SAMNET

Category: Press Releases

  • COVID-19 PANDEMIC

     

    “O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the difficulty and heal (the patient), for You are the Healer. There is no healing but yours, a cure that leaves behind no ailment”.

    (Sahih Al Bukhari 1: Chapter 76, Hadith 5675)

    A GLOBAL CRISIS

    No one saw a pandemic of this magnitude coming…. Who would have thought we would ever see the day that we have to go into lock-down? It is times like these that we as humanity realise the importance of unity and standing together to combat such challenges. This is not a time for panic and chaos but rather a time for self-reflection, character development and helping in ways that we are able to, to the best of our ability.

    There is a narration regarding a pandemic, such as the one we are currently facing, in which the Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) states:

    “Plague was a punishment which the Almighty used to send on whom He wished, but the Almighty made it a blessing for the believers. None (among the believers) remains patient in a land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him except what God has ordained for him, but that God will grant him a reward similar to that of a martyr.”

    (Sahih Bukhari – Volume 7, Book 71, Number 630)

     

    As human beings, we tend to get carried away with busy lifestyles and time gets ahead of us. The coronavirus is not just a sickness, but a plague that has befallen the world; however, it is also a blessing in disguise as we are granted the time and opportunity to be home with family and to have ample time to focus on all the aspects of our lives that need fixing on a physical, mental and spiritual level. It is of utmost importance for us to abide by the stringent rules and procedures put into place by Health Departments and the Governing bodies, not just as a means of protecting ourselves but also as a protection for others.

    One of the most important aspects of the Islamic religion is Cleanliness as it is stated many times in various narrations that ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ and is ‘half of ones’ faith’. This is the main prevention method against contracting sicknesses such as the coronavirus. If you look closely, the methods of protection against the coronavirus all fall in line with the basic rules of cleanliness and hygiene that we are required to practice according to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him).

    PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS:

    • WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY! Especially when you leave the house to go just about anywhere, gives those hands a good scrub.
    • SANITIZE! SANITIZE and SANITIZE!
    • Watch where you leave your belongings, such as your phone/wallet/keys etc. Sanitize these items as well.
    • Make sure that you wear the proper gloves and facemasks/face shields when you leave the house. Try your best to avoid touching items in stores with your bare hands.
    • Try to avoid handling Cash as much as possible. Use EFT or Card as methods of payment instead.
    • When you return home, change your clothing and sanitize your vehicle.
    • STAY AT HOME! Avoid going out of the house, unless it is of extreme necessity.
    • Do not attend gatherings at the mosque or at any location.
    • Most importantly, SOCIAL DISTANCING!
    • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough.
    • Do not touch your face, especially after touching items in stores.
    • Avoid gatherings and close contact with people.
    • If you identify any symptoms of the virus, go for a check-up immediately, get yourself tested and ensure you quarantine yourself until certain you do or do not have the coronavirus.
    • Take precautions and follow all rules and regulations put into place during this global crisis.
    • Keep yourself and your family/friends up-to-date with the news/current affairs and be aware of further developments during this pandemic.
    • Keep a check on family/friends/neighbours, especially elderly members, via text or phone calls during this time.
    • Place your trust and faith in the Almighty as sickness and health are both from God, but take the necessary precautions as well.

     

    HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR TIME IN QUARANTINE?

    The Prophet Muhammed, (Peace be upon him) said,

    ‘There are two things most people are tested with: health and idleness.’

    (Al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 152, no. 136)

    It is extremely important for us to avoid being idle as idleness leads to the desire to do things that are not entirely accepted or like by God. There are so many ways to spend time in quarantine and numerous activities and challenges one can do to avoid being stuck in a state of boredom or unproductivity. This is an opportune time for us as individuals to reconnect with our faith, our family and ourselves.

