Islam is is they say it's a religion actually not a religion it's a way of life
to guide humankind through his journey through life from beginning to end
that is what Islam actually, Islam actually means peace to live peace and harmony with your own
self first and with your creator, and then with your fellow beings ,all of them, not only Muslims
all of the humankind and all the animal kind and plants everything you must always live in harmony
ooohhh Islam, it's our path. If we don't have Islam everything is lost
lost, you must give thanks to Allah for all he has granted.
We have believe in Allah
very great belief because without Allah we cannot survive
When we talk about the Rise of Islam at the Cape we focus on Sheikh Yusuf Al-Makasari who was exiled to this place and of course
banished to this particular area.
He was brought here in 1694 in chains, with an entourage of about 49, consisting of 12 Imams his family and all those, so he came over here he was banished
here exactly to this place in Cape Town South Africa it's Macassar.
He was the driving force to
actually start it rapidly that could grow rapidly because of his influence
So there was a presence, that there was a presence of Islamic scholarship in Cape Town at that time
They were steadfast in holding onto the rope of Allah staying with their beliefs understanding
why they've been sent to this particular area because they were so influential
from the areas where they came from that of course the powers of the governments at the time the
colonialists they needed to get rid of them and the best was to actually send them to the furthest
point where they were governing and of course beyond Cape Town they were then sending them
off to Robben Island.
The pious people the Olia they are buried like it's like a circle around
Cape Town, that is why they say Cape Town is protected because of them of their piety and
promised cause of the gaining still blessings from The Almighty, so we we visit them out of respect
you must know why you visit them, you're not going to to ask them for favors or
anything because they can't give you anything it's only coming from Allah coming from The
Almighty but it's out of respect and while you're there you're included in the blessings coming down on them.
One of the biggest lessons I've learnt is to have patience,
in other words we say sabr, patience (perseverance) If we have plenty we share with one another.
The biggest misconception about Islam is that we are terrorists.
because people see certain individuals doing something and then they
connect it to Islam which isn't Islam, Islam is actually
as I said it means peace.
A quote from the Quran that resonates with me for the rise of Islam
is the quote from Surah Maidah verse number 3 and it says "this day I've perfected your religion for you
completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion"
The biggest lesson that you can gain from from the Quran is
read....read....the......
first chapter the first Ayah the first verse that came down is read and it
and if you read you gain knowledge.
If somebody has to ask me what has Islam contributed to the Cape
I would say that because we are peace, Islam means peace. You can hear it
in our call to prayer and you can taste it in our food, our cuisine, and that's Cape Town