International abuse of women

Introduction

Some women have been abused for centuries, because the majority of people of the country/ world are silent about it. Female abuse is prevalent where the male family members of the women failed in their manly duty to protect their daughters or sisters/ or all the male family members and neighbours do not try to help.

Why do men abuse women and why don't family members/ neighbours step in to help? The answers are simple, but the reasons for it difficult to admit. Men abuse women because they have a low self-esteem and need to abuse a physically less powerful human to feel good about themselves. Fathers and brothers do not support their daughters and sisters because they are scared. Neighbours don't help, because they do not want to get involved. How did this happen and how can it be remedied? That is the challenge for all men and women who regard themselves as full humans.

Women are beautiful and has the body parts to satisfy the basal desires of a man - his drive to have sex and be released. If he can contain a weak woman, with his brute strength, subdue her, then he can have forced sex with her, giving him the needed sexual pleasure of an animal. This is the core reason behind all the abuse of men of women. They have even created religious cults to condone multiple marriages with many women for the service of their gods. Some have even deliberately used wholesome faiths, twisted its truths and claimed that their sexual practices have religious backing. This female abuse could continue, because the religious leadership are dominated by men. And 'good men' who want to enjoy some status among such crooked leaders, will silently condone the twisted truths, to gain access to their own leadership position. Some men in leadership thus speak what is "politically correct" / or keep quiet with regard to the abuse of women. These "accomplices" hope to enjoy the sexual advantage that might come their way one day - as long as other leaders create the untruths about the treatment of women. Women are the men's road to heaven or hell, in this world and the next. This statement will be qualified as we proceed with this article.

Human beings must make every effort to stop the abuse of women. This will save the abused and the abuser from digging a hole for himself in which he will inevitably fall. Sickness and death must visit the abuser. If you are an abuser then save yourself the humiliation of this life and the next, because you will certainly be paid back for the ill you have caused others. There are many who deny the existence of God in order to create an illusion that they are not accountable to anyone. After the act - if they are not Satan's playmate - they will feel a sense of remorse which is the beginning of punishment or mercy - it depends whether the abuser chooses to remedy his behaviour or not. Those who feel no remorse, are destined for Hell - the place of immeasurable punishment, guarded by angels who execute the command given to them, with precision. This article is aimed to discourage abuse and create an opportunity for everyone to make every effort to stop the abuse of women.

Appreciation of WomenOn this Women's Day (9-8-2010) I herewith start the process (by The Grace and Permission of Allah,The Exalted) requesting my fellow males and myself to increase our realisation of the Value of women. My wife has just called me that breakfast is ready, with the sweetest tone and voice. I pray that God Bless her and raise her status in this world and the next - Inshaa Allah (God Willing).Many reject the guidance Islam gives, while others use it without referencing their source. Some, Muslims again fail to see the value of their own faith, while others from the Muslim communities in the world, deliberately, for personal -, exploitive reasons, claim that their abuse of women, has an Islamic base. That cannot be true because Islam means peace, security, safety, soundness, secure, unharmed, intact, faultless, certainty, unimpaired, certain, unobjectionable. If the Prophet Mughammad (Peace & Blessings of Allah-The Exalted-on him) is reported to have stated that NO MUSLIM COMMITS A SIN - and when asked, by his companion why he made such a statement, he replied THAT WHEN A PERSON COMMITS A SIN HE/SHE IS NOT A BELIEVER IN GOD BUT A FOLLOWER OF SATAN - HIS/HER FAITH HAS THUS LEFT HIM/HER AT THE TIME OF COMMITTING THE EVIL ACT - AND ONLY WHEN THE PERSON FEELS REMORSE FOR HIS/HER SIN DOES THE FAITH IN GOD RETURN. That thus translates that if a woman abuser does not feel any remorse for his abuse of women, he is not a believer. This is dangerous for him - if he dies while still not having felt a sense of remorse - he dies a kaafir ( a non-believer in God). That the Creator has not Created a human with two hearts - is thus clear - one is not able to believe in God and follow satan at the same instance in space and time. Abusing a women is a grave offense, because God has placed an enormous amount of Good in them. We see it in their patience, their unselfish service (even to an abusive husband) and their commitment to their children, even trying to do the father's job if he is too selfish to be a true man in the household. A simple example of the way men abuse women - she often puts out the dirt, while he lays in bed. What man lets his wife venture the cold morning air and let her beautiful hands handle the dirt and filth of the house? We are made physically strong to protect them. care for them and support them - not to lie in bed while she ventures into the elements. And don't tell me you go work for her everyday in the cold and rain. That's your duty as a man, and the least you can do for feeding you and giving you the most tranquil experience in life - LOVE, SEX and VALUE. "How did I value my Wife today?" is the constant question we as men must ask ourselves? Why, because God teaches us through His Prophet Mughammad (Pbuh), that the best men are those who are the best with their wives. Thus it is understood that the worst men are the worst with their wives. A wife is a trust from God. We know whoever abuses the Trusts from God, will surely be punished - if he makes no amends.

Why Does The Abuse Continue?
Cultures, Legal systems and Economic infrastructure are still primarily in the hands of men, who often, due to their insecurities, still prejudice women. South Africa is trying to remedy it, but the wheel of justice and the legacy of female abuse is so entrenched, that its effectiveness is not as it is wished for - but some prosecutions have led men to step in line more readily. Generally women have to speak up for themselves. To my knowledge men do not seem to want to speak freely about women's rights and proper treatment publicly. Are they afraid they are going to lose their "friends"?

There is no special local or international task force that can be sent out to protect women from abuse.
Our family men are also so weak and untrained that they are ineffective to protect their sisters and daughters - but more, because the legal system does not respect the rights of family to protect their daughters from their husband's abuse.

