"I dedicate this award to all the finalists and all the unsung heroes in our communities who have achieved so much. I would also like to dedicate the award to my wife, Zohra, my family and staff. Without them, this would not be possible."

An extract from well-known local businessman Mr Solly Noor’s acceptance speech when he was announced the winner of the first-ever IslamicFinance Business Awards’ Businessman of the Year competition. Noor is Chairman and Chief Executive of the Solly’s Group. The group includes Discount World and other companies ranging from consumer and hi-tec electronics to real estate, property construction and development locally and abroad.

Coming up against stiff competition from major centres such as Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town and still managing to take top honours in the competition, Noor certainly put the small town of Makhado (Louis Trichardt) on the business map. It proves that the town has businesses of a high standard that can compete on national and even international level.

WesBank IslamicFinance and FNB IslamicFinance announced the winners of the IslamicFinance Business Awards held at the FNB Corporate Centre in Sandton on Friday, November 3. Other winners included Kwantu Game Reserve, a premier five star luxury game lodge attracting a host of international Muslim and non-muslim visitors, who won the Business Entity of the Year category, while Al-Imdaad Foundation took the honours for the Community Social Investment Award. The foundation plays a key role in assisting people affected by natural disasters and also provides humanitarian relief to Muslim and non-Muslim orphans, widows and the destitute worldwide.

The winners were selected according to a national nomination process which began in April this year and drew 70 nominations. The judges for the event included Mr Yunus Suleman from KPMG, Mr Ebrahim Patel from the Minara Chamber of Commerce and Mr Mohammed Karolia, an independent auditor. Attending the prize-giving function were representatives from 250 of the country’s top Muslim businesses.

"On behalf of WesBank and FNB, I would like to congratulate all three of our winners who truly are flagbearers for the Muslim community. These awards are the first to recognise the significant contribution made by members of the Muslim community to the broader economy of South Africa," remarked Mr Ebi Patel, CEO of IslamicFinance, during the ceremony. In the last two decades, Islamic Finance has seen exponential growth of 17% year-on-year, making it the second biggest growth industry in the world after Hedge Funds.

"There are approximately 1.5 million Muslims in South Africa and the popularity of IslamicFinance continues to grow amongst Muslims. It is also becoming more popular among non-Muslims. Currently, our non-Muslim client base constitutes 5% of our business," added Patel.

"Selecting a single winner per category was a difficult task for the judges as the nominees were of exceptional calibre. We believe, however, that the winners have pushed the envelope in terms of what it means to be more than exceptional in all aspects of their business," was the comment of Suleman, chairman of the judging panel. The judging panel was totally independent from the sponsors with judges from the religious and social community. Noor himself afterwards said that he would not have liked to be in the judges’ shoes.

Commenting on his award, Noor on Tuesday said that he has won many awards in his life, locally and internationally, but that he would put this award as the one at the top.

"I never expected it. The interviews were quite vigorous with the judges looking at all aspects of your life, not only from a business point of view. Judging also included your relationship with your community and social care. The competition was very stiff," said Noor.

As prize, Noor received a certificate and trophy, as well as R10 000 in cash which he can donate to a charity of his choice. Although not mentioning the charity, Noor said the money was donated to a charity with regard to helping in the fight against HIV/Aids and child poverty alleviation.

"We all come from humble beginnings. The Almighty is very good to us," Noor concluded.