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Mazaars
in Central Cape Town
:: Mazaars in Southern Suburbs of Cape
Town ::
Outside Cape Town :: Cape
Mazaar Society :: Hazrat Khalid Sha
Sheikh
Sayed Mahmud Mazar in Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.
History
: The
early history of the Cape cannot be neglected for it
is here that local Muslims have their roots. Historical
research shows that what transpired during the 17th
century at the Cape involved not only the Malays, but
also large numbers of Indians, Javanese, Bengalese,
and even Arabians. In fact, there were more Indians
brought to the Cape than any other nationality. Therefore,
be we Malays or Indians, our history originated here
and cannot be ignored. Firstly, we must look at events
in the East which led to Muslims being brought to the
Cape. There was power struggle between the Dutch and
the Portuguese for supremacy of the seas. There two
powers were competing to plunder and loot as much as
possible. In order to do so, they build up a large naval
capacity in the Asiatic sea. The target centres were
places like Bombay, Goa, Cochin, the Coramandel Coast
and Bengal in India, Colombo and Galle in Ceylon, Medan
and Padang in Sumatra, Patani in Malacca, Batavia and
Bali in Java, as well as smaller islands like Macassar,
Rotti, Timor, Ternate, Tidore and others.
Very
soon, the inhabitants began to resist and united to
form defences against the imperialist tyranny. The men
to lead the people were of a high calibre; men of great
spiritual intellect who commanded a great deal of respect
from the communities. They were however cunningly captured,
and together with their followers, banished to the Cape.
In
the meantime, Jan van Riebeeck, had his own peculiar
problem in the Cape. His plan was to establish a Dutch
garrison here to defend the route to the East, but all
was not going well. He had hoped that the capture of
the local Hottentot population adequately serve his
labour force requirements. This proved difficult as
the Hottentot soon fled to the interior. Those captured
were too lazy to work. Van Riebeeck wrote to the Dutch
Council in the East (VOC) to plead for slaves. The slaves
would be used for the hard labour, in addition to which
they could be made carry stones, build the Fort, make
bricks, dig, plough, sow plant and construct homes.
They would also be used to work the salt mines and club
seals. This marked the beginning of the Muslims community
in the Cape. The Dutch arrived as Conquerors and slave-masters,
and the Muslims arrived as Conquered slaves. Some historians
have a different view:
“the
slaves” arrived here with chains around their necks,
leg-irons and handcuffs on their wrists, but their minds
could not be chained. These very ‘slaves’
were the leaders of resistance against the Dutch colonialist
and exploiters in the Far East. These ‘slaves’
did not have experience in battles, but they brought
with them a supranational ideology of liberation …the
ideology of ISLAM.
It
is said that 250 years ago a prophecy was made that
there would be a “circle of Islam” around
the Cape. According to local beliefs the circle is complete.
Comprising the tombs of Saints and Auliyah (friends
of Allah) who were brought as slaves to the Cape. It
starts at the old cemetery on the slopes of Signal Hill,
just above the quarry in Strand Street, where two saintly
men lie buried, the circle continues to two graves on
top of Signal Hill. the circle then continues at a grave
much revered, situated above Oude Kraal beyond Camps
Bay, and sweeps around the mountain to a Kramat at Constantia,
on the Tokai Road. The circle proceeds to the most important
and widely known of all tombs, the Kramat of Sheikh
Yusuf at Faure, on the farm Zandvleit. The circle is
complete by an old tomb on Robben Island. Modern pilgrims
can visit all, except the Island Tomb, in a single day.
Calendar
of Events - Urs :
1.
Sayed Jafer (RA) Urs - 5th June 2005
2.
Robben Island Urs - 4th September 2005
3.
Annual General meeting - 14th September 2005
4.
Sheikh Yusuf (RA) Urs - 8th January 2006
Cape
Mazaar Society : The Cape Mazaar
Society was formed in January 1982 initially for the
upgrade and maintenance of the Shrine of Sheikh Abdurahman
Matura (R.A.) on Robben Island. However the name chosen
“The Robben Island Mazaar (Kramat) Society”
was rejected by the old Prison Authorities. Changing
the name to “The Cape Mazaar Society” meant
that we now had to look at all the Kramats in the Western
Cape as custodians.
The
Annual Death Anniversary celebrations of the Saint
of Robben Island has grown from humble beginnings
to gigantic proportions to date. At the first celebration
only 20 participants were allowed on the Island. In
September 2004, ± 600 visitors from all provinces
of South Africa and a few from foreign lands participated.
The Cape Mazaar Society was founded by His
Eminence Hazrath Shaykh Sayyid Irfaan Ali Shah(may
Allah Ta'ala rasie his maqaam and give him a long
and healthy life) who is the master of many tariqah's.
Some Ulema have stated that cape town is known
as the Land of the Awilya..
There are mazaars dating back
as far as the early 1600...
