Fifty Shades of Grey: What Muslim Girls Need to Know

“OMG, the Fifty Shades of Grey movie is coming out!” a high-school girl I mentor cheers with excitement. I nod but don't say anything. “I have to tell my friend. She will be thrilled. It is her favorite book!”
I feel goose bumps on my skin, because I happen to know her friend as well. She is not an ordinary girl. Masha'Allah, she just finished memorizing Qur'an earlier this year out of her own dedication, while maintaining full time high school.
“You do know that it's not only a soft-porn book, but it also has some really disturbing material.” I remind her.
“No Miss, apart from all that stuff, it has an amazing love story!” her voice melts as she recalls the “love” between Ana and Christian Grey.
Last summer, I skimmed through the series to be aware of what our young women are reading. Needless to say, the more I read the book the more horrified I was.
It was the first time in years –after the Twilight series–that I asked my teen daughter not to read a book, and I explained to her my reasons, “If you read this book now, you will have a messed up concept of sex, and some content may even be emotionally disturbing and psychologically damaging.”
She promised, and since then she's been offered the book several times at her “Islamic” school. Not only has the trilogy made it to this Muslim country where I currently live— pornographic material is banned here– it also has found its way to the hands of practicing Muslim girls.
I understand that it is not easy to stop the young adults from reading a book, let alone a trilogy so popular that it has sold more than 70 million copies in 2012, even surpassing the Harry Potter series as the fastest selling paperback of all time . The book is popular in the West and in the East, among the non-Muslims and Muslims. So now that most of our teens have read it, who is going to do the damage control?
Let me start of by explaining why I'm alarmed by this specific trilogy though there are many errotic books available out there.
Because this trilogy has become more famous than any other book, sending the author straight to the top of the highest-earning authors' list.
My real concern however, lies in the plot—this is a disturbing book about a millionaire sadist who enslaves young girls under a “mutual agreement” and inflicts physical pain on them for his sexual pleasure and in return he offers them generous amount of money and cossets them with lavish cars, extravagant clothes and jewelry. Abused as a teenager, he partners with his abuser in a business and doesn't necessarily see anything wrong with what his abuser did to him. Moreover, since his own mother was a prostitute who committed suicide, he chooses girls who look like his mother so he can inflict pain on them, to satisfy his anger towards his her!
A young, ambitious, educated, innocent girl, who is not only a virgin but very naïve about sex, falls in love with him, even though he stalks her, traces her calls, convinces her to sign the slavery submissive-contract so he can use her for his sexual enjoyment.
Then…. they get married and after the marriage he gives up his addiction and they live happily ever after.
Right!
As it is we already have intimacy issues among Muslim couples. We don't have parents who openly communicate with their children and educate them about sex and sexuality. We don't have enough speakers talking to our teens about sex, especially female speakers. We don't have enough Muslim counselors/therapists resolving intimacy issues between couples. On top of that, if our girls are going to read books like Fifty Shades of Grey, they are going to left with a seriously damaged concept of intimacy.
Just recently, I received a request from high school girls to hold a “Talk Session” so they can discuss their fears about marriage and intimacy. Some of the girls specifically brought up what they read in Fifty Shades of Grey and how they have developed fears and insecurity after reading the book (yet they are in love with Christian Grey!)
I cannot discuss all the points in the book thoroughly in just one article. However, to highlight some major issues, I want to tell my dear teenage daughters:

Christian Grey in Real Life:

1. It is not okay to be sexually abused by someone and then accept the abuse as a lifestyle, just because the abused starts enjoying the abuse.
2. It is not okay for a man to lure a girl into marrying him with his money or good looks while expecting her to overlook his habit of objectifying women as mere sexual objects.
3. Decent men normally don't stalk girls.
4. Grey is domineering, a control freak, a stalker, and a manipulator. In real life, these character flaws cause real marital problems. Unlike Ana, most women can't endure being stalked, watched and forced into submission while compensated with wealth and erotic intimacy. In real life, most men simply do not have the luxury of gifting the company where she works to the wife while forcing her into submitting.
5. One legitimate fact in the book worth pointing out is that Grey has a problem with Ana's male friends. Yes, that I can assure you dear daughters, especially those of you who have studied with boys and have Facebook friends of the opposite gender from school or work, that your husband may raise this objection. Or if you are used to “hanging out” for school projects at a public place, he may ask you to stop doing so. You either talk this through before marriage or you should be prepared to “submit” on this point after marriage and keep in mind that in exchange for your obedience, a luxurious ski trip to Aspen in a private jet with your girl friends is not guaranteed.

