Muslim schools operate under increasingly demanding conditions. Teachers must complete the curriculum, prepare learners for examinations, respond to uneven levels of learner preparation, manage social and economic pressures, and now contend with digital distraction and the rapid incorporation of generative AI into young people’s lives. Under these conditions, teaching can easily narrow to coverage, performance and examination preparation.

The challenge is not to lessen the importance of academic achievement. Learners need serious access to disciplinary knowledge, intellectual standards and the forms of reasoning associated with their school subjects. The larger educational question is how such knowledge can be taught in ways that also contribute to the formation of the learner as an ethical human being.

This question framed the workshop, Teaching with Iḥsān: A Prophetic Pedagogy of Islamic Ethics for Muslim Schools, held at Community House in Salt River, Cape Town, on 26 September 2026. Stellenbosch University’s Dialogue, Democracy and Development project presented the workshop in association with The Muslim Thinker Trust,  coordinated it. It combined conceptual input, an interactive presentation, generative group work and report-backs, with a strong emphasis on translating Prophetic ethics into pedagogical practice.

The classroom as a formative space

The workshop proceeded from the view that the classroom is simultaneously a knowledge space and a formative space. Teachers have an epistemic responsibility to teach subjects with intellectual seriousness. Learners require access to concepts, evidence, procedures, disciplinary reasoning and clear standards for what counts as knowledge.

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At the same time, schooling always forms learners. Knowledge is taught through relationships, routines, expectations, examples and patterns of interaction. The important question is therefore not whether formation occurs, but what kinds of dispositions, habits and ethical orientations are being cultivated through the everyday experience of teaching and learning.

This is where Prophetic ethics becomes educationally significant. It should not be reduced to occasional moral reminders or treated as a separate layer added to the formal curriculum. The deeper task is to bring knowledge, pedagogy and ethical formation into meaningful relation.

Adab, akhlāq and formation

The distinction between adab and akhlāq provided an important language for this work. Adab refers to visible conduct in relationships and situations. It concerns how learners speak, listen, disagree, use technology and participate in learning. Akhlāq refers to the deeper moral character and dispositions from which such conduct increasingly flows.

The pedagogical implication is that character formation cannot be achieved through exhortation alone. Learners need repeated opportunities to practise attentiveness, honesty, fairness, respect, responsibility and care. Through repetition, guidance and reflection, these visible forms of conduct can gradually become more deeply rooted dispositions.

The learner should therefore not only know more at the end of a lesson. The classroom experience should also contribute, over time, to how that learner listens, speaks, judges and acts.

A pedagogical grammar for Prophetic ethics

The workshop used the Islamic categories of taʿlīm, taʾdīb and tarbiya to give this educational purpose a pedagogical grammar. Taʿlīm concerns what learners should know and understand. Taʾdīb concerns the forms of conduct and disposition that should accompany that knowledge. Tarbiya concerns the longer process through which repetition, modelling, correction, and increasing responsibility nurture such formation. Iḥsān gives this process its orientation towards excellence, beauty and right action.

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This grammar locates Prophetic ethics within the ordinary work of teaching. Teachers already make choices about what knowledge matters, how it should be made teachable and what counts as evidence of learning. The workshop asked how ethical formation could enter these existing pedagogical decisions.

Basil Bernstein’s idea of pedagogical recontextualisation helped clarify this. Knowledge is selected, reorganised and translated for particular learners and educational settings. Muslim teachers must consider how Prophetic ethical resources can be recontextualised into school subjects while retaining both disciplinary integrity and the integrity of the ethical tradition.

A phased and temporal pedagogy

A core feature of the workshop was its emphasis on developmental pacing. Ethical formation looks different at different stages of schooling. Young children learn powerfully through attachment, imitation, story, rhythm and routine. As learners mature, they become increasingly able to understand consequences, interpret situations, discuss competing claims and accept responsibility for their judgments and actions.

The ethical purpose can therefore remain coherent across the school while the pedagogy changes. Younger learners may first experience goodness through modelling and repetition. Intermediate learners can increasingly explain why conduct matters. Senior and FET learners can engage questions of identity, responsibility, public life and moral judgment.

