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Sayid. Shaykh. Sulaiman bin Abdurahmaan
1777–1859
"Learn your lineages so that you can maintain ties of kinship. For keeping ties of kinship brings love among the relatives, increases wealth, and extends one's lifespan."
Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1979
Location
- Address: Bainskloof Pass, Wellington, 7655
Coordinates: -33.5797222, 19.135 - Google Maps: View location
Brief
Shaykh Sulaiman, buried at Bainskloof Pass near Cape Town, came from Makkah, Arabia with his family. He arrived at the Cape after being banished by the Wahhabi movement and remained to assist in the spread of Islam.
It is believed that either he, his father, or his grandfather served as an Imam at the Haram in Makkah.
Sayid Status
Evidence from oral tradition and preserved Arabic scrolls confirms that Shaykh Sulaiman was a Sayid—a title of respect for descendants of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
- Scroll 1 (Arabic) – held by the Worcester line
- Scroll 1 (English Translation)
As per these scrolls, he was also a descendant of Ahmad ibn Ali al‑Rifāʽī, founder of the Rifaʽi ṭarīqa, a Sufi order within Sunni Islam.
A letter from the Bhyat family of Johannesburg confirms their family origins from Medina. Sietie Salama Bhyat (née Sadan) wrote to Sayed Ghazi Bhafaqi in Saudi Arabia in the 1960s, affirming the family's lineage from Medina.
Travels
Shaykh Sulaiman was banished from Makkah in 1807 for opposing Wahhabi rule. His journey took him through:
- Muscat, Oman
- Goa, India
- Banten, Indonesia
- Uitenhage, South Africa (1816)
- Cape Town, South Africa (1817)
He was married to Regina van Batavia, also known as Sabbarah, and later to Jabila van de Kaap. He was also a candle maker.
Descendants
Caption: This guide should help any descendant identify which son they descend from.
Anyone with the surname Slamang, Slemman, Sedan, or Sadan—primarily in Cape Town—can trace their lineage to Shaykh Sulaiman through oral history and DNA evidence.
He had three sons with Sabbarah. Sons (1) and (2) were twins:
- Imam Sadan – Worcester Line
- Imam Abdulla – Claremont Line
- Imam Magmoed – Wynberg Line
All three lines have confirmed DNA matches, verifying a shared ancestor from the early 1800s—supported by historical and oral records.
Grandchildren
These are the oldest known individuals closest to Shaykh Sulaiman for whom we have photographs.
Caption: Grand-son - Imam Magmoud Slamang (1st Imam of Stegmaan Road Masjid in Claremont)
Caption: Grand-daughter Salama Sedan
DNA & Oral Legacy
The identity of Shaykh Sulaiman Abduragman, buried at the Bainskloof Kramat, was preserved for generations through oral tradition. A mysterious grave near the bridge at Bainskloof has long been believed to be his final resting place.
Thanks to the combined efforts of family elders, DNA testing, and archival research, this history is now supported by both scientific and documentary evidence.
Confirmed Lineages
Below is a summary of one direct line from each of Shaykh Sulaiman’s sons. These lines were selected because the descendants at the end have completed DNA tests confirming their lineage.
| Worcester | Wynberg | Claremont |
|---|---|---|
| Imam Sadan Sulaiman | Sayed Magmoed Sulaiman | Imam Abdulla Sulaiman |
| Imam Mogamad Sadan | Sayed Achmad Slamang | Imam Magmoed Slamang |
| Taib Sadan | Imam Ismail Slamang | Abbas Slamang |
| Abubaker Cedick Sedan | Magmoed Slamang | Mohammed Kassiem Slamang |
| Jamiel Alwie Sedan | Ebrahim Slamang | Nathmie Slamang |
| Anver Sedan | Kausiem Slamang |
DNA tests across descendants of the Sadan/Sedan, Slamang, and Slemming/Simmins families confirm a shared male ancestor — aligning perfectly with oral accounts passed down through each line.
To be explicit, DNA results confirmed that Anver Sedan, Kausiem Slamang, and Nathmie Slamang all share a common paternal ancestor dating back to the early 1800s — consistent with oral history, archival records, and written documentation linking their families to Shaykh Sulaiman.
Supporting Accounts
Official death notices of Imam Sadan Sulaiman and Imam Abdulla Sulaiman both name their father as Sheikh Sulaiman Abduragman, sometimes recorded as Slyman Abdorragman or Sheikh Sulaiman van Arabia. These align with oral traditions collected from elders across all three family lines.
One key oral history comes from Hadjie Salma Jacobs (née Sadan) — daughter of Hadjie Mogamad Taib Sadan, also known as Boeta Tape. She recounted that Imam Sadan Sulaiman helped establish the Worcester Mosque on Durban Street, and preserved stories of his father — Sheikh Sulaiman — being exiled from Makkah for speaking out against the Saudi king, and that he once served as an Imam at the Haram in Makkah.
Together, these oral and archival records confirm what many knew in their hearts — that Shaykh Sulaiman's legacy lives on not only through names and stories, but through tested bloodlines and verified history.
Additional Note on DNA and Tribal Lineage
As part of our research, we came across a valuable reference book that links Arabic surnames to their respective Arab tribes. A photograph from the book shows that the surname Aswat—a known Arabic family name—is traced back to the family of ʿAlī (RA).
This discovery is particularly significant, as one of the DNA matches we identified was with Yunus Aswat and his family, who share a common ancestor with us from approximately 700 years ago.
This finding not only strengthens the credibility of our DNA results but also supports the oral traditions and family scrolls passed down through generations, which state that we are descended from the family of ʿAlī (RA).
Caption: Book reference showing the surname “Aswat” linked to the family of ʿAlī (RA)
Connection with Tuan Guru
The families of Shaykh Sulaiman and Tuan Guru remained closely connected across generations. A notable example: Ahmed Abdola, a descendant of Tuan Guru, passed away in 1918 at the home of Imam Mogamad Sadan in Worcester.
Historical Timeline
A summary of key dates in the life and legacy of Shaykh Sulaiman and his descendants.
- 1777: Birth of Shaykh Sulaiman bin Abdurahmaan
- 1800: Exiled from Makkah; begins journey across Arabia, India, Java, and South Africa
- 1819: Birth of twin sons, Imam Sadan and Imam Abdulla
- 1859: Death of Shaykh Sulaiman; buried at Bainskloof Kramat
- 1875: Imam Sadan settles in Worcester
- 1878: Completion of Worcester Masjid
- 1885: Death of Imam Abdullah (Son)
- 1888: Death of Imam Sadan (Son)
- 1923: Death of Imam Mogamad (Son)
- 2021: DNA testing confirms shared paternal ancestry between (Worcester) and Slamang (Wynberg) families
- 2024: DNA testing confirms shared ancestry between (Claremont) Slamang and the Worcester and Wynberg lines, finalizing research that aligns with both oral and written records
Archival Records
This section lists verified archival documents related to Shaykh Sulaiman’s family, including official death notices and property deeds. These records provide historical confirmation of family members, dates, and locations.
🕊️ Death Notices
-
Sedan Soleman
- MOOC 6/9/258, Ref. 1088
-
Abdulla Slemman
- MOOC 6/9/235, Ref. 1236
-
Mohamed Sadan
- MOOC 6/9/2456, Ref. 1164
📜 Deeds of Transfer
- No. 273 — 20 June 1860
- No. 263 — 9 August 1881
- No. 798 — 26 October 1881
- No. 258 — 21 October 1889