‘For the first time, you can hear Tuan Guru’
Author says he had to ‘decolonise’ his mind
TO SHARE the story of one of South Africa’s greatest Muslim leaders, Tuan Guru – Awqaf SA, an independent community-based trust, yesterday launched the book From the Spice Islands to Cape Town: The Life and Times of Tuan Guru, as part of their Leaders and Legacy Project.
The book was commissioned by Awqaf SA and written by Shafiq Morton.
Tuan Guru was born in Tidore in 1712. He died in Cape Town in 1807, at the age of 95.
Guru is remembered as a religious teacher who cared for the slave community.
He established the first madrasah, or school, in 1793.
Guru, who was imprisoned on Robben Island twice, wrote out the Qur’an there, from memory.
The book launch took place at the Centre for the Book in the city centre, with overflowing crowds.
Addressing the audience Morton said: “Whatever has been produced, which is still a work in progress, demanded co-operation and teamwork.”
Thanking those who made the book possible he said, “Shukran (thanks) for thinking of me and being aware of our history and showing us we do have something we should remember.”
Morton said the Islam that Guru brought to the Cape, was in the heart.
“His greatest legacy was in education. This is the legacy of how he brought a suffering community together and it was unconditional.
“If it hadn’t been for that madrasah, I wonder if any of us would be here.”
Morton said to write the book he had to “decolonise” his mind, as most of the historic resources available were from the Dutch or English.
“When they talk about our people, it’s when we irritated them.
“Here for the first time, you can really hear the voice of Tuan Guru and for me that was very moving in writing this book.”
The book includes Guru’s last will and letters written in Arabic that were discovered and translated.
During a panel discussion, scholars drew correlations between colonialism and Guru’s fight for justice, with the current challenges of gentrification in the Bo-Kaap.
Opening the discussion was Sheikh Dawood Terblanche who described gentrification as a “new sophisticated colonialism”.
He said: “To really appreciate the contributions of Tuan Guru we need to understand the impact, the dangers and evils of colonialism.
“The impact of gentrification in the oldest living Muslim community is a reality.
“Very soon we will be losing Bo-Kaap and it will be a place we will be reminiscing about.
“Our people are being forcefully removed by the City through higher rates.
“This is not a Bo-Kaap fight, we are fighting on behalf of the Muslim community of South Africa. We need to come out and support in our numbers.”
The book costs R140. For more information contact Shareen Ariefdien on 021 697 3556 or reception@ awqafsa.org.za