"History of Muslims in South Africa"
In the Name of Almighty Allah
Most Gracious Most Merciful
Assalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
[Part 3 of 350 Years of Islam in South Africa].
1805 - Land Grant for Tana Baru
The First Muslim Cemetery:
The first piece of land for a Muslim cemetery - Tana Baru - was granted to Frans van Bengalen on October 2nd, 1805 by the Raad der Gemeente [local authority]. This gesture by the Batavian republic officials followed the granting of religious freedom in 1804, accompanied by the right to build a Masjid. All this was granted to the Muslims only to obtain their loyalty in the event of a British invasion of the Cape. Tana Baru, presently in disuse, consists of several cemetery sites adjoining each other, at the top-end of Longmarket Street in Cape Town. It is situated opposite the site where the Cape Muslims buried their dead for years before 1805. Another site was given to Paay Schaapie [Tuan Nuruman] by General Janssen who was the Batavian Commander at the Cape during 1803 and 1806. More land was given to the Cape Muslims by the British Governor at the Cape, Sir Thomas Napier, during the reign of Queen Victoria, in 1842.
It was the practice of the 19th century Imaams of the Cape to purchase properties, in trust, for their congregations for the purpose of either building Masaajids or cemeteries. Thus extra land came to be subsequently adjoined to Tana Baru. The cemetery was closed on January 15th, 1886 by Government decree: Section 63 to 65 of the Public Health Act of 1883. Buried within the confines of Tana Baru are the most respected Muslim Settlers of South Africa: Imaam Abdullah ibn Kadi [Qadi]; Abdus Salaam [Tuan Guru]; Tuan Sa'id Aloewie [Sayyid 'Alawi]; Tuan Nuruman [Paay Schaapie]; Abubakr Effendi and others, along with prominent Muslim women of the time who were Saartjie van de Kaap and Samiede van de Kaap. Despite its closure, the Tana Baru has always been regarded as the most hallowed of the Muslim cemeteries in Cape Town.
1823: Abdul Ghaliel granted a
Burial site in Simonstown.
The slave, Abdul Ghaliel, served the Muslim Community of Simonstown, as their Imaam. In 1823 a land grant was made in his favour to be used as a burial site by the Muslim community of Simonstown. Abdul Ghaliel was the first slave to be granted a piece of land in Simonstown.
1828: Restrictions on Muslim Life.
Having attained Freedom of Worship, the Muslims, however, faced many social restrictions and political inequality which in turn became the greatest obstacles in the spread of Islam throughout the Colony. The South African Commercial Advertiser of December 27th, 1828 states in its editorial:
"As to the public worship of Mohammedans, although it was tolerated, no Proclamation of Law, as far as we know, was issued in this Colony, by which it was sanctioned or recognized! Perfect toleration was, however, one of the few praiseworthy principles of the old system. Thus we have seen, that an industrious and peaceable class of inhabitants, whom an enlightened policy would have cherished and perfected, were up to July 3rd, 1828 treated with utmost harshness and ignominy."
"Their marriages were declared unlawful, their issues degraded. They were refused admission to the rights of Burgership. [citizenship]. They could not hold landed property nor remain in the Colony, though born there, without special permission and ample security. They were placed under the arbitrary control of the Burger Senate and the Landdrost - compelled to perform public services gratuitously - punished at discretion with stripes and imprisonment - unable to leave their homes without a Pass - their houses entered and searched at the pleasure of the police. They were liable to arrest without a warrant - and yet they were taxed up to the lips, like the other Free Inhabitants."
This then is the probable reason why only 20 Cape Muslims of a total of 2,167 [of whom 1,268 were slsves] owned property in 1825.
1834: Emancipation of Slaves
The year 1834 saw the emancipation of slaves, by which time, Islam was a flourishing religion at Cape Town. It was not only the Whites who were slave owners. Most of the Vryezwarten [the Free Muslim Blacks] themselves owned slaves.
1840: Cape Muslim Population.
By 1840 Islam had 6.435 adherents at Cape Town, one third of the total population of the Colony. This constituted an increase of 4,268 Muslims within a period of twelve years.
1840: Muslims in Port Elizabeth.
