The Ratib came to this part of the world with the Muslim scholar, Shaykh Yusuf Makassar, exiled by the Dutch colonisers of 17th century Indonesia. The Ratib al-Haddad is recited by hundreds of millions across the Muslim world but the Cape Malays of South Africa have an extraordinary history with it. Our qari (Qur’an reciter) for the month of Ramadan is a young hafidh (one who has has memorised the Qur’an) from the heart of the Cape Malay tradition of South Africa.Īt a special gathering at SeekersGuidance Toronto, Hafidh Abdullah Francis recited the Ratib al-Haddad, which is a collection of invocations and supplications from the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet, compiled by Imam Sayyid Abd Allah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (1634-1720), may Allah have mercy on him. : Play in a new window | Download to your device (16.3MB)