Addiction and BDSM:

6. It is not okay to marry an addict especially if a girl finds out about his addiction before the marriage. This is a serious matter and unlike the book, addicts don't lose their addiction just by marrying someone they love.
7. It can take years for an addict to overcome his addiction. Addicts almost always have relapses and those relapses can take a tremendous toll on the marriage.
8. I've come across countless men who have issues of child molestation, mother-father family issues, and desperately need therapy, but they will refuse to acknowledge any problems with their behavior let alone seek therapy. Our hero Mr. Grey, seeks counseling even before Ana asks him to seek help for his psychological issues. Dear daughters, the unfortunate fact of life is that it may take months of convincing, even arguments, and at times even family/friends' intervention, before the husband finally agrees to seek therapy.
9. It is not okay for a man to inflict physical pain on his wife for his sexual pleasure.
10.Sadism/Bondage/Submission and Dominance (BDSM) are acts of sex that may develop among couples in a halal way but it takes time. Initially a relationship needs understanding and normal intimacy. Once both partners, especially the wife, become comfortable and confident then they may experiment with different types of intimate practices.
11. After both husband and wife become comfortable with each other especially during intimacy, they may play around with different techniques and a variety of intimacy including BDSM. However, if it reaches to the point of inflicting pain where a wife starts crying with discomfort, or her eyes overflow with tears trying to endure pain, that's crossing the line. There is a difference in “delirious pain” and tearing up with pain.
12. Spanking the wife for rolling her eyes is wrong (even though it maybe an acceptable practice among the Christian Domestic Discipline). Hitting the wife with a belt to inflict physical pain for a husband's sexual pleasure is physical abuse. A decent man will draw his own limits for his sexual pleasure and a wife doesn't need to burst out in tears and start crying for him to realize that what he was doing was beastly.

Virginity and Intimacy:

13. No virgin has multiple orgasms on her first night. Do not enter your marriage with this misconception.
14. It may take days to weeks before a virgin experiences vaginal orgasm. (In rare cases, it may take up to months and may need therapy)
15. Communication and comfort is essential in making intimacy successful and pleasurable, especially for those girls who've guarded their chastity and are experiencing intimacy for the first time.
16. In normal circumstances, acts of BDSM should not be practiced on a girl who's been recently deflowered.
17. Men are not born expert-lovers. In real life, couples have to discuss their fantasies and communicate what they like and explain their desires, and not just once. Sometimes these fantasies have to be explained many times before the spouse finally understands. It may take months, sometimes years before sexual fantasies become realities. The book definitely raises the bar of expectations in many ways.
18. Yes, sex is a lot more than just penetration (as most Muslim women complain about their intimacy being dry and boring) but most Muslim men are not as experienced and “sex gurus” as Grey, especially those who have kept themselves pure before marriage.
19. Grey can read Ana's body language and knows exactly what will turn her on and what will bring her pleasure AND he is always ready to give her that. Dear daughters, in real life things are very different.
20. In the beginning of a marriage, most Muslim men don't know how to make a women experience an orgasm during every intercourse. They need to learn and the wives need to help them learn. It is a give-and-take relationship.

Romance between Ana & Grey:

21. There is never a “dull moment” in their romance. In real life, issues start rising after a few weeks of marriage–real issue—issues that need to be talked through and resolved. These issues cannot be resolved through “erotic intimacy” and “expensive gifts”.
22. Unlike Grey, men have mood swings too and they may not be romantic all the time.
23. Men want their wives to be romantic too and take initiatives and plan romantic events, dinners, outings etc. Unlike Grey, real men are not always full of romantic surprises.
24. Real men in real life have work to do at work. They simply cannot romantically email back and forth all day from work.
This is just a brief clarification I can offer you, of not just one but three books about an abused billionaire turned into a sadistic-domineering-control freak-emotional abuser's “amazing love story”!


Reblogged from: http://muslimmatters.org/2014/01/24/fifty-shades-grey-young-muslim-women-looking-love-need-know/

By their words you shall know them - the MJC Then and Now

BY THEIR WORDS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM

The signs of a hypocrite are three : when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he fails to keep his word; and when he is entrusted with a trust he abuses it. Words are the voice of the heart. A few examples of the Muslim Judicial Council’s (MJC) own words taken from the general media, press conferences and the Voice of the MJC (VOC) will tell you of the words from their hearts and their Hosni Mubarak like state of the health of the body. Read what they said THEN and what they say NOW for yourself.

