RELIGIOUS CONFLICT AND RECONCILIATION AT THE CAPE: THE EFFENDI’S MEMORY

THE book Umid Burnu Seyahatnamesi (translated as Travel Account of the Cape of Good Hope), written by a Turkish student, Omar Littfi, in 1876, is significant for several reasons, particularly in the context of South African Muslim history. This travelogue provides one of the earliest written accounts of the Muslim community in South Africa.

- HALIM GENCOGLU

The book sheds light on how the Muslim community in South Africa experienced and interacted with colonial powers during a time when European colonialism was affecting local cultures and religious communities. Liitfi’s observations help contextualise the role of Muslims in both resisting and adapting to colonial influences.

A fascinating letter sent by Liitfi’s uncle Abubakr Effendi to the authorities reveals the tense religious situation between the Muslim communities of the Cape of Good Hope and the British colonial administration. The ongoing religious disputes in the region, largely stemming from misunderstandings and doctrinal differences, had prompted the Muslim community to seek help from the Ottoman Empire, the spiritual leader of the global Muslim community.