The Sayyid in the slippers: An Indian ocean itinerary and visions of Arab sainthood, 1737-1929

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Abstract

This article links fragmentary information in Dutch sources about an eighteenth century Arab teacher, the opaquely named Sayyid 'Alawi, who was said to have played a leading role in the humiliation of the VOC garrison at Kartasura during the Chinese War of 1741-43. After being banished to Cape Town in 1744 he languished on Robben Island before being transferred to the town in 1761 as an enforcer of public order. Today, however, he is remembered mainly as the first imam to the rising Muslim community even as little is known about the reasons for his exile. Beyond seeking to outline his history, the author offers some suggestions about the role of specific Sufi practices in perpetuating his memory, and proposes how he could have been an early patron of those activities, which are under fire among South African Muslims today even as they are seen as being emblematic of their Southeast Asian cultural origins.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)191-227
Number of pages37
JournalArchipel
Volume86
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cultural Studies
  • Archaeology
  • History
  • Religious studies
  • Archaeology
  • Literature and Literary Theory

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