Stellenbosch and the Muslim Communities, 1896-1966 Stellenbosch en die Moslem-gemeenskappe, 1896-1966 ﺳﺘﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش و اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﺔ ، 1896-1966م. Chet James Paul Fransch ﺷﺎت ﻓﺮاﻧﺴﺶ Thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (History) at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof Sandra Scott Swart March 2009 Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof and that I have not previously, in its entirety or in part, submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 3 March 2009 Copyright © Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Abstract This study intends to investigate a facet of the race relations of the town of Stellenbosch within the context of state ideology and the reaction of the various local communities towards these policies. Against various internal and external forces, certain alliances were formed but these remained neither static nor constant. The external forces of particular concern within this study are the role of state legislation, Municipal regulations and political activism amongst the elite of the different racial groups. The manner in which the external forces both mould and are moulded by identity and the fluid nature of identifying with certain groups to achieve particular goals will also be investigated. This thesis uses the case study of the Muslim Communities of Stellenbosch to explain the practice of Islam in Stellenbosch, the way in which the religion co-existed within the structure of the town, how the religion influenced and was influenced by context and time and how the practitioners of this particular faith interacted not only amongst themselves but with other “citizens of Stellenbosch”. Fundamental to these trends is the concept of “belonging”. Group formation, affiliation, identity, shared heritage and history as well as racial classification – implemented and propagated by both political discourse and communal discourse - is located within the broader context of Cape history in order to discuss commonalities and contrasts that existed between Muslims at the Cape and those in Stellenbosch. ii Opsomming Hierdie studie ondersoek rasseverhoudinge in die dorp Stellenbosch binne die konteks van staatsideologie, sowel as die reaksie wat verskeie plaaslike gemeenskappe op hierdie staatsbeleide getoon het. Bepaalde alliansies wat veranderend van aard was, het as `n reaksie op verskeie interne- en eksterne magte tot stand gekom. Die eksterne magte wat veral betrekking het tot hierdie studie, sluit in die rol van staatswetgewing, stadsregulasies en politieke aktivisme onder die elite van die verskillende rassegroepe. Die wyse waarop hierdie eksterne magte tegelykertyd deur identiteit beïnvloed is en bygedra het tot identiteitsvorming en die wisselende wyse waarop sekere groepe met mekaar geïdentifiseer het om spesifieke uitkomste te verkry, word ook van nader ondersoek. Hierdie tesis maak gebruik van `n gevallestudie van Stellenbosch se Moslem-gemeenskappe om lig te werp op die Islamitiese geloofsleer in Stellenbosch, die naasbestaan van godsdiens binne die dorpstruktuur, die invloed wat konteks en tyd op godsiens gehad het (vice versa), asook die interaksie wat volgelinge van hierdie geloof onderlings en in verhouding met ander “inwoners van Stellenbosch” gehad het. Die konsep “tuishoort” is fundamenteel tot hierdie tendensies. Groepformasie, affiliasie, identiteit, gemeenskaplike erfenis en geskiedenis, sowel as rasseklassifikasie – geïmplimenteer en versprei deur beide politieke- en gemeenskaplike diskoers – word ook in hierdie studie binne die breër konteks van Kaapse geskiedenis ondersoek, om sodoende die ooreenkomste en kontraste wat tussen die Kaapse- en die Stellenbosse Moslems bestaan het, in detail te bespreek. iii Abstract (Arabic) هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮﺧﻰ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻈﻬﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻈﺎهﺮ اﻟﻌﻼﻗﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺨﺺ اﻷﺟﻨﺎس اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﻟﺴﻜﺎن ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ " ﺳﺘﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش" ، ﺿﻤﻦ ﺳﻴﺎق اﻟﻌﻘﻴﺪة أو اﻷﻳﺪﻳﻠﻮﺟﻴﺔ، ورد ﻓﻌﻞ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﺎت ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻞ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﺎت اﻟﻤﻨﺘﻬﺠﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻋﺪة ﻗﻮى داﺧﻠﻴﺔ وﺧﺎرﺟﻴﺔ،هﻨﺎك ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﺘﺤﺎﻟﻔﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺸﻜﻠﺖ إﻻ أن هﺬﻩ اﻷﺧﻴﺮة ﺑﻘﻴﺖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺎﻟﻬﺎ ﻻ هﻲ ﻧﺸﻴﻄﺔ وﻻ هﻲ ﺟﺎﻣﺪة أو ﺛﺎﺑﺜﺔ . ﻓﺎﻟﻘﻮى اﻟﺨﺎرﺟﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ وﺟﻪ اﻟﺘﺤﺪﻳﺪ ﻗﻴﺪ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﺗﻠﻌﺐ دورا هﺎﻣﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻊ اﻟﺮﺳﻤﻲ , ﺳﻮاء ﺗﻌﻠﻖ اﻷﻣﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﺎت اﻟﺒﻠﺪﻳﺔ أو اﻟﻨﺸﺎﻃﺎت اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﺑﻴﻦ اﻷوﺳﺎط اﻟﻨﺨﺒﻮﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺠﻤﻮﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﺮﻗﻴﺔ . إن اﻷﺳﻠﻮب اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻨﻬﺠﻪ هﺬﻩ اﻟﻘﻮى اﻟﺨﺎرﺟﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ آﻼ اﻟﺤﺎﻟﺘﻴﻦ ﺳﻮاء ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ذات اﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﺔ اﻷﺳﺎﺳﻴﺔ أوذات اﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﺔ اﻟﻤﻘﻮﻟﺒﺔ ﻟﺘﻤﻴﻴﺰ ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﻤﺠﻤﻮﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﺮﻗﻴﺔ ﻋﻦ أﺧﺮى ﻗﺼﺪ ﺑﻠﻮغ أهﺪاﻓﻬﺎ هﻲ اﻷﺧﺮى ﺳﺘﻜﻮن ﻗﻴﺪ اﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ . هﺬا اﻟﺒﺤﺚ اهﺘﻢ ﺑﺪراﺳﺔ ﺣﺎﻻت اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﺔ اﻟﻘﺎﻃﻨﺔ ﺑﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ " ﺳﺘﻴﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش " ﻟﺘﺸﺮح وﺗﺒﻴﻦ ﻋﻦ آﺘﺐ اﻟﻤﻤﺎرﺳﺔ اﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻬﺬﻩ اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﺎت اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ ﺑﺴﺘﻴﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش، ﺑﺎﻟﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﺘﻌﺎﻳﺶ ﺑﻬﺎ اﻟﺪﻳﻦ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ ﻣﻊ ﺑﻘﻴﺔ اﻟﻨﺴﻴﺞ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ ﻟﻠﻤﺪﻳﻨﺔ ، واﻟﻜﻴﻔﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ أﺛﺮ وﺗﺄﺛﺮ ﺑﻬﺎ هﺬا اﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﺿﻤﻦ هﺬا اﻟﺴﻴﺎق اﻹﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ ، ﻓﻀﻼ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻞ اﻟﺰﻣﻨﻲ اﻟﺬي ﻟﻌﺐ دورا أﺳﺎﺳﻴﺎ ﻓﻲ هﺬا اﻟﻤﻀﻤﺎر ، ﺛﻢ اﻟﻜﻴﻔﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﺘﻌﺎﻣﻞ ﺑﻬﺎ ﻣﻌﺘﻨﻘﻮا هﺬا اﻟﺪﻳﻦ ، ﻟﻴﺲ ﻓﻘﻂ ﻣﻊ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﻢ اﻟﺒﻌﺾ وإﻧﻤﺎ ﻣﻊ ﺑﻘﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻮاﻃﻨﻴﻦ اﻵﺧﺮﻳﻦ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ " ﺳﺘﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش" . إن اﻻﺗﺠﺎهﺎت اﻷﺳﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﻟﻤﻔﻬﻮم " اﻻﻧﺘﻤﺎء "، اﻟﺘﺸﻜﻴﻞ اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﻲ ، اﻻﻧﺘﺴﺎب، اﻟﻬﻮﻳﺔ ، اﻟﺘﺎرﻳﺦ واﻹرث اﻟﻤﺸﺘﺮك هﺬا ﻓﻀﻼ ﻋﻦ اﻟﺘﺼﻨﻴﻒ اﻟﻌﺮﻗﻲ ﻃﺒﻘﺎ وﺗﻤﺎﺷﻴﺎ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺨﻄﺎب اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻲ واﻟﺨﻄﺎب اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻋﻲ ،وهﺬا ﻳﺘﻤﺎﺷﻰ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺴﻴﺎق اﻟﻌﺎم واﻷوﺳﻊ ﻟﺘﺎرﻳﺦ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ آﻴﺐ ﺗﺎون ، ﻟﻜﻲ ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻨﺎ اﻟﺤﺪﻳﺚ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻤﺠﻤﻮﻋﺎت اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ وﻣﻘﺎرﻧﺘﻬﺎ ﻣﻊ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﺎ اﻟﺒﻌﺾ ﺳﻮاء اﻟﺘﻲ ﻓﻲ " آﻴﺐ ﺗﺎون " أو اﻟﺘﻲ ﻓﻲ " ﺳﺘﻴﻠﻴﻨﺒﻮش " . iv Acknowledgments My gratitude firstly extends to my mentor, supervisor, colleague and