Introduction “Oh Lord, let not our hearts deviate - after You have guided us, and grant us Your Mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower” Ameen The Cape Malay Community is rich in its Islamic tradition and culture and has played a major role in shaping the history and diversity of Cape Town. Over the last three hundred years it has grown into a community that is colourful, vibrant and spiritually driven. An important part of the traditions that have been passed down through the years is the continued reading of the Ratibul Hadaad, Arwaag and the Riwayas’. Children grew up with these readings in their houses and it has formed a fundamental part of the home Madrassah culture. It has also created an atmosphere of togetherness and belonging for the Cape Malay community We learn through these practices of the Sheikhs that it was in fact an attempt to lay the foundation of an Islamic community 1
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Transcript
Introduction
“Oh Lord, let not our hearts deviate - after You have guided us, and grant us
Your Mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower” Ameen
The Cape Malay Community is rich in its Islamic
tradition and culture and has played a major role in
shaping the history and diversity of Cape Town. Over
the last three hundred years it has grown into a
community that is colourful, vibrant and spiritually
driven. An important part of the traditions that have
been passed down through the years is the continued
reading of the Ratibul Hadaad, Arwaag and the
Riwayas’. Children grew up with these readings in
their houses and it has formed a fundamental part of
the home Madrassah culture. It has also created an
atmosphere of togetherness and belonging for the Cape
Malay community
We learn through these practices of the Sheikhs that
it was in fact an attempt to lay the foundation of an
Islamic community cloaked in modesty and having a
clear unshakeable understanding of Divine Unity
(Tauheed). This was the objective behind their
uncompromising struggle against oppression and
discrimination. Their awakened hearts were driven by
their obedience and love for Allah and His Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w.). They understood the inner
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meaning of Shariah, Tariqah and Haqiqah and
transformation by the remembrance (thikr) of Allah.
The various disciplines of thikr offered by the Sheikhs
offered a great deal of worldly insights and inner
strengths.
The new political climate of South Africa calls
towards understanding the nature and meaning of
cultural heritage. This has drawn our interest to
understand the efforts of our Fore-fathers and hence
the culture we have adopted.
We know that they have experienced in much the
same way the sufferings and persecutions of the
oppressors in their countries of birth. These awakened
souls, Aulia, were vigorous opponents of colonialism
and were subjected to its injustices and thus reached
the shores of Africa as political prisoners and slaves.
Their legacies held a powerful message of Truth and
the moral universal lesson to serve humanity.
Their efforts to develop strategies to part the
knowledge of the Qur’an to the people of the Cape
and later the establishment of the first Muslim
community in South Africa needs to be retold in a
manner that it can be used at every level of study.
This is not an attempt to call people to the worship of
saints or continue certain practices that have created
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much conflict. Its purpose is to understand the
impact that their actions had on the community at
large.
A great deal of these sheikhs’ history lay in the
archives of Indonesia, Malaysia, Yemen, Turkey and
Sri Lanka and are being translated by scholars in their
respective languages. Personalities like the late
Achmat David’s (May Allah bless him with Paradise-
Ameen) attempted to restore many of the untold
stories of the Cape Malay history from articles, legal
court documents and narrations from oral
transmission of families related to the Sheikhs. We
hope that our efforts will only be an ongoing surge to
tell the truth of the past and that it can be
appreciated and shared by our South African
community.
This attempt to add insight into the riwayas’ as
practiced by Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar will tell us the
depth of their understanding of Divine Unity and their
approach to educating and passing on the message of
Islam to others. This matter of Tauheed is undoubtedly
present in every learning area of Islamic study and
cannot be ignored, because it creates the foundation of
every Muslim’s life.
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History ofSheikh Yusuf of Macassar
1626-1699
The story of Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar is probably one of the
most important narratives in the history of the Muslims in
South Africa. The Sheikh, though not the first Muslim in the
Cape, is regarded as the founding father of the South African
Muslim community. He was brought to the Cape as a political
exile and arrived on the 2nd April 1694. Despite the Statutes of
India, which largely curtailed the freedom of Islamic worship,
and his settlement outside of the main centre of the Cape,
Sheikh Yusuf still managed to exert an influence on the local
Muslim community.