This temporal logic matters because ethical education should grow with the learner. It should move from guided practice towards increasingly independent interpretation and ethical agency.

Memory, embodiment and discernment

The Cape Mawlid offered a locally grounded example of formation through more than verbal explanation. Its pedagogical force lies in voice, repetition, listening, rhythm, bodily participation and communal memory. Children learn through hearing, repeating and gradually inhabiting particular forms of attentiveness and belonging.

The broader lesson is that learners are shaped by what they repeatedly hear, see and do. Classroom routines, the handling of mistakes, the modelling of disagreement and the repeated practice of honesty, care and responsibility all contribute to who learners are becoming.

The workshop also addressed conditions that can morally and socially disorient learners. The concept of fitan (times of turmoil and moral confusion) was used to name pressures such as online cruelty, racism, inequality, sexualised content, AI misuse, peer pressure and public violence. Within this context, dhikr was approached as remembrance and also as re-membering: restoring moral orientation when attention and judgment have become fragmented.

The educational aim is to help learners pause, notice what is happening, recall what matters, weigh the ethical dimensions of a situation and determine how to respond responsibly. Prophetic education should therefore move beyond rule repetition towards ethical discernment and agency.

Making inherited knowledge educationally alive

The example of Shaykh Yūsuf illustrated how knowledge travels, circulates and becomes recontextualised in changing historical conditions. This offers a useful metaphor for Muslim schooling. Inherited knowledge must retain its integrity while becoming meaningful in the circumstances learners actually inhabit.

Prophetic narratives can similarly become ethical resources through which learners examine care, dignity, hospitality, race, injustice, harmful conduct and repair. The educational task is to create opportunities for learners to interpret inherited knowledge and connect it thoughtfully to contemporary situations.

The discussion of generative AI made this need especially visible. The educational question is broader than whether AI should be allowed. It concerns digital adab: honesty, verification, responsibility, privacy, dignity and intellectual ownership. Learners need to gradually develop the capacity to explain how AI was used, check claims and take responsibility for the knowledge they present.

Educating for Prophetic ethical agency

The workshop’s design reflected its argument. Conceptual input was combined with interactive presentation, collaborative design work and report-backs. Teachers moved between conceptual understanding and classroom application, made their pedagogical thinking explicit, and refined it collectively.

Teacher development for Prophetic ethics cannot remain at the level of inspirational discourse. Teachers need conceptual resources and structured opportunities to translate them into teachable practices appropriate to particular subjects, phases and situations.

The wider aspiration is to understand Prophetic ethics as a serious pedagogical pursuit. Muslim schools should aim for strong academic achievement while also cultivating attentiveness, character, discernment and ethical agency. Prophetic pedagogy concerns the quality of the entire educational encounter: what learners come to know, how they learn to inhabit that knowledge, what kinds of judgment they develop, and how their education equips them to act responsibly.

The educational ambition is therefore larger than examination success. It is to cultivate young people whose knowledge becomes part of their character, whose character informs their judgment, and whose judgment enables them to respond to the world with responsibility, dignity and iḥsān.

*Aslam Fataar is Research Professor in Higher Education Transformation in the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University.

The post Teaching with Iḥsān: Towards a Prophetic pedagogy for Muslim schools appeared first on Al-Qalam.

As activists worldwide mark three years of Israeli genocide in Gaza from October 7, the South African Palestine Movement (SAPM) has planned a series of events in Durban to protest Zionist terror that killed some 70 000 people, including 20 000 children.

Saydoonisa Sayed, spokesperson for the Durban-based South African Palestine Movement (SAPM) has urged people of conscience to mobilise for a series of protest actions planned for next week.

SAPM describes its work as grassroots activism centred on protest, education, cultural resistance and boycott campaigns. “The struggle for Palestine has brought together people from different religious, cultural and social backgrounds. SAPM’s public actions have included Muslims, Christians, Hindus and others who have joined the call for Palestinian freedom and an end to the destruction of Gaza.  This is not only a Palestinian issue. It is a question of humanity, international law, justice and the kind of society we want to build,” she added.

