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“WHERE ARE THE AFRICANS?”
In the year 2000 Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani (then world leader of the Naqshbandi Order) remarked at a masjid (mosque) in Cape Town, South Africa: “I am in Africa. Where are the African Muslims?” There were no African Muslims present in the masjid. He advised later: “The African people’s hearts are open for Islam!“
Just over a decade later, Shaykh Yusuf da Costa (Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s then representative in Southern Africa) sent small groups of Muslims on dawah missions into Africa. Alhamdulillah, with Allah Almighty’s help, these missions have proved remarkably successful. The people of Africa have embraced the religion of Islam in multitudes. Their hearts are truly open for the light of Islam. The beauty of Islam is there for all and it is our duty as Muslims to invite all non-Muslims to the Oneness of Allah Almighty.
Dawah (inviting non-Muslims to embrace Islam) is one of the most important sunnahs (prophetic traditions) of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah Almighty send prayers and salutations upon him). In the early days of Islam in Mecca, the poor and marginalized accepted Islam. We genuinely believe in following this important sunnah. And in line with what happened in Mecca 1,400 years ago, we again find the poor and marginalized embracing Islam. This time in Africa. Please help us in following this important sunnah and, with Allah Almighty’s help, perform an Islamic obligation that has largely been neglected in Southern Africa for generations: inviting indigenous Africans to the beauty of Islam.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani (QS) was the 40th Grand Shaykh in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain. He was a scholar of Divine law, in his time being Turkey’s foremost scholar in the Hanafi Madh-hab and also the Mufti of Turkish Cyprus.
He was born in Larnarca, Cyprus on 23 April 1922. His lineage from his father’s side traces its roots to Sayyid ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani, founder of the Qadiri Tariqah. His lineage from his mother’s side goes back to Sayyid Jalaluddin Rumi, founder of the Mevlevi Tariqah. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani is a Hasani-Husayni, being related to our Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah Almighty send prayers and salutations upon him) through the lineages of his grandfather. He received the Qadiri Order from his father’s side, and the Mevlevi Order from his mother’s side.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim passed away on 7 May 2014 in Lefke, Cyprus.
NUMBER OF SHAHADAS BY COUNTRY
CHALLENGES
Some of the challenges we faced on dawah missions:
- We found people who had never heard about Islam before.
- Some thought Muslims worship our Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah Almighty send prayers and salutations upon him).
- In some villages, people were instructed to go to their homes as the Muslim extremists were coming to kill them.
Despite these challenges, people’s hearts were open for Islam. Over 90% of the people who were invited to Islam accepted our invitation. Alhamdulillah.Dawah in Southern Africa and beyond has, to date, led to over 100,000 people embracing Islam. Alhamdulillah. Inshaa Allah, our intention is to send groups of da’ees to countries across Africa in the coming years.
Please Donate
Make a donation towards dawah in Africa (Donate any amount)
