Sacred Footsteps - The Podcast Sacred Footsteps

On the hills in and around Cape Town, you will find 300 year old Muslim graves belonging to notable individuals who arrived on the southern tip of the African continent in chains, as slaves or political prisoners of colonisers. They brought nothing with them, except faith in their hearts and the remembrance of God on their tongues.
This is the story of the beautiful melodic tones of Cape Town dhikr and why it has such a unique sound. Spanning centuries and continents, it is a story of imprisonment and enslavement, colonialism and resistance; of sufi tariqahs, scholars and princes. It is a story of hardship, courage and perseverance, but above all, of faith in God. 
Written and hosted by Zara Choudhary
Show notes

Zara talks to Dr Abu Bakr Sirajuddin Cook and Dr Rami Dawood about the history of Islam in Australia- beginning with the arrival of the Makassan traders, that pre-dates European settlement, to the Afghan Cameleers, who set up the first mosques in the country. They discuss the legacy of the early Muslims in the country, their interaction with Aboriginal tribes, and the discovery of a Sufi Qadiri manuscript in Broken Hill Mosque. 

Zara and Zirrar talk to author and Arabist Diana Darke about her most recent book Stealing From The Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe. Diana explains how cultural exchanges between Europe and Islamic Syria shaped Gothic architecture, and why this has become a point of controversy in Europe today.

Sana Gillani visits the tombs of her ancestors: the parents of the influential scholar and saint, Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Gilani, in Iran. 

Abdullah Sattar explores the roots of Sufism in Punjab, which spread, in large part, through the words of poets that are still recited and resonate today.

Alex Reynolds from lostwithpurpose shares her experiences/conclusions/insights from more than four years of full time travel.