For
any further information please visit www.capemazaarsociety.com
Address
:
The Cape Mazaar Society
27 Rylands Road, Rylands, 7764, Cape, South Africa
P.O. Box 443, Gatesville, 7766, Cape, South Africa.
Tel: +27 21 699 0500 (o/h), or
+27 21 705 1895 / +27 21 633 2212 (a/h)
Fax: +27 21 699 0508.
Email: info@capemazaarsociety.com
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HAZRATH
KHALID SHA'S LIFE
Hadrat Sayed Muhammad Khalid Shah Chisti Saberi (alaihir
rahmah) was born in 1935 in the city of Ajmer Shahreef
in India. He hailed from a very noble family, being
direct descendents of the Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). His father, Hadrat
Sayed Muhammed Iqbal Shah (alaihir rahmah), and his
grandfather, Hadrat Sayed Muhammed Jahangir Shah (alaihir
rahmah), were great Awliya of their time and were
very prominent personalities of the CHISTI SABERI
SILSILA.
Due
to his great influence, the Chisti Sabri Jahangiri
Silsila spread to many countries like India, U.K.,
Pakistan, South Africa, etc. and places such as Jherruck,
Paak Patan, Lahore, Bareilly, PeShahwar, etc. In the
early sixties, Hadrat Khalid Shah (alaihir rahmah)
had the Buland Darwaza constructed at the Mazaar of
Hadrat Sabir Paak (alaihir rahmah) in Kalyar Shahreef,
India. He personally purchased the wood for the door.
Hadrat had once made an intention to make a catera
or silver railing to place around the blessed grave
of Hadrat Sabir Paak (alaihir rahmah) to prevent the
people from leaning onto the grave. Upon helping a
Hindu devotee in Kalyar by miraculously making his
deaf and dumb child hear and speak within 3 days,
the Hindu had offered to donate silver for the railing.
This railing was made by Hadrat?s mureeds in Surat
in India. Due to his personality many Hindus accepted
Islam at his hands in India. Seeing this as a "threat"
the government of India banned him from entering India.
As a result of this banning order, he was unable himself
to present the silver catera in the Mazaar of Hadrat
Sabir Paak (alaihir rahmah).
Hadrat Khalid Shah (alaihir rahmah) now focused his
attention to the Murshid of Hadrat Sabir Paak (alaihir
rahmah) - Hadrat Baba Farid Ganje Shahkar (alaihir
rahmah)- in Paak Patan Shahreef, Pakistan. Here he
establised a huge Khanqah known as KaShahna-e-Masoodiya
Sabireeya Khanqah where the Urs of Hadrat Baba Farid
(alaihir rahmah) is grandly celebrated during the
first five days of Muharram and which attracts devotees
from all parts of the world - India, Pakistan as well
as South Africa. In the 1980's, upon the instruction
of Hadrat Khalid Shah (alaihir rahmah), a golden Kalas
(a structure mounted on the Dome) was made by his
mureeds which was placed on the dome of the mazaar
of Hadrat Baba Farid (alaihir rahmah). In Hyderabad,
he was instrumental in establishing the Jashne Eid-e-Meelad-un
Nabi Organization, the Ghareeb-e-Nawaaz Urs Committee
and the Ghareeb Nawaaz Yateemkhana.
Hadrat
Khalid Shah (alaihir rahmah) set his blessed foot
for the very first time in South Africa in 1966. The
Chisti Sabri Silsila in South Africa was already founded
in 1944 with the blessing of Hadrat Iqbal Shah (alaihir
rahmah) by his mureed, Janab Ibrahim Madari Chist
Sabri. May Almighty Allah shower His infinite Mercy
upon his grave. Aameen. He also visited South Africa
in 1972, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. During his
visits to South Africa, thousands of people became
his mureeds. He also delivered many inspiring talks
throughout his visit. The Chisti Sabri Silsila spread
throughout South Africa, including Botswana and Lesotho.
Hadrat showed a great deal of concern towards his
mureeds and well- wishers. He treated the poor and
the rich alike and feared none besides Allah. Many
respected people and Ulema used to seek Hadrat's advice
on various issues. There are numerous Karamats or
miracles attributed to him.
During
Hadrat Khalid Shah?s (alaihir rahmah) latter years
his health began to deteriorate. His mureeds persuaded
him to come to South Africa to receive expert medical
advice, but in spite of all serious attempts to provide
the best medical treatment, the Will and Divine Wisdom
of Allah took its course. On the 16th of May 1984
(15 Shahbaan 1404 A.H.) Hadrat Khalid Shah (alaihir
rahmah) left this mundane world for the Aakhirah.
He is buried in Watville Benoni (South Africa) where
the Urs is held every year in his honour attracting
many devotees from all parts of the country. A beautiful
Mazaar Shareef is being built over his Qabar Shareef.
Hadrat Khalid Shah (alaihir rahmah) left behind 7
sons and 7 daughters
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