their day to day lives. And we've seen that so many times happen right under our noses that now what's happening in kwazulu Natal, giving us as Muslims, a better platform, making sure that we are the true ambassadors of Islam and people gravitating towards this Deen while other people are trying to silence the deen in some respects as well. So we've gotten through through this and you know, we spoke a few weeks ago about positivity, sending out positive messaging to one another, to keep the heartbeat going within the within the communities. But what has happened also is that, you know, you have people saying the positives, and then on the other
side, you have people say, you know, without so many of these communities without so many of these people, why should we continue helping them see what they've done to us? How do we respond? Or how should we be responding? That could be the mindset because many people have been hurt emotionally, many people have been hurt physically, many people have been hurt economically as well, what happened in kwazulu Natal? Who I'm gonna, I'm gonna direct that question at you, you know, people facing these challenges, how should they be responding? Because these are sometimes the very same people that they've been assisting over the many years, you know, economically as well.
Yeah.
Of course, this is a very difficult one, because it tells people to
sacrifice and also
control or given to their knifes, you know, the, the best way we would do this is to look at the CEO of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and what what did he do remember all the people that used to hate him that used to swear him, they even used to try to take his life, he didn't fight back with them, he would be forgiving, and he would still care for them. And we know the famous example of the lady. The prophet SAW Salem would walk past her house, and she would everyday threw garbage throw intestines at him, you know, because she used to hate him.
And, you know, one day What happened? He she wasn't there. And so you think if you're a normal person, you think you're glad that a miserable old, old hag old lady's not there anymore, whatever's happened to him good. But he was concerned about her health a person who used to hate her, he used to cause him trouble every day. He went back, he inquired about her, you know, and, and she was surprised. And through this act of forgiveness act of concern that you know, she embraced Islam. So we see that forgiveness is very important, and to overlook and to give people chances 123 more and more chances. You know, it's um, that's going to be the formula if we do take for tat tit for tat
say, okay, they broke our community, we're gonna break them back. I think we're not gonna achieve much and that's not the believer who is really more merciful and does not fight back but is able to forgive.
And I can just give you one quick example also very strange one on day of
day of arafah so I went to the, our local Masjid. Okay. Very big machette
There is a I have my selfie stick. I put it down next to me in the Salah. And
there's a guy he's looking and he takes the selfie stick, and he's about 5055 60 years old.
And I look and I look at him and he's not gonna give it back he looked he shows another Turkish guy
you know and I said he's his This is on Elvira. Fine, we're at the masjid. And then so we carry on the Imam codea commerce code we go to pray salado for and during the fight per year he's still fiddling and playing with this my selfie stick that I bought from Amazon months ago from England, right?
So it looks like something's not quite right. So then I'm very My son is with me says dad, shall I go and ask him? Shall we get it back? Shall we? I said, No, no, let let him leave it with him. And the Salah finishes, and then he's gone. So he's actually theft my stole myself. And he's about 5560 years old. So we've got a question mark here, whether he's completely, you know, normal, he may be a bit sick, because he's not praying completely. At the time of the prayer, you can hear the click of the expansion and the closure of the selfie stick. So I was in, I was in a dilemma. So what do I do? I don't forgive him. And then I settled with him on Yom Okayama. Or I said, No, this is my Muslim
brother. And we don't know if he's 100% or there. I said, he's a gift from me, he took it as a gift. So I decided to forgive him. You know, it's it's relatively expensive, and it's not but it's more the sentimental value. But this is those things you have to give and really come out and say, okay, let it Let it go. Let it be you know, and that's what we need to be doing with those communities say okay, yes, they did hurt us in the past, but suppiler we're gonna be more generous and our last pantah workplaces. And guess what, yesterday, guess what, I went to the local stores here. And there was a very nice selfie stick.