DENMARK : Closed for business / Open for business

THEN : MJC organizes a march of 25000 people to the Danish Embassy (Feb 2006) demanding an immediate and unwavering apology for the insult to the Prophet (pbuh) and embargo of all Danish products. The march was led by the then MJC President Sheikh Ebrahim Gabriels and supported by the then deputy and current President, Sheikh Ighsaan Hendricks.

NOW : MJC openly and proudly issues halal certificates to fraudster Orion cold storage for poultry from Denmark. Orion has displayed this certificate on its website. No details have been forthcoming of shipments by co-conspirator wholesalers such as pie manufacturers Piemans, processed goods chicken producers Rainbow & Goldis, fast food outlets Chicken lickin, KFC, Nandos etc

FUNDING : We don’t have it / We have it

THEN : Sheikh Hendricks tells media conference that MJC does do not have money and wishes that MJC has more funds to pay the Imams better salaries.

NOW : The financial accounts posted on the MJC website resulting from public pressure shows R8.3Million sitting in investment accounts. Another R1,5 Million given out as loans with no details to whom and payback if any. Further donations have been given to other organizations.

COMMUNITY SERVICE : Serving them / Swearing them

THEN : At every opportunity the MJC proudly states that they are the oldest body established in 1945 that lead the muslim community and they were involved at the inauguration ceremony of Nelson Mandela as first President of the new South Africa.

NOW : The MJC has a security detail that is quick to rough up anyone that asks awkward questions. Imrahn Mukkadam of the Consumer Forum was manhandled and spat on in the Surrey estate mosque. Sheikh Irfaan Abraham uses haram expletives and tell pensioners who are protesting outside MJC offices, “f*** you.” Why the security? Are our Shayuk worried that they may be overpowered with love by the masses they claim to lead.

EXPERTISE : We know it / We don’t know it

THEN : MJC claims that they are the pioneers of halal certification in the country including imports. They say that they travel to slaughter houses in other countries to check on procedures.

NOW : In a public statement announcement the MJC arranges for a panel of hand picked “independent secularist experts” to review their procedures and give their leadership direction on eliminating the problems that led to the current loss of trust by the public. They now refuse to answer any questions from the public and refer all queries to their secular panel.

PRESIDENT’S COURAGE : Lion of Gaza / Pussy cat of Cape Town

THEN : Sheikh Ighsaan Hendricks, President of MJC and Al Quds movement is in the forefront of marches against apartheid Israel and breaks Gaza siege with convoy of vehicles delivering supplies.

NOW : As seen on television by the nation, Sheikh Hendricks cannot face Deborah Patta of 3^rd Degree. He lamented in his press conference that “ Deborah laid siege at our offices for 4 hours.” He is still on the run and refused a second chance to talk to Deborah but instead sent the boy, Sheikh Carr to do a man’s job, resulting in another grand flop.

NON MUSLIM UNDERSTANDING OF HALAL : They don’t understand / they understand

THEN : Sheikh Abdul Fataagh Carr whose wheels came off very quickly with Deborah Patta tried to “explain” it away to all and sundry in the MJC’s nine mosque caravan that the reason for her hostility was that as a non muslim she had no knowledge and understanding of the Deen.

NOW : Sheikh TITus, the soon to be replaced head of the MJC Halal trust confirmed in writing that their checks on the halal status is only up to the McDonalds regional distribution centres. They cannot check on every store but rely on the McDonalds non muslim management and procedures to ensure that halal is maintained in their 161 outlets in 9 Provinces. And Orion was all the while a supplier to McDonalds.

SLAUGHTER PROCESS : Hand Slaughter by Muslim Slaughter men only / Slaughter by machine

THEN : When the MJC were defending themselves at a press conference in 2009 against the PE Majlis tabloid accusation that its slaughterers did not read the Tasmiyah (incantation) the MJC stated categorically that the Shaf’i madhab permitted them not having to read this prayer at all but rather the intention of the heart suffices. However for the broader muslim community the MJC decided that they would adopt the majority method of slaughter with the Tasmiyah pronounced on each bird slaughtered.

NOW : In the face of evidence of the certificates issued to Orion and information from those manufacturers that the poultry supplied was slaughtered by machine, the MJC’s Shaykh Sedick, Abdul Fataagh Carr and Secretary General Abdul Khaliq Alli are now saying that machine slaughter is accepted by the MJC as halal .

