Al-Qalam 
This Eid, public figure Nazir Malek cooked for 600 people, and the spices that went into large pots were purely from memory – and touch. Ismail Suder reports.
Durban humanitarian Nazir Malek (66) recently lost his sight in both eyes, but this has not stopped him from continuing his daily activities and charitable work as normal.
Apart from his long history as a travel agent and personally leading thousands of people on Hajj and Umrah tours, he is an accomplished chef, specialising in cooking for mass gatherings.
During this Eid-ul-Adha, he cooked several “deghs” of lamb biryani and akni, purely in the yard of his Durban North home – purely from memory and touch.
How does he manage to cook for hundreds while being completely blind? Al-Qalam asked.
Malek explained that his two assistants help him to set up all the ingredients on the table beside him – he then coordinates the different stages of the cooking processes and timings.
“I sit in front of the pot and direct my assistants to start by putting the basic ingredients such as oil and onions into the pot at various timings. I then throw in the spices with my own hands. I know the measurements from memory. Alhumdulillah, the food tastes just as delicious as when I was sighted,” he said.
This Eid, he cooked for approximately 600 people, including an akni dish for the local Malawian community, and they all loved the food.
“For me, going completely blind has its challenges, but it is not a serious impediment,” he said.
“We also cooked beef akni and distributed it to 400 people at the local masjid. I also cooked lamb biryani, chicken kalya and lamb stew for my friends and family. Fortunately for me.
“If I know how many people I am cooking for, I can tell you the quantity of ingredients that I require. I add the spices myself as long as my assistants tell me what spice I have in my hand.
“I cook for orders and for charity every month. Alhumdulillah, with the Grace of Allah, it comes out perfect every time.”
His once-thriving business, Malek’s Travel, was a household name for decades, which sent thousands of people for Hajj and Umrah, but when Covid hit in 2020, the business collapsed, and it was forced to close down. Malek still operates a travel agency, but from his home and on a much smaller scale.
His best memory is when he took a group of teenagers and young adults on an umrah pilgrimage in the early 90s. The cost? Just R1 999!
“Alhamdulilah, in March 2022, after the pandemic and the riots, we had an opportunity to lead a group of people for Umrah once again
But tragedy struck him two weeks after returning from Umrah.
“I was sitting in the kitchen having tea, and suddenly, darkness came over my left eye. I later found out that it was due to a retinal detachment. The retina is a layer of cells at the back of your eyeball that converts light into nerve signals. It then sends those signals along your optic nerve to your brain. Your brain processes those signals into your sense of vision.
“The retinal detachment led to partial blindness, and after a month, the right retina detached, requiring another surgery, once again leading to partial blindness in the right eye. And like that, I had 12 procedures, and by January 2024, I was left completely blind.
“I had then taken two more opinions from other eye specialists, after which I accepted my blindness as part of my fate. Having always been a positive person in life, I exercised this as my greatest test of life and displayed my true sense of being positive.
“Despite my impediment, I rise every morning to take on the challenges of the day with respect to my business in travel, my social responsibilities and my passion for cooking.
“I conduct radio programmes encouraging people to have a positive attitude in spite of the listeners’ disability or impediments,” Malek said.
His other passion is helping to renovate the historic Queensbridge Masjid in Durban’s Chris Hani Rd (previously North Coast Rd) that was established in 1900.
“Alhamdulilah today with the efforts of the trustees and the Musalee Committee, the Queensbridge Masjid has increased its footprints of worshippers after its renovation and facilitation of many,” he added.
Malek said he says he has no dull days. There is so much to do. If he’s not attending to his business, then he focuses on his charitable and humanitarian work.
“To tell you the truth, I never think about my blindness when I get up each morning. For me life goes on as normal, Alhumdulilah,” he said.
