Al-Qalam 
By Ismail Suder
Durban is playing host to thousands of Muslims from over 100 countries for the largest Ijtima 2024 gathering in Africa, which starts today (Friday) and ends on Sunday afternoon.
The guest of honour is Moulana Muhammed Sa’aad Khandlawi from the Banglawali World Markaz in Nizamuddin, Delhi, India, who flew into Durban to grace the event: The Ameer is a major drawcard for the Tablighi event.
The Islamic event is a unifying platform for Dawah and Tabligh.
Durban’s King Shaka Airport was abuzz today as thousands of attendees arrived for the “International Ijtima and World Mashwara, which is set on 35,000 square metres of open land in Camperdown. The Ijtima is being held under the guidelines of World Markus Nizamuddin.
A large group of 600 Malaysians also arrived for the Ijtima. An advanced team of Malaysian artisans and engineers had volunteered in the construction of the Ijtima tent town.
What impressed the organisers most was when a large contingent of 600 Tanzanian “brothers” decided to attend the Ijtima. They undertook an arduous road from Dar-es-Salaam to Durban – in 4 large buses, four minibuses and four cars. It took them four days and four nights to cover a distance of 4068 km.
On Tuesday, the Ameer of the International Tabliqi Jamaat, Moulana Muhammed Sa’aad Khandlawi, flew in from Delhi to grace the event. The Ameer is a major drawcard at the event.
Massive tents have been pitched on large tracts of land that partly belong to the nearby Uloom of Madrasah In’aamiyyah in Camperdown. The tented camp city is so huge that it overlaps (with permission) land belonging to Dale Auctioneers and eThekwinii municipality.
An army of people have volunteered their time to serve attendees. One section of the site has been reserved for cooking large pots of food and serving meals three times a day to thousands of guests. The food distribution is done through a voucher system, although there are kiosks serving a variety of alternate foods for purchase.
Below is the List of “Ak- abirs” who arrived and more are expected today.
They include: 4th Amir of Pakistan Hazrat Maula- na Haroon Quraesi Sahib, Rawalpindi; Ahale Shura Faisal Bangladesh Zimmader Hazrat Sayed Wasiful Islam db; Morocco Amir Hazrat Maulana Abdul Aziz db; Philippines Shura Faisala Hazrat Professor Alibasher db; Thailand Amir Hazrat Hajj Abdurrahman kolok db; Sierra Leone Amir Hazrat Abdul Rahman Kamara db; Nigeria Shura Hazrat Haij Isiaq Tijani db; Indonesia Shura & Head of World Largest Temboro Madrasah Hazrat Maulana Fatah db; American Shura Hazrat Dr. Abdur Rehman Khan Sahib db; Malaysia Shura Hazrat Abdullah Chong db; Ger- many Amir Hazrat Quraesi Sahib db; France Zimmad- er Hazrat Sheikh Wisam Tabara db. UK Zimmader Hazrat Shabbir Daji Sahib db; Turkey Zimmader Haz- rat Sheikh Omar db; Gam- bia Shura Hazrat Ebrahim Touray db and Hazrat Cee- say db; Italy Faisal Hazrat Mizanur Rahman db. Sri Lanka Shura Hazrat Mufti Rizwe Sahib db.
