Auwal mosque
In September 1794 a Vryezwarten (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. Tuan Guru who had served 13 years on Robben Island was released in 1793. He ran a masjid in this old warehouse.
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 Masjid 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 in the time of slavery and became a centre of Muslim communal activity.
39 Dorp Street,