How can the family prevent female abuseMale family members must visit their sisters / daughters regularly. Keep an open ear to their sisters/ daughter's complaints and make a point of developing the necessary skills to stop and prevent female abuse. Set up conversations of positive treatment of women with the son/brother-in-law. Make it known to him what will be done should any abuse happen in the household. If the fathers or brothers are already abusive, the in-laws will take advantage of the existing platforms of abuse. It is thus clear if men generally abuse women and don't speak up for women and women's appeals are not listened to, then more and more men will enter the statistics of abusers.

How can the state and international community reduce/ stop abuse

A state must be prepared to start courses for young and older men in protecting women from financial, physical and emotional abuse. These courses can be offered post- matric. Selected students can become cadets, soldiers, investigators, counselors, financial advisers and medics specialised in protecting women from all forms of abuse. Each country will then choose only the most qualitative men to man this special task force to directly deal with abusive men and situations. An international force can be drawn from all the countries' best men, those who value the fight against female abuse, on all fronts. This special task force will work towards ensuring the protection of all females in the world 24/7.

This protective services should not function in isolation, but within a country where a culture of female protection and male courtesy is valued. Another most important social factor that must be developed is the freedom of women to propose to good men and the preparedness of men to accept a woman's marriage proposal. This will also reduce the incidence of female abuse, because abusive men will know that the wife has the freedom to propose to any other good man, and that there are eager good and strong men, waiting for such proposals and ready to serve. These suggestions needs lots of digestion among a world that has deprived women overtly and subtly.

The Islamic Faith has given the social and legal structures for such a society, but the abuse of women in "Muslim" countries and by "Muslim" men, has tainted the reality of the practice of Islam in the true sense. Why did this happen among Muslims? would be your question. Well it does happen in all societies, but the media will highlight "muslim" male abusers, because the media is aware that it should not be. They know Islam stands for peace and beauty.The media is also calling every country and man to task to live the truth of courtesy towards women. What went wrong to the Abusive "Muslims"? Soon after the Prophet Mughammad's (Pbuh) death, some Muslims reverted back to their old habits and customs and they were often the more boisterous and argumentative ones thus pushing their disturbed ideas more and more as time went by, merging customs with faith and in the end confusing more and more communities from to the reality of the Freedom of individual progress of all people. This could also happen, because good men became weak in standing up against such aggressors. The Muslim societies  then generally accepted the demands of the distorters of truth. It is thus an attempt by me here to revitalise good Muslim and other men to regain their strength to prevent female abuse.

Caution, dear women
This article does not call women to revolt against their husbands. It asks all to help stop female abuse of all kinds. It tries to bring a practice of abuse under scrutiny. I am not unaware of women who abuse their husbands, or treat their sons with such disgust and constant deprivation, that some sons have turned into women haters and even went to far as to become violet wife abusers, rapists and murders - may God protect us all - God Willing.

Parenting

Introduction

Parenting is easy for the unselfish adults, but difficult for selfish adults who happen to become parents. Successful parenting can only be discussed when a marriage has occurred. Out of wedlock children have parents who were obviously selfish and impatient. This automatically creates problems that are difficult to solve, because there were no decent, acceptable principles of sex between the couple who gave birth to the child out of wedlock . This sounds harsh, but advice for effective parenting must respect some common grounds of universal sex principles. Within a modern/post-modern world, some writers deny spirituality and then claim to have the right to lay down universal communication principles of "correctness", ignoring the vast majority of believers in God and spiritual enlightenment. This was only possible because writers who were financed by some capitalists were influenced to deny God and thus create a better platform for mass financial exploitation. You might say : "What does money have to do with 'Parenting'?". Everything! Sex is the biggest money maker and the base for many cyberspace advancements - for better quality viewing. Parenting is often disturbed by uncontrolled sexual desires of one or both spouses - because of weak spiritual principles. Sex makes money, but destroys the value of the family ethos. Lets get back to ethical and legal parenting.

Purpose of Parenting

Family life is valuable, because it gives safety and security to the growth of new human beings. The main question for parents are "What is the goal of parenting?" This is the core question that will drive the process of parents. The following have been sited for reasons for parenting:
1. continue your progeny
2. experience motherhood(we have not generally heard men saying they want to experience fatherhood! is it that men want sex and has as a result parenting!)
3.Wanting a boy (name to carry on the father's legacy)
The above common reasons for parenting misses a crucial feature - The child! It seems that parents become parents for themselves and not for the child. The lasting reason for parenting is to offer yourself and your resources into a process of rearing an individual that is grateful to the Creator who Created him/her.
Now the materialist may say: "What is this intangible giberish?" It must be borne in mind that the problems of the world stems from the lack of credibility given to the power of spirituality or the unseen factors that drive the functions of life.

It is when parents rear their children to identify the Magnificence of the Creator, that children experience magnificence of their parents. Parenting rests of setting the example. Children must feel the presence of their parents' spirituality for them to respond qualitatively from their inner beauty. In Arabic this is called the Fitrah - The untainted , radiant, godly spirit that hovers within all of us. A parent that does not have the above Lasting Reason for Parenting, will have difficulty pouring out his/her own quality spiritual demeanor - The Fitrah. We are now seriously bridging the reality of parenting that extends beyond this world.

A child is a gift from Allah, The Exalted. We as adults are entrusted with a precious, divine Gift. We should thus find out what The Creator wants from us. If we ignore His Advice, Guidance, Commands, Permissibilities and Prohibitions we are destined to experience discomforts we shall not be able to cope with/ face. To appreciate this point we first have to understand who we really are as adults.

The popular belief in the modern or post-modern world is that man is a free individual. He has personal rights. The freedom and right to believe in God or not - is a fact. What modern man perhaps lose sight of is that choices have results. The belief in God has benefits, while the disbelief in God has sufferings. A child is a divine gift. If we do not treat the gift with divine respect he/she will give us a hellish experience. If we abuse the Gift we will suffer emotionally, physically and spiritually as the years go by. The child must grow older and stronger and will at some time receive the necessary help to destroy you. If you kill your child,the Divine Gift, you will go to Hell, while the child will definitely enter the Blissful World of Spirit which will witness against you on the Day of Judgment-for further punishments. Disbelievers knowingly try to fool themselves that the hereafter does not exist so that they can satisfy their basal desires. The child is our connection with the Divine. We must be careful how we treat them, what we teach them and what we show them. Our choices will either come and haunt us or give us endless joy and respect. Parenting is about developing wisdom.

Developmental Stages of the Child

The child develops from a stage of pure purity and nearness to Allah, The Exalted (Fitrah), towards choice (puberty- Buluug), then towards actualisation of true personality (Gratefulness-Belief/Ungratefulness- Disbelief). The child moves from the world of spirit, through fantasizing, socialisation through exploration, individualisation through puberty and choice towards actualisation through spiritualisation (belief in God) or despiritualistaion (denial of God). The choice of a child is engendered by the parental influence.

Authoritarian parents demands respect and becomes abusive to their children. Authoritative parents, sets good examples, are well informed, highly spiritual, strike a balance between freedom and limitations with well defined explanations. Permissive parents just lets children do what they like, because the parents don't really care - teachers and society can sort out the mess they created. The other parents who create problems for society, are those who spoil their children. Whatever their children want, the parents will give them, even to the extent of making debt. These children grow up appreciating little and extend their "powers" to manipulate others around them. These parents often do not guide their children to have courtesy. I have witnessed this kind of behaviour in the homes of some home we would judge as affluent. These children speak to their parents with disdain and treat visitors as nuisances. This is often the attitute of the parents that are just reflected in the child. What I have also noticed -that this often happens in homes where parents often live more on credit, creating an image of affluence, than the real rich, who often realises that they are dependent of The Creator to grant them riches and not on the bank. Often the real rich, are more respectful to others because they know that disrespect to others ca cause them to lose the Blessings from The Creator. This brings to the real need for quality parenting - spirituality - awareness of the Unseen Who monitors all inputs of every individual. The children of the pseudo-rich often have attitude problems, learnt from parents, who, when in debt, lives a life of stresses and who finds tranquillity in buying "Stuff" and giving their children "stuff" to shut them up - to reduce their building stresses through on built-up debt upon debt - to create an image by trying to impress people - an attitude that gets transported to their chidren. In real terms these are the same people who abuse people on a large scale when they run countries where men usurped power.

Poverty a Challenge for Parenting and the Nation
Poverty/ Richness without spirituality is a challenge, because finding a balance in life without spirituality is very difficult for many. Poverty of spirituality is probably the main feature in bad parenting. You might say, but there are people, who you believe are spiritual, but they are bad, parents, when you see the behaviour of their children. We have found that children from poor families with rude, bad charactered parents are often very difficult to handle at schools, while children from poor families who have ethical, religious parents are often decent. well-behaved and less problematic. There are parents who regard themselves as ethical but not religious and according to their standards, are raising "good" children. The fact that they have not raised their children with the awareness of gratefulness to the Creator, makes their parenting suspect. We are in agreement that some "religious" people are abusive to their children. But we are also sure that external religious dogma does not translate into spirituality. Religion with spirituality translates into mercy, goodness and exemplary behaviour. If behaviour is abusive or disorienting then spirituality has not yet taken root. Their many families who were poor, but whose children are excellent people, due to the spiritual and practical example they had set for their children.

Who are good parents?
Lots of time can be spent on criticizing bad parents, but it is better to spend our time on guiding each other and remind ourselves on what constitutes Good Parenting.

