Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-02-19

A 20 year old Muslim Madressah teacher from Lotus River Islamic Education Society was brutally attacked by three white males for wearing the Islamic thobe and turban.

Chairperson of Lotus River Islamic Educational Society Binyameen Ismail told Radio Islam in a statement the teacher who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals and intimidation had left the Masjid at approximately 5:30pm on Monday, 17th February 2014 and was walking down 4th Ave towards Lake Road where he was going to take a taxi to go home.

Whilst walking down the road a dark blue kombi with three white occupants approached him.

The occupants started verbally abusing the teacher based on his Islamic dress code all the while spewing religious and racial slurs at him.

The teacher’s tolerance toward this alleged attack seemed to fuel the anger of the brutes prompting them one of them to hurl a glass bottle at him, hitting him on the head.

One occupant then jump out of the kombi and started physically assaulting the teacher, ripping his thobe, hitting and punching him.

The young teacher saw it fit to defend himself to protect his honour and dignity and stave off the attacker’s vicious assault on him.

At this point a second attacker allegedly jumped on him. Outnumbered, the teacher was violently attacked at which point he saw the third occupant in the vehicle who was armed.  

He immediately stopped defending himself allowing his attackers the opportunity to force him into the kombi.

They then sped away and from what the teacher recalls was to the nearby suburb of Zeekoevlei.

During the hell ride, he was being kicked and punched in the face, ribs and stomach. The verbal abuse continued because of his Islamic dress code.  

The teacher was also coerced into making blasphemous and derogatory comments about  Allah which he vehemently refused to do, instead telling his kidnappers that they could kill him, but he would not forsake his belief nor blaspheme his Creator.

It was at this point that they threw him out of the vehicle and sped away. The teacher also recalls that one of the kidnappers filming the whole incident on a mobile phone.

In a state of shock and traumatized, the teacher was unable to comprehend where he was, with the only thought on his mind being to get home to the safety and comfort of his family.

The committee of Lotus River Islamic Education Society assisted the teacher by taking him for medical treatment and to lay charges at the Grassy Park Police station against the unknown assailants.

Ismail said The Executive Committee has request dua’s (prayers) for the well-being of the teacher and also request that people take heed of this heinous crime.  

“We especially appeal to all our fellow Muslim scholars and teachers to remain vigilant and aware of any potential islamophobic utterances and behaviour.  We implore all our parents to make proper transport arrangements to and from all our various Islamic learning centres,” said Ismail.

“We also call on our community to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to our local authorities / police stations. We request our community to exercise patience and tolerance in accordance with the teachings of our Glorious Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” he said

The committee expressed grave concern for the level of Islamophobia which is prevalent in South Africa.

“We have fought against (Islamohobia) and we remain proud of our legacy which incorporates the diversity of all religions, cultures, nationalities and ethnic groups,” added Ismail.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)