And a very good quality and at a fraction of the price that I bought the one in England about a quarter of a quarter of the price and better quality. So palace, I bought it and I said Alhamdulillah give that gift to my brother who's who kind of stole it in the mosque in the mosque on day of arafah of old days. But lots, you know, so I think we need to just really be able to hold our knifes and just let go and forgive and just be more more generous than we ever would be in a normal situation. They actually build upon what Dr. Youssef said because my my Juma could one Friday actually adjust the same question. Right now football was about, you know, people are saying that we
shouldn't give charity or look how they repaid us our charity. So my football was a Tafseer of verse 164 m 264 of Surah Baqarah Allah tells us, oh, you will believe do not invalidate your sadaqa by reminding people of your favors and saying harmful words. And in the verse before that all 20 Allah says that to say something nice and ask forgiveness and not give any charity is better than to give charity and then to have a say harmful words afterwards. So what what was the message you're trying to convey in in the in the football, is that any sadhaka we give is for Allah subhana wa Taala. What that person does with their life afterwards is between them and Allah. It will not stop us from
giving sadaqa it will not stop us from being people of generosity. It should not make us say any we should never say why did he do this? or Why do you see that after I gave him silica? Because Allah tells us in the Quran, that that will invalidate this article that would invalidate it. And building upon that would be
the famous story in Surah noon, you know, of Abu Bakr radiallahu when he's when his nephew or his cousin who used to give sadaqa to slander, one of those people who slanted eyes shut up, and he said, I'm never going to give him any money ever again. Allah Subhana Allah revealed a verse addressing Abubakar city, karate Allahu anhu, saying that if you had to forgive him and overlook that will be best. And so aboubaker Radu forgave him and continue to give him sadaqa. So that is the model we have to aim for that yes, we are helping people, they may not repay the favor, they may do terrible things in return, that that's between him and Allah. I was set up for Allah, we expect our
reward from Allah, and we will continue to be representatives of the clock and the job of our religion and not to down to that level.
I think it's so important this detachment from from ego and nuff says, Dr. Use of course it because, you know, if we look at the seal of the Prophet solo, it was a level that says that he would never take revenge for something of a personal nature. He wouldn't
Take revenge when he was you know, harm directly, you know, be the one comes in and takes him by literally by the scruff of his neck another video and comes in urination the machine and he doesn't take it personally, but rather the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would become angry when the laws of Allah subhana wa Taala are broken. And I think that's kind of a of a test that we need to you know, do with ourselves introspection, because often we become angry, we give this person a we built a madrasa in the area, and we have a soup kitchen in the area, and then they come and destroy our businesses, we immediately ask ourselves, did we do it for ego? Or do we do it for the sake of
Allah subhanho wa Taala i think that that detachment from the nafs or the, the ego is something that we really need to learn from the Sierra. And something which is obviously difficult to, to master. You know, personally, when I was looking for that camera. Before, we know, we before we went live, and we set up and I saw the camera was missing, you know, I was fuming Well, I I said teacher message and said, I'm filming one of our cameras are stolen. And yeah, you know, I'm still a bit upset, because, you know, so I'll sit by my bus. Well, at the beginning Bismillah Alhamdulillah wasn't so you know, optimistic, like, like other times, but Alhamdulillah we pray that we we get
better inshallah. I mean, I'm inshallah
sheffy smile, you know, looking at the situation, looking at case in, you know, what words of encouragement to you. Would you be saying to your fellow South Africans this evening is number one. And then also, what are the you know, I know, you said, the community has come together, the business people have come together, everybody's rallied for support. But what you know, if you had to choose to have a wish list in terms of helping more people in kwazulu Natal, what would that wish list look look like right now this evening? I know. It's my five billable Banfi equation, catalyst. shala. Yes. So you know, the the situation in South Africa isn't a one sort of event, I believe this
is a result of over a decade of things going wrong, right. So it's compounded poverty and unemployment and racial tension and xenophobia, and frustration with the government, your frustration with each other. And, you know, South Africa is really a tale of two cities. You know, I mean, we reference one fiction book already, so it's fine to reference another But
have a look, Dr. Yusuf came to Africa, he saw the five star side of South Africa. But there's the other side as well, the vast majority who live in poverty and who struggle with the day to day we have the inflation rate, which is ridiculous, you know, the cost of living in this country is, it's become too much for the average person to handle. So if I have to have a wish list of, you know, what we could could do for the community, it will be directly related to what happened that weekend. But going back to all the events that led to it, a complete rebooting of our economy, you know, a way of showing the average person that, you know, that they came to have a government that actually
