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November 1, 2000

Shaykh Nazim Hosted to Reception Dinner


On the evening of November 1st, Shaykh Nazim, Shaykh Hisham, Mehmet Adil, and the rest of the ISCA delegation to South Africa were hosted as guests of the Muslim community of Cape Town. The reception and catered dinner were held in the Gauthia Manzil, a zawiya and mosque established by Hazrat Shaykh Zainul Abideen of the Qadiri Tariqat. The event, which boasted a capacity crowd, was hosted by the Naqshbandi Tariqat of South Africa, led by Professor DaCosta. This was the largest event ever held in the Manzil by the Naqshbandi Tariqat to date. Dhikr is normally held weekly in the center on Friday evenings, usually attended by 500 people, of which a large number are non-mureeds but nevertheless love to attend the circles of remembrance of God. Professor Yusuf DaCosta made an extensive introduction of the Shaykhs by describing their many accomplishments and support for Islam around the world. Shaykh Nazim spoke on the need for humbleness. He stated that the most beloved title for Prophet Muhammad (s) was the word "abd", as Allah described the Prophet (s) in Surat al-Isra, "Subhanalladhi asra bi 'abdihi..." Naqshbandi Reception Be Happy

They were then welcomed officially by the South African government by His Excellency Abdullah Mohammed Omar (shown here in the far left photo), former minister of Justice and current minister of Transport, on behalf of President Mbeki and the government of South Africa. HE Abdullah Omar noted how impressed he had been by the Shaykh's words and his humility, as a truly great man.

Ibraheem Rasul, head of the African National Congress (ANC) political party in Cape Town and the Western Cape, welcomes Shaykh Nazim and Shaykh Hisham to South Africa (third photo from left).



With the announcements of Shaykh Nazim and Shaykh Hisham's expected arrival in Cape Town, large numbers of Dhikr attendees who had not yet taken initiation into the Naqshbandiyya requested ba'ya. Mawlana Makaddam, Vice-Rector of the Islamic College of South Africa, welcomed the Shaykhs on behalf of the Islamic community of South Africa, praising their humility and naming them exemplars of Islam in our time. Don't Be Like Animals Today's Munafiqun