‘Christian school head must be educated about the Muslim religion’

01 July 2016 - 21:37 By Penwell Dlamini

Activist Yusuf Abramjee has accepted the apology of the head of student affairs at a Christian school‚ which sent a letter to parents that was seen as Islamophobic.“Although it seems like a half-hearted apology‚ I think we have no option but to accept it and let the matter go to rest‚” said Abramjeee. “What we need to do is to sit down with him and educate him what the Muslim religion is all about. I think he has very little knowledge of the Muslim faith.“Over the next few days I’ll engage the Muslim faith community to have a meeting with him but‚ for now‚ we accept the apology.”On Wednesday‚ the King's School in Linbro Park came under scrutiny after Abramjee wrote to the school principal‚ the Gauteng MEC for education and the cultural‚ religious and linguistics rights commission‚ questioning the correspondence sent on June 20 by Bob Fuller‚ school’s head of student affairs.Abramjee posted the letter on Twitter and it was greeted with outrage when it surfaced this week on social media.The letter read: “I’m sure most of you know that much of the property around the school is owned by a Muslim businessman. He has done a lot of development near the school‚ and about two years ago he started construction of a mosque.“Each day‚ the Muslim call to prayer could be heard from the school‚ said Bob Fuller‚ and it reminded him about the “vast difference between Muslim and Christian prayers”.“Muslims pray in the hope that it might earn them salvation‚ while Christians pray because we already have assurance of salvation.”In his apology‚ the letter’s author said: “However‚ I realise that the way in which I expressed these ideas may have been insensitive. As Christians‚ our faith requires us to treat all people of all faiths with respect and dignity. If my words did not reflect this‚ I apologise."Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi wants the school’s board to take action against Fuller because he found the contents of the letter to be reckless and dangerous...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.