By 1840 there were 150 "Malays" in Port Elizabeth and by 1849 they had built their first Masjid. Six years later [1855] a need arose for the building of another Masjid in Grace Street. This Masjid was constructed with the financial assistance from the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Abdul Majid. Eleven years later [1866] the Muslims of Port Elizabeth build a third Masjid in Strand Street.
1841: Distribution of Cape Muslim Population
The first survey for allocation of ecclesiastical grants to community institutions produced the following table of Muslims in the Cape Colony:
Cape Town 6, 492
Cape District 400
Stellenbosch 268
Worcester 300
George 100
Uitenhage 150
Albany 50
Swellendam 20
Beaufort West 20
__________________________
TOTAL 7, 800
======================
1844: Establishment of Nurul Islam Masjid:
Third in South Africa.
The third oldest Masjid in South Africa in the Nurul Islam Masjid situated in a small lane off Buitengracht Street in Cape Town. It was founded in 1844 by the younger of Tuan Guru's sons, Imaam Abdol Rauf and is situated about one hundred meters from the Auwal Masjid in Dorp Street. It is not known as to why the need arose for this Masjid to be constructed so close to the Auwal Masjid. In about 1830, the two sons of Tuan Guru Abdol Rakiep and Abdol Rauf together with the three sons of Achmat van Bengelen - Mochamat, Hamien and Saddik got together with Badroen and established the Mohammedan Shafee Congregation with Abdol Rakiep [1834] as Imaam.
At that time the congregation did not have their own Masjid but their dream was realized on February 27th, 1844 when they took transfer of the property in Buitengracht Street, and converted the front section into a prayer room. This Masjid was the first to be founded by a congregation which developed out of friendly-ties which existed among a group of students who acquired Islamic education under the guidance of Imaam Achmat van Bengelen.
1849: Establishment of Uitenhage Masjid:
Fourth oldest in South Africa.
On the 4th of May 1846 the "Malay Corps" of 250 Cape Muslim volunteers left Cape Town in two boats for the Easter Frontier because of unrest in that part of the Colony. They remained there until September 16th, 1846 when the "Malay Corps" was demolished after the Battle of the Axe in the same year. Those who did not return settled in the Eastern Cape. They were in all probability responsible for the construction of the Uitenhage Masjid. This was the fourth Masjid to be built in the country.
1850: Establishment of the Jamia Masjid:
Fifth in Cape Town.
The fifth Masjid in Cape Town is the Jamia Masjid or the Queen Victoria Masjid built in 1850 and situated at the corner of Chiappini and Castle Streets in Cape Town, adjacent to the disused stone quarry in Chiappini Street where in 1790 the first open-air Jumu'ah Salaat was performed and led by Imaam Abdullah [Tuan Guru]. The Jamia Masjid is the largest Masjid in Bo-Kaap.
1856: Al-Qawl al-Matin:
The first in Arabic-Afrikaans
language publication.
In 1856, a treatise on Islam in Arabic-Afrikaans, "Kitab Al-Qawl al-Matin Fi Bayaan Umur Din"
[The Book of the Firm Declaration regarding the Explanation of the Matters of Religion] by
Skaykh Ahmadul Ishmuniya [Ahmad al-Ismuni] was published by M.C. Schonegevel in Cape Town.
Professor A. van Selms of the University of Pretoria described "Kitab Al-Qawl al-Matin Fi Bayaan Umur Din as the oldest book in Afrikaans". This, it is said, was the first Arabic-Afrikaans publication. The lithographed copy of this book [25 pages] was published in 1910. Afrikaans was written in the Arabic script [with Afrikaans sounds e.g. "Koel hoe Allah Hoe Ahad"].
Al-Qawl al-Matin the first printed Afrikaans book, in Roman script, Zamespraak Tuschen Klaas Waarzegger en Jan Twijfelaar, by L.H. Meurant, which appeared almost six years later.
1858: Arrival of the First
Muslim workers in Nata;.
By 1858 the labour situation [with regard to sugar farming] was so serious in Natal that the Umzinto Sugar Company brought from Java some Chinese and Malay labourers. The first Muslims to be brought to Natal were probably "among the fine body of Chinese and Malays brought from Java in February 1858 to work for the Umzinto Sugar Company [on the south coast of Natal]. This introduction marked the beginning of the importation of Eastern labour to Natal".
