An extract from Abdeyah da Costa: Faith, Fashion, Fortitude

In the winding lanes of the Bo-Kaap, where history lingers in the scent of spices and the rhythm of the adhān echoing off brightly coloured walls, there lives a woman who has recently celebrated her centenary, and whose story captures the very essence of Cape Muslim heritage — a life interwoven with faith, fortitude, beauty, and grace. This is the life of the Mother of the Bo-Kaap, al-Ḥājjah Abdeyah da Costa, née Isaacs, whom I have fondly nicknamed “Madame Mustajāb.” She is the daughter of the learned Shaykh Muḥammad Khayr Isaacs, wife of the devoted teacher Sulaiman da Costa, and a noble descendant of the illustrious Tuan Guru — the princely scholar from Tidore whose legacy continues to be honoured by the Muslims at the Cape.

He is the man who wrote the Qurʾān from memory while imprisoned on Robben Island, and who founded the first madrasah and the Auwal Masjid in Dorp Street. Abdeyah inherited from him not only a bloodline, but a calling: the calling to teach, to nurture, and to serve. Within her father’s home madrasah, she learned that piety and learning are one; that the heart which remembers Allāh gives life to a community; and that faith, when lived with sincerity, radiates far beyond the self. Through the years, she became both guardian and giver — the kind of woman whose presence steadied others. The home she shared with her husband became an open sanctuary, her door ever ajar to neighbours, friends, and strangers alike. Her generosity knew little measure, and her grace knew no arrogance. In her, refinement met humility, intellect met tenderness, and discipline met joy.

She was among those rare souls who could host a table of laughter yet preserve the sanctity of remembrance. In business, she was keen-minded and composed. Her women’s clothing shops, the Parlour Salons, stood as symbols of elegant enterprise, blending artistry with dignity. In marriage, she was loyal and steadfast — tending to her ailing husband after he suffered a stroke with gentleness and honour, embodying the mercy and patience the Qurʾān prescribes between two hearts bound in faith. And in her community, she was the quiet matriarch —the counsellor, the poet, the one whose duʿāʾ seemed always mustajāb, always accepted. The life you will encounter in these pages is not merely a chronology of years, but a portrait of character — a mosaic of grace drawn from generations of scholars, artisans, and believers. It is the continuation of the light first kindled by Tuan Guru, reflected through a woman who lived her century with purpose, devotion, and love.

To conclude, I present a summary of her spirit, which I attempted to capturein a poem written for her on her ninetieth birthday — a small tribute to a towering legacy:

Madame Mustajaab

There was a Madame named Mustajaab

A servant of Allah, connected to her Rabb

She opened her heart when you knocked on her door,

Whatever you asked, she always gave more.

Elegant in style, modest in her flair,

She always looked beautiful, no matter what she would wear.

A smile like the moon that would light up the night,

With eyes that would sparkle with the sharpest of sight.

A business lady of elevated repute,

When she made a deal, from the hip she would shoot.

The ‘parlour salon’ was the place to shop,

When the ladies walked by, their jaws would just drop.

She cared for her husband and took him on a cruise,

She looked after him so well, he never had a bruise.

Eloquent indeed, a poet of note,

Beautiful verses she verily wrote.

In a Victorian home in the middle of Dorp Street,

The people would flock with whom she would meet.

She’s a mother to all in the old Bo-Kaap,

We love her for sure... Madame Mustajaab.

May this biography stand as a testament to her legacy, and may her story remind us all that some lives are not merely lived — but instead have the grace to kindle faith in a weary heart and leave a glow upon the soul of an entire community. I must also commend the co-authors — Salie Manie, Ashiek Manie, Tughfa Hamdulay, and Faseeg Manie, beloved nephews and niece of Abdeyah — for producing a sensitive, well-crafted, and deeply respectful work. Their writing does full justice to Abdeyah da Costa in all her facets: her dignity, her strength, her humour, her compassion, and her unwavering faith. This biography is a labour of love, and it shows on every page. And all praise and thanks are due solely to Allāh.

By Shaykh Riyadh Walls, Imām at Masjidus Sunni in Rondebosch East, Cape Town

*This is an extract from the book Abdeyah da CostaFaith, Fashion, Fortitude by Salie Manie, Ashiek Manie, Tughfa Hamdulay, and Faseeg Manie