    • Take this time to refresh your knowledge on your religious history and background. Learn more about your religion and improve on your daily spiritual routine.
    • Read the English translation of the Quraan.
    • Challenge yourself to read all forms of literature.
    • Challenge yourself to learn a new skill.
    • Do not resort to any forms of entertainment that are disliked by God.
    • Do not fall prey to the time-wasting games/apps/trends on social media.
    • STAY PRODUCTIVE!
    • Time to become super domesticated. Help with household chores. Kids should be assigned a fair share of chores to do on a daily/weekly basis.
    • Get into the kitchen and try new things. If you do not know how to cook or bake, now is the perfect time to start familiarising yourself with kitchen work.
    • Time to travel to your garden and get those fingers green and dirty.
    • STAY ACTIVE! Exercise is important and has multiple benefits, time to get fit physically.
    • Students should practise self-discipline and keep up with course work.
    • DO NOT WASTE TIME, AS TIME IS EXTREMELY PRECIOUS.
    • Contribute and donate towards causes run by NGO’s to help provide aid and resources for those in need during this difficult time.
      As part of SAMNET, the Caring Sisters Network is running a drive that is in need of your donations.
    • Keep an eye and ear out to causes like this in which you can gain rewards from the comfort of your home and benefit those in need.
    • We are heading closer to the blessed month of Ramadhan, it is time to prepare ourselves not just food wise but mentally and spiritually as well. Especially for those who will be performing the night prayer, Taraweeh, use this time wisely.

     

    We have to take care of those whom we live with as well as ourselves. We should never forget who we are and what our purpose is in this temporary life, especially when such calamities befall humankind. This is a clear reminder to one and to all. Let us take heed of this wakeup call and never lose our focus on our ultimate goal. We pray for the safety and good health for each and every individual.

    #staysafe
    #stayhome

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • CRUSADERS TERROR PLOT

    Durban, December 05, 2019: The South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) notes with interest, the calm and subdued manner, free of sensationalist headlines, in which the media has covered the exposure of the terrorist plots of the right wing Christian group – the National Christian Resistance Movement- and the arrests of some of its members.

    We also note the deafening silence of the many security experts and think tanks who usually don’t let facts get in the way of their grandiose speculation when security matters involve a Muslim or anything related to Islam.

    We recall their wild speculation before the 2010 World Cup about the presence of Al Qaeda camps and plots to bomb stadia during the World Cup.

    Dramatic and sensationalist headlines and sound bytes speculating that Al Qaeda and ISIS are well established in South Africa after the arrests of the Tulsi Twins on what appears to be more and more, at best, very poor evidence of any proof of intended terrorist activity.

    Surprisingly there has been no call for Christians, Christian groups and theologians or Christian political parties to dissociate themselves from the racist diatribe and terror plots of the Crusaders like Muslims are hounded to do after any violent act committed by anyone with a Muslim name anywhere in the world.

    There has been no wild speculation on what the presence of these Crusaders would do to the image of South Africa. There is no mention of any negative impact on the rand and tourism or the presence of other right wing fundamentalists in South Africa with links to other white terrorist Christian groups all over the world, as would have been done ad nauseam had a Muslim been found in possession of arms and the accompanying hate rhetoric.

    The glaring double standards in the media are pointedly made in the coverage of this story as is the silence and/or ignorance or deliberate attempts by the security intelligentsia to diminish the presence of extremism from non-muslim quarters.

    Where are all the security experts and think tanks and maybe we need to look into who funds them and sets their agendas.

    Racism and extremism and any intent to violent expression of these ideas are an affront to All Mighty God. It must be condemned no matter where they originate from and we hope that our security apparatus will spare no effort in doing their jobs without fear or favour within the ambit of our laws, and not be distracted and influenced to see extremism from one quarter only.

  • WE CAN RISE AGAINST VIOLENCE

    Durban, September 4, 2019: The South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) and the Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA) condemns the criminal behavior masked as xenophobic and anti-immigrant attacks.

    We recognize the consequences of past and current forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and linked intolerance as serious challenges to peace and security, human dignity and essential freedoms of many people in South Africa.

    We realise the need to implement a robust technical framework that recognizes inequalities within various communities and the widespread discrimination against non-nationals due to perceived competition for employment, housing, medical services and education. We appeal to the South African government to work together with civil society and academia to implement this framework, which will improve our livelihood and disintegrate mob violence, gender based violence and all forms of criminal behaviour that is reinforced by a poor economy.

    In addition, we appeal to community leaders and political officials to avoid inciting hatred and violence toward people based on their race, gender, nationality, religion and other minority groups.

    The spirit of Ubuntu must prevail in these challenging times.

     

    Kind regards

     

    Dr. Faisal Suliman                                                                   Dr. Y. M. Essack

    Chairperson                                                                             President

    SAMNET                                                                                   IMASA