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1ST Muslim Convention on Sustainable Development
The 1ST Muslim Convention on Sustainable Development was held in Erasmia, Pretoria West on Sunday 1st September, 2002. The event was hosted by the National Awqaf Foundation of South Africa (AWQAF SA) and opened with a recitation from the Holy Qu’ran followed by a rendition of the National Anthem of South Africa in Arabic, again a first for South Africa. The Convention was officially opened by the Secretary of the United Ulama Council of South Africa, Moulana Yusuf Patel, who welcomed participants and praised Muslims for their efforts in the empowerment of communities. He commended the organisers for hosting such an event and emphasised Islam’s view on issues such as environmental damage, peace, justice, and poverty eradication. The 900 strong participants and delegates included leaders, members of parliament, representatives of community organizations, professionals, academics, activists, ulama, and social workers, from all parts of South Africa and the World. Highlights Highlights of the convention included a mix of cultural items rendered by different schools and madressas from Gauteng and talks given by an array of Muslim academics and activists – Prof Yusuf Dadoo, Prof Suleman Dangor, Shamshad Sayed, Moulana Ashraf Dockrat, Asma Hassan, Dr Ismail Munshi, and Zeinoul Abedien Cajee. International speakers included Prof Fazlun Khalid, the Director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Studies. Shaykh Hassan Cisse of Senegal also graced the occasion. Later, Minister of Water Affairs Ronnie Kasrils addressed the participants and praised the Community for their involvement in organising the event. He also planted trees together with Uri Davis linking villages in Palestine to South Africa. One of the trees was dedicated by AWQAF SA to Saartjie van den Kaap, a slave woman who made the first waqf in South Africa, and on which stands Masjid al Awwal (Cape Town), the first mosque in South Africa.
In conclusion, AWQAF SA proposed a “Draft Principles on Muslim Commitment to Sustainable Living and Development” for adoption as a positive outcome of the 1st Muslim Convention on Sustainable Development. These principles will now be circulated and comments invited to enable it to become a document that everyone across the community accepts and adopts. InshaAllah.
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