Honourable Ulama, we plead with you to grab this last chance before more revelations come to the fore and you face your own Arab spring and disgrace. Make the sincerest of Taubah and ask for Maaf from the community and Allah Subhannahu wata Ala, sit down with your critics and listen, listen and listen. Then make the difficult changes for the pleasure of Allah and see the difference. Rizq is from Him alone and you have nothing to fear.

Give up the pride and arrogance of Iblis, forget the cause of Gaza and others when your own house threatens to fall apart. Put an end to the amateurish and theatrical charade of cover ups and plots of your secular advisors and those in the MJC that resist these change by showing them the door. Do what is right for Islam or risk going down in history as those that were responsible for bringing Islam into disrepute.

May Allah help us all

Issues of Faith Screening

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Please be informed that the ‘Issues of Faith’ documentary entitled ‘A Taste of Heaven’ will be screened this Sun, 12 Feb @ 9am on SABC 2.

The programme focuses on the various dietary laws and customs across most religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Veganism and the Rastafarian community.

The 2^nd segment (10min) of the documentary includes an opening comment from Moulana Bham and the balance of the segment features SANHA on location at their Fordsburg offices, Karan Beef, Pensacola Spur and Taahir Foods.

The documentary is enlightening and educational in its entirety and it is hoped that viewers will benefit from the content, Insha Allah.

Please inform all who were involved in this Halaal segment to watch the programme. It’s also interesting to watch the rest of the doccie, even the operations of the Beth Din on Kosher certification.

New Halaal Watchdog

Please Welcome Our New Halaal Watchdog: 3rd Degree

All hell broke loose last Tues.,17th Jan. 2012, when the hard-hitting documentary, 3rd Degree, was finally aired on E-TV. Hidden cameras planted by a disgruntled employee revealed imported pork being professionally relabeled as “Halaal Veal,” kangaroo meat relabeled as something else and reject meat unfit for even animal consumption was re-classified as A-Grade. The Culprit: Orion Meats. Wrong, the bigger

culprit: The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) who was supposed to be on watch at the time.

All the Muslims of South Africa were understandably shocked. Even some of the people who normally don’t watch TV watched the documentary from under the blanket!! What if my Ramadaan samoosa mince came from Orion?

How do I know if the chicken fillets used by Wrap-It-Up Café also comes from the Cape? Where do the Pakistanis who braai meat on every corner of Laudium and Johannesburg nowadays get their meat from? So, they had to channel their frustration to somebody, and MJC took the hardest blow. The purpose of this article is not to pronounce a verdict on the issue, but to reflect on some lessons we ought to learn from it:

Position of Halaal Bodies:

About 50 or 60 years ago, our grandfathers would wake up earlier than normal on a Sunday, sharpen their knife, and go to the nearest farm to slaughter a dozen chickens or maybe a sheep. They would personally say “Bismillah Allahu Akbar,” I doubt very much with tajweed, on each chicken, and come home just before 12:00 PM. That batch of meat would last for about a month, until poor grandpa would have to go again and slaughter. There was no SANHA, MJC or NIHT then.

Now in 2012, we have Nandos, Mochachos, Chicken Licken and 100s of other eateries. Our sisters no more only make the old-fashioned chicken tarkari at home, they make tandoori chicken, roast chicken, manchurian chicken, chicken roulade and even my favorite – butter chicken. Nowadays, no one wants to slaughter themselves, either because it’s too messy, or because Sunday mornings is reserved for the golf course, the gym or the mall. A family of five would live on 12 chickens a month back then, now the same family needs 50 chickens a month. Try saying “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” 50 times with speed. After the eighth time, it will sound something like “Bismahahi Huhuha” So why bother? Let Rainbow Chickens play a tape recording instead and slaughter 12 chickens every five seconds!

So our laziness and over-indulgence for poultry and meat has led to the establishment of halaal bodies. Who better to do such a messy job then our Shaikhs and Maulanas? After all, the community keeps them on call 24 hours a day, treats them like slaves, and even gives them a salary that equals roughly four fat meals a month at Adegas or Jimmy’s Killer Prawns. The muezzin’s entire salary is perhaps our bread and milk budget for the month! So, some ‘Ulama do a good job at slaughtering, whilst others are just used as a front for others.

