The local council of Muslim theologians, Jamiatul Ulama SA, will this week host a workshop on crime management strategies to beef up security at mosques.
“Historically, our communities are just so accustomed to going to the masjid, leaving the doors open and just praying peacefully,” said Mufti Muhammed Haffejee, coordinator of Jamiatul Ulama SA in Johannesburg.
“However, in the last two months we have detected no less than ten incidents where the congregation itself has been the target of criminals,” he said, adding “there are various reasons for this.”
The recent spate of crimes in mosques comes against the backdrop of rising crime in Gauteng. On Tuesday, Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela painted a grim picture when he presented the third quarter crime statistics before the legislature.
He presented an increase in all major crimes, including rape, murder and robbery from the start of October to the end of December 2022.
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Crime management strategy
Mufti Haffejee said a crime management strategy will be presented by crime experts at a workshop on Friday.
The strategy would be formulated “to ensure that the musalees are protected at the masjid”. It would also see to the management of media coverage in the event of an assault on a mosque.
He said this was necessary because there was a concern that self-defence during attacks at mosques could always turn the blame to Muslims as ‘terrorists’.
“We all are well-aware of the fact that Islamophobia is a global phenomenon and within the broader discourse on Islamophobia any event can easily be spun as an Islamophobic incident.”
Members of mosque committees are invited to the workshop set to take place at the Johannesburg Muslim School (JMS) in Crosby on Friday, March 17, 2023, after maghrib. Those who are unable to physically attend may contact Jamiatul Ulama SA to register for virtual participation.
Julie Allie spoke to Mufti Haffejee on News & Views. Listen to the full discussion here.