Good Parents...
1. First marry with the spiritual Blessing of belief in One God, before they start a family. This is the basic need for a more wholesome life. Without this acceptance of belief, the couple is basically refusing to acknowledge The One Who has created them, and sustains them every second of the day. This will create future problems. Belief allows the spouse the necessary Guidance to chart a wholesome life, for themselves and their offspring. Problems will arise in all families, but the spiritually motivated, who accept Divine Guidance, will have a common source, outside themselves to respect, and find inspiration from. An Official Spiritual Marriage, brings families, friends and neighbours together, who will tacitly and through social cohesion, help the couple to find their feet more easily in the beginning stages of their marriage. At the wedding ceremony , many people pray and wish the couple well. Their prayers are a protection and help for the future. Cutting off family ties, or ignoring their right to be part of a beautiful marriage, deprives the couple from the extra blessings and prayers / appeals they could have received on their wedding day. Marrying first before starting a family is the intelligent theing to do. The children, from a spiritually blessed marriage, which connected families, friends and neighbours, have a wider circle of social support and example to live from.The more isolated the married couple, the more isolated their children and the less, exemplary social contact. If the family and social contact is of a lower spiritual awarenesss and practice of the couple, then the children have a standard by which to live and compare the external lifestyles with. The extended family and friends is necessary for development of character of children.
2. Read - Informed parents are able to guide their children how to act in different situations. Uninformed parents try to parent when the acts/ situation is on top of them, where everyone tries to survive the situation on the feet - at the spur of the moment - with no prior knowledge, skill or preparation. Uninformed parents often deal with situations with emotions, rather that with reason, skillfulness and wisdom. Children want to be guided by informed parents, nor shouted at by uninformed parents who are frustrated because the don't understand the world around them and also too lazy to get informed - its too much of an effort to make a change. Many prefer to keep on doing the same things the same way instead of making a change to their life by reading or becoming informed. Is is easier to stay stupid and act on emotions, because it gives a release to built up animal anger. You might say but does that mean that people who can't read are doomed to fail as parents! No. The Prophet Mughammad (Pbuh) could not physically read, but his heart was ready to learn from The Higher Power, and the patience to allow his in-built divinely given reason to rule his mind and actions. He advised all people not to get angry and to learn from the cradle to the grave. Reading or learning is our protection from the evils of emotional roller-coasters - the origin of all questionable behaviour.
3. Listen- Listening skills require a sense of patience. Patience is a spiritual quality that is accessible to people who reflect. Reflection is the art of observing carefully what presents itself to you. A chiild is presented to us by the Creator. If we are not aware of this fact, thinking we are the reason for the child's existence, we would miss the value of reflecting on the marvel of the child. A child is in a state of Divine Nearness (Fitrah). The purity of child allows the child to be a vehicle through whom the Creator communicates with us. What a child is is often not from the child, but from the Creator. If we do not listen, we shall miss the message/ guidance from God. Remember that denying the existence of The Creator, does not obliterate the fact that children are from God and a Mercy from Him for us to develop the necessary skills, attitudes, characteristics and that will ensure that we succeed in this world and the next. When we listen to a child we afford ourselves the opportunity to resyspond with understanding and not with emotionality. This will develop insight which opens the door to received wisdom from the Creator, the real tool / skill/ value for successful parents. If you cannot listen carefully, you cannot respond correctly.
4. Always Respond Positively. When are a parent you must always keep your ears open to what your child/children are doing or saying. Never be to busy to be aware of their needs all the time. Be acutely aware of what they say and how they say it. Show a genuine interest in what they say and do. Always encourage them when you notice that they have made good choices and acted positively or correctly - whatever the minute the situation may be. Always shake hands with them when they have achieved what they think is important for them - not only what you think is important for you as a parent. Enter their world in listening without entering their world physically. Know what they talk about, how they think, then you will be able to how to act in various situations -not discipline when the child has already overstepped the boundaries - not having had a clue that it was a boundary. Remember, preempt, and guide, don't react and reprimand. The latter is a sign of ba to workd parenting and one who is not proactive, but reactive. Parenting means to be ahead of your children in some aspects which they will value your advice and guidance, because you have proven yourself in a field they can recognise you as a perfect example. Listening to them and the problems other parents face, gives you the edge in being creative about your parenting style. Don't be afraid to do the right thing, which at times are contrary to the norm. Remember some parents comment in parent conversations in agreement with parents who have warped ideas that have been in communities for centuries. Challenge it. Don't be scared to lose a stupid friend. A more qualitative friend will come along and replace him/her. Don't listen to abusive talk of parents who bully their children emotionally,financially, physically or otherwise and in conversation try to get support for their stupidity. Check them. Listening critically allows you to think creatively and respond positively.
5. are Creative: Parents who just go to work, come home, clean, eat, watch tv, read newspaper and go to sleep, can hardly expect much from their children. They basically give their children a message of life in a family is a chore. We are sure all people go to movies, beach, the shop - but if this is all, where is the parent's personal creativity? Read a new book? Created a garden? Interior decorated with old things? recycled old furniture/ clothing? Creating an art-piece? Dad cooked a new recipe? Mom wrote a book for children? Dad and mom is making a documentary with their cellphone, traveling through unknown areas/places in the immediate areas of the home/school/shopping mall? Well what true is that creativity does not need money,but it does stimulate children of creative parents to explore and create more readily than children from humdrum parents, who often, due to a lack of creativity, becomes creative with gossip, criticism and argumentation about sporting personalities, or moan about their spouse or their children.Creative parents motivate their children by example. These parents do not have time for gossip, arguments and spending time on the achievements of sporting personalities etc. Creative parents are rolemodels for their children and have no fear that their children will take shady characters as role models.

The Challenge

The most disturbing factor of all parenting courses and information is that it is often the converted who access the information on effective parenting. The real culprits in destructive parenting, have no real interest in improving themselves as parents. They just do not want to improve themselves. They find a sick enjoyment in being destructive and sending their messed-up children into society to mend these unfortunate souls, mess up society even more. This calls upon the concerned parents to tackle these destructive parents head on. The continuance of destructive parental practice can only happen if the good parents do not work hard to make destructive parenting unpopular. No social conversation should allow bully parents a chance to air the destructive "advice" or comments, when in a social gathering - challenge them, make them feel uncomfortable and create and atmosphere where they will be socially presurised to mend their ways. It is often that a bad parent/s exist within one family, but the good family and friends are too scared to exercise pressure for improved parenting. The big challenge is what methodologies are available for transforming bad parents?

Change Agents for improved parentingProfessionals such and teachers, principals, doctors and business bosses who have some hold on dysfunctional parents and these parents friends, must make every effort to transform the bad parent. What methods can we employ:
1. Address the strengths and talents of the parents
2. Relate to ways how they have been able to express their talents to their children, this will allow them to discover that they have only shown their ugly selves to their children - thus depriving their children from knowing their beautiful self.
3. Relate to them that the memory of children of their parents often gets transported into their own families - if its negative or positive - ask them what would they like for their children
4. Ask them what makes them angry and how they deal with it - ask them if they feel at peace with themselves how they gave expression to their anger - remind them that any feeling of disappointment in the self is the way the soul punishes itself - but that that disappointment is the encouragement for change of the inner-self, and not sentence.
5. Let them know that if they do not feel regrets for what they have been doing, then they are in a dangerous position which if they do not check themselves, that they will land up in jail, asylum, hospital and if not anywhere else negative in their lifetime - hell in the after life, which in introduced by a horrible, unseen death.
6. Make it known to them that no-one gets away with being a bad parent. Bad parents are also caused to suffer ill-treatment of them in old-age by their children or grandchildren. Bad parents often find themselves crying a lot in their old-age, as they have caused their children to cry, or feel hurt.
7. Remind them what they sow they will reap - that is the rule of life and no-one escapes it.

Discovering the Spirit of Bo-Kaap

Introduction

Around the world, people have come to know about Bo-Kaap. The published information on this interesting place has often been created by those foreign to Bo-Kaap - often for tourism advertising or to stereotype Cape Muslims. Tourists who just visit Bo-Kaap, without interacting with people of the Bo-Kaap, often leave with a distorted view of the Bo-Kaap. The Muslim tour guides have attempted to rectify the past distortions "European" writers tried to present about Bo-Kaap. What is an interesting phenomenon is that whoever visits Bo-Kaap feels the spirit of it, a spirit that transcends intellectual impressions; Because being presence in Bo-Kaap and listening to the Call to Prayer (Athaan), leaves the inner-spirit of a visitor stimulated to want to know more about the Islamic Faith, the people and the place - Bo-Kaap.

