Introduction by Shaykh Dr. Abdalqadir as-Sufi

Almost a decade ago when I came to South Africa I saw that while Islam had survived, indeed it had been respected by the previous regime despite the christian iniquities, it had lost its social dynamism. The Jumu’a had been robbed of its political authority, I mean the khutba from the Mimbar.

Modern capitalism had everywhere made two actions to put Islam out of action. Firstly, they doctrinally encouraged new mosques to replace the Mimbar with a christian pulpit. Secondly, cynically exploiting the need for an Arabic khutba they had replaced the fresh political discourse of our tradition with a formula repeated in Arabic and at the same time introducing a “pre-khutba talk” from a lectern. Thus, not only was the message reduced from its power-base, the Mimbar, but it robbed the jama’at of the vital ruhani time of reflection before the Imam is seated. For when the Imam sits the angels shut their book of records. Thus, both the time of Haqiqa and that of Shari’at have been taken from us.

It seemed that a properly mounted Jumu’a was the first step to Islamic awakening. I was helped by a generous gift to the Cape Town Muslims. Hajj Mukhtar al-Bukhari of Malaysia purchased for the city and our Jama’at a noble building in the heart of the downtown district. Once ready we then began to impose the living pattern of the Jumu’a according to the practice of the people of Madinah.

We are fortunate in having Shaykh Habib Bewley as our Imam Khatib, son of the distinguished Muslim scholars, Shaykh Abdalhaqq Bewley and Hajja Aisha Bewley. Shaykh Habib, himself a scholar of the Qarawyn Mosque in Fez and other distinguished Moroccan teachers, has made an impact on his Jama’at, and can now see before him a packed and attentive gathering every Friday. The following Khutba was enthusiastically received and there were many requests for its text. It’s my privilege to host it to the wider community of the Internet

Shaykh Dr. Abdalqadir as-Sufi

A Cape Town Khutba

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