If you have not experienced the TIP family eidgah, this year may be the time to do so.
TIP is making history by offering a sign language service for the deaf muslim community. Zohra Moosa who is deaf and teaches at Ethembeni school has guided us through the process of starting this initiative. Asiya Essop ,also a teacher, at Fulton school for the deaf, has offered her services to sign the talks and dua for us. We appeal to the deaf muslim community to join us and experience full inclusion, possibly for the first time at an Eid prayer. Our theme for Eid ul Fitr, being on the eve of youth day, is “Soweto 76: reclaiming our history, envisioning the future”. Our youth speaker is Zuhayr Mahomed, a TIP member since inception when he was just 5 – Zuhayr Mahomed is a 3rd year BCom Politics, Philosophy & Economics student at UCT. He is the former Deputy Chair of the MYM UCT, he currently serves on the Exec committee of the UCT Palestine Solidarity Forum (UCT PSF), and holds membership in the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (PASMA). Zuhayr identifies himself as a Fallist and is particularly passionate about the Decolonisation movement.
Our female speaker is Tshegofatso Masibi, also a regular TIP congregant. She is an entrepreneur and owner of Ditiro Media and is a convenor of Beyond August Project, an initiative that focusses on critical dialogue and economic initiatives amongst women.
There will be light refreshments and party packs for children after the prayer. We have a tent, so are not affected by rain. Chairs are also available for the elderly. Bring your own musallah and come with wudhu. Fitra collection takes place before the Eid salah commences. Please consider supporting us with a lillah donation via EFT or in cash on the day.
TIP began the family eidgah project in 2004, when there was no space for families to pray together. The incidents at the Ormonde mosque remind us about the value of our eidgah space. The women in TIP went through what the women at Ormonde mosque are experiencing now. They were called names, received death threats, were ostracised and had their Iman questioned. Because TIP knew what they were doing was right, they persevered. TIP today has a dedicated congregation of over a thousand people. TIP supports the women of Ormonde and other communities who work for places where women and families can pray together. Change is not easy, nor comfortable, but we take our guidance from our beloved messenger who was a radical reformer. He made the Meccans uncomfortable and achieved a spiritual revolution.
TIP looks forward to welcoming you on the day of EID.