Ratibul al-hadat: A rendition of a traditional Cape Gathering of Remembrance

By: Hasan and Husain Essop

This performance will present a traditional Cape Malay gathering, including key aspects of the Ratibul Al-Hadat ritual. Ratibul Al-Hadat is a ceremony inherited from slaves of Indonesian and Malay descent in the Cape. Their traditions were heavily influenced by political exiles such as Shaykh Yusuf of the Khalwatiy-yah Sūfi order, who was exiled to the Cape from South-East Asia in the late 17th Century and is regarded by many as the leader of the first cohesive Muslim community in the Cape.

The Ḥājah has its textual origins in the Riwāyat Sūrat, and the ceremony has played an important role in the cultural practices of local Muslims. For the first time, it will be brought out of private homes and into contact with a broad public, who will be encouraged to join and participate in the event. The audience will be given an English transliteration and translation to follow. This is a unique opportunity to gain insight into the living traditions of Cape culture.

With thanks to: Moeneeb Dalwai, Ebrahim Assur and the Mahabbah Foundation.