Many of our most pious and erudite scholars have never seen a R200- note in a long while, and here someone is willing to pay them 5c per halaal chicken at 200 000 chickens a day. I leave you to do the maths as to how much a month? The ‘Ulama are entitled to their due, but as our own consumption increase and we increasingly boycott our kitchens over the weekend, the industry has grown to such a level that not only is the local industry insufficient to meet our needs, poultry and meat needs to be imported. The Halaal industry is a multi-million industry, and wherever there is so much money, there must be a scandal, whether genuine or not, whether the ‘Ulama are involved or not.

So, if you want to ensure that whatever you eat is 100% halaal, then slaughter yourself or entrust your slaughtering to a close Aalim or friend in whom you have complete trust, not in unknown faces within huge organizations. Eat only from places where you have complete trust in the owners. If not, go back 50 or 60 years and once a month on a Sunday morning, sacrifice the mall and go to the farm. But please, practice the “Bismillahi Akbar” 50 times before you do!

All the Ulama are Fraudsters!

The MJC is an eminent organization of scholars who is responsible for the upkeep of Islam in the Cape and upon whom many depend for the monthly moon-sightings by the Maankykers on Signal Hill. Although their reputation may have been tarnished in the documentary for which they are trying very hard to reverse, the truth is that many people have taken the opportunity to once again indulge in a practice known as ‘Ulama-bashing.

The ‘Ulama-class are our tender children and a product of our society.

They didn’t land on earth from Jupiter and they haven’t come to invade our planet. Just like you have crooked doctors giving their patients wrong medication, or lawyers prolonging their cases to milk their clients, or accountants legalizing our ooplang (hot-money), you have some crooked ‘Ulama, but this not an indication of the entire fraternity. If you are not satisfied with one doctor, you will simply go to another. You wouldn’t start condemning all the doctors or question the philosophy of medicine. If one lawyer cons you, you wouldn’t lose faith in the law. You would simply get better legal counsel. Likewise, if one or two scholars made human mistakes, it gives us no right to condemn the entire fraternity; or even worse, try to create a new type of Islam based on a new understanding or form organizations in opposition to them.

Last week, many people suddenly added a new word to their vocabulary:

priesthood. “There is no priesthood in Islam, get rid of all those Shaikhs. We rest our case. See what they did!” they shouted. Firstly, priesthood is an office where the priests have the power to legislate or modify religion. The ‘Ulama do not modify the religion, they preserve it in its original form. Secondly, priests have the power to forgive sins, our ‘Ulama do not have such magical powers. So please, get rid of this fancy slogan. The ‘Ulama are merely scholars of Islam.

If you do not like the ‘Ulama, close all the Darul ‘Ulooms, Masjids, Madrasahs, Welfare Organisations and Muslim Schools. Shut all the counseling services and burn all Islamic literature. Shut down the hifz classes too and ask Mr Zuma to ban the topi and beard in South Africa. Regard all Camrys as unroadworthy and pollute all the dhall and potatoes in SA as those are the staple diet of the Maulanas! If you can’t do so, learn to live with them and give them due respect.

True, the ‘Ulama haven’t been able to unite on certain key issues like Muslim Personal Law and the Boycott Issue in South Africa. Both sides have strong justification for their stance, but this should not lower our estimation for them, just as a wife who has a quarrel with her husband doesn’t love him any less than before the argument.

Differences of opinion are natural and unavoidable. We should rather learn to accept the state of affairs and follow those ‘Ulama whom we trust.

Nowadays, our biggest weakness is to judge others. Only the Almighty is Al-Haakim, not us. Thanks to Facebook, BBM and WhatsApp, we can broadcast our opinions with no thought at all to millions within seconds. If someone makes a mistake, let him rectify it. Don’t let us play the part of Almighty and pronounce judgment! “You see what that man did. If I had it my way, I’ll demote him!” If you do so, there is Someone else who has a judgment for you, a more serious one on a more frightening day.

One of the aims of the West is to distance the ‘Ulama from the masses.

Once the masses lose faith in their religion and their scholars, they will turn to others for guidance. Instead of having Mufti Zakariyyah from Masjid Suhail as our local Mufti, we will have Mr Maroon from Mango Products as our Mufti. That really tickles the imagination!

According to a hadith, those “others” in today’s times will either be the ignorant leaders or the modern west who will blaze a path of deviation for us. As negative as our perception may be of our scholars at times, the duty of the masses is to set the situation right, rather than creating a further rift in the ummah. This is exactly what the west wants and we have played straight in to their hands in the meat issue.

