There are personalities who are selected by Allah tofulfil objectives of such magnitude that the task seems beyond the capabilities of ordinary individuals. A special type of person is required to take on a task-a mission for Allah- and in our case, in South Africa, the personality chosen was the great friend of Allah Shah Ghulam Muhammad Soofie Siddiqi Al-Qadri Al Chishti Al Nizami Al Habibi,affectionately called Soofie Sahib.

On the order of the Sheikh, he left for India to the blessed khanqah of Sayed Khwaja Habib Ali Shah where he collected his share of walayah. On the spiritual consultation of Hazrat Khwaja Naseerudeen Chiragh of Delhi, Khwaja Habib Ali Shah instructed Hazrat Soofie Sahib to proceed to the shores ofSouthern Africa where immigration had already begun, and to spread the message of Islam to the people of South Africa.

Hazrat Soofie Sahib arrived in South Africa in 1895. He was guided to the Riverside area where he later settled and built his first institution. Upon his arrival he enquired of the people of a saint who had passed away before his arrival. This saint had foretold Soofie Sahib's arrival and he was taken to the graveyard. To test him people took him to the wrong gravesite but he pointed out correctly the grave of that great Sheikh Ahmad Badsha Peer (rahmatullahi alaihi).

Hazrat then proceeded to build his tomb and also commemorated his Urs as well. Hazrat Soofie Sahib was essentially a reformist sufi whose mission was a multi- faceted one. Not only was he equipped to satisfy the spiritual needs of the Muslims but his magnetic personality served as his greatest propagating tool. Thousands re-established their link with Islam, and his ability to cater for even the most mundane requirements of people made him a respected personality throughout the country.

Domestic and commercial disputes were brought to him for arbitration. He was the first person in South Africa to establish links with the Prison Authorities to educate prisoners and to cater for their Islamic burial. He had built an orphanage at his complex in Riverside, and orphans and street children of all races were placed in his care. The orphan the destitute, the social outcast always sought refuge in this magnanimous personality. He was not merely content with housing these individuals but would personally take his meals with them and ensured that his children also did so as well.

He would rise at various intervals at night to check on sleeping children; he himself changed the clothing of bed-wetters and would lie out their soiled clothing to drythe next day. Islamic teachers were appointed by him to educate thechildren and many other teachers were posted to other parts of the country.

He supplied monthly groceries for poor families as well. He built the first social rehabilitation centre for the community; remnants of which can still be seen at the rear of his tomb. At this place which he called Mawali Khana he housed drug-addicts, alcoholics etc. He provided them with free food shelter clothing etc. and a place to dryout.

He was a strict disciplinarian when it came to the implementation of Al-Shariah. This was the cornerstone of his mission. For this mission he established 12 institutions throughout Southern Africa, each having the unique ability to cater for the needs of the community at large. For this task he appointed highly spiritualised personalities who had been trained by him for this purpose. The Mosque formed the nucleus of every complex with allied institutions, which would fulfil the unique requirements of the area. His institutions spread throughout Kwa-Zulu Natal, as well as the Cape and Lesotho.

In the establishment of these institutions such was his dedication that he would sit with his tasbeeh (rosary) and supervise the building work, transporting bricks from place to place etc. Such was his trust in Allah that at the time of payment hewould place his hand under his prayer mat take the name of Allah and pay the merchants. People that observed this phenomenon would quietly peek under the musalla after the saint left, but would find it empty! He also established a "Dawa Khana" were people would come for herbal remediesand for spiritual healing.

Hazrat Soofie Sahib had 7 sons and 3 daughters. One of his sons passed away in infancy. All his children were highly spiritualised personalities who later continued the services of their illustrious father. Such was the foresight of this great saint that together with his lawyer-famous human-rights activist Mahatma Gandhi - he created a Trust Deed which would ensure that his progeny would continue his services always.

Al hamdulillah, this service has continued with great dedication for the past century. His institutions are by far the greatest monument to his services and dedication to his cause. His miracles are legendary, his services unparalleled, his example daunting, his personality a model. To speak about his life is to attempt to fill an ocean into a container; sufficeth to say a Man of God can only accomplish what this great saint did in a limited period of 15 years.

Hazrat Soofie Sahib passed away on the 2nd of Rajab 1910. May the Almighty shower his benedictions on this servant of Islam. Ameen.