Just to say that we’re still alive, and kicking – well almost. The “Travelling Light” TV Project has left town, and yours truly is a little bedraggled. Lots of behind the scenes running around and long hours, but director Zak Whiteman flew out of Cape Town last night a happy man.

There’s still a lot of editing ahead, so expect the Cape Town leg of the Imam Ghazali lecture project to be available in February 2010.

One thing that struck me during the filming is how blessed we are in Cape Town with diversity, beauty and spirituality. Each mosque, each cut-away shot was different and Zak is going to have a (pleasantly) challenging time stitiching all this richness and texture together.

Also look out for some really exciting sounds from Desert Rose (who do some of the soundtrack). Their interpretation of Qasidah and African drums is a knockout – and dare one say it – the birth of a new nasheed genre.

Forget about the controversy, this is good music – no instruments, just the human voice and the drums, conservatively halal and sonically innovative. The reactionary muftis and killjoy molvis should have no reason to fume and fulminate whatsoever.

Another delightful aspect of the “Travelling Light Project” was being privileged to listen to Shaikh Abdal Hakim Murad delivering a talk. What a clear, reasoned mind. He reflects authentic Islam sans the fury, venom and spittle. Those who did not hear him were the poorer for the experience.

And lastly, but not leastly, listen to Drivetime today and you’ll hear the first of our packages on Human Trafficking.

And remember, the good thing is that we survived Monday! From here it just gets better.