The solution is for everyone to realise that only angels are perfect, and that human beings make mistakes. An incident like this should mobilize the entire community to find solutions to the halaal issue, rather than start accusing others and causing further rifts. Let us be advocates of the Almighty, rather than messengers of the devil.

That Jew Created a Division in the Ummah !!

In her interview with a local Muslim radio station, Debora Patta said the MJC is not answerable to 3rd Degree, but to the Muslim Ummah.

Debora herself is a no-nonsense journalist famous for her intimidating questions and direct approach. She didn’t cause a split amongst South African Muslims through her documentary as many think; she just woke up the Muslims as to what has been happening in the Halaal industry.

Whilst a lot of us may be calling for the disbanding of MJC for their alleged blunder, all the Muslims of SA must make a huge a collection and offer Deborah a comfortable retirement if we know what is good for us. We may have been quick to judge the Shaikhs on this one, but what about the Hajj industry famous for its corruption and fraud? Last year, Hajj visas from Botswana were sold at R5000- each. What about the Islamic Bank that collapsed which destroyed the pension of 100s of Muslims? What about those trustees who censor what the ‘Ulama speak on the pulpit which contributes to poor quality speeches and which blunts their creativity, or those who use Islam to promote their own agenda at Muslim Schools or Welfare Organizations due to their wealth, contributing to a lack of faith of the masses in these institutes?

Oh yes, Let us not forget the mafia in the meat industry who prevent the establishment of small-scale meat establishments that ensures halaal. What about the competition we have in building Masjids controlled by different organizations and the splits we have caused in the community for personal reasons. Can we also blame the ‘Ulama for that?

Do we want 3rd Degree to investigate all of the above, or are we going to set them right ourselves? If we do not, 3rd Degree will have many juicy stories for the next 100 years!

When we point a finger, three fingers are pointing back at us. Are our affairs all in order that we can sit in judgment of others? Sadly, our mindset is that of accuse and fragment, rather than identify a problem and work for a solution together. Instead of solving the halaal issue, we will throw suspicion on all of the other works of the MJC like the recent Africa1 Aid Gaza Convoy and throw the entire organization into disrepute. This is wrong.

Conclusion

It is our collective responsibility to work together – all stakeholders – to find solutions. Let the problems of the ummah bring us together, rather than further split us apart. Let us ensure that we do not see a repeat of the Orion meat saga, because if we do, then the Muslims of South Africa will be branded no. 1 suckers of the world!

The MJC Orion Saga: The Pitfalls of Emotion

The MJC Orion Saga: The Pitfalls of Emotion

Fight or Flight – From the awkwardness of the edge of my chair, little did I realise that the scenes and sounds that were rapidly unravelling before me that windy morning correlated perfectly with one of the most well established physiological responses in the Natural World. I doubt the behavioralists would have much trouble identifying it: Confronting a threat that is perceived dangerous, the human reacts with as many resources as needed, as much energy as possible, to minimise the risks.

And so, here was one of the oldest and most recognisable Muslim Theological Bodies in the country trying to hold its own against one of the nation’s most formidable media voices, let alone the wrath of a public dismayed. And its performance was hardly surprising. Sensing emergency, it shifted into self-perseverance mode, drawing on both its offensive and defensive instincts, all for the sole aim of survival. And just like the proverbial injured bear, few were spared its erratic rage. Media organisations, Halaal Certifying bodies and even Social Media platforms instantly became fair game.

In the other corner was a perturbed Muslim Public. Here too, the physiological response was unsurprisingly spot-on. Sensing betrayal, he too began venting his anger which quickly grew into repulsion for the perceived source of his tragedy, as can be evidenced by the avalanche of BBM and text messages, Facebook updates and tweets that soon began circulating.

Ultimately, as the emotions thawed, both proponents articulated a desire for justice.

So reads the story thus far of the fallout from a 3rd Degree investigation into Halaal Certification at a controversial Cape Town cold storage facility which has inflamed passions nationwide. As argued, such physiological responses are typical all over the Animal Kingdom.

But as the Best of Creation, surely there should be a point where our animalism stops, and our humanity begins.

In the emotional fracas that often surrounds such scandals, it is all too easy to lose perspective. Shameless name calling, Holier-than-thou judgement passing and bravado-induced threats become all too common, granting many a false sense of security. Snide comments (such as attributing the sickness of some MJC leaders to the consumption of pork) and ill-witted humour (the many contrived MJC acronyms doing the rounds) are propagated unchallenged, and respect for authority and learning is steadily eroded. In the haste, some have even been calling for the MJC to disband.

