Commitment made to Islamic education
“Hamaree dua hei yahee ai khuda… ho Islam ka bol
bala sada… Athaa kar sabhee ko… hidayath ka noor… zalalath ka and hera ho jaa e door Ther re bande ther re yeh ahkaam par… chale aur dil mei
rakhe thera dar.” Aameen
This famous dua was taught in our madressa and is recited to this day at religious functions and at homes by those who have links with Nottingham Road and those who attended the local madressa.
May Allah reward the ustad who taught us this dua Ameen.
Hoosen Khan Patan and Hajee Mia started madressa classes in 1912 behind shop No 1 (Ismail Khan’s shop). The teacher appointed was Hazrath Munshi Joomal Al Kadiri, who was from India.
Most of the children attended these classes. They learnt Qur’an, Surahs, Urdu and Arabic. He taught for 12 years, after which Munshie Hyder Ali from India conducted the classes.
The Nottingham Road Muslim society was formed in 1934. The chairman was Goolam Nabee, treasurer Goolam Hoosen, and secretary Cassim Hajee Mia.
The pioneers who settled in Nottingham Road were selftaught, as formal education was non-existent.
They must be admired to have learnt English and the Zulu language. This was necessary for communication, trade and business. Priority was given to the madressa education. I was sent to madressa first by my grandmother. She insisted that I go to madressa first as I was told that there was no place in school for me.
My two madressa teachers were Zubeda Khan and Rehmath Khan. We called them Majhlee apa and Chootee apa – our most outstanding madressa teachers for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration.
In the madressa system strict discipline and rules of behaviour were to be observed at all times.
If you broke the rules, you were punished, eg, wrote 100 lines, 50 squats, placing a bench while in the position of rukoo.
The following subjects were taught in the madressa: Qur’an, Surahs, Deenyath, Urdu and practical Salaat.
Classes were held from Monday to Friday 3pm to 5pm and Saturday mornings at 8 to 12 noon. Revision of work done during the week was undertaken on Saturday.
Emphasis was placed on practical salah and duas. My Aunty Halima was my tutor at home and also Aunty Zubeda and my beloved mother.
There were no prescribed text books for the madressa but I know that the Zuroor Muslimeen written in Urdu was used intensively by the students hence Urdu language, reading, speaking and writing became absolutely necessary and compulsory for all students. Madressa exams were conducted annually.
Munshee Khan from Umzinto would conduct the examinations over two days on Saturdays and Sundays.
He would submit his report to the NRMS where he indicated the high quality education offered in the madressa and praised the teachers for their commitment and sacrifice made to impart Islamic education.
After Munshie Hyder Ali left Nottingham Road to teach in Ladysmith the first female teacher appointed in the madressa was Amina Khatoon, the wife of Abdul Rehman Hajee Mia and daughter of Hoosen Khan Patan Khan.