Auwal mosque

Auwal mosque: In September 1794, a Vrye Zwarten (free black) Muslim by the name of Coridon of Ceylon bought two properties on Dorp Street in the centre of Cape Town. He was the first black Muslim to own property in Cape Town. When he died, his wife Trijn van de Kaap inherited the properties. She sold them in 1809 to Saartjie van die Kaap, who was her daughter. In 1794, Saartjie donated land for the building of a masjid. While imprisoned on Robben Island, the mosque’s first Imam, Tuan Guru, wrote the entire Holy Quran completely from memory. His handwritten copy is still preserved inside the mosque. He was released in 1793. 

Up to that point, an open-air Jumu’ah  Saldh [Friday congregational prayers] was held in a disused quarry in Chiappini Street.

Tuan Guru, also known as Imam Abdullah, led the Cape Muslims in the Salah.

The construction of the Auwal Mosque was made possible by General Craig who permitted Muslims to pray in public in the Cape Colony. Additions to the building were made in 1807. This was the first Masjid (mosque in South Africa. It was built during the time of slavery and became a centre of Muslim communal activity.

Every Sunday, you can get Akni to take away outside the mosque, 083 258 7804

39 Dorp Street, Bo Kaap

info@auwalmasjid.co.za

• Auwal Mosque,was established in 1794, Itis the oldest mosque in South Africa. The mosque was built entirely from memory and oral tradition without any formal blueprints. While imprisoned on Robben Island, the mosque’s first Imam, Tuan Guru, wrote the entire Holy Quran completely from memory. His handwritten copy is still preserved inside the mosque.