Ali Mazrui has left his enormous intellectual footprint in Political Science in general and Afric... more Ali Mazrui has left his enormous intellectual footprint in Political Science in general and African Studies in particular. By the beginning of the 1990s, Mazrui’s outputs had been impressive and this resulted in Abdul Bemath’s 1998 compilation that was titled The Mazruiana Collection (1962-1997). However, as the years unfolded, Bemath saw the need to update his earlier compilation and this was renamed The Mazruiana Collection Revisited. The 2005 annotated bibliographical text that Bemath painstakingly put together has generously served and it continues to serve the Social Sciences and Humanities; and the latest edition of this compilation is about to be concluded to include all Mazrui’s publications between 2005 and 2014 as well as other edited texts that contain Mazrui’s writings that were compiled post-humously. The purpose of this essay is to essentially return to Bemath’s invaluable compilation as well as the updated curriculum vitae (CV); it does so to study and review from a bibliometric perspective Mazrui’s substantial contribution to the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Put differently, it sets itself the task to undertake a bibliometric approach that would help to map out Mazrui’s ‘mind’ reflecting upon the numbers of peer reviewed articles alongside his long list of books and book chapter publications. It graphically depicts and analyzes Mazrui’s outputs in order to show the extent of his contributions towards the knowledge production process that relates to the mentioned disciplines and in particular to that of African Studies.
Features a variety of articles, as well as three rich special sections: one on Somalia; one on IS... more Features a variety of articles, as well as three rich special sections: one on Somalia; one on ISIS and South African Muslims; one on Boko Haram.
Anyone acquainted with Africa's rich social history cannot deny the fact that Islam – as a dynami... more Anyone acquainted with Africa's rich social history cannot deny the fact that Islam – as a dynamic religious tradition-has indeed been an integral part of its identity. In fact, it was Ali Mazrui, the Africanist, who powerfully described this dimension when he highlighted the continent's triple heritage (of which Christianity and African Religious Tradition also form a part). Though Khalid Diab, the Egyptian-Belgian journalist, significantly remarked that, " Islamic Civilization is so hard-wired into Europe's cultural, social and intellectual DNA that it would be impossible to expunge its influence " (Al-Jazeera 8 Jan 2015), one is of the view that Africa neatly fitted that profile since it – more than any other continent-tangibly reflect that. Indeed when one scans the length and breath of the continent, one comes across various types of evidence that points to the fact that Muslims left behind their footprints in almost every sector of the continent. These have since become part of Africa's continental heritage and most of them have fortunately been preserved by its numerous nation-states. For example, when traveling through central Africa one finds many scholarly manuscripts that have yet to be edited and that cover different themes. And when moving to East Africa's coastal regions one comes across numerous historical sites/towns such as Kilwa that are clearly reminiscent of Muslim influence. And as one travels further south of the continent, one finds ample proof that point to the Muslims' presence. All of these perceptibly demonstrate that one cannot sidestep the Muslim contribution to this continent's identity. So the purpose of this presentation is fivefold: the first is to conceptualize the term 'Islamic Civilization' that intends to act the essay's theoretical frame; the second is to briefly reflect upon the continent's social history south of the Sahara; the third is to comment on the rich Islamic manuscript collections and other heritage items that contributed towards the making of this civilization continentally; the fourth is to narrate in summarized form the status of Timbuktu as an educational centre; and the fifth is to tabulate the challenges that the continent currently faces in its attempt to preserve and protect its heritage items such as manuscripts from those who wish to destroy them.
... Movies 231 Guy Matalon 22 Redemption and Film 242 Julien R. Fielding 23 Filming the Afterlife... more ... Movies 231 Guy Matalon 22 Redemption and Film 242 Julien R. Fielding 23 Filming the Afterlife 251 Christian Haunton 24 Imaging God in the Movies 260 Christian Haunton 25 The Saviour Figure 270 Matthew McEver 26 Karma and Film 281 Michele Marie Desmarais vi ...