Prominent Palestine activist, Dr Lubna Nadvi said: “It is tragic that a genocide has been allowed to continue for three years and that the people of Palestine still do not have political self-determination after almost 80 years of being occupied and oppressed by the apartheid state of Israel. The world should hang its head in shame at what it has enabled – and could have stopped if there had been the political will to do so.”

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On Wednesday October 7, rolling pickets are planned at Holocaust Centres in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

The October 7 picket outside the Holocaust and Genocide Centre in Durban (located on the property of the Durban Jewish Club near the beachfront) will start at 12am-2pm. The Jewish Voice for Peace will also be represented at the picket.

On Friday October 9, the South African Palestine Movement will again picket outside the Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre.

On Saturday October 10, hundreds are expected to gather near the Oliver Tambo statue on Durban’s North Beach for the start of the Global Day of Action – a protest action that will be held simultaneously across major cities across the world.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry released updated findings in mid-2026 which found that Israeli authorities have committed crimes against humanity and targeted children in the Gaza Strip.

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Meanwhile, the Durban leg of the tour by renowned UK Palestine activists George Galloway and Yvonne Ridley, made a huge impact on guests who attended events at various locations.

Shabnum Palesa Mohammed who co-ordinated the events said: “The Durban leg of the Galloway & Ridley People Power Tour, hosted by Wage Peace International and Palestine House SA delivered four events. It opened with a press conference on “The Politics of Division: Fascism, Racism, Zionism and Islamophobia,” launching Ubuntu and Ihsaan, a documentary series on Muslim contributions to South Africa, and Zionism in Africa, a groundbreaking research initiative. A fundraising dinner followed, where Galloway and Ridley received the inaugural People Power Awards, where they urged audiences not to vote for any party supporting Zionism. Galloway and Ridley were deeply moved by a visit to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Museum, and the Durban leg closed with a successful media masterclass at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.”

For more information, please contact SAPM: southafricapalestinemovement@gmail.com
You can also call them on 0732413260

The post Durban to mark October 7 Gaza genocide with rolling protests appeared first on Al-Qalam.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Al-ḥamdu lillāh. All praise is due to Allah.

O Allah, send Your blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Yā Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn, Lord of all the Worlds, You have honoured and given every human being dignity.

Help us protect the lives, honour and safety of women and girls.

Yā Arḥam al-Rāḥimīn, Most Merciful of those who show mercy, our hearts are heavy as we mourn the women murdered in South Africa.

Each life was precious, and to You they have returned. We remember those whose names we know and those whose stories have not been heard.

Comfort their families and give them patience and strength in their grief.

Protect women and children living in fear, whether in their homes, on the streets, at work or in places where they should be safe.

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Bring them to people who will listen to them, take them seriously and help them find safety. Grant healing to those who have survived violence and abuse.

Yā Aḥkam al-Ḥākimīn, Most Just of Judges, You have told us that the girl buried alive will be asked for what sin she was killed.

Guide those investigating these killings to the truth.

Give courage and integrity to the police, the courts and all who have a duty to protect.

Let no cry for help be ignored, no case be neglected and no perpetrator be shielded from accountability.

Guide us, especially men and boys, to reject the belief that women may be oppressed, threatened or harmed.

Make us among those who live with their families in kindness, as You have commanded.

Teach us to challenge abuse in our families, our masajid and our communities.

Help us listen to survivors, support those seeking refuge and act before another life is lost.

Bless the counsellors, shelter workers, neighbours and advocates who offer care and protection.

Strengthen our resolve to make every home and community a place where women and girls can live without fear.

Allāhumma anta al-Salām wa minka al-Salām, tabārakta yā Dhā al-Jalāli wa al-Ikrām.

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O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of Majesty and Honour.

Grant us the courage to build a society rooted in compassion, dignity and justice.

We ask this through all Your beautiful names, Yā Rabb al-Nās, Lord of humankind.

