The day began in Johannesburg like any other day with the Shaykh - salat al-tahajjud, salat an-najaat, salat al-shukr, salat al-tasbih; followed by salat al-Fajr and wazaif up to the time of ishraq, salat al-ishraq, then breakfast.

Following breakfast, the Shaykh, accompanied by a large contingent of mureeds, went to visit the Johannesburg Zoo.

The zoo visit began with hiring out a number of carts to transport the visitors around its huge grounds. Quickly the mureeds were involved in racing each other from one set of animals to another!

Mawlana watched the lions being fed.

Various fauna and flora were seen in the very natural habitat of the zoo.

Shaykh Nazim Effendi enjoyed the antics of orangutans and chimps.

The day churned over, lunch was partaken of the Dursot home and then as the sun set and adhan sounded for Maghrib, the Shaykh was brought to a grand invitation at the Sultan Bahoo Mosque. This elegant facility, purchased from a Christian group recently and modified into an Islamic style, was ornately but tastefully decorated. The massive complex contains a madarasa and facilities for banquets and small conferences.

Mawlana led Salat al-Maghrib.

As in most mosques in South Africa, posters announcing Milaad celebrations, Urs celebrations and other Islamic activities fill the bulletin boards.

An delicious dinner was served to all attendees. The hosts were extremely attentive to adab and following the dinner, surrounded the Shaykh to ask his du`a.

The sparkling-clean and well-managed mosque kitchen from which wonderful aromas and vast pots of delicious food emerged in a steady stream.

Dinner was followed by Salat al-Isha.

The Imam of Sultan Bahoo Mosque was very eager to introduce Mawlana. He noted that he had just flown in from the US, where he says, Mawlana's mureeds are to be found everywhere. His last stop had been the Yuba City Mosque in California, famous for having been destroyed by arson shortly after completion (in fact only a few weeks after Mawlana Shaykh Nazim had dedicated the Mosque in 1991 in a beautiful ceremony and Dhikr), after which it had been rebuilt. He congratulated Shaykh Nazim on his da`wah work, mentioning the many converts he had met in the US who had taken shahada with Mawlana Shaykh. He said, "I was asked to give Jumah at the Yuba City Mosque, but when I told them I must return to Johannesburg for a program with Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, they said, 'clearly attending with Shaykh Nazim takes far greater precedence over giving Jumah, please don't worry about it.'" Imam Sahib noted the tremendous work Shaykh Nazim's caliph, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani is accomplishing in the US, including working for the issuance of a Ramadan Stamp by the US Post Office, work to educate the US government about traditional, moderate Islam and the tremendous strides moderate, mainstream Islam has made with the Shaykh's work in publishing, websites and in the US media.

The evening at the mosque ended with salaam on the Prophet, a fitting close to a long and busy day.