Ahlan wa Sahlan – Welcome
All Praise is due solely to Allah: Master, Controller, Creator and Sustainer of all Creation. Peace, blessings and salutations upon the Best of His creation, His Beloved Seal of all Divine Messengers, Sayyiduna Muhammad Rasoolullah SAW.
Built in 1911 and extensively renovated in 1922, the Al Jaamia Masjid, better known as Stegman Road Masjid, has been serving the Muslim community ever since. The Muslim community of Claremont were among the first victims of the dreaded Group Areas Act, being forcibly removed from the area and scattered all over Cape Town and surrounds.
However, the indomitable spirit of the community was kept alive through Al Jaamia Masjid, with many of Claremont's displaced inhabitants continuing to frequent the Masjid, travelling from near and far. Today the Masjid boasts a diverse blend of the 'old' community as well as those living and working in the Claremont and surrounding areas.
Hon Minister Naledi Pandor - 28 May 2024
6 June 2024
Al Jaamia in the news - Tattler
Wesley Ford (wesley.ford@inl.co.za) - 22 April 2021
A Claremont mosque is helping Muslims stay true to the rituals of the holy month of Ramadaan while staying safe from the ever-present threat of Covid-19 infection. Nazeem Jamie, chairman of the Al-Jamiah Masjid, says the mosque's leadership believe the preservation of life is their first priority, so they are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the faithful can practise the rituals of Ramadaan safely. "We still aim to create an enabling environment to ensure the overall spiritual experience is not impacted upon."
Maulana Abdullah Forbes says Muslims fast in the month of Ramadaan as an act of worship. "This act of worship nurtures the quality of God consciousness, which, in turn, enables a person to restrain their base self and ensure that all of their actions are in accordance with God's law." It is also meant to nurture gratitude, empathy and other virtuous qualities the world is so in need of, he says.
The mosque's regular community outreach work will be intensified during the holy month, says Mr Jamie. "We have already delivered 100 pre-Ramadaan food parcels to households across Cape Town, covering Hanover Park, Heideveld, Bonteheuwel, Salt River, Woodstock, Kensington and Grassy Park."
The mosque, he says, works with the Lillah Foundation, which cooks and distributes warm meals weekly, and the Saabri & Ashrafi Relief Fund, which donates 25 grocery and vegetable parcels to the mosque each week for distribution. The mosque itself will distribute 100 food parcels weekly, along with monetary donations, to needy homes for Eid.
During the hard lockdown last year, Muslims couldn't go to mosque or perform typical Ramadaan rituals, such as meeting at the mosque for a meal after sunset or performing the taraweeh prayers during the last 10 nights of Ramadaan. "It caused disappointment and heartache," Mr Jamie says, "though, on the flip-side, homes were transformed into places of worship, and it caused families to grow closer."
While Ramadaan this year is happening under more relaxed level-1 restrictions, Mr Jamie says the mosque will still be taking Covid-19 and the relevant safety measures very seriously. All congregants, or musallees, must wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth, take their own prayer mat, perform ritual washing beforehand and wear socks. "We sanitise all surfaces and areas daily, fog after prayers and just ensure optimum hygiene, health and safety practices." The mosque will also ensure there is adequate physical distancing among the musallees and keep all doors and windows open for ventilation.
Mr Jamie says Muslims pray that those who have suffered greatly under the pandemic find solace. "We pray that the Almighty Allah grant all deceased the highest abode in Heaven and grant ease to families who have lost loved ones." He adds: "If we will continually focus on the preservation of life through our sticking to the Covid-19 protocols, we will surely overcome this pandemic."
The Al-Jamiah Masjid wishes the Muslim community a Ramadaan Kareem to all.
Al Jaamia Gala Dinner - Honouring our Stallwarts
Posted 31 March 2019
Al Jaamia Masjid held their Gala Dinner on 15 March 2019
The theme of the Black Tie event was 'Honouring the Stalwarts'. Keynote speaker, Sheikh Sa'dullah Khan, paid tributes to the past imaamat of Al Jaamia Masjid as well as the families that have been connected to the Masjid over the years, with special reference to As'Shaheed Imam Abdullah Haron. 2019 coincides with the 50th death anniversary of Imam Haron, whose family have launched #123days to mark the event.
Various events will be held this month in commemorating the late Imam:
Former imam of Stegman Road Masjid, Sheikh Riyadh Walls, paid tribute to Imam Amaanullah Booley, who has served the masjid for the past 62 years Alghamdulillah.
