Imtiaz Sooliman for President? It'll NEVER happen, he says. Here’s why…
There are frequent calls for Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman to enter politics to deal with South Africa's challenges, but he says there's a reason that will never happen.
Lester Kiewit is joined by Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers.
(Click below to listen to the full interview.)
The political arena's loss was the world's gain when, in 1994, a young doctor from Potchefstroom failed to enter the National Assembly as the head of the Africa Muslim Party.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman was, at the time, already the founder of Gift of the Givers, an NPO and disaster relief organisation which would go on to achieve global recognition for its work.
The story of how Gift of the Givers came to be is remarkable.
Sooliman got spiritual instruction on Thursday, 6 August 1992 at 10 pm while in Turkey.
"It was all in Turkish and I didn't understand a word of Turkish, but I understood every single word," recalls the good doctor.
He was instructed, to serve everyone regardless of age, race, culture, religion, political views or geographical location without expecting anything in return.
Sooliman has no regrets and his brief foray into politics was not his idea.
"I didn't even know that I was involved in the party! I was out of the country and when I came back to South Africa, the religious leaders and community told me, you are head of the party!"
- Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder - Gift of the Givers
"I said, what do I know about politics? They said, no, we already gave your name. I secretively prayed that we wouldn't get any seats, because I didnt ever want to be involved in politics."
- Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder - Gift of the Givers
Sooliman claims he does not have the skills or experience to perform on the political stage.
"I was just an ordinary guy from Potechefstroom who moved to Durban... I was just a simply guy; I didn't have any political ambition."
- Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder - Gift of the Givers
Sooliman is adamant Gift of the Givers is not his brainchild.
"It was a spiritual instruction. I didn't wake up one day and say I think today I'll form an organisation. I already had three surgeries, I was running a busy medical practice... I got an instruction from a religious teacher."
- Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder - Gift of the Givers
Despite claiming no political ambitions, South Africans often tout him as the ideal President of South Africa.
"The spiritual teacher called me and he said, you will never get involved politics, you will never be involved in government, you will never work for government, you will always work with goverment... so it's a very spiritual instruction. You can't take half the instruction and dump the other half."
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder - Gift of the Givers
ALSO READ: 'Gift of the Givers was a spiritual calling, not a choice' - Imtiaz Sooliman
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