Al-Qalam 
Al Qalam Reporter
Hundreds of volunteers from the Durban-based Islamic Dawah Movement (IDM) took to the streets across the country explaining Islam and gifting Qurans to thousands of people including books on the life and times of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) called “My Role Model”.
Teams of the outreach project called ‘Spread The Light’– in conjunction with Fusion Inyameko and Logic (Light of Quidance Centre) – travelled as far afield as the flats of Cape Town, the beaches of Durban, and the Highveld of Johannesburg.
Hassan Noor Mahomed, Deputy Director IDM told Al Qalam: “The Holy Quran is often taken out of context and used to justify violence, ultimately distorting a very beautiful religion – one that is based on the principals of peace, love and understanding.
“With this in mind, IDM embarked on a brave new strategy to deliver the Quran in people’s native languages. Having translated the Quran into six different languages and making it more accessible to people of South Africa, now more than ever before, has allowed many to understand the Quran, the word of the Almighty. It helps one to see through mainstream media distortions and understand why this Noble text is revered by Muslims”.
Meanwhile, the book on the Prophet, My Role Model, written in an easily relatable way proved a perfect companion to the Quran distribution.
Noor Mahomed said: “The external portion of this project also included home visits where children from as young as 6 and 7 years old, joined us as we went home to home and distributing Qurans to many in need, both Muslims and non-Muslims
“The teams were greeted with the utmost respect and love from members of the public across all communities. It was amazing what impact a smile and a good heart can have, especially when relating to kind generous people of our land. Families took to the project in their droves. As they welcomed the young and the old; feeding them with what little they had, often bringing tears to our eyes because of their open generosity.
“The process was unlike anything that has been done before. It was not about inviting people to Islam but rather, it was a project aimed to bring awareness of Islam in South Africa and to the people. This approach meant that it was something that was welcomed by one and all.
“The project was wholly successful in that, it achieved something that was unprecedented, where over 10000 Qurans and Islamic literature were distributed allowing us to reach many more hearts and homes. IDM thanks everyone that was part of it, and especially the community who took to the project so vibrantly and allowed it to become such a massive success”, Noor Mahomed said.