Sheikh Yusuf was not just a theologian; he was a statesman,
soldier, teacher, writer and Sufi Sheikh. Sheikh Yusuf was
totally committed to Islam and spent his entire life in
pursuance of Islamic justice. He was also a vigorous opponent
of colonialism.
Sheikh Yusuf, also known as Abadin Tadia Tjoessoep, was born
in Goa in 1626 during the rule of Sultan ‘Ala al-Din, the second
Islamic ruler of Macassar, an Islamic theocratic state which
was established in 1603. His father Abdullah was related to
Sultan Ala al-Din; while his mother, Amienah was the daughter
Dapak Omara, who was a member of the family of the Kings of
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Goa. Sheikh Yusuf was thus a nobleman of high rank. In 1644,
at the age of 18 years, Sheikh Yusuf, went on the pilgrimage to
Mecca. It was during this pilgrimage that he decided to study
Islam. He stayed in Mecca for a long time, gaining proficiency
in the Arabic language and all aspects of Islamic Theology.
The Sheikh was a diligent student and soon he acquired the
respect of his Shafi’ite teacher. His teacher was so impressed
with him that he offered Sheikh Yusuf his daughter in
marriage. The girl was at first reluctant, as he was not an Arab,
but later conceded to her fathers’ wishes. Only one child, a
daughter was born from this marriage. Prior to his return to
Macassar, Sheikh Yusuf married a second wife at Jiddah. From
her name, Deanta Kara Sitaba, it would appear that she was a
Massarian. They accompanied him to South East Asia. By this
time the Sheikh had acquired a great reputation as a very
pious and learned man.
Sheikh Yusuf did not immediately return to his home in Goa,
Macassar. He visited the Bantam, a sultanate in western Java,
and was established as teacher at the Court of Sultan Ageng.
Here he married the daughter; some say the sister, of Sultan
Ageng.
At this court Sheikh Yusuf made a great impression on the
students with his zealous execution of his religious duties and
mystical teachings. He was by then already a follower of the
Khalwathia order of the Naqsbandiyah Tariqa. Sheikh Yusuf
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spent many years teaching the Sultan Ageng and his
household the various branches of Islamic learning and
through this activity played an important role in the spread of
Islam in Java.
It was while he was living in the Bantam that he met Tuan
Abdoel Bassier, the blind wali from Rappanin in the Celebes
(Sulawesi). A close friendship developed between these two
men. They lived together in the Bantam for a considerable
period of time, with Tuan Bassier greatly influencing the
spiritual development of Sheikh Yusuf. The Sheikh was
eventually requested by the King of Goa to return home and
serve his people, but instead he sent Tuan Bassier.
Sheikh Yusuf’s decision to stay in the Bantam was not taken
without consideration. When Ageng became the Sultan of the
Bantam, he immediately encouraged the pursuance of Islamic
education. The result was that the Bantam soon became an
important centre for Islamic Learning, attracting people from
outside the Bantam. This vibrant Islamic atmosphere created
in the Bantam was thus very attractive to Sheikh Yusuf.
As Islam prospered in the Malaysian Archipelago, the
resistance to the Dutch imperialistic designs became stronger.
This resistance is clearly evident in the history of the Bantam
during this period. It was under Sultan Ageng’s rule that the
Dutch trading monopoly was first broken in the Malaysian
Archipelago. This monopoly started with the establishment of
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the Dutch East India Company’s headquarters at Batavia in
1619. Hereafter the Dutch systematically set about eliminating
the Portuguese, and by the middle of the seventeenth century
dominated the Archipelago, turning hostile to those who
opposed them.
Only the Bantam remained steadfast against the Dutch, and
under Sultan Ageng the country’s trade started to flourish.
