In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
“O People! The month of Allah (Ramadhan) has approached you with His mercy and blessings. This is the month that is the best of all months in the estimation of Allah. Its days are the best among the days; its nights are the best among the nights. Its hours are the best among the hours”. – [Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWW)]
We are at the threshold of the holy month of Ramadhan and are blessed to witness this glorious month of mercy and forgiveness, which is the most venerated, blessed and spiritually beneficial month of the Islamic year to bring us closer to Allah (SWT) and to earn and seek His grace, mercy and blessings.
I wish to begin this message with a request to take a moment to remember those who were with us in the last holy month of Ramadhan and are no longer with us today. The period has been a difficult one for us at the AFED Secretariat wherein we lost a number of our Community volunteers which include Mohamedraza bhai Khamis of Madagascar, Ebrahim bhai Kassam of Kampala, Mohamed bhai Dhirani, Syed Hassan Naqvi and Murtaza bhai Jivraj (Kerbala) of Dar-es-Salaam. Let us reflect and take lessons from it and use the available opportunities wisely for the A’akherat. We are all in this temporary and transitory world, so let us gather virtuous provisions of goodness, kindness and sincerity for a journey to a permanent abode.
Let us reflect on the situation that the world is undergoing since the start of the pandemic which to-date continues to effect people in various ways be it medically, economically or socially. This surely is a lesson for us and a time where we should look towards reforming ourselves and what better time than the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
I once again call upon all Community members to continue to exercise great care and precautions during this period of the pandemic and strictly follow the advices from the Authorities and Health Professionals. Whilst a number of Community members have been vaccinated, it is our moral responsibility to enable those who are yet to be vaccinated to have the opportunity to get the vaccine.
Our Community members have been affected with economic difficulties due to the serious state of the economy which is exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. The Africa Federation with assistance from the World Federation in conjunction with the Jamaats in Africa have been providing assistance to the needy and deserving members and have also assisted Jamaats to put up the required medical facilities to cater for those affected by the Pandemic. We appeal to our Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Community members in Africa and the African diaspora around the globe to support our endeavors with funds (General Donations, Hukook, Zakat and Sadaka) which will help the AFED Secretariat to continue assisting the Community members who are in need of financial support at this critical time.
Let us all take guidance from the below Ayat of the Holy Quran and contribute towards a needy cause.
“Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakat (charity) will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve”. Holy Qur’an, Surah Al Baqarah, Verse: 2:277
Please contact Africa Federation Secretariat office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania by email: secretariat@africafederation.org or visit our website: www.africafederation.org should you require more details to remit your contributions and donations.
Let us pray to Allah (SWT) to bestow peace, security, tranquility and relief from the Pandemic in all parts of the world and cessation to the persecutions and sufferings of innocent people from the horrible atrocities.
In conclusion, may I request you all to remember all the past leaders and volunteers of our Community who have served selflessly with great devotion and who are no longer with us today, also let us remember all the Marhumeen for the Maghferat of their souls with Sura-e-Fateha.
With Salaams and Duas,
Shabir Najafi,
Chairman – AFED