ABSTRACT South Africa's Cape Muslim religious leaders creatively contributed towards the ... more ABSTRACT South Africa's Cape Muslim religious leaders creatively contributed towards the formation of Afrikaans linguistics, an issue that the South African academia seemed to have ignored and overlooked. By the beginning of the 20th century, the literary output of these religious leaders developed to form a unique genre of literature; a genre that is popularly referred to as "Arabic-Afrikaans" within the South African linguistic circles. Achmat Davids (1939-98), who may be regarded as the doyen of "Cape Islamic Studies," was among a handful of scholars who devoted much of his time to study carefully this type of literature. As a consequence of his labour, he produced one of the most significant contemporary works in South African linguistics. This review essay reflects upon the importance of Davids' path-breaking and invaluable study, which was recently co-edited by Hein Willemse and Suleman E. Dangor.
ABSTRACT This article studies and explains why and how Al-Qalam was transformed, and by implicati... more ABSTRACT This article studies and explains why and how Al-Qalam was transformed, and by implication, how and why it became one of South Africa's 'alternative press' in the 1980s. Whilst these aspects form the bulk of this essay, it also takes into account the role Al-...
Throughout the 20th century Muslim individuals and organizations in South Africa made attempts to... more Throughout the 20th century Muslim individuals and organizations in South Africa made attempts to produce periodicals in order to maintain their distinct religious identity. However, the establishment of the Mus-lim News (MN) in 1960 was an important milestone in their hi~tory;~ it was the ...
In the October 1986 Synod of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (hereafter NGK) a resolution was ... more In the October 1986 Synod of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (hereafter NGK) a resolution was passed where it was unanimously accepted that 'Islam is a false religion; a great challenge to Christianity in South Africa, Africa and in the World' (tr.).1 The Synod's calculated ...
... By then a number ofAfrican states already decided to break diplomatic ties with Israel (Ojo 1... more ... By then a number ofAfrican states already decided to break diplomatic ties with Israel (Ojo 1987: 148-151). ... In fact, by 1973 Muslim News's Editorial Board members were influenced by both the Black Consciousness Movement, initiated by Steve Biko (d. 1977) in 1970, and the ...
ABSTRACT Book reviewed in this article: Islam in Africa, Nura Alkali, Adamu Adamu, Amal Yadudu, R... more ABSTRACT Book reviewed in this article: Islam in Africa, Nura Alkali, Adamu Adamu, Amal Yadudu, Rashid Motem, and Haruna Salihi, editors Muslim Identity and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa, Louis Brenner, editor
New York: State University of New York Press, 1992.433 pages. LC 82-21713. ISBN 0-7914-0993-7 $59... more New York: State University of New York Press, 1992.433 pages. LC 82-21713. ISBN 0-7914-0993-7 $59.50 hardcover. ISBN 0-7914-0994-5 $19.95 paperback. ... Review by Muhammed Haron, Ph.D. University of the Western Cape ... The reader's attention has been drawn to ...
Ali Mazrui has left his enormous intellectual footprint in Political Science in general and Afric... more Ali Mazrui has left his enormous intellectual footprint in Political Science in general and African Studies in particular. By the beginning of the 1990s, Mazrui’s outputs had been impressive and this resulted in Abdul Bemath’s 1998 compilation that was titled The Mazruiana Collection (1962-1997). However, as the years unfolded, Bemath saw the need to update his earlier compilation and this was renamed The Mazruiana Collection Revisited. The 2005 annotated bibliographical text that Bemath painstakingly put together has generously served and it continues to serve the Social Sciences and Humanities; and the latest edition of this compilation is about to be concluded to include all Mazrui’s publications between 2005 and 2014 as well as other edited texts that contain Mazrui’s writings that were compiled post-humously. The purpose of this essay is to essentially return to Bemath’s invaluable compilation as well as the updated curriculum vitae (CV); it does so to study and review from a bibliometric perspective Mazrui’s substantial contribution to the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Put differently, it sets itself the task to undertake a bibliometric approach that would help to map out Mazrui’s ‘mind’ reflecting upon the numbers of peer reviewed articles alongside his long list of books and book chapter publications. It graphically depicts and analyzes Mazrui’s outputs in order to show the extent of his contributions towards the knowledge production process that relates to the mentioned disciplines and in particular to that of African Studies.
Features a variety of articles, as well as three rich special sections: one on Somalia; one on IS... more Features a variety of articles, as well as three rich special sections: one on Somalia; one on ISIS and South African Muslims; one on Boko Haram.
