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ABU BAKR EFFENDI a Report on the Activities and Challenges of an Ottoman Muslim Theologian in the Cape Oftown Good Hope

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ABU BAKR EFFENDI a Report on the Activities and Challenges of an Ottoman Muslim Theologian in the Cape Oftown Good Hope UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN ABU BAKR EFFENDI A report on the activities and challenges of an Ottoman Muslim theologian in the Cape ofTown Good Hope By Cape Halim GENÇof OĜLU A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for Universitythe degree of Masters of Philosophy in Religious Studies Supervisor: Dr Andrea Brigaglia University of Cape Town October 2013 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University i PLAGIARISM DECLARATION 1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another's work and pretend that it is one's own. 2. I have used the Chicago convention for citation and referencing. Each contribution to, and quotation in, this thesis from the work(s) of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. 3. This thesis is my own work. 4. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as his or her own work. 5. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s work or part of it, is wrong, and declare that this is my own work. Date: ...................................... Signature: ...................................... Full Name of Student: Halim GENÇOĜLU ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It would not have been possible to write this Master’s thesis without the help and support of the kind people around me. It is only possible to give particular mention to some of them here. It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge the support and help of my Professor Abdulkader Tayob who has continually and convincingly conveyed of matters of research and teaching in spirit of adventure and taught with excitement. I would like to thank him for his great patience at all times. I offer my sincerest gratitude to my supervisor Dr Andrea Brigaglia who has the attitude and the substance of a genius during my study. I would like to thank him for his genuine guidance. I am indebted to my erudite friend Sheikh Seraj Johaar who has never hesitated when I’ve asked him to translate the old Waqf records from Arabic to English. I have always received very warm responses from him. I cannot find words to express my gratitude to my friend librarian Tanya Barben who has always shared her knowledge with me regarding the South African archival sources. I owe my deepest gratitude to Dr Aditi Hunma who helped me with editing my thesis. I would like to thank her for the intellectual debates we had. I wish to thank my friend Mohammed Zobri Effendi Al Amjadiy who shared his family documents with me during my research. M. Zobri Effendi has always inspired me to do further research. I would like to thank him for his kindness, friendship and support. I would also like to thank the archivist of the Effendi family, Hesham Effendi who has always supported and encouraged me in my knowledge quests. I would like to thank my brother, musicologist Mehmet Said Halim for his support in providing me with incredibly important Ottoman Archival documents from Istanbul which enriched the study. My thanks and appreciation also go to my friend Abdulmalik Sibabalwe Oscar Masinyana for guiding me with the structure of the dissertation and for encouraging me to complete this project. I am indebted to my South African family, Nazlie and Ismail Davids who have given me their unequivocal support throughout, as always, for which my mere expression of thanks likewise does not suffice. For any errors or inadequacies that may remain in this work, of course, the responsibility is entirely my own. iii ABSTRACT This thesis presents the religious activities of an Ottoman Islamic scholar Abu Bakr Effendi and his educational challenges at the Cape of Good Hope. Abu Bakr Effendi was a professor of canon law (Mudarris, Mufti-ul Arbaa1) who was sent to the Cape by the Ottoman Caliph in order to resolve the religious issues as well as educate the Muslims in South Africa in the second half of the nineteenth century. This study takes into consideration diverse archival materials that explain different dimensions of the socio-historical events which happened during Effendi’s stay in South Africa. Due to limited reliable sources, Effendi’s activities have not been examined by researchers extensively. Several local newspapers, South African and Ottoman archival materials not used before in such studies, private family documents, foundation (Waqf) records and official correspondences have been used in this study and contributed to understanding the social-religious situation amongst Muslims at the Cape of the nineteenth century. Applying a comparative historical method, the study shows how Effendi became a prominent scholar in society despite his reformist understanding with regards to Islamic topics which made him a marginal theologian in the eyes of local Muslims. In this sense, the study illustrates the contribution of his works in the Muslim social sphere and how it enabled the emergence of a Muslim consciousness and identity in Southern Africa. Finally, with his cultural and educational endeavors, Effendi became a historical figure in South African society and this reality has been illuminated by rich archival documents. 1 Mufti is an official learned scholar in Islamic law who is in charge of Islamic affairs. During the Ottoman Empire, the mufti of Istanbul was Islam's chief legal authority, presiding over the whole judicial and theological hierarchy. One of Abu Bakr Effendi’s titles was mufti-ul arbaa, which means master of four sects (madshaps) in Islamic tradition. iv DEDICATION I dedicate my thesis to the Muslim leaders of South Africa such as Sheik Yusuf of Macassar, Imam Tuan Guru, Sheik Abu Bakr Effendi and all other great pioneers who spent their entire life spreading Islamic knowledge. v GLOSSARY Alim; singular of Ulama, Islamic scholar in general or Muslim scholar. Caliphate; an Islamic state led by a supreme religious as well as political leader known as a caliph (a successor to the prophet Muhammad). The term caliphate is often applied to successions of Muslim empires. Dar al-Hadith; an independent Institute that is specialized in the sciences and researches of Hadith Fatwa; a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. Hadith; a saying or an act or tacit approval or disapproval ascribed either validly or invalidly to the prophet Muhammad. Ijaazat; permission to teach a book o a subject of Islamic knowledge. Ijmā; an Arabic term referring to the consensus or agreement of the Muslim community. Ilmiye; a class of learned men; the "ilmiye" also refers to knowledge. Imamah; an Arabic word (from Imam) with suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam. Ittihad; Unity Khitabat; an Imam’s discourse. It also refers to rhetoric the public speaking. Madhab; a Muslim school of law or fiqh, religious jurisprudence Madrasah; the Arabic word for any type of educational institution. Mudarris; teacher, religious instructor, professor. Mufti; a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia and fiqh) Qadi; a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law (sharia) Sayyid; an honorific title; it denotes males considered as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sharia; (legislation) the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharīf; a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets. Primarily Sunnis in the Arab world reserve the term sharif for descendants of the prophet via Hasan ibn Ali, while sayyid is used for descendants of the prophet via Husayn ibn Ali. Sheikh; Religious leader, Muslim Scholar. Sheik al-Islām; a title given to scholars considered as superior authority in the issues of Islam. Sublime Porte; the central government of the Ottoman Government in Istanbul. Tanzimât; reorganization of the Ottoman Empire. It was a period of reformation that began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. Ulama; plural of Alim, scholar, also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. Ummah; an Arabic word meaning nation or community Waqf; a religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land or even cash for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. Zawiyah; a centre of Islamic devotional acitivities, usually associated with a Sufi order. The term is mainly North African, and corresponds to the Eastern term Khanqa and to the Turkish Tekke. A zawiyah is also inmost cases a mosque and a madrassah at the same time. vi CONTENTS PLAGIARISM DECLARATION .................................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................ II ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................... III DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................... IV GLOSSARY ...................................................................................................................................................
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