The Past
The early Muslims of Cape Town were primarily located in areas such as Bo-Kaap, District Six, Walmer Estate, Woodstock, and Salt River. In the 1920s, they started moving to the Northern Suburbs as larger plots of land became available in the Goodwood area.
A group of Muslims migrated to ‘Die Akkers’ in Goodwood, which was only one acre in size, hence the name. They quickly built a wooden and iron structure to use as a Salaah Khaana. In 1924, the Quloobul Moe’mieneen Society was founded, and they were able to acquire a piece of land at 127 Goodwood Street for the construction of a proper mosque. Funds were collected for 4 years before construction began in 1928. The mosque was completed in 1932.
Below is a list of Imams who have served at the Quloobul Mo’mineen Mosque and have since passed away:
- Imaam Ismail Isaacs (1932 – 1960)
- Imaam Abdul Kader Mukadam (1960 – 1970)
- Imaam Fakie Abdul Kader (1970 – 1978)
- Hafith Imaam Omar Abdullah (1978 – 2009)
- Resident Sheikh Dawood Ibrahim (2010 – 2021)
The community had around 400 families prior to the 1960s. After 1994, there was a rapid influx of Muslim families, and currently, we have over 1000 families in Goodwood – with more joining us every day.
In the past, the mosque could only hold 400 men and 200 women. However, on Eid and Jumuah, we were unable to accommodate women as we had approximately 300 men standing outside, with men also occupying the female section.
The Present
In 2005, we were able to purchase a neighbouring house and incorporate it with the existing mosque to alleviate overcrowding during Jumuahs and big nights, when musallees would spill onto the road. This expansion made prayer more comfortable and safer for our community.
In 2009, we purchased another adjacent house. Currently, we are using this property for madrassa purposes, and it also serves as the location for our Wellness and Legal Centers. We have consolidated the three properties into one and are in the process of obtaining a rezoning permit for religious purposes.
This additional space allows us to accommodate 950 male and 50 female musallees for Jumuah and Eid prayers. We are working on a Consent Usage Application to renovate and construct a new mosque: with double the capacity. This new mosque will also include a proper madrassah and all necessary accommodations and infrastructure for the society.
We established a Waqf Fund in 2013. In March 2014, we bought a house on Goulburn Street, behind the mosque, and placed it in this fund. The rental income from the three units will provide us with sustainable funding.
In May 2022, we were able to purchase another house located at 125 Goodwood Street, after an extensive six-week fundraising drive. We plan to use this property to establish a creche and preparatory school with a secular education program, while maintaining an Islamic ethos.
We acquired an additional house at 133 Goodwood Street, again through a large-scale fundraising drive. This new property will serve as a parking area and housing for our resident Imam and caretakers.
Later in 2023, we were able to purchase a second Waqaf property located at 120 Goodwood Street, which we intend to rezone for business rights. It will be used for business and skills development, while also generating funds for its self-sufficiency. This purchase was made possible through excess funds collected, along with our investment that matured.
Monthly mosque collections can be made via debit order, EFTs or Snapscan. Debit order forms are available at the mosque.