Anyone acquainted with Africa's rich social history cannot deny the fact that Islam – as a dynami... more Anyone acquainted with Africa's rich social history cannot deny the fact that Islam – as a dynamic religious tradition-has indeed been an integral part of its identity. In fact, it was Ali Mazrui, the Africanist, who powerfully described this dimension when he highlighted the continent's triple heritage (of which Christianity and African Religious Tradition also form a part). Though Khalid Diab, the Egyptian-Belgian journalist, significantly remarked that, " Islamic Civilization is so hard-wired into Europe's cultural, social and intellectual DNA that it would be impossible to expunge its influence " (Al-Jazeera 8 Jan 2015), one is of the view that Africa neatly fitted that profile since it – more than any other continent-tangibly reflect that. Indeed when one scans the length and breath of the continent, one comes across various types of evidence that points to the fact that Muslims left behind their footprints in almost every sector of the continent. These have since become part of Africa's continental heritage and most of them have fortunately been preserved by its numerous nation-states. For example, when traveling through central Africa one finds many scholarly manuscripts that have yet to be edited and that cover different themes. And when moving to East Africa's coastal regions one comes across numerous historical sites/towns such as Kilwa that are clearly reminiscent of Muslim influence. And as one travels further south of the continent, one finds ample proof that point to the Muslims' presence. All of these perceptibly demonstrate that one cannot sidestep the Muslim contribution to this continent's identity. So the purpose of this presentation is fivefold: the first is to conceptualize the term 'Islamic Civilization' that intends to act the essay's theoretical frame; the second is to briefly reflect upon the continent's social history south of the Sahara; the third is to comment on the rich Islamic manuscript collections and other heritage items that contributed towards the making of this civilization continentally; the fourth is to narrate in summarized form the status of Timbuktu as an educational centre; and the fifth is to tabulate the challenges that the continent currently faces in its attempt to preserve and protect its heritage items such as manuscripts from those who wish to destroy them.
... Movies 231 Guy Matalon 22 Redemption and Film 242 Julien R. Fielding 23 Filming the Afterlife... more ... Movies 231 Guy Matalon 22 Redemption and Film 242 Julien R. Fielding 23 Filming the Afterlife 251 Christian Haunton 24 Imaging God in the Movies 260 Christian Haunton 25 The Saviour Figure 270 Matthew McEver 26 Karma and Film 281 Michele Marie Desmarais vi ...
ABSTRACT South Africa's Cape Muslim religious leaders creatively contributed towards the ... more ABSTRACT South Africa's Cape Muslim religious leaders creatively contributed towards the formation of Afrikaans linguistics, an issue that the South African academia seemed to have ignored and overlooked. By the beginning of the 20th century, the literary output of these religious leaders developed to form a unique genre of literature; a genre that is popularly referred to as "Arabic-Afrikaans" within the South African linguistic circles. Achmat Davids (1939-98), who may be regarded as the doyen of "Cape Islamic Studies," was among a handful of scholars who devoted much of his time to study carefully this type of literature. As a consequence of his labour, he produced one of the most significant contemporary works in South African linguistics. This review essay reflects upon the importance of Davids' path-breaking and invaluable study, which was recently co-edited by Hein Willemse and Suleman E. Dangor.
ABSTRACT This article studies and explains why and how Al-Qalam was transformed, and by implicati... more ABSTRACT This article studies and explains why and how Al-Qalam was transformed, and by implication, how and why it became one of South Africa's 'alternative press' in the 1980s. Whilst these aspects form the bulk of this essay, it also takes into account the role Al-...
Throughout the 20th century Muslim individuals and organizations in South Africa made attempts to... more Throughout the 20th century Muslim individuals and organizations in South Africa made attempts to produce periodicals in order to maintain their distinct religious identity. However, the establishment of the Mus-lim News (MN) in 1960 was an important milestone in their hi~tory;~ it was the ...
In the October 1986 Synod of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (hereafter NGK) a resolution was ... more In the October 1986 Synod of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (hereafter NGK) a resolution was passed where it was unanimously accepted that 'Islam is a false religion; a great challenge to Christianity in South Africa, Africa and in the World' (tr.).1 The Synod's calculated ...
