ISLAM was a banned religion since it arrived on the shores of South Africa. This was reversed when it was officially unbanned after the arrival of Muslim slaves and political exiles in the 1660-70’s on 25 July 1804.
This was the first time Muslims could worship in public and be allowed by the then Dutch government to build Masaajid and teach Islam openly. The first Musjid and Madressah was established by Tuan Guru (rahimahullah) in Cape Town.
DID YOU KNOW?
- That the first Qur’aan in SA was handwritten from memory while in captivity?
- That the first Islamic Jurisprudence Kitaab was handwritten on Robben Island from memory?
- That the first Musjid in SA was built on land made Waqf by a Muslim lady?
- That early Islamic literature in SA was written in Arabic-Afrikaans and contributed to Afrikaans as a written language?
- That several prominent Aalims and Princes were brought in chains from Indonesia and incarcerated on Robben Island for resisting Dutch colonialists?
