Abdurahman, who was born in Wellington (Cape Town ) on 18 December 1872 and graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Glasgow in 1893.He return to South Africa with his Scottish wife in1895, entered public life in 1904 when he became the first black person to be elected to the Cape Town City Council. Journalist George Manuel reported that initially many councillors regarded Abdurahman's presence in the chamber as an affront to their dignity and that some even refused to sit next to him.