Ref: AK/PR/2012/47
Nampula:
Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Mozambique; it has a population of about 0.5M making it the third largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Beira, located in North East of Mozambique. It is an agricultural trade center, located on the railroad connecting the seaports of Lumbo and Nacala with Malawi.
Jamaat:
The Nampula Jamaat was registered in Mozambique on 29th May, 1984 under the name of The Mozambican Muslim Community Mosque Shia Ithna Asheri; the community has been in existence for more than 200 years in Mozambique. Presently there are 365 registered members. Sayyid Rahat Abbas Naqvi is the Resident Aalim in Nampula who leads prayers, delivers lectures, recites majalises, and takes classes for our children at the Madressah.
Nampula Jamaat in actively involved in external tableegh work. It is very encouraging to note that the Jamaat is reaching out to the Muslim population in interior areas. The Jamaat is undertaking construction of several facilities on the plot in the Mosque complex and also a Mosque in Nacala, which is nearing completion.
The President of the Jamaat currently is Alhaj Razahoussein Gulamo; following are the Office Bearers of the Jamaat:
Alhaj Mohamed-Ikbal Pyarali Merali – Vice President
Alhaj Iqbal Heidaraly – Hon. General Secretary
Alhaj Nauchad Molu – Hon. Treasurer
Alhaj Zulficar Jutha – Information & Public Relations
Alhaj Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Canani – Religious Affairs
Alhaj Ahmedali Bandali – Advisor to the President
Nacala:
Nacala has a population of 0.23M presently. It was founded as a little town and developed as a deep waters port and an industrial, agricultural and exporting centre during the last period of the Portuguese rule of the territory which ended in the mid-1970s. Among its major industries were cement, sisal and cashew.
Work is underway by the Brazilian multi-national engineering and construction firm Odebrecht International, part of the Odebrecht conglomerate of companies, to rehabilitate the Nacala airport so that commercial aviation may begin as a cargo and passenger handling station. Once the airport is open it will become a hub for Northern Mozambique and have connections with Nampula, Lichinga, Cuamba and Pemba. People will not have to go to Maputo to get in to the country.
Nacala is on the north coast of Mozambique will be home to the one of the largest deep port on the east coast of Africa called Port of Nacala, and the only natural deep water port in Mozambique. It serves as the terminal for the Nacala Railway, a rail link to the landlocked Malawi.
There is rapid growth in Nacala due to the above; price of land is rising rapidly. There are still opportunities for those wishing to invest in this part of the country.
Jamaat:
The Nacala Jamaat operates under the registration as a Chapter of Nampula Jamaat, similar to that of Maputo Jamaat, which is known as Jafaári Islamic Centre (JIC) under Nampula Jamaat. There are 90 members of our community, including women and children in Nacala Jamaat, following are the Managing Committee members.
Alhaj Razahussen Hassanali (Simba) – Chairman
Alhaj Rafiq Razahussen Gulamo
Alhaj Rukssat Mohamedhussein Moti
Brief Report of the Visit to Nampula and Nacala Jamaats:
A visit to Nampula and Nacala took place from 22nd to 25th January 2012; spending two nights in Nampula and one night in Nacala. The visit was long overdue by the office bearers of AFED.
The President of the World Federation of KSI Muslim Communities, Alhaj Dr. Asgharali Moledina joined the AFED delegation which was led by the Chairman of the Federation of KSI Jamaats of Africa, Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi who was accompanied by the Vice Chairman, Alhaj Shabir Najafi and the Hon. Secretary, Alhaj Aunali Khalfan.
Upon arrival at the airport in Nampula, the delegation were received by the Nampula Jamaat leaders and elders, they included; Alhaj Razahussen Gulamo, Mohamed-Iqbal Pyarali, Zulficar Jutha, Ahmedali Bandaly and Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Canani.
