The foundation of the Habibia Mosque complex was laid in 1905. The centenary year of the event is an
opportunity for celebration, consolidation and reflection.
It celebrates the remarkable legacy of a mosque complex which remains a vibrant beacon of Islam in the Cape Flats area. This legacy manifests Islam in various dimensions: Islamic spirituality in terms of the activities of the mosque itself; Islamically grounded education by virtue of the schools and library associated with the mosque complex; and Muslim compassion reflected in the orphanage which has always been an integral part of the complex.
But we not only celebrate the continued vibrancy of these activities. Commemorating the centenary allows us to consolidate such activities by reminding us what the mosque complex is essentially all about and not to be sidetracked by peripheral issues.
Most importantly, perhaps, the centenary provides us an opportunity for reflection. The mosque complex was founded by Soofie Saheb (R.A.) and Maulana Shah Abdul Latif (R.A) – two personalities who sacrificed hearth, home and familiar trappings for the sake of Islam. Propelled by devotion to their guide to Allah, the great spiritual luminary Khawaja Habib ‘Ali Shah of Hyderabad, India, they bore the difficulties of an unknown and inhospitable country with great patience, humility and overwhelming love for their fellow human beings. Their remarkable sacrifices allow us an opportunity to reflect on our own lives and the direction in which we are moving. We are off course if
we find our values not matching theirs. We are on course if we find their values ones we aspire to.
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