cares, you know, to have, you know, all of this in place would have been far, far better and would be, you know, because really a lot of the people who are involved that are frustrated at the situation, these are people who were living day to day before the pandemic, the lockdown started, they don't have jobs, they're unemployed for 12 to 18 months in a row. They're hungry, they're frustrated, they're angry. What they did is wrong, but there's a psychology behind what led to it. Right. So if we want to prevent this from happening again, in the future, what are we doing for the broader community? Are we supplying jobs? are we training people? Are we educating people? Are we
looking to work towards eradicating poverty? You know, while we added, you know, the issue of racism, it's a it's a topic that needs to be discussed, because whether we like it or not, there is racism amongst Muslims still, you know, I always say that apartheid ended but he never left the hearts of the people. It's still there. It's still there's still this end, it comes out in ugly times like this, you know, where people have blanketly labeled anti racist or tribes and it goes into a race war in certain neighborhoods. We have to remove this fitna discharge area of racism from our hearts. It is destructive. You cannot live in a land and be racist towards the people of that
land. It is not going to lead to any good in the long run. We have to open our hearts to everybody and look at everybody as a potential, you know, servant of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And it's one of the things I mentioned in my football is that we should make to Allah to guide these people, you know, to make the people of Amman to make it people who make Toba for what they have done to change the lives around in terms of Deen and dunya. You know, because as believers that is what matters most to us. Yeah, we lost material possessions, but as someone who has no way of living in South Africa, we've all been robbed multiple times in our life. So we all have our ways of of just moving
past it and dealing with it and seeing in the Lila
The origin and rebuilding. But no, the spiritual side is so much more important that we don't forget our place as servants of Allah. And we look at the rest of creation as potential believers as well. And we continue to reach out to them with our tower and our community work. So in our hearts, we need to fix our racism in our community, we need to work towards eradicating poverty and unemployment.
And, you know, we need to, we need to be more optimistic. That's another thing we need to be more optimistic. I'm saying that to myself first, because honestly, you know what I'm giving this message of hope to everybody live on, you know, on these channels. In my heart in my personal life, I'm planning my intro.
Yeah, it's like you part of us given up on living here, but
in fact, Turkey's rails.
But it's one of the many places I have my eyes on. But, you know, you can't have an entire Muslim community leave, you know, Muslims are too important to South Africa. They are the backbone of the of the economy that Dawa is growing, people don't want to talk about that. But people are so pessimistic, we don't realize how fast the tower is growing in South Africa. If you look at the amount of people who have converted to Islam in the past 20 years, it's, it's amazing.
We don't really have the statistics to show it, but you go out and talk to people, every third or fourth person you meet is a convert. Right? So it's very important that we remain strong in all of those areas. We don't give up, we don't stop doing power to people, we don't stop doing charity to people, we don't lose hope, in the fact that you know, this land can turn around like any other land, it goes through its ups and downs, and it can turn around in Sharla.
Yeah.
Sure, Can I add something custom Bismillah?
Yeah, more important, actually, I was thinking about
the issue of, you know, the detachment from the dunya is you've got people that have wealth, and suddenly, you know, overnight, they've lost it, no fault of their own.
If you lose it in a business venture is slightly different. Because you know, you're doing business you're engaged, you may be responsible for mismanaging or failing the business. But here, what reminds me of is Sora, Catherine las pantallas, warning us, you know, that man is very busy acquiring gathering wealth until he goes to the grave or sheet. Now, you know, imagine someone who has a million Rand today, and then tomorrow, it's gone. How does he or she gets to come to terms with that, you know, without having a nervous breakdown without committing suicide without becoming sick. And Ill, because this is, again, an attachment to the dunya the man, you know that some, a lot
of people are not ready for this, they can't deal with it, they have nervous breakdowns, they end up with lots of psychological problems, some will commit inevitably suicide. So this is also a test really that how attached are we to this dunya? And how attached are we to the wealth of the dunya? Because many of us, unfortunately, are very, very attached. And it's very dear and we don't know because if it suddenly is taken away from us, and there's a lot more of this to happen in the future, and I'm one of those kind of reading into the World Economic Forum and the the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the the end of paper currency and a lot of these things, okay, a lot of
analysis not just from me, world economies, why world premieres, things are going to happen, where you know, people's wealth can suddenly just disappear. And some people's it has recently in a someone who had 1000 Bitcoin, oh, someone else has stolen the code. Yeah. And they've lost overnight. $2 million.