... By then a number ofAfrican states already decided to break diplomatic ties with Israel (Ojo 1... more ... By then a number ofAfrican states already decided to break diplomatic ties with Israel (Ojo 1987: 148-151). ... In fact, by 1973 Muslim News's Editorial Board members were influenced by both the Black Consciousness Movement, initiated by Steve Biko (d. 1977) in 1970, and the ...
ABSTRACT Book reviewed in this article: Islam in Africa, Nura Alkali, Adamu Adamu, Amal Yadudu, R... more ABSTRACT Book reviewed in this article: Islam in Africa, Nura Alkali, Adamu Adamu, Amal Yadudu, Rashid Motem, and Haruna Salihi, editors Muslim Identity and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa, Louis Brenner, editor
New York: State University of New York Press, 1992.433 pages. LC 82-21713. ISBN 0-7914-0993-7 $59... more New York: State University of New York Press, 1992.433 pages. LC 82-21713. ISBN 0-7914-0993-7 $59.50 hardcover. ISBN 0-7914-0994-5 $19.95 paperback. ... Review by Muhammed Haron, Ph.D. University of the Western Cape ... The reader's attention has been drawn to ...
South Africa's Muslim community, like many other Muslim majority and minority communities, is ind... more South Africa's Muslim community, like many other Muslim majority and minority communities, is indeed heterogeneous in its make-up. One of the main identity markers of this community is Sufism. Since its gradual evolution over the centuries (circa 1700-2010), many of its members were adherents of well-known Sufi orders that extended their tentacles deep into South African soil. Whilst sizeable numbers belonged to the Chistiyyah and the Qadriyyah orders respectively, some were affiliated to the Naqshbandiyya tariqah. And in each case, these orders had their South African Shaykhs who pledged their oaths of loyalty to their respective orders' supreme Shaykhs who were stationed abroad. Interestingly, some of the local Shaykhs, whose influences in the country were reasonably extensive, were to some extent challenged by the presence of internationally respected Shaykhs; those who consciously chose to stay in South Africa. The one was Shaykh Abdul Qadir as-Sufi who opted to live in Cape Town where he and his followers, namely the Murabitun, established the Jami'a Masjid; and the other was Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri (b.1937) and his followers, namely the Haeriyyun (i.e. a term that this researcher manufactured to describe Shaykh Haeri's followers) who settled in Mpumalanga's White River farming area. From the time that they established their orders in South Africa, they made a tremendous impact upon those who were generally ill-informed about their brands of Sufism and their activities. Apart from having annual ‗jalsas' and weekly religious gatherings, they produced and circulated their texts for the public. The essay's purpose is essentially fourfold. The first is to outline the socio-historical background of – what may be termed – Southern African Sufism; a section that may act as a significant backdrop for its main focus. The second is to reflect on the settlement, emergence and development of the Murabitun and the Haeriyyun. The third is to assess their respective contributions to Southern African Sufism. And the last is to briefly compare these two Shaykhs in terms of their particular socio-religious positions within South Africa's Muslim community; in this section reference will be made to some of their writings and lectures/discourses in order to demonstrate the social politics of these two orders in and beyond South Africa. The essay, however, intends to use ‗religious movement' and ‗religious authority' as conceptual frames within which to view the Sufi inputs of these two prominent Shaykhs and their respective movements/orders.
Both supplication and prayer are religious rituals that have been taken for granted by Muslim com... more Both supplication and prayer are religious rituals that have been taken for granted by Muslim communities that regularly perform them. Consequently, since both variables have been rather ritualistically implemented no stress has been laid on their spiritual significance. Now these two critical variables have not gone unnoticed by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; a religious reformer who lived a life that was filled with trials and tribulations. As Nursi encountered the countless challenges along the path and had been in the process of transitioning from the Old Nursi to the New Nursi, he pondered deeply about their respective rituals and their important impact on the Turkish society and by implication Muslim communities beyond the Muslim heartlands. Being an innovative activist and wise sage, Nursi proposed and activated 'positive action' strategy that consisted of these two rituals as essential elements in it. So, the purpose of this essay is threefold: the first is to conceptualize the phrase 'positive action' as a theoretical frame that contributes towards personal and communal change. The second then evaluates in brief Nursi's nine rules, and the third reflects upon the two variables that form part of Nursi's recipe for success.