They were soon in a position to compete with the Dutch. This
started to break the Dutch trading monopoly in the region, as
the English, Danes and some Chinese colonies joined the
Bantamese in their trading operations.
In an attempt to maintain the Dutch domination of trade in the
Archipelago, the Dutch tried to change its attitude towards the
Bantam. This was to no avail. In 1656 Sultan Ageng became
openly hostile towards the Dutch. The Dutch then blockaded
the Bantam trade routes. This forced Sultan Ageng to conclude
a peace treaty with them in 1659. Thereafter the Bantam
trade improved again placing them in a position to compete
effectively with the Dutch at Batavia. The revival of the
Bantam trade encouraged the British, French and Danes to
establish factories in the Bantam. Throughout his reign, Sultan
Ageng remained an enemy of the Dutch.
He never openly broke the peace, but wherever he could, he
supported the enemies of the Dutch. Sultan Ageng was aware
of the dangers of the Dutch trade monopoly for the
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sovereignty of the Bantam. He was, therefore, at all times
aware of the need to break the power of Batavia as a trading
base. The English and the Danes supported him in this.
Sultan Ageng had two sons and also a daughter who was
married to Sheikh Yusuf. In I674 the older son, Abdoel Kahaar
went on a pilgrimage to Mecca and on return adopted the
name Pangerang (or prince) Hadji. The younger one, Poerbaiji,
was married to the daughter of the Prime Minister of the
Bantam. He was encouraged by Sheikh Yusuf to use every
means to gain his father’s favour.
Abdoel Kahaar or Pangerang Hadji was not interested in
gaining his father’s favour. On his return from Mecca he
brought with him many ideas of which his father did not
approve. Not only did he urge the local people to adopt the
Arabian form of dress, but also brought with him an Imam
from Mosha to instruct him in the teachings of the Qur’an.
Later he imported another Imam from Trinate. These actions
were mainly aimed to break Sheikh Yusuf’s influence.
When this did not succeed, he started a rumour that Sheikh
Yusuf had an affair with Sultan Ageng’s wife, Crean Tiema of
Macassar. The Queen and the Sheikh were imprisoned, without
being charged. The Sheikh was later released. Sultan Ageng
though an excellent statesman had very little skill in handling
his domestic problems and Pangerang Hadji was quite aware
of this.
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Fearing the influence his younger brother might have on his
father, he manipulated the domestic problems for his own
personal end. In 1680 a revolution, probably engineered by
the Dutch, took place in the palace. Sultan Ageng was forced
to abdicate in favour of his son, Sultan Hadji. The Dutch now
had a controlling hand over the Preanger (West Java)
territories.
Sultan Ageng was forced to retire to his country estate at
Tirtayasa, and after consolidating himself with forces that
rallied to his assistance, he again besieged Sultan Hadji at the
fortress at Soeroeang. Sultan Hadji could not withstand this
onslaught and appealed to the Dutch for assistance. The Dutch
were most willing to assist because it provided them with the
opportunity to crush the Bantam power once and for all. Sultan
Ageng was attacked by the Dutch in his fortress at Tirtayasa.
After a siege of many months Sultan Ageng managed to
escape into the mountains with some of his followers.
Immediately after the escape in 1683 the castle at Tirtayasa
was blown up on his instructions.
Sultan Ageng fled into the mountains accompanied by his son
Poerbaija and the Sultan’s younger brother Kiedoel, family
members, some officers and soldiers. Sheikh Yusuf who was
the Imam of the household participated in all the battles and
was part of the group that fled with Sultan Ageng. Sheikh
Yusuf was by then 60 years old, but very healthy and strong.
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From the beginning of 1683 to December of that year they
lived the lives of fugitives. A price of a thousand rix-dollars was
placed on the heads of Sultan Ageng, Poerbaiji and Sheikh
Yusuf. It was felt by the Dutch that unless they were captured,
the war would never end. They were to be captured dead or
alive and any women captured, except those of Javanese birth,
were to be given as booty to their captors.
