Aashura 2026: Standing for Truth, Justice and Compassion in Challenging Times

Renewal and Responsibility

As we conclude our week of reflections on Ashura, it is fitting that we end by looking not only at the challenges facing our country, but also at the role each of us can play in addressing them.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and marks the beginning of a new Islamic year. It is one of the sacred months in Islam and serves as a time for reflection, renewal and recommitment to the values that guide our lives. Ashura, which falls within this blessed month, reminds us of Allah’s mercy, the importance of gratitude and the triumph of truth over oppression.

Throughout this week, we have spoken about truth over scapegoating, justice without vigilantism, compassion beyond borders and unity in a diverse South Africa. These are important discussions, but they ultimately lead to a bigger question:

What kind of South Africa do we want to build?

It is easy to identify problems.

We can point to unemployment, poverty, crime, corruption and social division. We can talk about the challenges facing our communities and the frustrations that many people experience every day.

But Ashura encourages us to move beyond merely identifying problems and to begin thinking about solutions.

One of the lessons of Muharram is renewal. The beginning of a new Islamic year gives us an opportunity to reflect on our actions, evaluate our priorities and consider what changes we need to make in our lives.

The same principle can be applied to society.

If we want a better South Africa, we must ask what role we are playing in creating it.

• Do our words bring people together or drive them apart?
• Do we spread facts or rumours?
• Do we contribute to peace or add to conflict?
• Do we help solve problems or simply complain about them?

These questions are not only for leaders and government officials. They are questions for every one of us.

One of the greatest challenges facing any society is the tendency to believe that change is someone else’s responsibility. We often wait for politicians, community leaders or institutions to fix problems while overlooking the influence that ordinary people have every day.

Yet communities are shaped by countless small actions.

• A kind word to a neighbour.
• Helping someone in need.
• Supporting a local initiative.
• Mentoring a young person.
• Respecting those who are different from us.
• Rejecting prejudice and discrimination.

These actions may seem small, but collectively they help build stronger communities.

The story of Nabi Musa (AS), which is closely associated with Ashura, reminds us that even in the face of enormous challenges, believers should never lose hope in Allah’s assistance. When circumstances seemed impossible, Allah opened a way forward. The lesson is that difficulties should inspire action and trust in Allah, not despair.

South Africa needs hope today.

Not the kind of hope that waits passively for change, but the kind of hope that inspires people to work towards a better future.

• A future where communities are united rather than divided.
• A future where justice is pursued with fairness.
• A future where compassion extends beyond differences.
• A future where every person is treated with dignity and respect.

As we commemorate Ashura and begin a new Islamic year, let us not simply reflect on these values. Let us commit ourselves to living them.

Perhaps the final question Ashura asks us is this:

If each of us became the kind of person we want others to be, how different would our communities look?

The future of South Africa will not be shaped by one individual alone. It will be shaped by millions of ordinary people making daily choices about how they treat others, how they respond to challenges and how they contribute to society.

May Allah grant us the wisdom to choose truth over falsehood, justice over oppression, compassion over indifference and unity over division. And may He guide us to be a source of goodness in our families, our communities and our country. Ameen.