THE FACTS
PORT SHEPSTONE JAAMI MUSJID
Brother Iqbal Nanabhay from Port Shepstone, explaining the facts pertaining to the Jaami Musjid rumpus created by the trustees, says:
Iqbal Nanabhay <[email protected]>
الحمد لله
I’ve read your article containing a good response from another musallee, which details most of the information behind this issue.
As stated in my previous email, I held a meeting with brother Yacoob Motala and brother Farouk Motala, this was held at brother Farouk Motala’s residence.
What is definite is that
1. Brother Yacoob Motala is of an advanced age and incapable of maintaining a strand of thought for even a short period of time. This I experienced during our meeting.
Thus why I stated my fears in my original email.
During our meeting, both of them confirmed what was told to me telephonically, that they had no knowledge of the dismissal of the Imaam.
2. From the information mentioned in the letter, as well as information gleaned from meetings with other musallees and members of the trust, there are only 2-3 trustees who have been running the trust (about one and a half decades) as they pleased, in clear defiance of the requirements of the trust deed, namely holding AGM’s, presenting Annual Financial Statements and holding elections. The trust deed itself is almost 80 years old and should have been updated.
3. After I left the meeting mentioned in point 1., Brother Yacoob Motala apparently called the trustee who was present, together with the chairman, at the meeting when the Imaam was dismissed. Thereafter, he called me and told me the allegations of the two trustees that amounted to the Imaam being dismissed, i.e., on operational grounds and paying the Imaam with public funds whilst he was not doing his job.
I contacted the Imaam telephonically, who responded to the allegations. I then typed out his response and sent it to Yacoob and Farouk Motala, which I paste below:
(Mufti Maseehullah responded that the issue of him not leading the salaah was never mentioned by the trustees.
He himself arranged for the Imaam for the salaah, he offered the Kadwa brothers money for their services.
He has also paid Hz. Habib for leading the salaah.
Furthermore, all other duties of Imaam, he performed, including the Jumuah khutbas, nikahs, counselling, tafseer after fajr, taleem after Isha.
Also, half of the 4 months was weekends and leave due to him.
The reason for not leading the salaah was because he was still dripping blood.
During December, he was present whilst his family went on holiday.
If he was not on duty, he would have gone with his family.)
Note that I consider myself to be impartial in this matter, and pray unto Allah that the Musallees and broader community be rightly guided.
ان شاء الله
Please feel free to make use of the information contained in my email, if you believe that it will aid in ensuring justice and the proper administration of the trust.
جزاك الله خيرا
(End of letter)
12 Rajab 1442 – 24 February 2024