So what happens as a believer, I think we have to really, really focus and think what would I do? Am I ready? How would I rebuild my life? How would I rebuild the family, if that's part of the dunya that I'm attached to is suddenly taken away? And not only that the other detachment of course, is the final detachment, which is if tomorrow was our time to go back to Las panatela. And what how are we going to go back? Are we ready? Or if someone said, Okay, you've got seven days, you've got cancer now, you've got seven days to live, what would we do with that money? What would we do with that health? What would we do with that? Free Time seven days. So Pamela so these are really for us
to deep Lee reflect in these times of crisis, to reflect and to bring out the better in ourselves and the inner that normally we wouldn't have time to reflect upon because everything is smooth in place a plain sailing and that's why they say you know, in a time of calamity, your true colors they come out when you have hardships and the prophesies some for the heavy
You know, us in nama sobre Assad Mata Lula, the true patients comes out in a time of calamity. So when really madness hits us, that's how we know how patient we really really are and how firm we are upon the deen. So this is just a reminder for myself and everybody else to turn these situations of difficulties into positive to boost ourselves and to be more robust and ultimately get ready for Allah karma Allah the meeting with Allah subhanho wa Taala.
Indeed, what words words of wisdom, say from from your side, Dr. Yusuf and Sheree smile, also encouragement very much to the community. And I and it's important that we take this this opportunity again, you know, something that chef mentioned early on was also that we were finding, you know, people losing loved ones at a rapid rate, because of the pandemic as well. So there's so many challenges that people are facing, and that that hope and that's that you know, I think about the smallest charity that we can give it that is too small without a Muslim brother. And, and that for me, tomorrow morning when we get up for Friday's the day of Joomla. We go into the mercy to
perform Juma let us encourage one another with at least with a smile, because that can have so much positive effect on the next person. It's uncanny shift over to you then we can start wrapping up in shaba.
Now Alhamdulillah again we're looking at the silver lining or rather a rainbow of the raining The masajid are opening although it's in the Western Cape still 50 iron in other parts of the country massage the back to normal, but in the Western Cape 50 people at a time and we also encourage the brothers who are attending Juma inshallah, to Allah to you know, be cognizant of the protocol and follow those those rules inshallah and again, even if you don't believe and you know that the pandemic is real, if you decide to go to the masjid to not make it suitable for everybody else and but follow the rules if you want to go to that Masjid is shallow data and you will also be rewarded
for your cyber. I'd like to thank the guests for taking time out for spending you know this time with us and valuable input inshallah to Allah and next week again, we meet up same time and same place with our brother from Canada Shekinah vide Aziz inshallah, to Allah
Al is well acquainted with him also. So you'll be sharing with us insha Allah, and these been really very busy with youth and youth development, and we will be speaking to him about that inshallah done and last week, he spoke to shift Israel's principal about a similar topic and he only had fun the good ways to speak about a smile, isn't it?
Yeah, when we said you, you were on shift, he was so happy. And we mentioned that you mentioned him and he said, Good things that she is, yeah, that is what he said. That
is why you'll see the body
but she's also here and Dr. Yusuf as well as chef is my once again we really appreciate that and we know that this definitely shall but Allah will not be your last visit to our interrupting. We look forward to engaging with you in the future you have so much to share with us and our viewers. You know, we can't get enough of you. So we want to come back inshallah, in Turkey wherever you are and in Durban hopefully inshallah we'll make a trip to Durban in the next week or two be visiting the lands of kwazulu Natal. I'll reach out to you shortly smile and maybe we can do that. The coffee we want to put an end as we wouldn't go to Nando's
Yeah, no
matter when we're thinking of a name of this for this episode, we were gonna call it bunny Chow and donor kebab. But you know, Punjabi, is the case we had it before. No, but you don't want
to end the show with
Charlie Sheen. Tell
us what the budejovice because we
all we all know. Bobby's. So the irony of this is that I actually eat more doner kebab, the bunny chow down I was going to take him to a turkey
because the best Japanese turkey food as well. But yeah, bunny Charlie's like half a loaf of bread.
unsliced you have your hollow it out and you fill it with coffee. And you eat it later. Whoo. Whoo.
