• Strives to mobilize the potential material and human resources available to realize the ultimate religious and spiritual development of humankind.
• Strives to establish and create the necessary infrastructure and sub-structures within an Islamic Ethos to realize its aims and objectives, as set out in its Constitution and contained in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
• Strives to protect and preserve the Din (Way of Life) of Islam in all its dimensions.
• Strives to protect the Muslim identity and safeguard Muslims from religious, cultural, political and socio-economic exploitation, abuse, oppression and misrepresentation.
• Strives to contribute positively in caring for and being concerned about the minority status of Muslims in this part of the world.
• Strives to continuously protect and promote the pristine Islamic values and standards, especially the values and standards pertaining to marriage, families, children, women, the youth, the aged and the poor.

A Brief History

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) is a faith-based organization (FBO) established in 1945. It is one of the oldest, most representative and most influential religious organizations in South Africa and enjoys local, national and international credibility.

As previously indicated, the MJC was established in Cape Town in 1945. Sixty-two (62) Founder members attended the MJC’s inaugural public meeting on the 10th February 1945 at the Cathedral Hall, Queen Victoria Road, Cape Town. Subsequently, an Executive Committee comprising nineteen (19) members was elected on the 17th February 1945. The Executive Committee comprised the following Sheikhs and Imams: Achmat Behardien, M. Shaakier Gamieldien, Igsaan Gamieldien, Abdullah Gamieldien, Ismail Edwards, Mogamat Salih (Abadie) Solomons, I. Moos, M. Tape Jassiem, M. Moos, M. Abbas Jassiem, I. Taliep, Abdullatief Parker (Imam Babu), Abdullah Behardien, Muawiyyah Sedick, Abdul Bassier, Sulayman Harris, Abduragman Salie, Armien Mustafa, Ariefdien Manuel and Br. Hashiem Edross.

At the above-said historical meeting a TEN-POINT PROGRAMME for the Muslim Judicial Council was adopted, viz.:

• To unite on the precept of the Holy Quran and to reinforce this unity by henceforth holding an Annual Conference of Muslim Religious Leaders.
• To elect a Judicial Council from among the members attending conferences, to which all religious matters could be referred for solution; such decisions of the Judicial Council shall be final and binding.
• To elect a committee from among those serving on the Judicial Council or from those present at the Conference to investigate delinquency in all its forms and to make annual reports on the ways and means of counteracting same.
• To register the so-formed Judicial Council in order to ensure its recognition by the Government.
• To introduce a uniform and more methodical system of Islamic education in Muslim schools; members of the Judicial Council to supervise such education by, at least, annually inspecting the Muslim schools.
• To support any movement, which aims at erecting a Muslim College where students will receive a sound religious, as well as, a secular education.
• To introduce an enlightened, methodical and uniform system of lectures.
• To encourage and contribute towards the publishing of Islamic literature, such as literature to be approved by the Judicial Council.
• To persuade the Government to recognize the abhorrence, which Muslims hold for exhumations and post-mortems.
• To demand that the Government recognize Muslim marriages, as legal when performed in conformity with the laws of the Holy Quran.

Historically, the MJC has always represented the Muslim community and had supported the struggle for liberation, but always retained its political independence, as an organization, by being politically non-party aligned. Many of its members were directly involved and participated in the struggle for liberation. Some of its members have served as Ministers and Members of Parliament (MP’s) in the government structures. One of its senior members, Sheikh Abdul Hamid Gabier, is currently (2006) the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Noteworthy, is that the late Imam Abdullah Haroun was also a prominent member of the MJC. The legacy of the late Sheikh M. Nazeem Mohamed, a previous president of the MJC, is well documented in the hearts of our nation. He was also a personal friend to Madiba Nelson Mandela. For more than 350 years members of the Muslim community were active participants in shaping a unique heritage and culture, especially in the Western Cape Province.

Out of the more than 2.5 million Muslims throughout South Africa, about one million Muslims live in the Western Cape. Cape Muslims have been and continue to be an integral component of the socio-economic development and infrastructure of the City of Cape Town. Remarkably, the Muslim community’s limited infrastructure and resources were acquired through many decades of self-sacrifice and hard work. To-date, the Muslim Judicial Council and more than 97% of the Masajid (Mosques) and Madrasas (afternoon Muslim Schools) throughout the Western Cape have not received any International/Foreign Funding for developing and maintaining their infrastructures.