When they set out to the mountains, they were a party of
5000 of whom 1300 were soldiers. They hardly had any food. A
few weeks after the escape it was reported that they were
living on the fruit of the Lacquer trees, of which there were
many in the area. A number of them were also found dead
from starvation. They preferred to die rather than fall into the
hands of the Dutch. It was not long before Sultan Ageng was
captured. Sheikh Yusuf and Poerbaiji managed to escape, with
a large band of followers, deeper into the mountains. Many of
these soldiers drowned as they tried to cross a river for safety
from the Dutch. Others just died of starvation.
In April news was received that Sheikh Yusuf’s forces were
greatly reduced and that there was dissension in the ranks.
The Dutch decided to attack Sheikh Yusuf. But this was not an
easy task. Sheikh Yusuf and his followers were greatly assisted
by the people living in this region. They fully realized what the
Dutch victory would mean, and thus provided Sheikh Yusuf
and his army everything they needed. This frustrated the
Dutch under the command of Captian Ruisch.
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The reports that Captian Ruisch received indicated that Sheikh
Yusuf was greatly respected by the local people. He was by
then already regarded as a saint. In September the Dutch
were still striving to get Sheikh Yusuf into a tight corner, but
he managed to elude them, burning down the huts on his way,
so that the Dutch enemy would be exposed to the severity of
the approaching rainy season.
Towards the end of September Sheikh Yusuf’s forces was
confronted in a major battle with the forces of Dutch
commander Lieut, Maurits van Happel. The battle was a fierce
one. Fifteen of the Sheikh’s men were killed. Sheikh Yusuf was
wounded but managed to escape. His wife, and the wife and
family of Kiedoel were captured. The Sheikh also lost many
muskets, goods and the rare jewels which they carried with
them. The Dutch lost 18 men, but appeared to have been
grateful for this success.
Sheikh Yusuf’s forces managed to escape to Cheribon, hoping
to embark from there to Macassar. A month later they were
unfortunately overtaken by Lieut. Eijgel and 200 of his family
and forces were captured. Sheikh Yusuf with a handful of men
again managed to escape. This time he was severely
wounded. Those who managed to escape now broke up into
small bands to make best their escape.
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Poerbaija was separated from the Sheikh. He was approached
by an escaped band of slaves and convicts, used by the Dutch
against the Bantamese. They were now willing to fight on his
side. He refused. He was by now tired of resistance and
realized that his cause was hopeless. In December 1683 he
surrendered to the Dutch.
Sheikh Yusuf, with the assistance of some princes of the
Preanger territories, was able to evade capture for some time
longer. His guides were captured and put to death. Sheikh
Yusuf and a few of his followers, now consisting of 24 men and
4 women, found refuge in a little village. Here they lived in
poverty, fearful that the locals would betray them.
To persuade Sheikh Yusuf to surrender, Lieut van Happel took
the Sheikh’s daughter to the village where he was suspected
of hiding. She was instructed to make contact with and beg
him to surrender on a promise of pardon. When she eventually
located her father, she told him of the sufferings the women
and children had to endure under the Dutch. This greatly
disturbed Sheikh Yusuf and he handed over his Kris(armour) to
Captain Ruijsch, the Dutch commander, as a symbol of his
surrender. Those who surrendered with him were 12 Imams
and four women.
While Sheikh Yusuf was valiantly resisting the Dutch, Sultan
Ageng was captured by his son, Sultan Hadji, who treated him
with severe cruelty. The Dutch, however, rescued him from his
son and imprisoned him at the Castle at Batavia. Here he was
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treated well, allowed to participate in official function and
afforded a position of royal rank. Sultan Ageng died in 1692.
On their surrender, Sheikh Yusuf and the twelve Imams who
were with him were transported to Batavia. They reached
Batavia in the middle of March where they were incarcerated
in the Castle.
Here the rest of his followers were restored to him. Thereafter
they were treated with leniency and great consideration. But
Sheikh Yusuf loved his freedom. Thus despite the leniency, he
was suspected of endeavouring to escape. By this time the
Sheikh was greatly revered in the Archipelago. The situation in
Macassar was also far from stable. It was felt that should the
Sheikh escape, he would immediately be able to start a revolt.
