Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA
travelled to Cape Town in early 1905 in search of land to build a Khanqah. He
stayed at the residence of Abdul Ganie Parker in Cross Street, in what was later
known as District Six. One Friday morning, he requested his host, who was from
the district of Kokan, India, to arrange for a horse and cart so that they could
look around for suitable land. After a while, the horse stopped at the spot
where the present institution stands in Rylands in what was then known as
Doornhoogte. He got off the cart, accompanied by Abdul Ganie Parker and few
other Muslim brothers who had accompanied them on this historical ride. He
walked for a while around the spot and then decided to purchase the land.
He stayed in Cape Town for
about seven months while the necessary documents were being prepared by his
attorneys for the transfer in Trust of the properties concerned. Meanwhile his
brother-in-law, Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA was in charge of the
Khanqah in Durban during his absence.
In Cape Town a small wood and
iron house was built on this land where the local people came to meet him when
news of his arrival spread. His spiritual outlook, his humility, character and
his dedication to serve Islam and the Ummah selflessly won the hearts of many,
including the leading Sheikhs, Imams, Huffaz and other leading personalities of
the time. He was visited daily by people during his short stay here. He accepted
the invitation of all, irrespective of caste, colour, creed, language or status
in the community. Many entered the fold of the Chistia Silsila. After laying the
foundation of the present Musjid and completing the Madressa which was used as a
Jamatkhana, he returned to Durban and instructed Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief
Qadi RA, who was also one of his six Khulafas, to proceed to Cape Town and take
charge of the Khanqah that was being erected there.
Since then the following have
served as Trustees:
1905
Founder - Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA
1905
- 1916 Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA
1916
- 1937 Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA
1937
- 1987 Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Karrim Qadi RA
1987
to the present - Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Latief (Imam Baboo)
(Hazrath Shah Imam Latief
known as Imam Baboo and his younger brother Hazrath Shah Goolam Ahmed Habibi RA
who passed away in 1980 assisted Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Karrim Qazi RA in the
administration from 1945 onwards.)
Hazrath
Moulana SHAH Abdul Latief Qadi Siddiqui Habibi RA
Affectionately known as Mamoojaan,
he was born in 1860 in Ibrahim Pattan, Ratnagir, India. His father’s name was
Hazrath Mohamed Yusuf Qadi Habibi RA and mother’s name Aisha RA. He had one
brother, Hazrath Hassan Qadi RA and seven sisters - Zainab Bi, Khurshid Bi,
Fathima, Kulsum, Amina, Khatoon Bi and Latifa. Zainab Bi the eldest of them all,
was married to Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA.
Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA
was a Siddiqui, a direct descendant of Hazrath Sayeddena Abu Bakr Al-Siddiqui
RA. He received his basic Islamic education in Ibrahim Pattan and he went to
Bombay in 1900 for his higher studies where he studied under an Ustaad who was
originally from Panipat, in Northern India. He became the mureed of Hazrath
Khwaja Habib Ali Shah RA of Hyderabad, India.
He first served as an Imam and
teacher in Zakaria Musjid in Bombay before coming to South Africa. Hazrath
Soofie Saheb, his paternal uncle, invited him to the Darbar in Riverside to
teach at the madressa where he taught for four years.
However, the love for his family
beckoned him. He told Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA that he wished to go back to
India, who in turn told Moulana that he was going to Cape Town to established a
Khanqah and that he should wait until his return.
On his return to Durban from Cape
Town, Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA instructed Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA to
proceed to Cape Town and take charge of the darbar at Doornhoogte. He at once
set off for Cape Town. Meanwhile Hazrath Soofie RA arranged to bring Moulana’s
entire family including his father, brothers and sisters from India. They joined
him at the Khanqah in late 1905. Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA was able
to concentrate fully on the supervision and administration of the newly
established Khanqah under the watchful eyes of his father, Hazrath Shah Mohamed
Yusuf Qadi Siddiqui Habibi RA. In 1904 he was conferred the Khilafath in the
Chistia, Habibia and Qadiria Silsila by Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA, being one of
his six Khulafas. In the early 1890’s he married Khurshid who was the sister
of the second wife of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA. They had four children, all of
whom died in infancy. He then married Jamal Bi RA in India in 1898 and had two
daughters - Khairunissa and Khadija Bi.
He carried on with the mission of
Hazrath Soofie Saheb with extreme dedication. He went about his duties following
the tariqa of the Mashaikhe Chist. People were now being accepted and enrolled
as mureeds (disciples) in the Chisti Silsila. They were given training in
tasawwuf also. The Khanqah was thus fulfilling the various needs of the
community under his leadership.
Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA made a trip
to Cape Town in 1906 and was very satisfied when he found the khanqah completed
and functioning well. There was a Musjid, Madressa, Yateemkhana, Musafirkhana
and Cemetery.