In the evening after majlis of the wafaát of our 8th Imam at Imambagha on Wednesday, 22nd January, the Chairman of Nampula Jamaat, Alhaj Razahoussen Gulamo welcomed the WF and AFED leaders giving a brief background of Nampula Jamaat. Both, Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi and Dr. Asgharali Moledina addressed the gathering. Shk. Dr. Muhammad Canani translated the address by Nampula Jamaat Chairman, Alhaj Razahoussen Gulamo who spoke in Portuguese.
The three leaders in their speeches emphasized on the religious and secular education to the children and the youth of our community, who they stressed are the future flag bearers of our Jamaats, they also emphasized on unity and development in our Jamaats. Alhaj Anwarali explained on the various AFED’s activities and the current projects, he solicited support of the Nampula Jamaat members in these projects.
Alhaj Anwarali explained to the members on the need and benefits of the centralization of Hukook Funds which the AFED/WF are entrusted with. He reminded members that he is the Ijaza holder granted by His Eminence, Ayatollah Al Uzmah Al Sayyid Ali Hussaini Al Sistani by virtue of his position as the Chairman of the Africa Federation which encompasses and embraces all Jamaats under the Africa Federation; he urged the Jamaat leadership and members to follow the system which is in place to remit their Hukook obligations through AFED. He explained on how the system works, and on the utilization of the Sahme Imam (AF).
A visit was also made to the construction site within the Mosque complex where the construction for Madressah, Ghusal Khana and other amenities for the Jamaat in Nampula are at advance stage. The AFED Chairman and the WF President commended the Jamaat for their efforts in developing facilities for the community. A visit was also made to the Madressahs in Nampula for the indigenous people and had the opportunity to meet up with the teachers and some students.
At the end of the visit, a joint meeting was held on 24th January 2012 with Nampula Jamaat and Nacala Jamaat officials. At this meeting, several issues were discussed, especially on the need of good and effective communications, recruiting madressah teachers as a short-term solution, and enhancing the madressah activities in Nampula. The subject of the developments in Nampula, Nacala and Maputo Jamaats were also discussed. The meeting was also attended by the WF President, Dr. Moledina.
On 23rd January, the delegation travelled to Nacala by road for a night stop over, the WF President and the AFED Chairman addressed the community members after maghribain prayers at Mehfil-e-Imam Hussain (AS), following an introduction by the Chairman of Nampula Jamaat Chairman, Alhaj Razahoussen Gulamo.
A visit was made to the site where the new Mosque is being built, the complex will include Madressah, Ghusal Khana, a Flat for the Resident Aalim and Imambargha. US Dollars Fifty Thousand was donated towards the Mosque construction, the amount of US$25,000 by AFED and US$25,000 was donated by Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi, on behalf of his family.
In the afternoon, the delegation led by the Nacala Jamaat Chairman, Alhaj Razahoussen (popularly known as Simba) drove outside the town for a visit to Madrassa Al Imam Ali (AS) where the delegation met with the students and Maálims who also spoke Kiswahili and local language, the Maalims were trained at Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania many years ago, they still remember Marhum Seyed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi who was then the Chief Missionary of Bilal Muslim Mission. Below are photographs of the Madressah students and maalims.
Below: Was a visit to the Madressah in Nampula, the construction is still progressing, the Madressah is operating. There are a number of boys and girls students, the delegation met the three teachers (maalims) during the tour of the Madressah.
We sincerely appreciate the warm reception and the wonderful hospitality accorded to the delegation from AFED.
The AFAED Chairman, Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi and the Office Bearers wish to record their sincere appreciation to Nampula Jamaat Chairman and Office Bearers for facilitating the visit and for organizing a exciting trip to Nacala and to the various sites which provided the delegation an opportunity to see for themselves the developments in these two Jamaats.
Our profound appreciation to the President of the World Federation, Dr. Asgharali Moledina for joining the AFED delegation on the visit to Nampula and Nacala.
Special thanks to Alhaj Ahmedali Bandaly for accompanying the delegation to Nacala and the use of his transport.
The 4 days visit has opened up new avenues and better understanding of the Jamaats in Mozambique. One of the accomplishments of this visit was the establishment of a closer working relationships with the Jamaat Office Bearers and meeting the community members in Nampula and Nacala.
SECRETARIAT