Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
The Muslim Students Association of South Africa (MSA) recently commemorated its 50th anniversary with a dhikr session at the historic Auwal Masjid in Bo-Kaap.
The dhikr, held on 28 November 2, and led by Shaykh Ismail Londt, was well attended and highlighted the MSA’s enduring impact over the decades.
Speakers included Ameer Adams, current national president of the MSA Union, and Shaykh Sadullah Khan, who reflected on the pivotal role Muslim students played in the anti-apartheid struggle while addressing the challenges confronting today’s students.
During his student years, Shaykh Sadullah served as Amir of the MSA at the University of Durban-Westville (now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal).
Also in attendance was Ganief Hendricks, founding president of the MSA and currently Deputy Minister of Social Development. Minister Hendricks remarked on the MSA’s 1974 establishment as the first national Muslim body in South Africa.
Dr. Rashied Omar, Imam of the Claremont Main Road Masjid who was also present at the event, played a significant role in this legacy, serving as UCT MSA chairperson in 1978/79 and MSA national president from 1980 to 1982. He credited his involvement in the MSA during the height of the anti-apartheid struggle as laying the foundation for his lifelong dedication to social justice activism and Islamic scholarship.
The MSA continues to play a crucial role in organizing Muslim students on campuses across South Africa, blending Islamic teachings with contemporary social justice issues, both nationally and globally.
For more on the illustrious history of the MSA, readers are encouraged to read the book The Muslim Students Association of South Africa: 1974-2004 by Professor Suleman Dangor (November 2023, Publisher: Digniti ISBN: 9780620914987).
