Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

30 October 2026

8-minute read

What does prosperity look like for a Muslim minority community? And with the upcoming Local Government Election on November 4^th, how should Muslims be engaging?

Joining Ml Sulaimaan Ravat on this discussion was Shaykh Dr Haitham Al Haddad of Palestinian origin, currently based in the UK where he is one of the leading Muslim scholars. He has studied engineering in Sudan and Islamic studies in Madinah-tul-Munawwarah, among other places.

Muslims and Politics

Quoting an Algerian scholar who said, “Religion without politics will lead to politics without religion,” Sh. Haitham emphasized that if Muslims do not get their hands dirty with the rubbish of politics, then every other part of their bodies will end up being dirtied by it.

There are Muslim minority communities all over the world, and similarities and differences between them exist in each of them. In South Africa, the Muslim minority are prospering, but Sh. warned against becoming complacent. In England, compared to the rest of Europe, Muslims are also prospering. He differentiated between Muslim minorities who live in democratic countries where they prosper more, as opposed to those who live under dictatorships.

How can Muslims Prosper?

“Democracy by design is not meant to be benign.”  So, how do we move towards the cherished ideal? asks Ml Ravat. In response, Sh. Haitham mentioned ways for Muslim minorities to prosper:

1. Get rid of the minority complex. Sh. does not like to use the term ‘minority’ because it means immediately “accepting the inferiority complex” that it denotes.
2. Realign the identity crisis. Do you feel like a citizen of the country you come from? After living in a country from birth or for many years, you should feel like a citizen, feel a sense of belonging, and not ashamed of the country you or your forefathers migrated to.
3. Have a vision for your country. A key reason for conflict is a lack of vision. As Muslims, we must identify what we want for our ummah, for our country, and for our community.
4. Integrate but don’t assimilate. Unlike other religions who take on the culture and traditions of the country they migrate to; Muslims do not assimilate because the nature of Islam is that it does not die.

Islam can Flourish Anywhere

Islam, in its structures, preserves itself – on the one hand it is flexible enough to integrate yet on the other hand, it remains robust and strong. Sh. Haitham outlined the concepts of consensus (ijma) and analogy (qiyas) found in Islam. Analogy gives Islam the ability to flourish anywhere in any context. Islam has the ability “to apply the causative effect on any manifestation.” Taking the example of “gold for gold” – it is applied on money in this age. Another example is intoxicants (khamr), which in the time of the Prophet SAW referred to alcohol. Sh. Haitham likened it to any of the drugs or substances that people use today, anything that can intoxicate. Such guidelines give Islam that ability to flourish and thrive everywhere.

There are certain guidelines however that are not flexible but fixed, like the five pillars of deen, and these give Islam the ability to integrate without having to assimilate.

Survival Mode or Revival Mode?

If Muslims feel inferior, they will not prosper. Sh. Haitham advised Muslims to acknowledge that we belong to the “greatest civilization.” It is time for Muslims to transform the mindset away from the survival mode of the minority context and into the revival mode of belonging to the society we live in.

The first way to do this is to teach history. For 650 years on from the time of the Prophet Muhammad SAW through the period of the Khulafah-e-Rashideen, the Umayyad period and the Abbasid period, Muslims ruled.  Thereafter there was a 50-year period when there was no khilafat, but Islam was not dead! Then came the Ottoman empire that lasted for ore than 600 years. So, for approximately 1200 years after the Prophet SAW, “Islam was the superpower or one of the main superpowers.”

Do not Prosper only for Yourself!

But do we as Muslims flourish and prosper for ourselves only? Islam is based on many principles that are beneficial for society like not dealing in interest-based transactions, caring for parents, no corruption, and punishing crimes through shariah law – there is not element of Islam that causes harm to society.

The Important thing: Tauheed

When it comes to tauheed, Islam encourages people to know the purpose of life is, to understand the purpose of life. The main reason people commit suicide is that they lose hope and do not have the necessary faith that makes them realise the greater purpose of life. Sh. Haitham highlighted the tauheed of the people of Gaza, who are still undergoing a genocide after 3 years. Muslims are responsible for “contributing to bringing goodness to the society,” and bettering the lives of every person they encounter by sharing the light of Allah SWT and bringing the guidance of Muhammad SAW to them.

4 Pillars of Reform

Muslims are “the best nation ever raised to mankind!” According to Sh. Haitham, there are 4 pillars of reform:

1. Believing in Allah,
2. Unity – The word Ummah means united – Muslims must be wary of disunity,
3. Knowledge, and
4. Actively benefitting others -enjoining good and forbidding evil.

Embrace your Muslim Identity!

Don’t be afraid of practicing and displaying the deen.

When it comes to Political Engagement…

“Muslims are not isolationists!” According to hadith, Muslims are required to interact with others with patience. In the case of South Africa, it is better to be ruled by non-Muslims who are not anti-Muslim…rather than non-Muslims who are against Muslims. “Islam is the only religion that managed to build a civilization within a short period of time” because of clear jurisprudence. Because other religions are not governed by jurisprudence, it is easy for them to become secular.

To Vote or Not to Vote?

Non-Muslims are looking for a solution which for them is democracy; it has the theological background of giving sovereignty to people. Democracy is based on voting for legislation and voting for those who run the system. It is not like shura, but it does have the likeness of consultation with people when selecting who will run the system. The second matter is when it comes to legislation; Muslims should not get involved in laws that are against Islamic principles that are passed in parliament. But it is not haram to vote. Rather, Muslims should recognise that their vote counts.

Our Vision for Our Country

As Muslims, we must have a vision for our country. Sh. Haitham mentioned that the vision British Muslims have for their country is “to see Britain more Muslim-friendly.” So, as Muslims, what do we want for South Africa? What is our vision for our country?

• No injustice
• No corruption
• Preservation of human rights
• Equality without division.

Who to Vote for?

We should have a top-down approach that we all agree on. But how do we achieve this? Should we form our own party? As Muslims which party should we vote for? Sh. Haitham said that while certain parties are good for local matters, they may not be good for foreign matters that affect Muslims like the issue of Palestine. He advised Muslims to approach the party they are considering voting for and agreeing on a unified policy. Once the party sees that the Muslims in the country hold weight, they will start listening to us.  Key decision-making positions must be run by one who has capacity and is familiar with the job, is trustworthy and has integrity.

Political Areas of Influence

South Africa is a beautiful country, and the Shaykh begged the South African Muslim community not to become complacent. “All politics are based on lies,” but…there are certain areas of influence in politics:

• In media,
• In law and judiciary,
• In economy,
• In education,
• In social elements,
• In management, and
• In military or the police force.

Muslims are encouraged to get involved in these areas of influence to engage in the political sphere and to flourish as Muslims in our country.

The reason Sh. Haitham likes Radio Islam: “It is not discussing classical topics that have been discussed thoroughly by different ulama,” but rather focuses on contemporary issues that have been neglected by many scholars of deen.

Watch to the full video with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Sh. Haitham Al Haddad here.