Allāhumma āmīn.

The post Ya Rabb, help us protect the honour and safety of women appeared first on Al-Qalam.

What began with seeds, soil and lessons in sustainable gardening has now produced a first harvest for 37 participants in SANZAF’s Agriculture Programme in Sea Cow Lake, Durban.

The Agriculture Programme forms part of SANZAF’s Skills Development Programme and includes some of SANZAF’s chef students, as well as members of the public who were invited to take part. Facilitated by Garth Concur, the programme will consist of 12 courses over the coming months, with a team on the ground overseeing the day-to-day work. According to Concur, the first garden was planted about five weeks ago and has flourished with the spring rains. 

Participants recently gathered for their first harvest after learning how to prepare soil, make compost, plant and care for crops, use drip irrigation and manage pests. The programme is aimed at building practical skills that can contribute to food security, self-reliance and future livelihood opportunities.

Speaking to Al-Qalam, SANZAF Marketing representative, Alika Ahmad said that the programme was introduced to give beneficiaries hands-on experience in sustainable living and food security, while helping students learn how to grow their own food.

Participants have been growing spinach, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, beetroot, celery, spring onion, basil, coriander, rosemary and carrots. A drip irrigation system was installed to help water the crops, while participants were taught how to care for the plants and harvest them correctly to maintain quality and allow for regrowth.

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During the gardening workshops, participants also learned about different types of soil and sand, how compost supports healthy plant growth, how to make compost at home and natural pest-control methods.

The first harvest gave participants the opportunity to put the lessons they learned into practice. “The first harvest was a moment of immense pride. For participants, it was proof that they can produce food with their own hands – from seed to plate,” said Ahmad.

Participants had planted their own seeds, monitored their growth and harvested fresh vegetables, with some produce taken home. “It gave them a real sense of achievement, confidence, and hope that they can become self-sufficient, Alhamdulillah,” added Ahmad.

For SANZAF, the significance of the project lies in what participants can do with these skills beyond the programme.

Participants can start backyard gardens to grow food for their families and reduce grocery costs. For the chef students, the project also introduces the farm-to-table cycle, with the possibility of growing fresh produce that can eventually be used in their own restaurants. “This goes far beyond just food security,” Ahmad noted.

To help participants continue what they have learned, SANZAF provided starter kits containing seedlings and compost. The participants can use these to start their own gardens and monitor their growth in their classrooms, keeping the practical learning going beyond the farm.

The programme is ultimately aimed at helping participants become self-sufficient, both in producing food and potentially generating an income. “In the long term, InshaAllah, we want to see these participants become fully self-sufficient, able to feed their families and generate an income,” said Ahmad.

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For the participants, the first harvest was a rewarding step in their journey, giving them the opportunity to put their skills into practice. They enjoyed the pruning process and expressed gratitude to SANZAF for the opportunity to learn and gain practical experience.  

SANZAF’s vision extends beyond the 37 participants, with hopes that they become ambassadors of change. “We want them to eventually share their knowledge, train others in their communities and develop their own sustainable micro-farms and agribusinesses,” she said.

The post “From seed to plate” – Durban participants reap their first harvest appeared first on Al-Qalam.

The Minara Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for its 2026 Business Recognition Awards which recognises outstanding achievement, leadership, innovation and contribution across South Africa’s business and professional landscape. 

The finalists represent a diverse range of businesses and individuals whose achievements, leadership and contribution continue to make an impact in South Africa’s economy and communities.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Gala Dinner on Friday, 23 October 2026, at the NMJ Conference Centre in Durban.  

Ebrahim Patel, President of the Minara Chamber of Commerce, said the calibre and diversity of this year’s finalists reflect the contribution being made across South Africa’s business, professional and community landscape. The Minara Chamber believes that success should be measured not only by commercial performance, but also by leadership, innovation, opportunity created and the impact made in our communities.

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“On behalf of the Minara Chamber, I extend my congratulations to every finalist. Reaching this stage is in itself a significant achievement, and a reflection of the standards you have set in your respective fields.” 

