As Muslims around the world observe the blessed month of Ramadan, attention is turning to Quds Day and underscores the significance of Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
In Cape Town, several organisations, including the Qibla Movement, Al-Quds Foundation SA, the Fadak Foundation, and the Masjidul-Quds Institute, are calling on the public to come together in solidarity with Palestinians through a march in the Cape Town CBD.
The march is scheduled for Friday, 13 March 2026, departing from Hanover Street in Keizersgracht at 14h00.
Speaking to VOC News, Sheikh Ebrahim Gabriels, Director of the Al-Quds Foundation SA, emphasised the urgency of the demonstration.
“The seriousness of this protest march is that Masjid Al-Aqsa has been closed since the war started. No Muslims are allowed to perform Salah or Salat al-Tarawih there,” Gabriels said.
“Now imagine if Masjid al-Haram in Mecca had been closed by foreign powers, the whole Muslim world would have stood up. Why aren’t Muslims standing up for Masjid al-Aqsa? That is why it is so important that we come out in our thousands on Friday.”
Gabriels, currently in i’tikaf, added:
“On Friday I will break my i’tikaf. How can I continue in i’tikaf while Masjid al-Aqsa is under siege? This must reflect the spirit of the Muslim Ummah.”
Meanwhile, Dr Wagheda Cassiem from the Qibla Movement said:
“Ramadan is a month of spiritual, emotional, and physical reflection, and many go into i’tikaf during this period. We will start congregating at 14:00 on Kaiser-Graaf Street, just past the district 6 campus in Hanover Street, and proceed to Parliament, where our memorandum will be read and delivered to Minister Lamola or a representative from his office.”
Cassiem added:
“As long as the Zionist terrorist regime is not dismantled or oppression does not stop, every year’s Quds march will be relevant. The bombs, missiles, and ammunition of the oppressor do not discriminate in terms of location, faith, gender, or status. For the past two years and six months, the genocide against the Palestinians, which started in 1947, has reached epic proportions.”
The organisers are urging members of the public to participate peacefully and to show solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm/Stock