It however should legitimately be asked, how can we so impulsively allow ourselves to airbrush a 67-year legacy of service by an influential organisation merely on account of the uproar surrounding one(or perhaps a few more) scandals?

From its establishment in 1945, the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) could lay claim to being only the second Ulema body to be formed in South Africa. Among its stated aims at its founding was the consolidation of unity amongst the Ulema and striving to attain the spiritual, educational, intellectual, moral, social, cultural and economic aspirations of the Muslim community.

Throughout its history, the MJC counted among its membership, scholars of high repute and great activists including the anti-Apartheid stalwart and martyr, Imam Abdullah Haron who was elected its Chairman in 1959. In 1971 it took the pioneering step of initiating the Muslim Board for Prison Welfare and State Institutions, providing an invaluable and previously unheard of service to Muslim inmates. It took another bold step to defend the frontiers of the faith in 1982 when it declared the heretic Ahmeddiyya or Qadiyani sect to be non Muslim, also participating in legal proceedings to ensure the protection of Muslim institutions from their foreign elements. It was among a host of Muslim organisations that took a vociferous stand against the apartheid regime’s tricameral parliament and also played a leading role in providing the necessary assistance to the Black community at large during the 1985 upheavals and 1986 Crossroads crisis.

As it stands today, the MJC remains one of the most representative and influential religious organizations in South Africa. Overseeing the administering of some 160 Masaajid across the Western Cape, it is also the first religious port of call for the province’s one million plus Muslims.

Contrary to the sweeping generalisations in the wake of the current crisis, Halaal certification is but one of organisation’s areas of focus. The MJC boasts departments of social development, media, Fatawa, Da’wah and quite impressively, even an environmental affairs wing – an initiative few Muslim organizations would hardly consider.

For years, the MJC has been tirelessly championing the cause of the dispossessed Palestinians and highlighting the Zionist threats to Muslim and Christian Holy Places. Its activism gave rise to the inception of the Al Quds Foundation(SA) which in 2011 achieved the milestone of leading one of the first Aid Convoy’s from the African Continent to the besieged Gaza Strip.

The President of the MJC, Moulana Ighsaan Hendricks also represents South African Muslims on various international forums such as the Al Quds Foundation International and the International Union of Muslim Scholars, which is spearheaded by the highly respected Sheikh Yusuf al Qardawi. In 2011, Moulana Hendricks was listed among the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.

It is this rich reality that those dismissing the MJC as ‘Masti Judicial Clowns’ or ‘Must Just Chow’s’ so grossly fail to consider. These pernicious sentiments also feed into a dormant – though widespread – Malay-Indian racism that could very easily be inflamed, with devastating consequences.

For those of us further North, disjointed from the MJC’s core constituency, the organisation’s relevance can hardly be diminished either. Representatives from the MJC have consistently served on the leadership of the United Ulama Council of South Africa(UUCSA), which represents all mainstream Islamic organizations nationally. The MJC is also one of the founding members of the National Religious Leaders Forum(NRLF) which serves as a constituted forum for dialogue between government and the religious fraternity.

Failure to acknowledge the contribution of the MJC, and ill-considered calls for it to disband thus have the potential to deeply impair the functioning of the greater South African Muslim community. Additionally, it could shatter unities and consensus that took years of deliberation and compromises to achieve. A case in point would be the sighting of the moon. For years, the community was beset with controversies stemming from Transvaal Ulama bodies refusal to accept the testimony of sighting from the Ulama of Cape Town. It would truly be a sad day to see such hard earned gains ever reversed.

That said, the MJC should not imagine that the anger and betrayal felt by the Muslim community will simply dissipate. As the Arab Spring taught us, the awakening of masses is undoubtedly a powerful new force and its ability to bring about a more democratic future will be profound.

For one, raging against the use of social media is a bad starting point. Whilst there is absolutely no justification for paranoia and mistruths to be circulated by the public in their hunt for scapegoats, there is also a big need for organisations to become more media savvy and handle sensitive communications matters better.

The examples of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, both held in high esteem by the MJC, should also be instructive. The widespread success enjoyed by these sister movements in Egypt in Palestine can in part be attributed to the higher levels of internal transparency and accountability they aspire towards, in contrast to their political adversaries. In the shadow of the Arab Spring, these prominent organizations have also shown to be receptive, evolving structurally to become more democratic.