Southern Africa is undoubtedly a predominantly non-Muslim region; a region that consists of natio... more Southern Africa is undoubtedly a predominantly non-Muslim region; a region that consists of nation-states that have opted to operate along democratic political lines and that have adopted Constitutions that were open to accommodating religious traditions other than African Religious Traditions and Christianity. As a consequence of these open constitutional policies, minority religious traditions such as Islam were able to find a space within which to operate. Islam, as a religious tradition, was taken to Southern Africa via different routes; in some instances it was carried to these distant places by political prisoners and slaves during colonial times, and in other cases it was taken there by migrant labourers and plantation workers. The outcome of these developments resulted in the formation of Muslim communities who now form an integral part of Southern African social landscape; this is very noticeable in the northern part of Mozambique and also very conspicuous in the Southwestern part of South Africa's Cape region where they have brought about religious transformation.
Whilst the issue of Islamophobia has generally been on the rise in European and North American na... more Whilst the issue of Islamophobia has generally been on the rise in European and North American nation states according to some reports, the question that confronts one is: whether it has been and whether it still is widespread in Africa? If not, then what are the reasons for it not being the case and if so then why does one note a qualitative difference in response to this phenomenon between Europeans/Americans and Africans(/Asians)? Even though this paper does not intend to pursue a comparative study, it wishes to reflect upon this phenomenon taking into account the broad African context before it zooms in on selected regions as brief case studies. But before returning to these and other relevant questions, it should be stated that some scholars argued and underscored that sensationalist (western oriented) media reports (see Richardson 2004: 75) and scandalous scholarly outputs produced by individuals such as Hammond (2012); some of the latter have been financially supported by (western based) think tanks and anti-Muslim NGOs ignited and fuelled this phenomenon (Ali et al 2011). Indeed many studies have tangibly demonstrated to what extent outrageous media reports and disgraceful scholarship have helped to spread the notion that Islam-as a bona fide world religious tradition-is essentially irrational and fundamentally violent; and as a consequence of the skewed and questionable reasoning in these studies, they reached the conclusion that Islam's devoted adherents are basically conservative in their outlook, opaque in their attitudes, and traditional in their behaviour and as a result are chief supporters of extremism and terrorism. The referred-to studies have shown that this type of reasoning is definitely problematic and unquestionably debatable and that they should be countered and challenged at different levels.
As a region, the Middle East (ME) has remained and continues to be a central location in world af... more As a region, the Middle East (ME) has remained and continues to be a central location in world affairs; and as a consequence of whatever took and is taking place in that region, nation-states around the globe have been and are continuously affected by the issues there. When we consider the 1990/1991 Gulf War its impact was noted in Africa and elsewhere, and when thinking about the post 9/11 era the world was drawn into the Bush administration's misdirected 'War on Terror' campaign; as a consequence of these events, African communities and states were readily coopted to join Africom serving USA interest and targeting Muslim extremists across Africa. Bearing these events in mind, this essay's purpose is to investigate the effects of ME affairs on Africa's diverse communities. Whilst it is not possible to deal with all of these communities on the continent, it confines itself to Southern Africa where minority Muslim communities reside. It does so with the intention of looking at how the ME trends have influenced these communities. Since the ISIS phenomenon has extented its tentacles into Africa, the essay essentially evaluates its reach and impact. ISIS' contrived extremist agenda has undoubtedly affected these Muslim communities and these communities, which have generally enjoyed their religious freedom regionally, have worked out ways of countering its influence through various means. This being the case, this essay frames the discussion by reflecting on Fiqh Al-'Aqalliyat and religious freedom as two theoretical tools .
AwqafSA (Johannesburg) and IRCICA (Istanbul) held a congress in conjunction with IPSA (Cape Town)... more AwqafSA (Johannesburg) and IRCICA (Istanbul) held a congress in conjunction with IPSA (Cape Town) and the University of KwaZulu Natal; the focus was on Islamic Civilization in Southern Africa. The report records a summary of the presenters' papers and list the set of recommendations that were adopted.