[Natal Mercury, Durban].
1858: Beginning the Cemetery Dispute
The cemetery dispute at the Cape of Good Hope started with the Municipal enquiry in 1858 and lasted until the establishment of the Observatory Cemetery in 1866, and manifested the appreciable influence of the Cape Muslims of the 19th century. It was once again the Masaajids which were used as rallying points to awaken the consciousness of the Cape Muslims. Here again, the Imaams of the various Masaajids urged the Cape Muslims to act against external interference by non-Muslims in Muslim religious affairs. The early Muslims did not hesitate to confront the State if it threatened the practice of their religion - Islam.
1859: Establishment of the Shafee Masjid:
The 6th Masjid in Cape Town.
The Shafee Masjid, situated in Chiappini Street was the 6th Masjid to be built in Cape Town. Initially, a piece of land for this Masjid was acquired on September 3rd, 1859 by Imaam Hadjie
[d 1869 in Makkah], acting as a Trustee of the Muslim community, who took transfer of the land.
The Shafee Masjid [referred to as the Masjid of Imaam Hadjie] emerged from two separate Masaajids which were almost adjacent to each other. With the eventual merging of the two Muslim congregations, the Shafee Masjid was established.
1860: Arrival of the first indentured Muslims, including
Hazrat Badshah Peer [Rahimahu Allah] in Durban.
The first batch of indentured labourers from India landed at the South Beach [Port Natal, later Durban] on November 6th, 1860. They arrived on board S. S. Truro. Records indicate that of the 342 indentured labourers only 24 were Muslims. Of these 24 only 9 remained in the Colony after completing their indenture. Among the 9 Muslims to remain was Sheikh Allie Vulle Ahmed [b. 1820 in Madras], aged 30, who it is said was the Sufi saint Hazrat Badsha Peer [Rahimahu Allah] [d 1894]. aged 74, who lies buried at the Brook Street Cemetery in Durban. Immigration records of Sheikh Allie Vulle Ahmed show the following entries:-
Coolie Number: 282
Name: Sheik Allie
Father's Name: Vulle Ahmed
Age: 30
Sex: Male
Arrival: 16th November, 1860
From: Madras
Assigned to: H.G. [surname illegible]
[several labourers were
[assigned to H.G. Mack]
Date of Assignment: 28th November 1860
Transferred to: F.Salmon
Date of transfer: December 1861.
Licence to quit Colony: 18th July 1873
Between 1860 and 1861 five more ships with indentured labourers arrived at Port Natal from India. They consisted of 1,360 men and women. The percentage of Muslims on board each ship was roughly 12%. The grave of Hazrat Badsha Peer was located in 1859 by Hazrat Soofie Saheb on his return to Durban. During the same year Hazrat Soofie Saheb built the first Mazar on the Qabir.
To be continued - Insha'Allah
Was Salamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.
Abdul Hamid
Source:
(1) "History of Muslims in South Africa"
A Chronology 1993.
by Ebrahim Mahomed Mahida
Re: "History of Muslims in South Africa"
slam in South Africa
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http://www.muslimwikipedia.com/mw/im...reetMosque.jpg Grey Street Mosque 1900
Contents
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Introduction
Although history has recorded that the first influences of Islam was brought into Southern Africa overland by the Southern migration of Africans through the influences of Arab traders, the current Muslims arrived in two waves by sea from foreign lands in the main. The first wave of Muslims arrived as slaves of the then dominant Dutch power from the Colonies of Java and Malaysia in 1652.
