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Biography & Journey

Overview​

Shaykh Sulaiman bin Abdurahmaan is remembered as a religious leader whose life connected the Hijaz, the Indian Ocean world, and the Cape. He is buried at Bainskloof Pass near Wellington, where his memory has been preserved by descendants, local tradition, and family research.

He is believed to have come from Makkah with his family. Family tradition also preserves that either he, his father, or his grandfather served as an Imam at the Haram in Makkah.

Journey to the Cape​

Family history records that Shaykh Sulaiman was banished from Makkah in 1807 for opposing Wahhabi rule. His journey is remembered through the following places:

  • 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. Family memory also records that he worked as a candle maker.

Rediscovery and Continuity​

The rediscovery of Shaykh Sulaiman's story was not only a matter of research. For many descendants, it felt deeply personal and at times remarkable. Across Cape Town and beyond, families preserved memories, surnames, and fragments of history that later helped reconnect the lines.

Several unusual surnames appear among descendants, including Slamang, Slamong, Slemang, Slemmen, Sedan, and Sadan. These are understood as variations shaped by colonial spelling and local language patterns. What may once have seemed like inconsistency became an important trail through oral history and archival records.

For descendants, this continuity matters because it shows how a family history can survive exile, scattering, and the passage of time. Oral memory, inherited documents, graves, and later DNA testing all helped preserve the legacy of Shaykh Sulaiman into the present generation.

Connection with Tuan Guru​

The families of Shaykh Sulaiman and Tuan Guru remained closely connected across generations. One example recorded in family research is that Ahmed Abdola, a descendant of Tuan Guru, passed away in 1918 at the home of Imam Mogamad Sadan in Worcester.

Published Recognition​

Shaykh Sulaiman's memory also appears in published work beyond family records. He is featured in Shafiq Morton's book Circle of the Saints, which helps place his story within the wider history of the Cape saints and kramats.