The late Dr. Achmat Davids, a historian and resident of Bo-Kaap, did extensive studies on the history of "The Mosques of the Bo-Kaap" and the people of Bo-Kaap. He has also brought to the world the reality that Afrikaans has its origins among the Muslims of Bo-Kaap, whose religious leaders were the first to write "Arab-Afrikaans", re-named by myself as "Kaaps" in my mini-thesis in Arabic III at University of the Western Cape (UWC) under Professors Mohamed Haron and Yasien Mohamed.

A contemporary, home-grown and up-to-date vision of Bo-Kaap is presently not in publication. Books that have recently been published on Bo-Kaap were again done by non-muslim, non-residents of Bo-Kaap with a tourist agenda - which still distorts the image and real value of Bo-Kaap. When reading these Euro-centric accounts of Bo-Kaap, a need to write a true account of Bo-Kaap and its people surfaces. The Blog is an attempt to add some new dimensions to the life in Bo-Kaap. It also allows other people to add comments and grow the quality reports and the value of Bo-Kaap. We are aware that all places change over time, but a true account of a place may allow for positive changes that enhance an already valuable place or people for world interest.

Within a global village with countless disappointing outcomes as results, due to the use of static methods, the fast cyberspace communication offers access to a more truer version of places and its peoples. This helps the people of the world to arrive at more positive and sustainable ways of living and progressing. Bo-Kaap, as a place and its people, may hold some of the future promises for world progress as one delves into how a small community could withstand an oppressive government and the modern onslaught of filming companies and other self-interest groups, who tried, and are still trying to exploit such a wonderful people and place for personal, selfish gains.

Some writers who interviewed individuals of Bo-Kaap, were not able to get correct information, because they did not understand the language, religion or culture of the people. They were also stooped in their own traditional western-based "research' methodologies which often alienate people through distorted lenses and critical approaches - that loses the warmth of life's living report. These non-Muslim interviewers also had difficulty asking the deeper questions, because they did not speak the language of Bo-Kaap or share the faith of the people. The Muslims of Bo-Kaap spoke differently to the Muslims from other parts of Cape Town. Eurocentric writers also had a different agenda which tainted their interpretations and writing styles.

Brief History of Bo-Kaap

The Mardykers were the first Muslims who came to the Cape. They were not slaves, but craftsmen and women who worked for the Dutch East India Company. They were, though, not allowed to preach their faith -Islam - to others. With the coming of Sheikh Yusuf, a prince and political exile, who came with his own followers, Islam spread by word through the Thikr (Remembrances of Allah- The One and Only God) of groups of men and women. These Athkaar(Plural of Thikr) had such a remarkable, influence on the Cape, that many Slaves became Muslim. Their new faith and the general charity of Muslims, combined with the first school/ madrassa at the Owal Mosque in Bo-Kaap started by a political exile to the Cape, Tuan Guru, brought more slaves to the mosque and to Islam. The attendees were taught Islam and how to read, using Arabic Script for their colloquial language, accounting, Dutch and other subjects as more literate Christians and European settler descendants, became Muslim. The Owal Mosque site was given to the Muslims as a negotiated offer in return for some Muslim men being asked, by the British empire, to guard the South African coastline.

The Bo-Kaap Muslims' regular Thursday Night  Athkaar (Ga-dat) created the opportunity for them to receive Divine Assistance, which in-turn made the authorities respect them, love them, support them and even fear them, even though the general Muslim was materially poor. The Muslim's love for charity, openness to feeding their guests with their best, however meagre it was, which characterised the Bo-Kaap Muslims as "Goet-gief-tag" (like to give). They were always ready to invite people to eat at their homes and treat them well - even as part the family - whoever it may be - Muslims always had "Oepe tafels fe ie-nag-ge ene"-'Their tables were always set with food and delicacies for anyone"- "oop tafels vir enigeen". They had a general friendly nature and were easy to get along with.This attracted many non-muslims into the fold of Islam - and still, does.

Having been the tailors and dressmakers of some of the authorities - National Party ministers and their wives, and having their fitting rooms in their Bo-Kaap homes, "white" customers frequented Muslim homes and came to know the warmth and honesty of the Bo-Kaap Muslims. The Muslims valued their crafts and it was their communication tool to others. It was for them part of their faith. They believed in honest work and satisfying their customer at reasonable prices. They made such a name for themselves as craftsmen and women that the Non-Muslim business people depended on the Muslims' continuous craftsmanship. It is then understandable that  Apartheid Ministers, through their knowledge and dealings with the Bo-Kaap Muslim, went so far as to declare Bo-Kaap and exclusively Malay Quarter - where no non-Muslim could stay among the Muslims of Bo-Kaap - a National Party move to protect the unique culture of the Cape Muslims. This was the Unseen, Godly Protection, the Muslims of Bo-Kaap received during the hard times of Apartheid. They were so respected as a Muslim community, that they could often get what they want, while non-Muslim non-whites at times, did not enjoy the same privileges. Some non-Muslims would say that the Muslims were sell-outs - 'Fif colloms' - "dealing with the oppressor", out of envy for the respect Bo-Kaap Muslims received from the 'White' leaders. What they did not want to admit to was that the Muslims were strong and were not determined by what the authorities wanted to do to people.The Cape Muslims insisted that the authorities respect their faith and were strong to insist on their rights without compromising their principle. In the old Cape Black Muslims slaves were treated very well for two reasons in the very old 

1. They were sober 

2. Some Muslims slaves would kill their oppressive slave-owners and sacrifice their life in the Path of God for other slaves' safety (Singular Jihad/ Holy War)

