The key to peace lies close to the earth – Masanobu Fukuoka “Green”  Community Development Initiative at  Masjid Al-Rahman,  Riverlea, 29 August 2015 Tree planting at masjid Al-Rahman in Riverlea, Joburg – volunteers are welcome The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.” (Bukhari) Nicholas Luqmaan McLean with Awqaf SA is initiating a tree planting project in the hope of transforming a barren-looking masjid with so much potential in Riverlea, Johannesburg into a thriving green community centre. We intend on bringing together people who can contribute their input, time or other resources in a way that adds value to the community and the masjid property. In this event we will be exploring and discussing a vision of the property as well as planting 50 fruit, nut and indigenous trees, and plants to beautify and enhance life around this masjid. With a lot of open land and a dedicated Imam looking after it, this project may be the beginning of creating working models of sustainability in an Islamic waqf context. Current and future activities at Masjid Al-Rahman: • Food farming, and practical training of sustainable farming • Qurbani activies • Spiritually inclined activites and workshops • Preparing, distributing or sharing of wholesome food grown at the masjid Where? Masjid Al-Rahman, Colorado Drive, Riverlea, Johannesburg. When? 29 August 2015, 8:30am till after Zuhr ...

The 2nd Edition of the Gauteng Chapter of the SAQU-AWQAF SA  International Qira’ah Recital Award (IQRA) will be held at the Bosmont Masjid, Maraisburg Road, Johannesburg, Gauteng on the 6th June 2015 (18 Shabaan 1436). The programme will commence after Thuhr Salaat. A total of 74 entries were received for the 2nd edition of the Gauteng  International Qira’ah Recital Award, including 11 females. A total of 38 males qualified to participate, coordinators  Hfz Muhammad Zein Cajee and Ml Anis Kara announced at the weekend. The Gauteng Chapter accommodates participants from the Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape provinces. A Kwa-Zulu Natal regional leg is also included in the overall competition. A panel of esteemed judges will adjudicate and also provide score sheets and feedback to our budding Qaaris and Qaariyahs. Several competitors from other countries including Malawi, Tanzania, Somalia, Mozambique, Yemen,  Egypt and France will also participate. Winners from each region will gain automatic entrance to the International Qur’aan Recital Award (IQRA) competition that will be held in Cape Town during September 2015. The 2014 edition of this event boasted around 60 competitors of more than 10 nationalities. Successful reciters from the IQRA event are recommended by SAQU to represent South Africa on international platforms throughout the world. SAQU has hosted a national Qiraa’ah (Qur’aan recital) competition in Cape Town for the last decade. The mother city is set to once again host this year’s event which will see the biggest gathering of Qur’aan reciters of its kind ...

AwqafSA in partnership with the Boland Islamic Council Waqf hosted their first session of Waqf training on Saturday 9th May 2015. The event was hosted in Kromboom Road and presenters included Awqaf SA members, Awqaf SA Deputy CEO Mikaeel Collier, Madina Institute’s Dr Salie Abrahams, former Awqaf SA CEO Raaghieb Najaar and current Awqaf SA CEO Zeinoul Abedien Cajee. The workshop was aimed at training and creating a group of knowledgable individuals on waqf and its principles. This initiative is to encourage members of the public to not only be ambassadors for the partnership but also apply this training to the social upliftment of communities. Awqaf SA Cadre Training Video Clip Many shuyookh and respected ulema, some even coming from Saldanha and the Boland, were in attendance and all of them echoed the importance of waqf. Ml Abdul Khalek Allie, Ameer of the Boland Islamic Council, said that the programme was very enlightening and empowering. He felt that more programmes such as these should be held. “This is a fanastic eye-opener into the true essence of waqf that can be applied in all spheres of life, thereby influencing the actual waqf of life and thinking of an individual,” said Maulana Mogammad Rifaat Carolus from Hopefiled Masjied in Malmesbury. Some of the students from the Madina Institute who were part of the training, said they were happy it was a day course that one could get certified for as well. Mohamed Lwande Makwethu, a Muslim revert, said that he enjoyed how ...

In 2015, for the second consecutive year, the South African Qur’aan Union (SAQU) has teamed up with AWQAF SA to host the Gauteng Chapter of the competition Entries are now open for the Gauteng Chapter of the South African National Qiraa’atul Qur’aan Competition The South Africa Qur’aan Union (SAQU) has hosted a national Qiraa’ah (Qur’aan recital) competition in Cape Town for the last decade. The mother city is set to once again host this year’s event which will see the biggest gathering of Qur’aan reciters of its kind in the country. The event is recognised worldwide and is administered according to the international standards. This landmark initiative is an attempt to honour the efforts of students and teachers of the Holy Qur’aan throughout the world. It serves as an added encouragement for individuals to improve, and hence the aim of the competition is to promote and maintain high levels of Qur’anic learning and service, as well as to train and earmark successful (local) candidates for other international platforms. In 2015, for the second consecutive year, the South African Qur’aan Union (SAQU) has teamed up with AWQAF SA to host the Gauteng Chapter of the competition. The Gauteng Chapter is open to participants from the Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape provinces. A Kwa-Zulu Natal regional leg is also included in the overall competition. Due to the resounding success of last year’s Gauteng Chapter, this year’s contest will feature a preliminary qualifying round for the male Junior Category. ...

ALHAMDULLILAH Awqaf SA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Boland Islamic Council (BIC) which represents all the outlying town’s of Cape Town. In the MOU the two organisations agreed to cooperate on joint projects. The establishment of a waqf fund in the name of BIC to which Awqaf SA handed over a cheque of R100 000 towards the establishment of the Boland Islamic Council Waqf Fund. Mickaeel Collier, Deputy CEO of Awqaf SA said: “The BIC will promote Awqaf SA as part of a road show to all the towns of the Boland.” The MOU was signed at the historic site of the Faure Karamat where Shaykh Yusuf lies buried, and at the site where the first muslim community in South Africa was formed. The MOU was signed in front of thousands of people and broadcast live on radio voice of the Cape. Br Mickaeel beseeches Allah to allow this cooperation to grow from strength to strength insha’Allah and asks all concerned to make dua for success. Br Zeinoul Abedien Cajee, Awqaf SA CEO said : ” We are very excited about this initiative and wish to say Barakallahu Fi Kum and Jazakumullahu khairan to all who made this possible – the BIC team and the Awqaf SA team. We wish to particularly thank our Waqf donors who have embraced the waqf concept and helped Awqaf SA reach this point. A special thanks also to our Mutawakllees/ trustees who have supported the management team. We are confident that ...