It currently operates in the provinces that formerly made up the Transvaal, as well as in the
Free State Province, and is one of a number of national
Muslim organizations in South Africa.
Large number of Muslims subscribe to decisions regarding
fiqh (Islamic law) in the region where the organization operates. It also has significant influence on the running of many
mosques and
madrassahs in the region.
Controversies
Apartheid-era
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa has been criticised for its largely apolitical stance during the
apartheid era. The organization, unlike its counterpart in
KwaZulu-Natal, the Jamiatul Ulama KwaZulu-Natal was accused by more activist Islamic scholars at the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of not speaking out against the
tricameral system, which denied black South Africans political power, while giving limited rights to
Coloureds and
Indians.
Radio Islam
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa owns and manages a community radio station called Radio Islam that broadcasts on the
Witwatersrand. A complaint was made by an organization to the
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in 1998 that the radio station was not allowing women to be heard on air. The station argued that Islam does not allow women's voices to be heard. The authority ruled against the station, and in response, the station collected a petition of 28,000 names from women who it claimed supported the decision to bar women from the airwaves.
Muhammad cartoons controversy
The organization again made headlines in 2006 when it obtained an interdict against several South African newspaper companies in the
Johannesburg High Court against the republishing of cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet,
Muhammad. See:
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. This case raised important questions about the limits of freedom of expression in South Africa.
It currently operates in the provinces that formerly made up the Transvaal, as well as in the
Free State Province, and is one of a number of national
Muslim organizations in South Africa.
Large number of Muslims subscribe to decisions regarding
fiqh (Islamic law) in the region where the organization operates. It also has significant influence on the running of many
mosques and
madrassahs in the region.
Controversies
Apartheid-era
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa has been criticised for its largely apolitical stance during the
apartheid era. The organization, unlike its counterpart in
KwaZulu-Natal, the Jamiatul Ulama KwaZulu-Natal was accused by more activist Islamic scholars at the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of not speaking out against the
tricameral system, which denied black South Africans political power, while giving limited rights to
Coloureds and
Indians.
Radio Islam
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa owns and manages a community radio station called Radio Islam that broadcasts on the
Witwatersrand. A complaint was made by an organization to the
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in 1998 that the radio station was not allowing women to be heard on air. The station argued that Islam does not allow women's voices to be heard. The authority ruled against the station, and in response, the station collected a petition of 28,000 names from women who it claimed supported the decision to bar women from the airwaves.
Muhammad cartoons controversy
The organization again made headlines in 2006 when it obtained an interdict against several South African newspaper companies in the
Johannesburg High Court against the republishing of cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet,
Muhammad. See:
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. This case raised important questions about the limits of freedom of expression in South Africa.