Al-Qalam 
As head of the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET), Dr Faisal Suliman is often quoted in the media, but who is he really? Sana Ebrahim finds out.
As a seasoned doctor, Dr Faisal Suleman could have chosen to run his practice at any up-market suburb in Durban if he so wished – instead he has opted to grind away at his small surgery in the heart of KwaMashu where he serves poor communities at minimal costs.
To understand why he chose to work amongst the suffering, you first have to go to his roots in Standerton, Mpumalanga, where he was born and to the areas of Vanderbijlpark and Roshnee where he grew up in humble beginnings.
“My interest in medicine was influenced by the fact that living on a farm, in a remote area within an extended family context, meant that many of the older people in the area had medical problems but had no real access to medicine. As such I understood the need for, and importance of becoming a doctor, he told Al Qalam in a frank interview.
Dr Suliman matriculated as the Dux of Overport Secondary School in Durban. He has an MBBCh from Wits University Medical School, a Diploma in Anaesthesia from the College of Medicine South Africa, and an MBA (Cum Laude) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN-UDW). He is a trustee of the Durban High School Foundation Trust (DHS) since 2015.
“My practice in KwaMashu – in a family medical practice – is the socialist part of me. It is a practice that looks after lower LSMs (Living Standard Measure) in which I try to give back to society in that way.
“My interest in medicine and politics was sparked off firstly by my dad who was an avid reader and listener of radio.
“I was actively involved in student politics; I was the chairperson of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at medical school for two terms as well as vice-president of the Black Students Society (BSS) at Witwatersrand Medical School.
“After qualifying I continued my interest in politics and actively followed politics in the media in particular. I established a media advocacy group called Media961, “961” referring to Chapter 96, Verse 1 of the Qur’an. The first verse revealed by Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) states: “Read in the name of your Lord who Created man from a clinging substance. Read and your Lord is the most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught man that which he knew not.” [Qur’an, 96: 1-5]
“This together with my involvement in other Muslim NGOslaid the foundation with other community thought-leaders and activists for the formation of the advocacy group, South African Muslim Network (SAMNET). I was a part of the founding committee and assumed its chairmanship in 2008.”
He has served on the SABC Religious Broadcast Panel and as an advisor on the Radio Lotus Religious Advisory Panel. And as part of the Al-Ansaar Media Network, he led the organisation in defining, developing, and executing long-term excellence, content development, training and revenue generation.
He worked as a volunteer talk show host on the community radio station, Radio Al Ansaar, from 1999 to 2016. He served as chairman of the radio station committee, 2015-16. He was a volunteer radio presenter on Channel Islam International (CII) for some 10 months. He continues to volunteer as an occasional medical file radio show host for the Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA) on CII. He is an active member of IMASA from 1987 to date.
SAMNET is a non-profit organisation that aims to network within the Muslim community and with other communities toward developing and building a society where all can live in peace and mutual respect.
“Most of SAMNET activities are hard to quantify because they involve background networking, advocacy, public relations and lending support to campaigns locally and internationally that speak to our concerns as Muslims and as human beings,” says Dr Suliman.
Asked how he manages to balance family life with selfless community work, Dr Suliman smiled and said: “I believe it’s my wife’s ability to multitask, be self-sufficient and generous. That is what allowed me to devote much of my time to community activities.
“As for human values and manners… I learnt that at the feet of my mother,” he added.