Solly Suleman, Chair of the Minara Awards Committee, said the response to the 2026 awards had been exceptionally strong, with the independent adjudication panel considering a high calibre of nominations across the categories. 

“Selecting the finalists was not an easy process. Our awards look beyond commercial success to consider leadership, innovation, resilience, professional achievement and broader community impact.” 

Rishaad Webster, Head of Business Banking Coverage KZN, said “These awards shine a light on the businesses doing the hard work of building the KwaZulu-Natal economy. Standard Bank is proud to stand alongside the Minara Chamber in recognising them, and prouder still to be on the growth journey with them. Behind every finalist is a business that has taken risks, created jobs and kept trading through a tough environment. Standard Bank’s role is to make sure ambition of this calibre has the backing it needs to keep amplifying growth.” 

“The journey now continues towards the prestigious Awards Gala Dinner on Friday, 23 October 2026, in Durban, where this year’s winners will be announced,” a Minara Chamber of Commerce spokesperson said.

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Meanwhile, at the same event, the Chamber will posthumously honour the Late Ebrahim Carrim with the Minara lifetime Achiever Recognition Award 2026.

The award recognises a life of entrepreneurship, integrity, service, philanthropy, community leadership and a commitment to creating opportunities for others.

The 2026 Finalists   – Business Entity of the Year – Large 

Roshgold Investments: Royal Travel; Woodford Group 

Business Entity of the Year – Medium 

Ethicore Group; Minnies; Food Enterprise 

Business Entity of the Year – Small Business 

Daily Dippers; Wonder Snacks 

Businessperson of the Year 

Munir Jeewa; Osman Arbee; Riaz Cotwal 

Businesswoman of the Year 

Bint Nur Ebrahim; Mariam Galant-Diedericks; Yasmin Essop 

Young Achiever of the Year 

Muhammed Paruk; Muhammad Yusuf Goga; Waheed Amanjee 

Community Builder of the Year 

Bilal Ismail; Haseena Azmuth; Yusuf Abramjee 

Professional Achiever of the Year 

Prof. Yahya Choonara; Dr Zakia Salod 

For further information on the Business Recognition Awards and Gala dinner, you can email them at: awards@minara.org.za

The post Minara announces finalists for 2026 Business Recognition Awards appeared first on Al-Qalam.

Dr Shaheda Omar, the Director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, was recently honoured with the Lifetime Dedication to Child Protection Award. She also received the Ahmed Kathrada Excellence in Leadership Award from the Congress of Business & Economics in September.

Speaking to Al-Qalam, Omar said that receiving the award was “deeply humbling”, but it is a reminder of the responsibility carried by those who work to protect children and support survivors, something that has become even more pressing as South Africa continues to grapple with violence against women and children. “I accept this award on behalf of every child whose courage has shaped my life and every person who has refused to give up on a child,” she said.

Her journey into child protection was not something she planned. Early in her career, she came to understand that children are often “the least powerful people in the room”, yet carry some of the greatest burdens.

Omar said children do not choose the families they are born into, nor do they choose poverty, violence, neglect or abuse. These circumstances, however, can profoundly shape their lives. “I realised that if we are serious about building a better society, we have to start by protecting our children,” she said.

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Over the years, this sense of responsibility became a vocation. She came to understand that child protection was not simply about responding to abuse, but about restoring dignity, creating safety, strengthening families, preventing harm and ensuring that children have the opportunity to become the people they were meant to be.

Today, as South Africa continues to confront gender-based violence and femicide, Omar believes one of the biggest failures is that too much of the response comes after violence has already occurred. “We investigate the murder after a woman has been killed. We intervene after a child has been abused. We provide trauma support after the trauma has occurred. Of course, those responses are essential, but prevention has to begin much earlier,” she said.

She said violence against women and children is deeply interconnected: “A child who grows up witnessing violence against their mother is not simply witnessing an argument between adults. That child is experiencing violence too.”

