Ebrahim Moosa

As he sat out the lengthy cross-continental flight to South America, he witnessed the usually upbeat inflight ambience being shattered, not once, but repeatedly.

With each piercing announcement from the airlines PA system, the voyagers descended into a deeper mournful stupor.

They were hearing, in real time, luckily, not of some dire aviation warnings, but rather of the thrashing being meted out to the Brazilian soccer squad by the Germans at World Cup 2014.

A day later, as he performed Taraweeh in Buenos Aires, the mood was jarringly more upbeat when the streets erupted into celebration and the partying then continued for the duration of the night. Argentina had overcome Holland to reach the finals of the World Cup.

Fast forward to today, and the spirit in the South American powerhouse is again markedly different.

Cii Radio in-house Mufti, AK Hoosen, is trailblazing in South America this Ramadan, at a time when most of the world’s attention is transfixed on the continent for altogether different reasons. This has placed the esteemed scholar in somewhat of a peculiar vantage point to commentate on the current social pulse of the continent.

“This afternoon when we had just gone to purchase something, 90% of the shops were closed due to the World Cup finals,” the aalim narrated. “And now when you look outside, you will see police barricades, you cannot even catch a taxi. People are rioting in some areas because of the World Cup loss (by Argentina).”

Reflecting on the extreme pendulum of emotions he has seen swaying in front of him over the last few days, the aalim is pensive.

“This is the Dunya,” he opined. “Everyone of us should think, sometimes we pin our hopes on something, and that thing brings to us regret and remorse, and we can see it here – Just as we saw it in Rio, Brazil. Before the match, people were so excited. And when they lost, riots and so much damage. The same here in Argentina.”

He says such phenomena should bring us to an understanding that we need to pin our hopes on something much more durable.

“Remember, we have a Divine Recipe, we have a Prophetic prescription, and that is the Quraan Kareem, the Sunnah of Nabi SAW, the actions of the Sahaba RA and Awliyaa, and in that way we will find there is peace and tranquility in our lives.”

“In this world, people look for peace and tranquility in many different things. The Quraan directs us to find peace and tranquility in a few places. They are: 1. In the Zikr(Remembrance) of Allah SWT 2. In the confines of our homes 3.In sleep at night 4. In marriage And 5.In sending Salawaat upon Nabi SAW – This is what this entire world in looking for, and these are the Quraanic prescriptions. Similarly, practicing on any Sunnah of Nabi SAW brings with it joy, goodness and happiness in this world and the Hereafter.”

Stay tuned to Cii Radio to track Mufti AK Hoosen’s Odyssey through South America this Ramadan

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