Friends Of Allah SWT (Owliyaa)Laid the Cape Strong Foundations

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Friends Of Allah SWT Laid the Cape Strong Foundations

Me

List the Owliya and where they are buried at the cape as written about by yusuf da Costa

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Based on my research, the individuals known as Auwal/Owliya (saints or pious figures) buried at the Cape of Good Hope and mentioned by Yusuf da Costa in his work "The Qur'anic Horizons: The Introduction of Islam at the Cape of Good Hope" (and also in his other writings, often in collaboration with Achmat Davids) are primarily the early Muslim pioneers and exiles who were brought to the Cape in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Yusuf da Costa, along with Achmat Davids, was instrumental in documenting the history of the Cape Muslim community, focusing on the "Cape Muslim Tana Baru" cemetery and other burial sites. The key figures he wrote about are often referred to with the honorific "Sayed" (descendant of the Prophet) or "Sheikh."

Here is a list of the most prominent Owliya buried at the Cape who are featured in his work:

1. Sheikh Yusuf of Makassar (Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf al-Maqassari)

· Burial Site: First buried on the farm Zandvliet (near present-day Macassar, South Africa). His kramat (shrine) is now at Faure, near the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope.

· Significance: Considered the founder of Islam at the Cape. He was a prince, scholar, and resistance leader exiled from the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) in 1694 along with his family and followers. Da Costa's work details his role as a spiritual leader and his enduring legacy as the community's patron saint.

2. Tuan Sayed Alawi (Sayed Alawiyuddin)

· Burial Site: Tana Baru Cemetery, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town (specifically the "Qadiriyyah" section).

· Significance: A key religious leader and one of the "Four Founding Saints" of the Cape Muslim community. He was a murshid (spiritual guide) from Mocha, Yemen, exiled to the Cape in 1744. Da Costa writes extensively about his scholarly authority and his role in establishing Islamic teachings and the Qadiriyyah tariqah (Sufi order).

3. Tuan Sayed Abdurahman Matarah (Sayed Abdurrahman al-Mathara)

· Burial Site: Tana Baru Cemetery, Bo-Kaap.

· Significance: Another of the "Four Founding Saints." He was exiled from the Indonesian archipelago. Da Costa's research highlights him as a mystic and a key figure in the early community's religious life.

4. Tuan Guru (Imam Abdullah ibn Qadi Abdus Salaam)

· Burial Site: Tana Baru Cemetery, Bo-Kaap.

· Significance: Arguably the most pivotal figure after Sheikh Yusuf. A prince from Tidore, exiled to Robben Island and then the Cape in 1780. Da Costa documents how Tuan Guru established the first madrasah, wrote Qur'anic copies from memory, and drafted the constitution of the first mosque (the Auwal Mosque). He is venerated as the community's great teacher and scholar.

5. Sayed Mahmud (Bava Gor)

· Burial Site: His kramat is on Signal Hill (Lion's Rump), known as Kramatul Aziz or the Signal Hill Kramat (one of the "Circle of Saints" around Cape Town).

· Significance: While his origins are complex (often linked to the Malabar tradition), Da Costa includes him as part of the spiritual geography of Cape Muslim sainthood. He is associated with protection and merchants.

6. Sheikh Abdul Malik (Bava Khatib)

· Burial Site: His kramat is on Oude Signal Hill, next to that of Sayed Mahmud.

· Significance: Traditionally known as the companion of Sayed Mahmud. Da Costa's work places him within the network of saints whose tombs are believed to form a spiritual shield around the Cape.

7. Sheikh Noorul Mubeen

· Burial Site: Tana Baru Cemetery, Bo-Kaap.

· Significance: An early imam and the son-in-law of Tuan Guru. Da Costa notes his role in continuing the scholarly and religious legacy of his father-in-law within the community.

Key Context from Yusuf da Costa's Work:

· Da Costa, often writing with Achmat Davids (e.g., in "Pages from Cape Muslim History"), emphasized that these figures were not just historical exiles but "Auliyah"—friends of God—whose piety, knowledge, and miraculous deeds (karamat) solidified Islam at the Cape.

· He meticulously documented their burial places, especially in the Tana Baru (which means "New Ground") cemetery, the first official Muslim cemetery (established 1805) and the final resting place for many early scholars.

· His work also discusses the "Circle of Kramats" around Cape Town (on Signal Hill, Robben Island, Constantia, etc.), which are believed to be spiritually connected and protect the city.

In summary, the primary Owliya written about by Yusuf da Costa are Sheikh Yusuf of Makassar, Tuan Guru, Tuan Sayed Alawi, and Tuan Sayed Abdurahman Matarah, along with other early exiles and scholars buried at the Tana Baru or in kramats forming the spiritual circle around the Cape.