Discover Islam at Al Jaamia Masjid
Posted 5 October 2018
Imam Amaanullah's 87th birthday
Posted 16 October 2017
The Al Jaamia Masjid Exco and Imaamat had lunch with Imam Amaanullah Booley today, on the occasion of his 87th birthday. Imam Amaanullah was in top form, demonstrating his sharp wit and regaling those around him with vivid recollections of Ash'shaheed Imam Abdullah Haron and various other imams at Al Jaamia over the years.
Imam Amaanullah, one of few surviving elders of the 'old' Claremont community, has been serving Al Jaamia faithfully since 1956. In fact, together with his best friend and colleague, Imam Rashaad Salie, who sadly passed away during Ramadan 1438, served at Al Jaamia Masjid for more than 100 years.
Please join us in wishing Imam Amaanullah the best of health and imaan, and may Allah SWT grant him many more years in His Obedience, Ameen.
Palestinian Awareness Program
Posted 10 March 2017
On 9 March 2017 Al Jaamia was honoured to host a mass iftaar programme for the ‘Fasting until Liberation of Al Aqsa’ group. The Al Jaamia Jamaa was invited to join this group in fasting for the following reasons:
- For the freedom of Palestine and the Palestinians and all those who are suffering wherever they are in the world.
- For the love of the prophet Mohammad SAWS who loved fasting on a Thursday
- To fast so that Almighty Allah grant us beneficial rain
Sh Ebrahim Gabriels addressed the Jamaah shortly after the Maghrib salaah, paying tribute to the efforts of As'Shaheed Imam Abdullah Haron, the imam of Al Jaamia until his death at the hands of the Secret Police in 1969. This was followed by a very informative feedback session by Ml Ihsaan Hendricks of the Al Quds Foundation pertaining to his recent attendance at a conference in Istanbul.
The Istanbul conference played host to thousands of Palestinians representing diaspora communities from 50 countries who have gathered in the Turkish city of Istanbul to discuss establishing a political structure that will represent them better. The Palestine Abroad Conference, whose opening events were attended by more than 5,000 people, was the first of its kind in terms of inclusivity.
The Al Jaamia Jamaah was also honoured by four of the blind Shuyuh from Madrassah An-Noor, who studied the Quran entirely in braille. Also in attendance was Ml Abdul Khaliq Allie, who thanked the Jamaah of Al Jaamia for their hospitality, reflecting that the occasion reminded him of the extensive i'tikaaf programme held at Al Jaamia during Ramadaan 2016. Ml Muhammad Carr, the Amir and Resident Imam of Al Jaamia, wrapped up proceedings with a vote of thanks in affording Al Jaamia the honour of hosting the evening's proceedings.
Al Jaamia Masjid Infrastructure Project
Posted 10 October 2016
The Al Jaamia Masjid executive committee has started a project to upgrade the wudhu facilities and create a separate entrance for male and female musallees to ensure complete separation of the sexes.
The entrance on the existing parking lot side will be used exclusively by the ladies to enter and exit the masjid, while a separate entrance and exit will be built for the males.
Urgent Masjid Appeal
Posted 8 August 2016
First opened in 1911, and with the last major renovation in 1922, Al Jaamia Masjid is about to undergo yet another major change, one necessitated by challenges of an evolving community.
We are now embarking on a major infrastructure project (an estimated R5m needed) in line with our vision of positioning Al Jaamia Masjid at the centre of the community, offering various programmes to ensure that Islam remains relevant and continues to thrive in the area and sharing the message of Islam with everyone.
16th AWS Programme held at Al Jaamia
Posted 21 June 2015
Voice of the Cape’s first Ahlan Wasahlan programme for Ramadaan 2015 started off with a special programme welcoming and embracing reverts (new muslims) at Al Jaamia Masjid in Claremont on Sunday 21 June 2015. Starting well before Asr, local musallees, many of them students at the masjid’s revert classes, began streaming for the afternoon programme which consisted of the completion of an entire khatam and ending with an inspiring dhikr just before iftaar.
The annual campaign sees VOC staff and volunteers visit four underprivileged communities in Ramadan in a communal effort of Quranic recitation and iftaar. Al Jaamia masjid was particularly targeted because of the many reverts who frequent the classes of Shaykh Riyadh Walls. The khatam, dhikr and taraaweeh was broadcast live on VOC.
