Uncovering the legacy of the Cape Muslim community in The Circle of Saints
Veteran journalist and author Shafiq Morton, signs The Circle of the Saints book for Stellenbosch University Phd student Widaad Sirkhotte, from Rondebosch East.
Image: Fouzia van der Fort
The historical legacy, spiritual resilience, and identity of the early Cape Muslim community, particularly the political exiles and slaves, were just some of the themes discussed at the book launch of The Circle of Saints, a commissioned publication by Awqaf South Africa and authored by veteran journalist Shafiq Morton.
The kramats, a circle of Sufi saints, are dotted around the Peninsula and the Overberg.
Awqaf SA is an independent, community-based South African non-profit organisation established in 2000 to revive the Islamic tradition of Waqf (charitable endowment).
The book was launched at the Slave Lodge in the Cape Town CBD on Saturday, February 7.
Panel discussion moderator Muslims Views editor Farid Sayed, panelists Awqaf SA chief executive officer (CEO) Micka-eel Collier, author Shafiq Morton, former minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel, Islamia College CEO Sheikh Sadullah Khan, Cape Mazaar Society founding member and trustee Mahmood Limbada.
Image: Fouzia van der Fort
Awqaf SA chief executive officer (CEO) Mickaeel Collier said the book offered a profound and necessary look into the spiritual and historical roots of the Cape Muslim community, as well as their contribution to the world.
"The Circle of the Saints goes well beyond the legends, traditionally associated, exclusively, only with kramats (saint burial sites). It exposes us to social history, to geopolitics, and the complex forces that shaped a Muslim community at the foot of Africa," he said.
Mr Collier said figures like Tuan Guru and Sheikh Yusuf of Makassar were revealed not just as victims of empire, but as "carriers of ideas, ethics, and spiritual resilience."
Awqaf South Africa chief executive officer Mickaeel Collier, from Zeekoevlie.
Image: Fouzia van der Fort
The book is part of the organisation's 'Leaders and Legacies' series, which tells the stories of South Africa's political leaders and struggle stalwarts.
Mr Morton said the book was a compilation of oral narrations, anecdotal information, and experiences he had with sources.
"It hasn't been necessarily what you would call an academic experience, because the sources of a lot of stuff that is reflected in the book come from the community," he said.
He said the book comes from years of stories that have been told and sometimes of discoveries that have been made.
"It was something that would go onto a page, and something that would allow us to remember the pioneers of the Muslim community were also the pioneers of the Cape Town community," he said
Mr Morton said these saints were resistance fighters who fought against apartheid and the corporate colonialism introduced by the Dutch East India Company, the VOC.
A recurring theme is the inclusive and empathetic nature of early Cape Islam.
Author of The Circle of The Saints, Shafiq Morton, from Kenilworth.
Image: Fouzia van der Fort
Mr Morton highlighted that the madrasas (Muslim schools) established by leaders like Tuan Guru were multiracial and welcoming, a stark contrast to the exclusionary institutions of the colonial power.
"This spirit of inclusivity led many non-Muslim slaves to embrace Islam, contributing to the vibrant, enduring community we know today," he said.
Panelists said the book was an urgent call to action, not just a historical reflection.
Speakers at the launch emphasised the critical need to preserve and popularise this heritage for young people.
There will be another book launch at Exclusive Books Cavendish Square, 6pm on Wednesday, February 11.
For more information about the book and to purchase it, visit Awqafsa.org.za.
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