The above reasons were enough to make any authority respect the Cape Muslims - and Muslims in general. This hsitory of the Cape Muslims, as well as their general cleanliness,  made many employers request their craftsmanship. The sober habits and cleanliness of their living habits were demanded by their faith of Islam - a basic common religious practice of "cleanliness is next to Godliness", except that within Islam cleanliness is compulsory within Islamic Practice. a Muslims is required to use water for toilet ablution to ensure the requirements to pray (Solaah), Qur'an recital/reading and AthKaar (Remembrances of God where Qur'anic extracts in writing are used) or to circumambulate the Kaba (The Black Drapped Cube Building in Mecca). It is this compulsory cleanliness practice that differenciated the Muslim from all other  people of faith on a daily basis. The solaah format and vision also attracts many non-muslims into the fold of Islam, because the solaah (Formal, regular Prayer) contains serenity, and unitary humble movements - a natural condition the human soul yearns for. The practical Islamic infusion into the life of the Muslim man and woman made them the most interesting people in the city. One interesting practice of Cape Muslims, which also added to reasons why the authorities feared them, was the Ratiep - a sword, knife, spike wielding practice in which Muslim men strike themselves with sharp swords and knives without any injury. This freaked out some White non-Muslims in the Cape. They called for an enquiry and a British government official was sent to Bo-Kaap to investigate it. He approached the few business people in Bo-Kaap about it. The state representative came to an agreement with these Muslim representatives to tone down the sound, but continue the practice. The Muslim business people then convinced the state representative to represent their interests in parliament from that day onwards. His fear and respect for the Cape Muslims made him a formidable Muslim rep in parliament to the extent that other state officials attacked him in parliament as an over-zealous sympathiser of Muslims. Again one sees how the Creator looked after the Muslims of Bo-Kaap, because of their strength for DEEN - Islamic practice. What Muslims wear, their ways and the simplicity, yet strong faithful practice and miraculous Help they receive from God, attracted people from different faiths and persuasions to become Mulsim. Bo-Kaap's faithful practice and its numerous mosques in a confined space, with a mix of architectural styles (Portugese, Dutch, British, Arabian, Indonesian and Malaysian), thus truly draws interests from the world's people - making Bo-Kaap today a world tourist attraction.

A new interest is developing amongst museum officials connected to Bo-Kaap - a proposal to declare Bo-Kaap a heritage area of South Africa, is in the process of being tabled. "De Waterkant" - part of Bo-Kaap that was declared "White" during Apartheid - has been given Heritage Status. It seems that there still exists a "white" prejudicial treatment from municipal authorities, because  the greater, "non-white" Bo-Kaap has not yet been declared a heritage area - allowing "white" buyers to exploit the Bo-Kaap's property value. The heritage interest stems from the need to stop foreign home owners, in Bo-Kaap, from building hideous, ultra-modern structures that do not fit the general, warm, cultural architectural spirit of Bo-Kaap. Whatever the fears may be and the attempts on Bo-Kaap may be, its interesting and faithful existence, with its many Masaajids (Mosques) will still make it an area of great interest. Some non-Muslims, who came to Bo-Kaap to exploit it ,  soon found themselves visited by unseen misfortune. This was sometimes ascribed to a practice of old, the Doe-koem, a few Muslims were well known for - having contact with Jinn (unseen smokeless fire creations of God, that dwell among humans, but can only be seen and contacted by some people), but it often seems to have been the general Spiritual Protection Bo-Kaap Muslims enjoyed and not the work of Doe-koems.

Several Saints (Ow-li-yaa - Friends of God (Tuans)) are buried in the vicinity of Bo-Kaap and the Cape in general - including on Robben Island). Some "White" owners who bought property, where Tuans were buried on, tried to demolish it - and found themselves visited by strange phenomena - they soon abandoned their ideas and they themselves built protective walls around the Tuan and excluded it from their property - giving back the Tuan's "property" and allowing Muslims to visit these graves freely - up till today. Some Bo-Kaap Muslims and other Cape Muslims still exist that regularly have access to communication on one or another level with these Ow-liyaah - who is believed to enjoy the status of not decomposing - the body staying fresh and whole underground- because of the spiritual level they were granted in their life-time and the Divine honour granted to them - such that the earthly elements are unable to decompose their bodies due to its Divinely "magnitised state". One "Hippie" of the 1970's experienced the freshness of a saintly body just under the stones at a Tuan, when he wanted to be curious and scratched to see what's under the Tuan's grave sands and stones. He run down the hill so fast and into my friend's shop at the bottom of the hill - freaking out at what he observed. Taun Grave sites have thus stayed untouched in former "white areas" of the Cape. This is another reason why Muslims of Bo-Kaap and often Muslims in general were feared by non-Muslims. Muslims with Red/ Black fezzes (round Turkish type hats) or Woel-sels (Turbans) were generally feared in the Old Cape. There is also a belief that the graves of the Tuan's are in such a way that there is a spiritual protective zones around the Cape - with specific reference to Bo-Kaap. The Cape's Muslims in general are well respected in the world for the religiosity and yet modern lifestyle. The Cape Muslims and the Bo-Kaap Muslims in particular are respected as the most up-righteous Muslims in the world, by Muslims from other countries - even Saudi's admit to it- especially now that so many Muslims and non-Muslims from all over the world are staying in Bo-Kaap to learn English at the English schools in the City Centre. Presently many Arab Muslims have learnt from Bo-Kaap Muslims, how to be more spiritually practical Muslims and yet  modern. Some non-Muslim students, who stayed with Muslims in Bo-Kaap, have become Muslim. Bo-Kaap today, due to the many foreign students who stay in Bo-Kaap homes, have become a cosmopolitan area. More international and local tourists now take walks in Bo-Kaap. There is a spirit they feel that attracts them. The Divine Presence is felt, because when people enter Bo-Kaap, the many Mosques' Calls to prayer is loudly and regularly heard - The Name of God and His Greatness is sounded loudly and the soul of every human who hears it freezes - even-though he/she wants to deny it intellectually.