friend, Sandra Swart, whose constant support and enthusiasm has guided me through this very new and exciting terrain. This work would have been much more arduous and insurmountable if it were not for the dedication and enthusiasm of two friends who walked this journey with me and who introduced me to the Muslim “worlds” in Stellenbosch, Zainap Osman and Yasmine Raziet. To Salma Raziet, a heartfelt thank you for the Muslim culinary feasts you so warmly shared with me. Thank you to my two colleagues and friends, Stefanie Vandenbergh and Lize-Marie Van der Watt. We have come a long way together and have conquered “the boundary” - together. A special thank you to my colleagues in the History Department with whom many hours of consultation and debates have opened my mind to new experiences - Albert Grundlingh, Anton Ehlers, Wessel Visser, Corinne Harmsen, Crystal Jannecke and Melvyn Daniels. Gratitude also goes to my colleagues in the French Section, Catherine Du Toit, Johanna Steyn, Lizelle Engelbrecht and Eric Levéel, not only for their support but for re-arranging teaching schedules to accommodate my research endeavours. Without the help of the staff at the University of Stellenbosch Library, the National Library of South Africa (Cape Town) and the National Archives of South Africa (Cape Town) – a special thank you to Mimi Seyffert,– there is no way that that the archival research experience would have been as pleasurable and as effective. Similarly, my gratitude goes to the communities of Stellenbosch who were more than obliging during the interviewing and research process. A special thank you to Magmoed Kara, Moegamad Kara, Aaron Cupido and Shenas Ismael. Thank you to Mustapha Saidi, Stefan van As and Mariqi Fouché for their translation prowess. Shukran, Baie Dankie, Merci! To the many examiners who have provided much needed advice, thank you for the extensive amount of time you attributed to this work. Many thanks to family and friends who have supported me emotionally through the many highs and lows. To the Fransch, Titterton, Patel and Levéel families, Vanessa Everson, Eduan Maggo, Remi Beaurain, Valerie Aim, Lawrence Bonnetot, Luzelle Yon, Davina Green…, “Music and Lyrics” (and disco!) will always remain. This journey would not have been possible if it were not for the love, support, endless hours of conversation (and just as many hours of proof-reading) of “celui qui me complète” – mon petit Érico. Thank you for always believing in me. Finally I would like to dedicate this work to a dearly departed friend who realized I could make it even before I did – à Serge. v Nomenclature of Muslim Terms Ahl-kaf reference to the Muslims of the Cape Anno Hegira Muslim Calendar year Ansars the inhabitants of Medina during the time of the Prophet Caliphs the four religious leaders that appeared during the formation of the schools of thought Da’wah missionary work conducted by Muslims Dar-al-Islam the space of Islam and knowledge Dar-al-Kufr the abode of the non-believer Hadith details about the life of the Prophet Hafiz one who memorises the Quran (plural: huffaz. Feminine form: hafizah, plural: huffazah) Hajj the pilgrimage to Mecca Halaal that which is authorised for consumption within Islam (Haraam: that which is not authorised) Hijab traditional Muslim garments Hijra the flight of the Prophet from Mecca to Medina Imam the religious leader of the jama’ Jama’ a group or congregation (plural is jama’ah/jama’ah) Janaazah death notices Jihad efforts to convert the non-believer (Jihad of the sword- combating secularism and Western domination) Jumu’ah Friday prayers vi Kaaba black stone in Mecca through which the Prophet was taken to Heaven by Gibril Khalifa the rightly guided leaders Khula means by which the wife can divorce her husband Labarang Eid Langgars prayer houses Madrassah Muslim religious school (plural: madaris) Masjid mosque Muhajirun the migrants Purdah the wearing of the scarf/veil Ramadan one of the pillars of Islam- the period of fasting s.a.w.s Sallal-lahu alayhi wa sallam (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)