When violence becomes normalised in a family, children can begin to see fear, shouting, threats, humiliation or physical violence as simply what family life looks like. “We therefore have to break the cycle early. Protecting women is also protecting children,” she stressed.  

She believes prevention must become part of everyday life “in our homes, schools, communities, faith institutions and workplaces” rather than something discussed only during a crisis. “We must ask a much harder question – why are we continuing to place the responsibility for avoiding violence on the potential victim rather than placing responsibility on the person who chooses to perpetrate it?” she questioned.

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While Omar has seen significant changes during her 40-year career, including greater public awareness, specialised services, stronger legislation, multidisciplinary approaches and greater recognition of children’s rights, she said progress on paper does not always translate into protection in practice.

For Omar, the question is whether those systems work “when a frightened child is sitting in front of us needing protection.”

The answer cannot simply be another policy. It must be “implementation, accountability and prevention”, alongside greater investment in parenting, early childhood development, schools, psychosocial support, healthy relationships, prevention programmes and safe communities.

She urged adults to pay attention to changes in children’s behaviour, including withdrawal, anxiety, aggression, changes in sleeping or eating, unexplained injuries, fear of a particular person or place and age-inappropriate sexualised behaviour.

She said that a lifetime in child protection was not measured by the number of years you have worked. It is measured by the number of children who, because you were there, were able to believe again that their lives could be different. “That is the honour I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” said Omar. 

The post Shaheda Omar honoured for ‘child protection’ appeared first on Al-Qalam.

Just one month to turning 94, Abdool Rashid Khan of Durban has outlived his wife, his two children and nine of his siblings – but he’s not yet ready to give up on life – not just yet.

“I will go when Allah calls me,” he told Al-Qalam, during an interview at Country Bake in Durban’s Musgrave area.

Apart from fragility, he suffers no ailment that usually befalls elderly folk – and his eyesight is sharp as a needle.

It’s been a year now that he’s moved into a small old age home for Muslim men and women in Asherville. Being the oldest resident there, he says boredom is his enemy. There’s not much to do, except making zikr and reminiscing about his life. However, Khan says he misses the warm love of his family, most of whom have passed on. “Yes, it’s very lonely at my age, but I’m really thankful to the few remaining family members who still care about me. A call or visit from them, including from my grandchildren, is something that I look forward to – it makes my day,” he adds.

With nine out of 11 siblings having passed on, he finds solace in talking to his two surviving sisters who live out of KZN – they are too frail to visit him, but they keep in touch with their brother by phone.

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About six weeks ago, his daughter, Feroza Motala (64) of Overport, passed away. Her sudden passing has left a deep void in his life, but he is determined to carry on with life until his time comes. A few years back, his son Rafik passed away of a heart attack. He too was 64, and earlier, his wife Asiya, passed on.

His greyish eyes light up when this reporter mentions life in his younger days. “I think those were the best times of our lives.”

His son-in-law, Mohammed Motala, shows Al-Qalam a few photos of him in his 20’s and 30’s, looking rather spiffy in a striped suit, tie and gentleman’s hat.

Born in 1934, Khan opened a motor dealership in Clairwood and was often seen driving in a variety of vehicles that he had for sale. But his personal favourite was a two-tone green 1957 Chevrolet – a twin-finned monster that was talk of the town. His wife was a driving instructor, the first Muslim woman to do so in her days.

Khan recalls the years during the 60’s, 70’s – and even the 80’s – when he would take his family for summer nights “window-shopping” along West Street, checking out the beautiful displays of goods in fashionable departmental stores such as Greenacres, Stuttafords, John Orr’s, Payne Brothers, the Hub, Woolfsons, Ok Bazaars and Cuthberts.

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“But the best of our summer night strolls was when I bought delicious ice cream for all at Polar Bar or the ice cream vans parked along the pavement. What a time that was,” his face lighting up with a big smile for the first time.

Khan recalls the times he visited the beachfront with his young children, especially when the merry go-around came to town. “It was the time of apartheid and the best beaches were reserved for whites only, but we made the best with what we had.