The Mosques of the Bo-Kaap

The extensive research done by the Late Dr. Achmat Davids, a distant relative of mine, resulted in the Book "Mosques of The Bo-Kaap". It explains the origin of the peoples of Bo-Kaap and the beginnings each of the Mosques in the Bo-Kaap. We have 10 mosques in the vicinity of Bo-Kaap. Each under their own "management"/ mosque committee. The committees handle the care and financial requirements of the Mosque. The Musallees (those who attend the Mosques for prayers regular) have a choice of attending any mosque of their choice and contribute to any as they wish. All mosques in the Bo-Kaap now offer The Friday Ju-mu-'a Prayer ( The compulsory Mass Friday prayer for all Muslim men). Refusal to attend the Friday Prayer is a major sin. Thus during these times the mosques overflow, because there are so many Muslims from other areas that attend Bo-Kaap Mosques for Ju-mu-'a Prayer, because they work in the city centre. It is for this reason that the Masaajeed of the Bo-Kaap Committee ( a representative body from each mosque in the Bo-Kaap) decided to open all the Mosques for Ju-mu-'a. Only some mosques had Ju-mu-a Prayer in the past, because there is an Islamic Religious Law (Fiqh) that states that a Ju-mu-a can only be performed if there are 40 or more adult men present in a specific area. Bo-Kaap was smaller before in its Friday prayer attendees, but as the Muslims of the Cape Town grew and more became Central town office workers (Old Bo-Kaap had craftsmen - who often worked away on building sites away from Bo-Kaap) the number of Friday attendees grew. Muslims are not only growing in their number of children they had, but many non-Muslims became Muslim, which swelled the ranks even more. Ju-mu-'a is a spectacle of men attending Mosque. The whole South Africa has slowly respected the Muslims "Sabath" giving their workers off to attend mosque. The respect for Muslims by South African Non-Muslims has always been immense. Even the Malls have Prayer Rooms - even before the Muslim international buyers started investing in South African Businesses. It is perhaps this God-fearing nature of South Africans that added to the Miracle of the South African Transition. Another major fact of the S.A. Miracle is that many Muslim Countries , like Saudi Arabia and Libya contributed (Sadaqa/ Charity) to the ANC struggle for freedom from Apartheid. It is now so interesting, that after America and Britain  became hostile to Muslims after 9/11, Arabs decided to Make South Africa their new destination for investments. The Arab children now stay in Bo-Kaap during their English studies. It seems that Allah(God), The Exalted, made South Africa, the place the Arabs helped towards freedom, the Arabs' new home for learning and investments. They used to think the world of Britain and America, until God proved them wrong and forced them to seek protection amongst the South African Muslims - with special reference to Bo-Kaap. It is Madiba who said to the American President Clinton in a press conference on TV, that no-one tells  South Africa who to associate with, because he is grateful to the Arabs who helped the ANC, and that America can "jump in the lake" - Madiba said that while Clinton was standing right next to him at the press conference. This S.A.Miracle of change is definitely linked to the unselfish charity of the Muslim Arabs for the Freedom of South Africans and the God-fearing nature of the South Africans and its upright, yet modern Muslim. I sat next to a Malaysian Pilgrim in the Gha-ram (The Grand Mosque where the Ka'-ba is) during my first Ghaj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1995. He asked me "How many Muslims in South Africa". I answered " 2% of the Population". He said: "What! Internationally you look like 90% of the S.A. population!. You are so strong as a community. I tell you the Angels are with you. That is why you look so big and strong in the world's view of South African Muslims". Yes, we as Muslims in South Africa and especially in Bo-Kaap, are Blessed and Supported by Unseen Forces.

Speak to any foreigner or even "whites", who now stay in Bo-Kaap. Their response is that the people of  Bo-Kaap are friendly and the area is homely. Everyone feels comfortable and safe. They feel protected by the spiritual forces prevalent here in Bo-Kaap. The people walking to Mosque 5 times a day is a vision many stands to wonder.

The Mosques saved Bo-Kaap from being declared "Whites Only" during the Apartheid era. The Bo-Kaap could easily be termed  "The Bastian against Apartheid". In the 70's the Cape Town City Council aimed to build a bridge to cut through Bo-Kaap, that will link De Waal Drive with Sea Point - but when they met with the Civic Association in the Bo-Kaap, they discovered that their plans would cut through a mosque which would not go down without a fight from the Cape Muslims. They went back to their drawing board only to find, with each of the three attempts with a 10 year gap in between, that every time they return to the civic association they found that there was another Mosque in the way of the bridge. They eventually gave up going through the Bo-kaap and tried to link a bridge pass the harbour - the two halves did not meet (an engineering mistake or something deeper ?)- now seen as the incomplete bridge just at the Waterfront entrance. The Plan was to break Bo-Kaap in half with the bridge and declare the better, higher part of Bo-kaap "White" and leave the lower less scenic part for the Muslims, like they did with District Six - which was another failed White dream  - Unseen Help for Bo-Kaap and District Six !

New Research [2017/18] from within the Educational history of the Old Cape Reveals the Following

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Bo-Kaap Misrepresented

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Bo-Kaap Misrepresented by M.F.Arnold(PTD, B.A, Ph.D [HC])

By Whom: The Colonial Narrative

Why: To reduce the Value of Islam as the Spirit of Strength and Freedom in Bo-Kaap

How: By degrading Faith as part of Culture

Method: Creating a narrative of a “Colourful Bo-Kaap” by intention that the people of Bo-kaap are descendants of colourful coons and a community with no real roots, but the descendants of slaves

Intended Impact: Disrespect for the value of the people of Bo-Kaap

Function of This misrepresented Narrative: To attract European Tourists to see a living museum of people who were colonised by the Dutch and British and who today need them to survive

What is the effect on the People and their property: They are flooded with strangers and their privacy and property disrespected.