Instead of the MJC becoming defensive or antagonistic and the Muslim community distributing broadcast messages encouraging the burning of MJC offices, the Orion Crises should be recognized as possessing the potential to herald the Spring of Accountability for Muslim SA. As many have pointed out, the demands for accountability are not restricted to the MJC but can and should very well be extended to encompass other Halaal authorities, Hajj Operators, Theological Bodies and Media Institutions.

The physiological longing for vengeance is great, but the Islamic prerogatives of Nasiha and Amr bil Ma’ruf are greater. It has been reported by Nu’maan bin Basheer (RA) that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “There are people who do not transgress the limits (laws) of Allah, and there are others who do so. They are like two groups who boarded a ship; one of them settled on the upper deck, and the other, on the lower deck of the ship.

So, when the people of the lower deck needed water, they said: ‘Why should we cause trouble to the people of the upper deck when we can easily have plenty of water by making a hole in our deck.’ Now if the people of the upper deck do not prevent this group from such foolishness, all of them will perish – but if they stop them then they all will be saved.” (Bukhari & Tirmidhi)

Regardless of whom you deem the occupants of the upper and lower decks to be, this directive should be the Ummah’s sole motivator towards the amelioration of the Orion crises. Seen another way, if a brother’s house is about to burn down, the issue is to help him not to lose it, and not (at that time) to question why he got himself into the mess in the first place. In the aftermath of the 3^rd Degree expose’, this is precisely the challenge we are facing.

Will you be adding more fuel or putting out the fire?

Foul cry over Halaal uproar

Orion Meats’ Patrick Gaertner denied they sold pork and other meat as halaal.

Outraged Muslims turned up in their numbers at the Cape Town High Court yesterday, protesting and carrying posters expressing their anger over the possibility that Muslims may have consumed meat that is not halaal.

The Muslim community and the South African National Halaal Authority (Sanha) expressed their shock and anger outside the court yesterday. Sanha and the Red Meat Industry Forum of South Africa applied for an interim interdict yesterday.

The interdict asks that Orion Cold Storage be prevented from distributing meat.

This comes after allegations that the company imported pork, water buffalo and kangaroo meat and relabelled it as halaal beef.

The case could not resume yesterday as there was no judge available to hear the matter.

The case will resume today.

Moulena Mohamed Saeed Navlakhi from Sanha said yesterday: “We understand because this matter will need much attention.”

Outside the court protesters were carrying placards saying: “This case is no pignic”, “Kangaroo in court” and “To beef or not to beef”.

Abu-bakr Jacobs, 20, from Grassy Park, one of the protestors, said they were very shocked when they found out about the alleged relabelling.

“So this means that you do not know what you are putting into your mouth. It is really sad that this thing can happen in this day and age.

“As a Muslim it is only through eating Halaal meat that you will get the strength that you need.

“But we as Muslims should also make a concerted effort to find out if the meat your butcher or supermarket is selling is Halaal.

“We have accepted and taken it too much for granted that if the meat which contains the Halaal certificate, is indeed Halaal.

“People should also ask their butchers where they get their meat from,” Jacobs said.

Patrick Gaertner the managing director of Orion Cold Storage, again denied the allegations and said that they would defend their position.

“We have been blackmailed and sabotaged,” he said.

Please Be Aware

Eyewitness News has learnt a Cape Town-based frozen foods distributor has allegedly been importing pork products, kangaroo and water buffalo meat, and relabelling the products as beef and halaal.

It is also claimed that Orion Cold Storage is repackaging non-food grade milk powder for animal feed and is selling it as skim milk powder for human consumption.

The South African Meat Industry Company, the Red Meat Industry Forum and the South African National Halaal Authority Trust are set to go to the Cape High Court on Thursday to apply for an urgent interdict to prevent the company from altering information of products.

It is alleged that Orion imported pork hearts from Belgium and Ireland, relabelling and selling them as beef or sheep veal hearts, marked as halaal.

Undercover footage shows employees using heat guns to remove original labels and replacing them with halaal stickers.

It is unclear at this stage which items on shop shelves have been affected.

Orion has not responded to requests for comment.

Undecover Footage of how the company Oriental Cold Storage changed d packagng, http://www.ewn.co.za/MultimediaVideo.aspx?filename=111109halaal1ewn