“When my time comes to leave this world, I will go knowing our people are free,” he added

The post Pushing 94, Khan says he may still have some life to live appeared first on Al-Qalam.

The need for religious values in society is now more important than any other time in the history of our civilisation, especially given the levels of corruption, unethical behaviour and conflicts the world is currently experiencing. Within this perspective it behoves all politicians irrespective of their political persuasion to adopt religious values for better and socially just governance.  

All over the world ordinary people seek high moral standards in the behaviour of politicians which in turn could become the basis of people’s trust and faith towards them and indirectly in the practice of governance. This is why in order to maintain expected honesty and ethical standards in the behaviour of politicians; ethics has to be incorporated as an important subject in the practice of public administration. 

What then would be the criteria for measuring ethical behaviour? How would we differentiate between right and wrong? Within societal norms there is no impersonal or universal standard of ethical behaviour – different human groups or even different individuals of the same group may have different perceptions of ethics. To take this point further, we would argue that if we acknowledge that people’s perception regarding right or wrong, good or bad is related to people’s or group’s interest and to the changing social customs and environment, these cannot be the dependable guide to our behaviour. Therefore, the universal basis for achieving uniformity in human behaviour regarding good and bad should be some impersonal ethical code, which can only be received from superhuman revelation i.e., religion. 

Given the levels of global chaos there seems to be growing evidence which suggests that there is a need for strong spiritual reality in people’s lives. Some may, however, argue that a connection between morality and God is unnecessary to make sense of life. Others contend that religious faiths and spirituality are the foundations of ethical decision making. Despite the philosophical differences of different religions, the central message of every religious doctrine is to create the feeling among people that the existence and happenings of the universe are the result of the desire of a conscious and creative universal force. Another related realization is that man has got a spiritual relationship with this divine force. Owing to this realization, man has been asked to differentiate between right and wrong or good and bad. Without the existence of such a realisation, people’s perception of ethics is bound to be cloudy and would become dependent on expediency. As a result, the concept of ‘should and shouldn’t’ would be a relative phenomenon.  This may then be subjected to misuse for personal or group interest. As man’s requirements are dependent on an ever changing social environment, in such a process, it becomes difficult to determine any stable ethical standard. 

Influence

Religion, on the other hand encourages man to be acquainted with such an ethical standard which would be free from personal or social influence. For example, in order to free an administration from the influence of patronage or hatred in applying administrative discretion, the Holy Qur’an says to its believers: “O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witness for Allah, even though it be against yourself or (your) parents or (your) kindred, (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer up to both (than you are) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever informed of what ye do” (SuraNissa, 4:135); 

“O ye who believe! Let not hatred of any people (or community) dissuade you from dealing justly. Deal justly, for that is closer to Godliness” (Sura Maida, 5:8); 

“And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due: commit not evil in the land with intend to do mischief (SuraHud: 85); and 

“O David! We did indeed make thee a vice-regent on earth; so judge thou between men in truth (and justice); nor follow thou the lusts (of thy heart), for they will mislead thee from the path of Allah; for those who wander astray from the path of Allah, is a penalty grievous, for that they forget the Day of Account (SuraSaad, 38:26). 

In the above verses, God Almighty has emphasized the impersonal value of public bureaucracy for the sake of establishing justice in society. These injunctions have been acknowledged as the important features of governance The above verses further prove that the Holy Qur’an is not meant for a special community, that it is the common heritage and universal guide for all mankind, irrespective of time and place. Followers of different religions or even those who are agnostics cannot but appreciate these injunctions of the holy revelations. If honesty and benevolence can be increased in the behaviour of public bureaucracy through religious teachings in public administration study, it would be beneficial to public interest – and should be practiced. 

Religious values therefore are the building blocks and foundations of a morally just society and it is imperative for politicians to adopt and practice these values in the governance of their followers.  

*Imaam Asghar Khan is a public representative of Al Jama-ah and serves as the leader of the party in KZN. He writes in his personal capacity.

The post [Advertorial] Al Jama-ah: The need for religious values in politics  appeared first on Al-Qalam.