What is the reality: Bo-Kaap was The Bastion against Apartheid

Why: because it was the only city centre area that withstood the government’s attempts the declare it “White”

How: Three attempts of City Council to Build a bridge through Bo-Kaap cutting it in half  [like they did in District Six] and then declaring the upper part white and the lower part business.

How was it thwarted: Three attempts to build a bridge connecting De Waal Drive with Sea Point through Bo-Kaap was dislodged by a different Mosque of the Bo-Kaap that stood in the way of building the bridge – which they were fearful to demolish

The Result: The in-complete bridge at the entrance to the Waterfront – where the engineering failed and the funds were withdrawn

Why: The Spiritual Presence of Bo-Kaap with its 10 Mosques dotted through it that protects its area and the spiritual luminaries buried there– By The Grace of God

So Why are Tourists attracted to Bo-Kaap: Whatever the narrative:  People’s natural inner-heart- yearning for the Call to God is personified in Bo-Kaap

So What is the History: The people are not the descendants of the Slaves, but the emancipators of slaves through the spiritual presence in Bo-Kaap and because Tuan Guru started the first public school that taught religion and secular sciences holistically in the Owal Mosque. The free-time slaves had, were spent with the Muslims in Bo-Kaap, who welcomed them in the Mosques, schools and homes for spiritual occasions and offered them the opportunity to marry – under the Eyes of God. This gave them honour as a family – which the Dutch denied them – for they were not allowed to marry, but allowed to procreate to have children to be owned by the slave owner as slaves. The slave quarters in churches slowly emptied, because the African slaves became Muslim.

Proofs:

1.       “By the 1820’s About 370-491 free and slave blacks were taught Islam by Malay priests in their homes” [Behr, Shell, Ajam]

2.       The Plakaat of the Dutch Government prevented slaves from:

a.        Keeping their family names – Muslims in Bo-Kaap still have their original family names

b.       Slaves were not allowed to marry, but to cohabit – Muslims married and Their Faith does not allow cohabiting

c.        The Slaves had to follow the faith of their owner – Muslims were always free and kept their religion and the Bo-Kaap Muslims, established the first public school and mosque in South Africa in 1794 - The Owal Mosque in Dorp Street– Slavery was only abolished by the British in 1836

d.       Slaves could not own property – The Bo-Kaap people own the houses in Bo-Kaap for generations

3.       A Muslim does not submit to the enslavement by a human and hence would fight and die for his faith – knowing he would go to heaven for fighting oppression – the Dutch and British thus feared Muslims and would rather employ them as craftsmen and women but not as slaves – and some black slaves, who became Muslim, killed their abusive, oppressive slave owners, to free the other slaves–[ See Lady Barnard’s history]

4.       The moneys earned by the Muslim servants and craftsmen allowed them to become the property owners in Bo-Kaap.

5.       The emptying of the slave quarters in churches and the increased Slaves becoming Muslim – prompted the government to start Christian Missionary Schools – prior to that, there were no public schools – so the Muslims of Bo-Kaap initiated public school education [ Lord Charles Somerset promulgated in 1823 compelled Christian slave owners to send their slave children to Christian Missionary schools – after Lord Caledon’s complaint since 1807 “ that imported Mozambiquecan slaves were becoming Muslim”[Ajam 1986]

6.       The The first recorded arrival of free Muslims known as Mardyckers is in 1658. Mardycka or Maredhika implies freedom. The Mardyckers were people from Amboyna [an Indonesian island] in the southern Moluccas and were brought to the Cape in order to defend the newly established settlement against the indigenous people, and also to provide labour in the same way that they had been employed at home, first by the Portuguese and later by the Dutch, in Amboyna. Jan Van Riebeeck had requested that the Mardyckers be sent to the Cape as a labour force. The Mardyckers were prohibited from openly practising their religion: Islam. This was in accordance with the Statute of India [drafted by Van Dieman in 1642] which stated in one of its placaats [statutes]: "No one shall trouble the Amboinese about their religion or annoy them; so long as they do not practise in public or venture to propagate it amongst Christians and heathens. Offenders to be punished with death, but should there be amongst them those who had been drawn to God to become Christians, they were not to be prevented from joining Christian churches. " The same Placaat was re-issued on August 23, 1657 by Governor John Maetsuycker probably in anticipation of the advent of the Mardyckers to the Cape of Good Hope. The Placaat governed the Cape as part of the Dutch Colonial Empire.

7.       The Muslims of Bo-Kaap are also descendants of influential political exiles who fought the Dutch and who were too dangerous to be jailed on the islands of their origin, because of their influence on the people against the Dutch. This explains the strength still inherent of the Bo-Kaap Muslims.

8.       The Colour technology of Plascon Paints was only possible in the late 1990’s – early 2000, Therefore the Red Bus Tour claim that Bo-Kaap people were so happy to be freed as slaves that they painted their housed different colours – is not only derogatory , but blatant ignorance of modern life and history – there was only white Chalk paint in those times, hence the beautiful white old Bo-Kaap, Dutch and British houses

The above has caused a new look at the Muslims of Bo-Kaap and generally has placed a doubt on British colonial historic records since 1600 - which left a vast gap of Dutch historical evidence from 1652-1799 regrading the Bo-Kaap or Cape Muslims who were descendants of the Free Mardykers of Van Riebeeck's time. 

What is important for this day is to rediscover the Spirit of the Bo-Kaap people, who although often oppressed in various ways has kept a strong moral and still has the general respect of other people of the Cape. The interesting feature would be to move on and truly discover the spirit inherent in the Muslims of the Bo-Kaap  

N.B. Dear reader Thank you for reading this blog entry. Please bear with me - I am extremely busy but have the niyyah (spiritual intention) to write a very deep appreciative account of the Discovering the Spirit Bo-Kaap and its People - Inshaa Allah - God Willing. If you have any questions please be so kind to send me an email : mfarnold@gmail.com or simply place it as a comment. Thank you - Shuk'ran.