The Urs Shareef of Hazrath Sayeddena
Abdul Kadir Jilani RA, Hazrath Khwaja Moinuddeen Chisti RA and Hazrath Khwaja
Habib Ali Shah RA were held annually at the Darbar. The Ashura in Moharrum and
all the auspicious nights in the Islamic Calendar were observed.
In 1911, Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul
Latief Qadi RA performed Haj and went to India to visit Ajmer and Hyderabad (his
Sheikh, Hazrath Khwaja Habib Ali Shah RA had passed away in 1904). He then went
to his village in Ratnagir before returning to Durban by ship. During his
absence, Hazrath Soofie Saheb had passed away on 29 June 1911. From the docks he
proceeded to the Mazaar Shareef of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA where he paid his
respects and offered Esale Sawab Fateha after which he met his sister, Hazrath
Zainab Bi RA, the wife of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA, and other family members.
Hazrath Moulana Shah Abdul Latief
Qadi RA returned to Cape Town a very broken-hearted man. On 17 April 1916 (18
Jamadus Sani 1335) he passed away at the time of Zohar Azaan. Imam Husain Jakoet
of Habibia Soofie Musjid who was one of his mureeds, gave the ghusl and
performed the Janaza Namaz as was requested by Moulana. Imam Husain Jakoet,
Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi and Hajee Wazir Parker placed him in his
grave. The permission to bury him in the Darbar was only obtained a day before
his demise.
Although it was a great setback to
his Mureeds, they nevertheless gained strength when they realised that the
various activities at the Darbar that were established by Hazrath Soofie Saheb
RA had to continue. Undoubtedly, the mission that Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA
brought to the southern most tip of the ‘Dark Continent’ was carefully
nurtured by his devoted Khalifa and brother-in-law, Moulana Shah Abdul Latief
Qadi RA. May Almighty Allah shower His Rahmah on them and all those who have
helped them. Ameen.
Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul Latief
Qadi RA had two Khulafas-
1. Hazrath
Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA who was married to his youngest sister, Latiefa Bi
RA.
2.
Hazrath Sayed Shah Ahmed RA of Kardar in India was on a private visit to
Cape Town to meet his mureeds in the Qadiria Order, when he requested Hazrath
Moulana Shah Abdul Latief Qadi RA that he be inducted in the Chistia Order.
Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA
He was born in 1884 in Bankot, India, a small village on the
shores of the Arabian Sea in the Kokan district of Ratnagir. His father, Hajee
Ahmed and his uncles were businessmen. Among other things, they supplied mangoes
to the local market and to Bombay.
He came to Cape Town in 1907 in search of his brothers who
were trying to open a business. He came to the Khanqah to seek shelter for a few
nights. Although he found his brothers, he stayed at the Darbar and became the
mureed of Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA. His brothers however, left
for India without Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA. He was awe-struck by the
spiritual outlook of his Sheikh and decided to serve him and the Silsila at the
Cape.
Although his Sheikh persuaded him to return home, it was of
no avail. He was eventually allowed to stay on at the Khanqah. He married
Latiefa Qadi RA, the sister of the Sheikh and the youngest daughter of Hazrath
Shah Mohamed Yusuf Qadi RA with the prior approval of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA.
Four children were born from this marriage:-
1. Nizambi
- married to Hazrath Shah Goolam Mohamed Soofie Sani RA of Durban.
2.
Khursheed BI - mother-in-law of Hazrath Shah Mohamed Saeid Soofie of
Durban.
3.
Abdul Latief (Imam Boboo) - fatherin-law of Hazrath Shah Abdul Aziz
Soofie of Durban.
4.
Goolam Ahmed.
He continued with the task of administering the various
affairs of the Khanqah. In keeping with the Chisti policy of the founder,
Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA and his Sheikh, Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief RA, he went
out inviting people to the Khanqah to take part in the various activities. He
helped people with their difficulties. Orphans were well cared for. The madressa
was functioning well. In short, he dedicated himself to the work of his Sheikh.
He spent most of his time, especially after Esha, at the Mazaar of his Sheikh.
After s short illness he passed away on 5 August 1937 (1356
AH) at the fairly young age of 53 years. He was buried at the Darbar, near the
Mazaar Shareef of his Sheikh.
Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Karrim Qadi Habibi Siddiqui
RA
He was the youngest son of Hazrath Ahmed Qadi Siddiqui RA
and Kulsoom RA. He was born in the year 1912. His mother, Kulsoom RA, was one of
the seven sisters of Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA. He was educated
in the Habibia Soofie Madressa, Cape Town. In 1936 he married Khurshid Bi, the
daughter of his maternal uncle, Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA. The
following children were born - Goolam Ally, Qutboodeen, Zubeda, Goolam Rasool,
Zohra, Khairunissa, Shabeer, Sabir. He was given the control and administration
of the Khanqah at the tender age of 17 years, after the death of his
father-in-law in 1937. He was assisted by members of the family and certain
members of the congregation. His brothers-in-law, Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Latif
(Imam Baboo) and Shah Goolam Ahmed RA, both sons of Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf
Habibi RA, were very young, 8 years and 6 years respectively, at the time.