The second wave of Muslims were brought to South Africa by the British Colonial powers from India in 1860. The British who settled in the Eastern Coast of South Africa in the early 1800's, had conquered the Dutch in the Cape and defeated the mighty Zulu nation, soon recognised the fertile coastal land as ideal grounds for the growing of sugar cane. [1]
[edit]
17th Century History
TimeLine 1658 - Jan Van Riebeeck responsible for the stay of the Mardykers 1667 - the ship Polsbroek arrives with three Sumatran political prisoners . They were Orang Cayen of the Malay-Indonesian Sultanates. Sayyid Mahmud and Sheik Abdurahman Matebe Shah 1694 - the ship Voetboog arrives with the 68 year old Sheik Yusuf of Makasar. He was confined with 12 scholars, 2 wives, 2 slaves, 12 children and :14 followers to a farm called "Zandvliet" in False Bay, now called Macassar 1743 - Vryezwarten (Free Blacks) came to construct a breakwater in Table Bay 1744 - Tuan Sayyid `Alawi and Sayyid Abdurahman Matarah were exiled from Mocca Yemen to the Cape. They were imprisoned in Robben Island. Sayyid died whilst in prison, and Tuan was eventually released 1770 - Confirmation of Muslim community by the British traveler George Foster "a few slaves" regularly met in the home of a "free Mahommadan to read, or rather chant, several prayers and chapters of the Qur'an" 1780 - Imam Sayyid `Abdullah ibn Qadi Abdus Salam (known locally as "Tuan Guru" or "Master Teacher") a Tidore prince from Tuan Guru was exiled to the Cape and transfered immediately to Robben Island . Tuan was released in 1793 1862 - Arrival of Sheikh Abu Bakr Effendi sent to the Cape as a Qadi at the behest of the British [edit]
Islams growth in South Africa
"The numbers have gone up dramatically if you look at the census figures ... there is massive growth especially in the (black) townships," said Dr Shamil Jeppie, an expert on Islamic history in Africa at the University of Cape Town.
The indigenous Black South Africans had in general viewed Islam as a religion of the Indians, and Malays. The influx of African Muslims (see Muslim Refugees in South Africa )have brought with them an "Africanised Islam more in line with black South Africans'identities than the religion practiced by followers with closer links to Asia."
"In the townships people see the confidence they bring. The confidence of the African Muslim," Jeppie said. "There is going to be a different texture, (the balance of followers) is definitely going to change."
islamawareness
[edit]
Demographics of Muslims in South Africa
Currently, some 650,000 South Africans or less than 2 percent, are Muslim. They are mostly members of the country's Indian and Coloured (mixed-race) communities
In 1991 there were an estimated 12,000 African Muslims in South Africa, now there are more than 75,000, a near 600% increase. [2] [3]
[edit]
Islamic Architecture in South Africa
http://www.muslimwikipedia.com/mw/im...reetMosque.jpg
Grey Street Mosque The Grey Street Mosque is the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere and can accommodate approximately 4,000 worshippers. The land for the mosque was brought by Aboo Bakr Amod Jhaveri for the price of £150. Aboo Bakr was a Muslim Indian who arrived in Natal under ordinary immigration laws. There had existed a community of over 600 Indians in Natals prior to Aboo Bakr’s arrival The Grey Street Mosque was established firstly as a Musallah or Jamaat-Khanna in 1881. Between 1881 and 1884 it was known as the ‘Grey Street Mosque Trust’ and from 1916 onwards as the ‘Juma Masjid Trust’ The first minaret was built in the mosques first extension in 1903., and the second in 1905. The mosque was rebuilt entirely in 1943 (except for the minaret of 1903) [4] http://www.muslimwikipedia.com/mw/im...ibiaMosque.jpg
Habibia Mosque The foundations for the Habibia Mosque were laid in 1905 by Moulana Abdul Latief. Abdul Latief was an imaam at the Islamic center on the Umgeni River Natal. He was sent to establish a mosque in Cape Town and to bring the Malay and Muslim community together. The Mosque has been extended to include a- juniorMadressa and
- The Islamia Primary school
[5]
See muslims.co.za for more mosques in South Africa
[edit]
Famous South African Muslims
[edit]
Muslim Organisations in South Africa
Non Governmental Organisations Jamiatal Ulama [6] Islamic Propogation Centre, Durban [edit]
References
Mahida, Ebrahim Mahomed. History of Muslims in South Africa: A Chronology. Durban: Arabic Study Circle, 2003.
Pages from Cape Muslim History. Pietermaritzburg: Shuter and Shooter, 1994.
Shell, Robert. The Establishment and Spread of Islam at the Cape from the beginning of Company Rule to 1838. BA (Hons) Thesis, UCT, Cape Town, 1974.
Taraweeg Survey 2002, Boorhanol Islam Movement, Cape Town
Davids, Achmat and Yusuf de Costa. Pages from Cape Muslim History. Pietermaritzburg: Shuter and Shooter, 1994
Islam by Country Islam in Africa