Sunday, October 23, 2005

(6) Response to Camperdown

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Respected Brother E Vawda,

Shukran for your response! Hope that all is going well in these blessed last days of Ramadaan…
I would not like to get stuck in semantics, but just a brief reply to your concerns-

The first email was distributed to the same ‘wide group’ that received the then attached advertisement from FNB. That email said nothing of who was involved in certifying FNB’s products and asked many still unanswered questions- and there were definitely not ‘unduly cast insinuations’ as there where was no known party to insinuate anything against! And thus also, could not ‘suggest you were complacent’!

Again, the first email, a reply to FNB’s advert, did not subtly suggest any ‘bending of Shariah’, but raised concern of this possibly happening in the future- I will append the first widely distributed email…

I did not ‘loosely resort to innuendos’ or ‘subtly imply’ anything- it’s blatantly obvious that interest is the life blood of the entire economic system of this country!

The second email, naming you as one of the certifiers of FNB’s products-

What I found difficult to believe, was not that Ebi Patel was making up a story, but that a conventional Western bank could be ‘certified’- I now understand why it maybe necessary to use the conventional banks in the short term, but the inevitable issue with regards to other less scrupulous conventional banks abusing the ‘certification process’ still looms…

I would like to apologise for any shortcomings on my part- however, I have seen many important issues derailed and many beneficial discussions cut short due to minor, often surmountable, issues! The matter on hand is extremely important and I ask that we put any differences aside and work together- the number of Muslim professionals in the field of commerce and economics is staggering and most of us were under the misconception that it is fine to be involved in the work that we do and that we have no further commitments and responsibilities…

So view not the previous emails as a personal attack- it was anything but! I do not wish to level any criticism at any particular organisation, our entire community can be criticised till eternity- as a value based, constructive way forward, can I once again suggest:

1. To find a means of offering viable, consistently certified, temporary financial solutions for the needs of Muslims,
2. An organised educational process so that Mufti’s, professionals and the general population understand better the current economic environment, the essence of an Islamic economic system and what we need to do so that we can make the necessary changes to the current economic system and curb its oppressive and unjust effects!

It may be unattainable in the short term, but I surely think it’s possible, that if planned well, the economic environment of this country can be changed to be more Islamic than any so-called Muslim country!

I hope that this is not viewed as an equally juvenile reprisal, but rather as setting the scene for discussion in accordance with proper Islamic decorum! Looking forward to your positive response and if possible comments on General Issues raised in the first, appended email!

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