It's very spicy. Very tasty. gotta try it. Got it. I was thinking next time.
We should do one podcast on cooking, right? We've done that we should do on cooking.
Indian and Turkish cuisine, maybe you know, I've been fusion fusion fusion. I will say this, that we will do it, if she follows your instructions in the kitchen remove and we overdo it on the side as well. Only on that condition is
the last time I blame the broker.
This time you have to have a backup backup.
And backup cameras also it goes it's again insha Allah ah
hyack
while they consider
Sure, just as we wrap up, I think it was a very good discussion we've had this evening and and some pertinent advices coming out for everybody. Whether you live in kwazulu Natal with you living in the Western Cape, everybody's facing challenges everybody's facing, you know, the inclement weather as well, people become a little bit more depressed, it was actually proven in a study that in some parts of Europe, when it gets to winter, the suicide rate increases because people feel more depressed over that period of time to something else. And then you can wrap up, I'm going to allow you the opportunity to close the program this evening. But I'll share something with you, Chef, Dr.
Yusuf was talking about, you know, what if we had to contact people, and you know, we have seven days left, whatever, I heard of a story this evening, so when you could put me onto the ventilator, they kind of comatose you put into a comatose state. And this man was told you have 15 minutes 15 minutes to contact as many people as you like, because clinically onto the ventilator, there is no guarantees, what when and if you will come out on the other sides for handler and he was almost perplexed, he was much frozen to the bone to think about who must contact who must he reach out to what does he say to people? What was his message be to people? You know, so can we imagine the panic
within an individual when those moments are given but not knowing the other eventual outcome of it as well. So I just found that to be very interesting story that I came across. Earlier today Hamlet
is no teacher. I mean, a Muslim takes every moment that he has and makes the most of it.
Recently, I shared on my WhatsApp status, a statement of hassanal bursary that says time you know goes out every morning every Adam and hoping God voila I'm Malika Shaheed first enemy for inilah will do Eli Oh milk tiama Oh son of Adam. I'm a new creation and I'm witness to your daily affairs, so use me. So we need to seven days or 15 minutes a Muslim takes and makes the most of those last few minutes and the prophets Allah Allah seldom even encourages us to, you know, plant trees. Even if we know that the world is ending or your life is ending, we still make that positive change and we still make that positive contribution. I think that's part of detaching ourselves from the ego or
from the from the knifes it's always good to be chatting with you teach I just hope that one day soon in the future in sha Allah Allah, it will not be virtual, but it will be a real issue. I'm looking into my crystal ball here just
insha Allah chocolate shake, it's great to be on the program with you once again to the technical team that is rallied around to make you look prettier, prettier than you normally do. I see no grace on your site tonight. So I won't be that when I come in front of that camera. There'll be no grace to show either and then that camera that picks up the gray, that's the one that was stolen, so
inshallah shift, but inshallah we will speak too soon again to all those following us, you know, like us, share us with your friends, share it with Eva, you come across, this is a podcast and hamdulillah we are a few months I felt like a few years in the making
a few months in the making. So I handle that and we really enjoy our time with you and I hope you enjoy but if you want to ask to talk about any topics and share that with us, we can try and raise that and you know you can we can try and get the specialist on if we if you know we we're not that different. I'm not a specialist on anything. And maybe she is a specialist at something, you know being an island and you
just go like that I'm gonna say anyway
And, yeah, but we'll get the specialist on we'll get people who knows the topics that we can get onto our platform in Shell but, but I can tell you for the month of Muharram Subhana, Allah insha Allah, we have a jam packed program. I want to say that as of next week, everyone, every week we get excited about that. So how do we get here we get excited about our program that our view is that so we were excited about tonight and we are so excited about tonight. We're excited about next week we are going to have shifted and Aveda icees with us next week. Also a great scholar, great auditor, great person to have on our platform. We're looking forward to that. And then the weeks that follow
the after will be in the month of Muharram and so maybe next week, maybe next week we let the cat out of the bag about the month of Muharram What's your thoughts on that show of love insha Allah different literature, shall we? You can close it. Yeah.
I've already closed the teacher. For everything for being such a beautiful host insha Allah, Allah would you all and Allah subhanho wa Taala grottos to make the best of the best day of the week in sha Allah
said Mr. Whiting.