EID CELEBRATION
Muslim Style in Jo’burg

For those who may not be able to identify with the thinking of the sage (as reported above), or perhaps find it all rather too over the top, here’s a letter from an ex-South African now living in Canada.
His experiences on a recent visit to Johannesburg not only made for interesting reading, but also provides for lots of food for thought.

We present it in edited form and pray that it will make some impact on even a few of us. Rather than point fingers, let us heed what he has to say:

As a visitor from the so called decadent West, I was totally and completely unprepared for the unfolding event of New Year’s Eve (1995/1996) when my hosts had suggested that we have supper at an establishment in ‘Fordsburg Square’ (named by the author) following Eisha Salaat.

Indeed, I was fooled for a brief moment. I felt great pride and joy of truly belonging to the Ummah of our beloved Nabi Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). Everywhere you looked the beautiful sight of men in Kurtas, women in Burka and some in complete Hijaab greeted one as they hurriedly looked for seating in the square, – the reason: celebrating a true Jaahiliyya and pagan event that goes against the very grain of our Deen.

Nevertheless, as we hurried through our meal and got up to leave, an announcer introduced a Muslim singer and his band to the delight of the crowd, which had by now completely filled the square.

Wild shouts of joy and handclapping accompanied the musicians while Kurta and Burka-clad men and women were swaying with the tempo. All this was new to me, because I had been away from South Africa for 29 years. I had returned for a holiday and this was my first encounter with a segment of the Muslim community in the New South Africa. To say it was a culture shock would be an understatement.

As we departed, we observed young girls in their teens walking away arm in arm with their boy friends from the crowd to a more secluded area. This was all very new to us because never in our mildest dreams could I or my hosts for a moment imagine that we were actually witnessing these events. In retrospect, these New Year celebrants may themselves be merely instruments for safeguarding the privileges of a selfish wealthy money-making class, or the ambitious greed or lust of individuals who have no love for Almighty Allah and his beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Jaahiliyya, to whatever period it belongs, is Jaahiliyya.

Abdul Hamid Lachporia
Toronto, Canada