Though most of the countries gained independence from Britain back in the 1960s, The African Muslims are still struggling from racism, from their fellow Muslims from Asia who dominate trade and business.
The arrival of Islam in Southern Africa dates back to the early Arab traders who along with their business disseminated the message of Islam among the local population. The teachings of Islam on One God, Equality, Human Dignity, etc. attracted the Africans to the faith of Islam. The colonisation of countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana by the British rulers made these countries enter a phase of slavery and humiliation they are yet to come out of. The British ruled these countries around 100-200 years. After an armed struggle the countries finally gained independence in the 1960s. Zambia gained independence in 1964, followed by Botswana in 1966 and Zimbabwe in 1980.
When the British left the African countries, there were three classes among the population: the white British who ruled and administered the country, the brown Asians who dominated the business sector and the Blacks who worked as slaves or for very minimal wages. From the railway coaches to the post office counters, everything was segregated into three different categories.
The Muslim population of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana is around 3-4%. This includes the local African population as well as Asian Muslims especially from India who have settled down there long time ago.
CONTRIBUTION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS
The local African Muslims have been plagued by numerous challenges like poverty, illiteracy, diseases, hunger, malnutrition, sanitation, etc. Education is still a privilege for few of the locals. The child of a farmer stays with the parent in the farm and ends up his future in farming; similarly, the child of a mine labourer stays with his parent in the mine and ends up his future as mine labourer. This has been a custom over there for a very long time.
This trend is changing slowly now that there are some NGOs run by local African Muslims who have understood the importance of education. As of now it is still primary and secondary education which is being paid attention to by these NGOs. University level education and research studies in foreign universities are still a distant dream. Apart from education, there is a dire need for the local Muslims to get support in terms of capacity building, personality development, entrepreneurship etc. With very scarce resources, the local NGOs are struggling to venture into these areas.
The trading community in these countries is dominated by Indian businessmen. Some of these companies have been doing business for around 100 years. Most of the Muslim businessmen have been supporting the charitable cause of Muslims. Some contribute to the ongoing charitable and some have set up their own NGOs for the cause. Almost all these NGOs cater to the basic requirement of hunger, diseases, disaster management and building Masajid. A huge amount of Zakat is collected through these businesses and is being spent through the NGOs being set up and controlled by Indians there. The statistics provided by these NGOs in terms of beneficiaries gives a rosy picture but in terms of educational and social uplift, the local African Muslims are still on ground zero.
One of the reasons for this trend is the Thawab mentality among Muslims. Even the Ulema who guide them give references to those teachings which stress on the Thawab aspect rather the Hisab aspect. Building of a masjid and feeding the hungry are definitely important teachings of Islam and there is no doubt about it, but living among the local African Muslims for around 100 years and leaving them in the same condition even after the passage of 100 years is definitely an aspect of Hisab they will have to be accountable for before Allah. Investing in educational and social development of Muslims is a moral and social responsibility of Muslims. If the Indian Muslim community can do this, In Sha Allah within a decade or two, the local African Muslims can come out of their inferiority complex and live a life with dignity and honour.
Another big issue is that the Indian Muslims do not mix with the local Muslims. Their living areas are different from the locals. They still consider them inferior and their place is only among the working and labour class. They are just meant to be helped and not to be developed. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) migrated to Madinah, he ensured that the Muhajireen and the Ansar had brotherly relations not just in the matter of Imaan but in all other aspects of life as well.
ISLAMIC ORGANISATIONS
Tablighi Jamaat is the dominant Islamic organisation working among the local Africans followed by the Salafis and Barelwis. The leadership of all these organisations is still with the Indians and the local African Muslims are not encouraged to take up leadership position. The Ulema are all imported from India to guide the locals. There are a lot of delegations which come from India to preach among the locals. Apart from the theoretical teachings of Namaz and Deen, the locals are not given much guidance on Islam as a complete way of life which comprises social, economic and political aspects. Though they claim to have a huge following among the Muslims, many locals say it is the food that attracts them to Tablighi Jamaat programmes. The members of Tablighi Jamaat do not invite the locals to their family gatherings nor do they develop them in business. During one of my trips to Zimbabwe, I was surprised by their attitude towards the local Africans. My host was a local African and I had stayed with an African brother. Some Tablighi Jamaat senior members were surprised that I trusted a local African and came from India to be with them. One of the Tablighi brothers also told me that the Africans didn’t know anything about business and I would achieve much if I stayed with them and advised me to be among the Indians there.
The Salafi brothers do not try to understand the local culture of Muslims and want to impose the Saudi form of Islam. Their belief is whatever is acceptable in Saudi should be acceptable to the African locals as well. They lay stress on issues which are very menial and not important to the African local society. Sunnah and Haraam are their favourites when Fardh and Halal is what the local Africans want to know about.
The Barelwis are mostly seen during the Mawlid celebrations where they have a grand occasion with a lot of food and drinks which attract the local population.
There are many local organisations which are into Dawah among Non-Muslims but the efforts are very few. There are occasionally huge gatherings for Dawah with imported famous speakers from India, Malaysia, etc. but local ground work Dawah is very rare.
ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS
Local Muslims realise that though they are being helped by Indian Muslims, their growth is stagnant. The issues and challenges which had been there before still exist. Local Muslims are not growing in education and entrepreneurship. They still have to depend on the Indian Muslim brothers to meet their needs of hunger and diseases. They are still taken as inferior due to their complexion. They never had a say in matters of charity and development. This made the locals to form their own organisation for charitable and social development. On one hand they had to fight for a place in the general society and on the other fight for their own cause within the Muslim community. It was a struggle within a struggle. This was the basis for the formation of youth organisations in countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Once they started to form network and find similar initiatives, they came in contact with Islamic Movements like Ikhwan and Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. But due to scarce resources, there has been no much direct interaction among them. They are mostly connected with the Muslim Youth Movement in South Africa.
The Zimbabwe Muslim Youth Organisation has been spearheading the cause of Islamic Movement for the last 35 years. The age group is 12-35 years and the members who retire after this have no platform to continue their activities. The organisation has been trying to get help by emulating the programmes of similar movements in South Africa, Egypt and Pakistan. Programmes like Youth Camps, Interfaith Dialogues, Programmes for sisters and women are some of the activities being organised by ZMYO.
On the social development side, the Movement brothers run a Trust called “Charitable Foundation for Development” with a vision of being a leading humanitarian organisation in serving humanity, alleviating poverty through economic empowerment. Its activities include:
- Orphan and vulnerable children support programmes;
- Education and skill development;
- Water, health and sanitation;
- Women support programmes;
- Endowments, Waqf funds management and infrastructure development; and
- Relief and disaster management.
There is much potential and hope among the cadres of ZMYO, who believe they shall succeed in their struggle if they are exposed more to other Islamic Movements across the globe.
[Currently based in Goa, India, ANEES ISMAIL is a student of political science who writes on current affairs across the world. He has a particular interest in the Middle East and Asia.]