The ANC MP accused the companions of Prophet Muhammad of being hypocrites and hiding their disbelief among other blasphemous commentary
In his apology, Sayed said he understands the anger from the Muslim community with regards to his comments.
“There is a broader context to the comments that I made. However, after profound consultation with my family, my community, friends and comrades, I acknowledge that the comments I made were deeply offensive and I hereby unconditionally withdraw the comments I made.” The ANC says it respects and upholds all religious denominations and supports the rights of the Muslim community to freely fellowship, especially in the Western Cape province which commands a large presence of the Muslim community.
In a statement, the United Ulama Council of South Africa said Sayed’s comments struck deeply at the hearts of Muslims, not just locally, but across the globe.