In September, 1684 it was decided to remove Sheikh Yusuf
and his followers, under good guard, from the Castle at
Batavia to the Castle at Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). This
would make it more difficult for him to escape. The Sheikh was
paid an allowance of 24 rix-dollars per month while detained at
the Castle of Colombo. His removal from the Archipelago did
not diminish Sheikh Yusuf‘s memory. He continued to exert an
influence in the Archipelago.
The King of Goa, to whom Sheikh Yusuf was related, was
particularly interested to have him released. In 1690 a
delegation, representing the King of Goa, Macassar was sent
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to Batavia to plea for his release. This delegation argued that
young and old desired to see Sheikh Yusuf. He was regarded
by them as a very holy personage and that for religious
purposes; his guidance was needed in Goa. The Sheikh was
not to be part of any of their political structures. This request
of the King of Goa was refused. Fearing pressure from
Macassar for his release would continue, and that attempts
might be made to rescue him, it was considered safer to
transport him to an outpost at the Cape of Good Hope.
It was while he was incarcerated at Colombo in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon) that Sheikh Yusuf started to put his religious thoughts
to paper. Sulaiman Dangor identified 15 Arabic religious tracts
written By the Sheikh which are currently preserved in the
Archives in Leiden. The Sheikh did not only write in Arabic. He
wrote in Malayu, Buganese and Macassar.
In 1694 at the age of 68 Sheikh Yusuf was sent to the Cape in
the Voetboeg, arriving here on the 2nd April 1694. He was
accompanied by forty-nine followers. This company included
his two wives, Care Contoe and Care Pane, two servant girls,
Momina and Naima, 12 children, 12 Imams and several
friends. When this company arrived here, they were royally
received by the Governor, Simon van der Stel. The governor
himself was a native of Macassar from his mother’s side.
Like the earlier Orang Cayen, Sheikh Yusuf too was considered
a dangerous man who needed to be isolated from the local
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slave population at the Cape. He and his company were
housed on the farm, Zandvleit, the property of the Reverend
Kalden, near the mouth of the Eerste River. They were given a
monthly allowance of 12 rix-dollars and were to be moderately
maintained by the Cape authorities.
The first settlement of Muslims in South Africa was a vibrant
one. Despite its isolation, and contrary to the wishes of the
Calvinist authority, Sheikh Yusuf settlement at Zandvleit
became a sanctuary for fugitive slaves and Khoi-Khoi. It was
from here that Sheikh Yusuf spread the message of Islam and
the Qur’an was vigorously taught.
Many of the religious practices of the Cape Muslim community
could be traced back to this first settlement of Muslims. It was
from here that the Arwaagh, a formulation of thikrs, recited on
the departed soul, became part of the Cape tradition. To
Sheikh Yusuf could also be attributed such practices as the
celebration of Maulid-dan-Nabi, with its characteristic
recitation of the Ruwayats and celebration of Mi’raj with the
recitation of the Qiesatul Mi’raaj as its central theme.
He died on the 23rd May 1699 and was buried on the Hill
overlooking Macassar at Faure.
Upon his death the King of Goa requested that Sheiks family
and friends be returned to the Bantam. At last, in 1704, a
letter was received from Batavia and his followers were
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allowed to return to the Bantam. They left on two barges, the
Liefde and the Spiegel arriving in Batavia towards the end of
1704.
The teachings of Sheikh Yusuf established a sound Muslim
community at the Southern tip of Africa. The recitation of the
ruwayas does not only lean towards the understanding and
commemoration of the birth of the Prophet, but a feeling of
community together in the rememberance of Allah. His
insightful approach and understanding of Dien has continued
to this day and is still the medium of madrassah in many
Muslim homes.
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Commentary on Riwayats
‘This life is Allah’s Madrassah within which man is constantly
enrolled, in order to grow and learn. If man reflects on the