Queen Victoria Mosque

Coordinates: 33°55′22.1390″S 18°24′43.7490″E / 33.922816389°S 18.412152500°E / -33.922816389; 18.412152500
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Queen Victoria Mosque
Location
LocationBo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa
Queen Victoria Mosque is located in South Africa
Queen Victoria Mosque
Shown within South Africa
Queen Victoria Mosque is located in Africa
Queen Victoria Mosque
Queen Victoria Mosque (Africa)
Geographic coordinates33°55′22.1390″S 18°24′43.7490″E / 33.922816389°S 18.412152500°E / -33.922816389; 18.412152500
Architecture
TypeMosque

The Jamia mosque or Queen Victoria mosque is situated at the corner of Chiappini and Castle street, Cape Town.[1] It is considered to be the first and oldest mosque in Cape Town,[2][3] and the largest in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town.[4]

History[edit]

While some sources mention that the mosque was built in the year 1850,[a] others mention that the land for building the mosque was granted only in the year 1851.[b] It is a Shafee mosque[5] and was the first mosque built on land that was specifically given for a mosque site by the British Crown.[1] This may have been one reason it was referred to as Queen Victoria mosque.[1] Another reason it was referred to thus could have been the involvement of the British Crown in resolving disputes within the Muslim community.[6] The Jamia mosque site was granted to the Cape Muslims with the expressed assurance that it be utilised by all Muslims regardless of their differences.[1] The land grant resulted out of conditions in the Colony in 1846.[1][c]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Worden, et al. (2004) mention that the mosque was built in 1850.[2]
  2. ^ Hutchinson (2006) writes that the mosque site was approved only on 19 October 1851 and the title deeds were transferred three years thence.[5]
  3. ^ In 1804, the Cape was threatened by war; the increasing clashes on the Eastern Frontier required the complete trust of those who lived in the Colony, leading to the inclination to appease the Muslim community.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Achmat Davids, The Mosques of Bo-Kaap-page 138, The South African Institute of Arabic and Islamic Research Athlone, Cape Town, 1980
  2. ^ a b Nigel Worden; Elizabeth Van Heyningen; Vivian Bickford-Smith (2004). Cape Town: The Making of a City. New Africa Books. pp. 187–. ISBN 978-0-86486-656-1.
  3. ^ "The colourful Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa". Insightguides.com. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  4. ^ "Mosques -". Bokaap.co.za. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Michael Hutchinson (2006). Bo-Kaap: Colourful Heart of Cape Town. New Africa Books. pp. 78–. ISBN 978-0-86486-693-6.
  6. ^ Kay McCormick (2002). Language in Cape Town's District Six. Oxford University Press. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-0-19-823554-5.