THE CIRCLE OF SAINTS, stories of the kramats at the Cape

368pp., illus., paperback, Awqaf SA, No Place, 2025

ISBN: 9781037091223

Shafiq Morton combines archival research with oral tradition in this history of the “Circle of Islam", a protective perimeter of sacred shrines, or kramats, stretching from Robben Island to Constantia. He explores the lives and legacies of the Sufi saints, or awliyāʾ, who shaped Cape Muslim history and established a moral geography that continues to influence contemporary debates on heritage and belonging.

Shafiq Morton, recipient of two Vodacom awards, received the 2012 AWQAF award for his contribution to community media. His books include A Mercy to All: Imtiaz Sooliman and the Gift of the Givers, From the Spice Islands to Cape Town - the life and times of Tuan Guru and The Crescent at the Cape, the true story of Sayid Abu-Bakr Effendi, 1814-1880.