IRCICA has the pleasure to publish this first book relating to Islamic Civilisation in Southern Africa resulting from collaboration with institutions, universities and specialists of the region. The symposium on “Islamic Civilisation in Southern Africa” was held in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa, on 31 August-3 September 2006. It was co-organised by IRCICA, Awqaf Foundation of South Africa (Awqaf SA) and the University of Johannesburg. The symposium was a landmark event, first to be co-organised by the OIC and IRCICA in the region. From the point of view of IRCICA; the symposium came in the context of its research programs on the general history of Islamic civilisation on one hand, and its regional cultural studies on the other. It was IRCICA’s third congress dealing with the history of Islamic civilisation in Africa, following the first two which were devoted to West Africa (Dakar, 1996) and Eastern Africa (Kampala, 2003) respectively.
The Johannesburg congress aimed, among others, to increase knowledge on the history and heritage of Islam in the OIC Member States and their neighbours in the region; make the religious and cultural heritage of Southern African Muslims better understood by themselves and other communities; promote dialogue amongst Muslim peoples in the region and with peoples of other faiths and cultures. The congress drew large academic and public interest and wide participation.
The book contains the opening addresses of OIC Secretary Prof. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, IRCICA Director General Dr. Halit Eren, Dr. Essop Goolam Pahad, Minister at the Presidency of South Africa, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool, Premier. These are followed by the keynote article by Dr. Mahomed Haroon, titled “Southern African Muslim Communities in Context and Scholarship”. Then come six articles under the section title Historical Background, five articles under Challenge of Racism and Response in Politics, seven articles under Spiritual Culture and Learning, and seven articles under Miscellany. The papers have been edited and prepared for publication by Mahomed Haroon and Suleman Essop Dangor, specialists of Islamic history and culture in Southern Africa. The high quality and variety of the articles has allowed comprehensive coverage of the theme as reflected by the above section titles.
