It is with great sadness that the Claremont Main Road Masjid receives the news of the passing of Maulana Ihsaan Hendricks, former president of the Muslim Judicial Council.
Maulana Ihsaan was a dynamic and courageous son of the soil, whose dedication and tireless passion for his community was only eclipsed by his immense humility and faith as a human being. He embodied what it meant to be a leader by serving and establishing a litany of organisations and initiatives ranging from early childhood development to international scholarly commissions, Maulana was assiduous, hardworking and most of all connected to his community.
Maulana Ihsaan was a good friend of the CMRM. He delivered the keynote address at the CMRM Annual General Meeting (AGM), on Sunday 19 June 2016, at the Sports Science Institute. During his address he called for a Fiqh of citizenship that should emphasise the Muslim community›s peaceful co-existence with other faith groups in the country as well as the responsibility of individuals to make a positive contribution to the challenges we face in our country. He also delivered the Layla al-Mi`raj lecture at CMRM on 24 April 2017, where he spoke passionately about the unjust occupation of Palestine. He was keen on following this up by offering a full course on the history of Masjid al-Aqsa and the struggles of the Palestinians, at CMRM, but due to his deteriorating health he was unable to do so. Maulana Ihsaan was also a keen supporter of CMRM’s youth empowerment programme and contributed financially towards our youth camps.
Maulana Ihsaan Hendricks was an eloquent and courageous South African Muslim voice for Palestinian and global justice. He was a champion of the poor and downtrodden, supporting many humanitarian relief efforts at home and abroad. His was a life of “scholactivism” in the true sense, marrying a broadminded and authentic scholarly approach to Islam with the fervour and compassion of an activist. Maulana Ihsaan was the embodiment of a scholar fearlessly witnessing to justice.
Our prayers and condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this sorrowful time. May they find strength in their beautiful memories, his immense leadership and scholarly contributions and most of all in the warm embrace of family and friends. We pray that Allah, the Most Compassionate, pardon him, have mercy on him and grant him a high status in Al-Jannah, in-sha-Allah.