By Humairaa Mayet
“It all started under the basis of one thing: to show the world the truth.” – Shamshaad Sayed
Veteran journalist, educationist, and humanitarian, Shamshaad Sayed has held an array of positions in the world of media. She began at Radio Islam and then moved to Channel Islam International, after which she went on to serve as a founding member of both ITV and Deen TV. Sayed is also a founding member, CEO, and the spokesperson of the South African National Muslim Women’s Forum (SANMWF).
Sayed spoke to Salaamedia on the #TributeToMuslimBroadcastersSA segment on Tuesday morning.
In the 1990s, Sayed began drawing attention to issues previously unheard of, such as the persecution of Muslims in Bosnia and Chechnya, and the silent genocide in Kashmir. She travelled around the world, analysing hegemonies and geopolitics and attempting to reveal the truth through her reporting.
Sayed recalled a visit to Afghanistan where she had many eye-opening experiences as she explored the country and the reasons behind the war and conflict.
“There are two wars being fought, the actual war and the information war,” said Sayed. To win the second, the truth must be gleaned.
During the time Sayed worked as a journalist, journalism – and Muslim journalism more specifically – was a field saturated with men and the presence of a woman was quite unique. Advising women in journalism, Sayed stressed the importance of truth and the need for family and community support. She recommended that all young journalists read, work smart, and face challenges head-on.
The #TributeToMuslimBroadcastersSA segment on Salaamedia is an exclusive Ramadan broadcast on our platform, inspired by the late Ebrahim Gangat who was well known for his broadcasting talent.
Watch the full interview here:
