The Circles of the Saints – The Stories of the Kramats at the Cape By Shafiq Morton

ISBN: 9781037091223

Author: Shafiq Morton

Publisher: AWQAF SA

In The Circle of the Saints, award-winning historian Shafiq Morton maps the spiritual landscape of South Africa by exploring the lives and legacies of the awliyāʾ (saints) who shaped Cape Muslim history. The book details the “Circle of Islam”—a protective perimeter of sacred shrines, or kramats, stretching from Robben Island to Constantia—which stands as a testament to the resilience of faith forged in colonial exile and hardship. By blending archival research with oral traditions, Morton illustrates how these figures, such as Tuan Guru, established a moral geography that continues to influence contemporary debates on heritage and belonging in the 21st century.