What began as a family business built on a passion for quality spices and a deep appreciation for flavour has grown into a much-loved brand, while remaining true to the values and traditions on which it was founded.

This year marks a particularly special milestone as Gorima’s Workshop celebrates its 40th birthday. Four decades later, that spirit of care, quality and commitment continues to be at the heart of everything we do.

A key part of the Gorima’s journey has always been our commitment to supporting local home industries and small businesses. We take great pride in working with suppliers from home industries, helping create opportunities for entrepreneurs while bringing unique, quality products to our customers. Supporting these businesses is more than just business to us—it is about building communities, encouraging local enterprise and celebrating the incredible talent found within South Africa.

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Gorima’s has also continued to evolve with the changing needs and tastes of our customers, introducing exciting new products that are already proving to be must-tries. From everyday pantry essentials to innovative new flavours, there is always something new to discover at Gorima’s.

Today, we are proud to have grown to 31 stores across South Africa, with our newest store opening at Cavendish Square in Cape Town. This latest addition represents another exciting chapter in the Gorima’s journey and allows us to share our products and passion with even more customers.

And the excitement doesn’t stop there. Gorima’s is thrilled to announce that we are now the Official Spice Partner of Durban FC. This exciting partnership brings together two proudly local brands and celebrates our shared passion for community, excellence and the city we call home.

As we celebrate 40 years of Gorima’s Workshop, we also look forward to the future with great excitement. From our family to yours, thank you for allowing Gorima’s to be part of your kitchens – your celebrations and your everyday meals. Here’s to 40 years of flavour—and many more to come!

Lake Glencairn

2026-10-11 054307

The post [Advertorial] Gorima’s: 46 years of spice, tradition and growth appeared first on Al-Qalam.

When Palestinian and Syrian children – broken by war – first entered the doors of the AMAN School of Excellence in Lebanon, they found stability, safety, and most of all hope, for their futures.

The school, started by Africa Muslims Agency (AMA) five years ago to cater to refugee children (excluded by mainstream schooling system), has since shown phenomenal results for both the learners, and also their families, thanks to your donations.

From those first uncertain days, the AMAN School has developed into a structured learning community spanning through years of deliberate care: stronger academic departments, dedicated Heads of Departments, and real systems for tracking every child’s progress, behaviour and wellbeing.

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Over the past five years, roughly 100 young people have completed their journey at AMAN and stepped confidently into their next chapter. This past academic year, the school achieved a 92.7% final pass rate. But the deeper story lives beneath the numbers: a child who once depended on a teacher for every task now works independently. A student once afraid to speak now raises a hand without hesitation. A few recognised words become a sentence, then a paragraph, then a young person ready for what comes next.

This progress has not come easily. Lebanon and the region have lived through conflict, displacement and profound uncertainty — and each time, AMAN refused to let education disappear. When classrooms closed, teachers reached students through online lessons, WhatsApp materials and recorded explanations, keeping every child connected to learning and to each other. When students returned, teachers didn’t simply resume the syllabus — they identified what was missed and rebuilt from there. Because during times of crisis, school offers children something beyond lessons: routine, familiar faces, and the reassurance that their future still matters.

One AMAN teacher said: “I often ask myself ‘did every child learn — and what can I do differently for the one who did not?’”

An AMA spokesperson said: “None of this would exist without the donors who believed in AMAN from Day One. Your support has never simply paid for books or buildings. It has protected something far more precious — a child’s right to keep learning, and to keep believing in tomorrow. Every word read independently, every exam passed, every one of those 100 graduates carries a part of what you have given.

Lake Glencairn

2026-10-11 054307

“For every child who walks through AMAN’s doors with uncertainty – and then leaves confidently, your continued generosity makes the difference. Your ongoing support is sadaqah jariyah. As Lebanon’s families continue to face real hardship, AMAN’s mission is far from finished, and we remain committed to bringing the education and safety promised to these children for many years to come, insha’Allah.”

The post Refugee children score top marks at AMA’s Aman school in Lebanon appeared first on Al-Qalam.