The Islamic Propagation Centre International hosted a Dawah workshop, which attracted delegates from several countries to its headquarters in Durban. Those who attended came from the America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Amongst them was Mrs Marwa Helmi of Saudi Arabia who teaches English in Jeddah said that she came to acquire skills which would enable her to get her students to make a major mind set change – from Americans to Muslims. “They are very consumer orientated, are engrossed with social media and resist moral instructions. Their minds have moved to the United States. They want to be copy-cats of what they believe to be modern,” she said.
Another set of delegates, a husband and wife team from Cape Town, Yusuf and Mahreerah Gassiep sought “knowledge” to enable them to win back Muslim women who leave the faith to marry. “At this Dawah Course we are being taught how to handle the issue differently. To adopt an approach to get families not to abandon these young women,” said the Gassieps.
While Dr Mohammed Samir Shobain of Jeddah said that he came to equip himself to adopt a “holistic approach to health care. I do not believe that we can simply cure a patient by administering medicine. We have to adopt an approach to ensure that they are morally cured as well,” he said.
Another delegate, also from Saudi Arabia, Dr Mohamed Al Haj Hussein, a “green civil engineer” said that he came to Durban to study the work done by Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. “I am surprised by the extent of freedom Muslims have in this country. What you have here cannot be found in England, the United States or anywhere in Europe. Women walk freely around wearing hijabs. As Muslims we are safe. My wife is with me on this trip and she marvels each time that she goes out that she is not subjected to a body attack,” he said.
Mr Samuel Shropshire of Washington said that it was his mission to negate the “hateful things that were being said about Muslims. I have visited Durban before and I hope to return. I came to study the works of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. I have come to learn techniques of Dawah. How to speak with authority, how to present knowledge,” he said.