Break silence on Open Mosque

I AM writing with reference to your report on June 4, titled “Move to unite Muslims”.

Now that the bigwigs within the South African Muslim community have gathered in Gatesville to belatedly denounce religious extremism and doctrinal fanaticism in the wake of the murder in the mosque in Verulam, there is still much more that these individuals and institutions must do.

If they genuinely wish to eradicate the cancer of theological intolerance and sectarian bigotry, why did they not confirm that forward-looking institutions like the wrongly smeared Open Mosque should not be subject to persistent Muslim intimidation and clerical hostility?

While Salim Hanware of the Madina Institute, Abubakr Mohamed of the SA Muslim Network, Sadullah Khan of Islamia College, Sataar Parker of the Gateville Mosque, Ebrahim Rasool of the ANC as well as the other leading figures attending that powwow waxed lyrical about the need for Muslim unity and calling for religious tolerance, can we really expect any of these personalities to openly condemn the repeated fire-bombing of the Open Mosque and the attempted killing of its founder?

When can we expect such a joint statement from these Muslim leaders that defends the inalienable Islamic right of the Open Mosque to promote a progressive and not patriarchal interpretation of Islam? If no such public statement is forthcoming, then all their pious platitudes at the Gatesville meeting remain hot air and empty talk.

DR T HARGEY President – Open Mosque