Claremont Main Road Masjid Mourns Mujahidah Shamima Shaikh

Shamima Shaikh, one of the foremost Muslim women activists in South Africa, died peacefully in the early hours of the morning, at her home in Mayfair, Johannesburg. Shamima leaves behind two young boys, Minhaj and Shir'a, and her husband Na'eem Jeenah. She will be buried in Pietersburg, the town of her birth, later today.

Shamima will always be remembered by Islamic activists all over the country for her unflinching commitment to the gender jihad. She was a founder member of the Muslim Youth Movement's Gender desk. A few years ago in the month of Ramadan, she led a group of women in a protest to a Johannesburg Masjid who had refused women permission to pray inside of it.

Shamima has served as editor of the Muslim newspaper Al-Qalam and more recently she served as chairperson of the management board of Radio Al-Saut/The Voice, a local Muslim community radio station broadcasting in the Johannesburg area.

Shamima will also be fondly remembered by all of us for her gentle nature and soft speech.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her immediate family and friends and implore Allah, the Most Merciful, to grant her jannatul firdous, insha-Allah.

Salatul Janazah Ghaibah will be performed for the deceased at the Claremont Main Road Masjid this evening after Tarawih Salah, followed by an obituary to be delivered by Maulana Dr. Ebrahim Moosa.