With the help of the community he brought changes at the
Darbar. In the 1940’s he enclosed the verandah of the original Musjid. The
present extension at the rear of the Musjid was undertaken by him in 1964. The
Madressa was rebuilt with brick. A shelter was built between the Madressa and
the Musjid for feeding purpose during functions at the Darbar. The present
foundation for the extension was laid by him and other members of the family and
members of the congregation in 1986.
He became the mureed of Hazrath Shah Goolam Hafiz Soofie RA
fourth son of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA, during his visit to Durban in 1947 and a
few years later he was conferred the Khilafat by his Murshid.
Hazrath Shah Imam Abdul Latief Habibi (Imam Baboo)
He is the present Trustee and
Sajjada Nashin of the Habibia Soofie Darbar, Cape Town and the eldest son of
Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA. His mother, Latiefa Bi RA was the sister
of Zainab Bi RA, the wife of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA.
He was born at the Darbar in Cape
Town, where he received his Islamic education. He was constantly under the
guidance of his father and after his demise, his mother took a keen interest in
his education. When he came of age, he, with his younger brother, Hazrath Shah
Goolam Ahmed Habibi RA assisted their brother-in-law Hazrath Shah Abdul Karrim
RA in the affairs of the Darbar.
From early 1940’s he was in charge
of performing nikah, janaza namaaz and other religious needs of the community.
He assisted in the various major renovations and extension and is fully involved
in the present administration of the Darbar.
He married Amina Bi RA, the younger
daughter of Hazrath Shah Goolam Hafiz Soofie RA in 1948 who is also his Sheikh.
The following are his children-Mohamed Ebrahim, Mohamed Yusuf, Goolam Hoosain,
Zainab Bi, Shamsunnissa and Hafiza. His wife passed away in November 1959. He
saw to the needs of his young children while attending to the various needs of
the community in general. In 1969 he remarried - a son (Mohamed Riza) and a
daughter (Khadija Begum) were born.
He performed Haj in 1968 and visited
the Middle East. especially Damascus, Baghdad. Jerusalem, and Pakistan and
India, He was conferred Khilafath in the Chistia Habibia Qadiria Order from
Hazrath Peer Hafiz Pasha Habibi RA of Hyderabad, Deccan, India in 1988 when he
was in Cape Town during the Urs Shareef of Hazrath Shah Moulana Abdul Latief
Qadi RA.
Presently he is assisted by his
sons. Shah Mohamed Ebrahim Habibi, Shah Hafiz Mohamed Yusuf Habibi, Shah Hafiz
Goolam Hoosain Habibi, Mohamed Riza Habibi and his nephew, Hazrath Moulana Shah
Goolam Qutboodeen Qadi. Mohamed Yusuf and Goolam Hoosain became Hafiz under
Hafiz Shumshudeen of Cape Town.
Hafiz Masood Ahmed Qadi and Mohammed
Usama Qadi are also assisting in the supervision of the buildings and
administration. The following are housed in the Darbar - Musjid, Madressa,
Musafirkhana, Cemetery, Islamic Nursery School, a Bookshop and the Mazaar
Shareef of Hazrath Moulana Abdul Latief Qadi RA.
The following are some of the Imams
that served over the years at the Darbar - Imam Sudlev Dollie. Imam Mohamed
Kajal, Imam Shah Samad Qazi RA, Shah Imam Mustapha Qazi RA, Imam Abdur Rahman
Gamieldin (father of Sheikh Shakiar Gamieldin), Imam Abdur Rahman Umar, Imam
Dawood Haffejee, Hazrath Shah Mohamed Yusuf Habibi RA (father of Imam Baboo).
Shah Abdul Latief Habibi (Imam Baboo) Shah Imam Abdul Karrim Qadi RA, Hazrath
Shah Moulana Goolam Qutboodeen Qadi Habibi, Hafiz Mohamed Yusuf Habibi, Hafiz
Goolam Hoosain and Hafiz Masood Ahmed Qadi.
HAZRATH SHAH MOULANA GOOLAM QUTBOODIN QADI HABIBI
He is the eldest son of Hazrath Imam Abdul Karrim Qadi RA.
He studied in Lucknow from 1959 to 1963 and majored in Arabic in Madina
University in 1965. He is the nephew of the present trustee, Hazrath Shah Imam
Baboo, whom he assists in the administration of the Khanqah at Cape Town.
Khilafat in the Chistia Silsila was conferred upon him in 1988 by Hazrath Peer
Hafez Pasha Habibi RA of Hyderabad.