The Usizo Daʿwah Mission was founded solely for the purpose of supporting faith-based leadership in previously disadvantaged communities in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. This is done through supporting community leaders financially, thereby enabling them to focus their energies on daʿwah and providing supportive care to their respective communities. The community leaders have all completed a full ʿĀlim Fādil course and are deployed to their rural ancestral villages to spread the teachings of Islam.

We have partnered with Vukuzenzele, a well-respected and well-established Muslim Community organization in the Eastern Cape. Vukuzenzele focuses on daʿwah, Islamic education, and community outreach in the Eastern Cape. As such, they are uniquely placed to facilitate and manage daʿwah and outreach programs in this region. This partnership allows us to ensure our resources are directed where most needed, and that our daʿwah and outreach programs are meaningful, impactful, and lasting.

History of Daʿwah in the Eastern Cape

In the 1970’s, Mufti Yusuf Karaan, the father of Mufti Taha Karaan travelled to Port St. Johns in the rural Eastern Cape in search of an indigenous Xhosa lady and her family that he had heard had embraced Islam but was significantly isolated from any Muslims.

This was the initiation of many a journey that Mufti Yusuf would undertake in his lifetime for the purposes of spreading the beautiful message of Islam and teaching its tenets to the indigenous Xhosa communities. Many of the Muslims that embraced Islam at the hands of Mufti Yusuf have developed into ambassadors of Islam and have spread the message on to their families and respective communities.

After the passing of his father, Mufti Taha endeavoured to continue fostering the relationship with the indigenous rural Eastern Cape communities.

Establishment of Usizo

After meeting with Imām Fuaad Lobi and onboarding Mawlānā Yusuf Bosman, Sheikh Daud Zintonga, Mawlānā Muhammad Ngova and Mawlānā Muhammad Nyameli, it was decided to establish Usizo: a daʿwah program that supports indigenous Xhosa ʿulamāʾ and duʿāt (inviters to Islam) and establishing them in the rural Eastern Cape communities. Masājid were to be built and would serve as centres of learning and community development.

Vision

Mufti Taha’s vision was to have twenty masājid and two schools (separately for girls and boys) built over a 10-year period within the rural areas of the Eastern Cape. The aim was to establish Islam in the Eastern Cape through quality Islamic and scientific education.

Progress

We currently support:

• Three Islamic Centres (1. Lusikisiki; 2. Mahlubini, Cofimvaba; 3. Pola Park, Mthatha) that serve as masājid, madāris and maktabs for their respective communities. The centre in Pola Park was established in 2022.
• Four ʿulamāʾ who run various projects among the five communities that they serve. These include daʿwah programs, educational classes for both adults and kids, community upliftment and outreach programs, Ramaḍān & Eid programs, feeding schemes, etc.
• A preschool at the Mthatha Islamic Centre.
• A boarding facility in Ncise, Mthatha.
• Reverts, maktab students, and students sent for Islamic and secular studies elsewhere in the country with aid in the form of bursaries, travel allowances, food, refreshments, clothing, etc.

The condition of the facilities (Islamic Centres) we support has deteriorated significantly over the past couple years and has become a point of concern. As such, we have included the maintenance and upkeep of these facilities in our annual operating budget.

Future work includes:

• Restoring the condition of our facilities and implementing improved maintenance strategies.
• Expanding our outreach programs (feeding, clothing, and education schemes).
• Establishing and supporting an Islamic Centre in Nkanini, Mthatha (for which the land has already been acquired).
• Establishing and supporting an Islamic Centre in Ncise, Mthatha to accompany the existing boarding facility.

Donations

There is much work needed in the rural Eastern Cape in spreading and maintaining Islam in the villages. This project requires a collective effort and collaboration with all who are able to assist Inshā’Allāh. 

Enquiries