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Muslim Views . January 2016
Revered Chishti leader passes on while on Umrah ON the passing of Hadhrat Saied Soofie, on Sunday, January 17, the following message was issued by Moulana Goolam Kutbudien Kagee, on behalf of the Habibia Soofie Masjid, in Cape Town, and Shah Abdul Aziz Soofie and Mufti Goolam Muhammed Soofie, on behalf of the Soofie Saheb Badshah Peer Darbar, in Durban: The Habibia Soofie Masjid and family would like to bid a sombre farewell to Hadhrat Hajee Shah Mohamed Saied Soofie Siddiqi, the head custodian of the Habibia Soofie Saheb Badshah Peer Darbaar in Durban and the Sahibe Sajjada (Head) of the Chishti Nizami Habibi Soofie Order of South Africa, who passed away while on Umrah, in the holy land of Makkatul Mukarramah. Hadhrat Hajee Shah Mohamed Saied Soofie was the second eldest son of Hadhrat Shah Goolam Muhammad Soofie Sani (RA), and was honoured with the head custodianship of the mazaar of Hadhrat Soofie Saheb (RA) and Hadhrat Shaikh Ahmed Badsha Peer (RA) after the demise of his father, in 1978. Hadhrat was instrumental in the renovations, particularly from an artistic and design perspective, of various Soofie masaajid, such as Soofie Masjid Riverside, Soofie Masjid Kenville, the Soofie Masjid in Cape Town as well as the mazaar of Hadhrat Soofie Saheb in Riverside, Durban, Hadhrat Shaikh Ahmed Badshah Peer in Brook Street, Durban and Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Latief Qazi in Rylands Estate, Cape Town. Hadhrat Saied was also the
Muslim Views
Hadhrat Shah Mohamed Saied Soofie
most senior member of the Soofie family. It is at this time we remember the hadith of the beloved Prophet
(SAW): ‘A person who passes away while performing the Hajj or Umrah will not be questioned (in the qabr) nor will any reckon-
ing be taken from him (on the day of Qiyamah). He will be told: ‘ Enter Jannah in peace with those who have attained salvation.’ (Bayhaqi). It was the wish of Hadhrat to pass away in the holy lands of Makkatul Mukarammah or Madinatul Munawarrah and, by the grace of Almighty Allah and through His infinite mercy, the wish was accepted and Hadhrat passed away in the precincts of the Holy Haram of Makkah in the hour of Dhuhr Salaah, on Sunday, 7th Rabi-ul-Akhir 1437. Hadhrat was honoured to have his Janaazah Salaah in front of the Kaabah, in the Haram of Makkah, with over a million people reading for him. Hadhrat was then buried in the cemetery of the Haram, which is located a few kilometres away from Jannatul Muala. Hadhrat Shah Mohamed Saied Soofie will be remembered for his humble, kind and modest ways. He was a person who occupied himself with the remembrance of Allah SWT. His nights were spent in voluntarily and Tahajjud prayers, while the day was spent attending functions, visiting the sick and ensuring the needs of the community were fulfilled. He would ensure that he always honoured the invitation of his fellow Muslim, whether rich or poor. Hadhrat has left a great legacy, and history will judge his unselfish contribution to the Muslim community in Durban and all over South Africa. When the news of Hadhrat’s passing reached South Africa, thousands of mureedeen, devotees and followers gathered in
Riverside, Durban and other masaajid across the country, while others took to social media, expressing their deepest sympathy and condolences, in respect to this great Sufi master. What more can be said about a man who lived his life in the service of Allah and Islam, illuminated his days and nights with adhkaar and durood, and as reward, was granted an illuminated end? We pray to Allah SWT to grant Hadhrat a high abode in Jannatul-Firdaus, to make his grave a garden from the Gardens of Paradise, to widen his grave and to fill it with Light upon Light, Insha Allah. May Allah SWT honour him with the company of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the awliyaa and the saliheen, and may he be raised on the day of Qiyaamah with all the great personalities whom he lay buried amongst in Makkatul Mukarramah. Ameen.
Auwal Masjid marks 222 years SOUTH Africa’s first mosque, Auwal Masjid, in Dorp Street, Cape Town, will be commemorating its 222nd year with a khatm of the Quran, on Sunday, January 31, between 8.00am and Dhuhr. The khatm is the first of a number of programmes planned to mark the masjid’s milestone. In the following edition, Muslim Views will be publishing an article by Dr Hishaam Palmer on the history of the masjid and its role in establishing the roots of Islam in the Cape and beyond.