Africa’s Muslims have been the subject of many popular and academic works during the past four de... more Africa’s Muslims have been the subject of many popular and academic works during the past four decades. Research, however, seems to have intensified towards the end of the 1990s and this has continued apace to this day. General African studies bibliographies have made commendable attempts to record the publications that focus on Africa’s Muslims. Thus far only four special bibliographies that devote themselves to Africa’s Muslims exist; the first two were compiled by Patrick Ofori and Samir Zoghby respectively, and the most recent ones were likewise produced by Paul Schrijver and Abdulkader Tayob. The last two mentioned works, moreover, were complemented by Peter Limb’s Webography. This essay’s purpose is to demonstrate to what extent these bibliographical works contributed substantively towards ‘the accumulation of knowledge’ in the field of ‘Islamic studies’; a field of specialization that has been indebted to Katip Chalabi aka Hajja Khalipha; a bibliographical scholar who made a substantial contribution to bibliographical studies. The essay, however, argues for a more comprehensive compilation; one that does more than merely record the published entries regarding Africa’s Muslims. It requests for the assemblage of an annotated bibliography; one that would provide useful insights into each of the entries and one that somehow adds to the ‘knowledge management’ sector of Africa’s Muslims.
The three critical elements of ‘Sustainable Development’ (SD) are social, environmental and econo... more The three critical elements of ‘Sustainable Development’ (SD) are social, environmental and economic. These elements affect all societies equally and it is generally agreed that no community can remain immune from the negative effects of any of these. Now since SD specialists have identified a list of goals and targets, the question is to what extent has or rather how do Muslims, who form an integral part of the global society, play their role in addressing these SD goals and targets? This essay’s purpose is twofold: the first is to revisit the concept in the light of the Muslims’ understanding of it, and the second is to specifically zoom in on the Muslim media’s educational role in addressing various SD goals. It is, of course, acknowledged that the Muslim media industry is fairly broad and expansive, and since this is the case it was decided to review a handful of online non-Muslim and Muslim managed magazines/websites, and to also assess to what degree these publications/sites have been using their columns and platforms to, on the one hand, inform and, on the other, educate the readers about SD issues. The essay will basically adopt a textual study approach that intends to review and also draw upon online magazines and websites to underscore the media’s proactive position in conscientising/educating Muslims about SD matters.
Whilst Muslim majority communities have taken the process of observing a Halal system for granted... more Whilst Muslim majority communities have taken the process of observing a Halal system for granted, Muslim minority communities have encountered difficulties in devising and implementing the system because of anti-Halal groups and organizations in countries where they reside as expatriates or as citizens. Nonetheless, though the term Halal is an acceptable concept, non-Muslim communities have generally responded negatively to its employment in their environments; in fact they viewed it as a negative rather than a positive system. The questions that arise are: do we, as Muslim minorities, blame them for reacting negatively? What should we do in order to rectify the misperceptions/misconceptions that they have of Muslims and more specifically the incorrect understanding of the terms’ usage as well as everything that is associated with it? How should we go about disseminating the term so that it does not carry any negative or incorrect connotations? Well in this presentation one way of doing so is to re-define the term within and beyond a non-Muslim context; in other words, an attempt will be made to provide a holistic definition rather than a myopic insight into the term. Defining the term in a fairly broad manner will indeed assist in providing an opportunity of educating non-Muslims and Muslims alike about the term’s employment and application. Educating these communities will be critical in that it should help in dispelling the negative notions associated with it. After a method has been devised to concretely and successfully publicize information about the term, efforts should be made by representative groups within the Muslim community of branding the ideas connected to the concept; put differently, the term should be advertised and conveyed in such a manner that non-Muslims should also want to be identified with it; they should be convinced of its wholesome and healthy nature and impact. Key words: Definitions, Branding, Halal, Haram, Communities, Muslim, non-Muslim, Education, Minorities, Fiqh al-‘Aqalliyyat.
Though Southern Africa may not be regarded as a multi-religious region as is the case in other pa... more Though Southern Africa may not be regarded as a multi-religious region as is the case in other parts of the (Western) world, it is among those regions that have adopted an open-door policy towards religious traditions. As a consequence, the regional governments have generally permitted the establishment of private religious educational institutions (such as the Muslim schools). In this presentation the focus intends to be on the Muslim educational institutions with specific reference to the primary/secondary Muslim schools that have been established. Whilst it will reflect on Muslim schools in South Africa as such, it however wishes to specifically zoom in on Botswana where such schools have been around for almost two decades and where they have made an indelible impression on the Gaborone community.
Field of Research: Education, Schools, Southern Africa, South Africa, Botswana, Educational Development
The purpose of this essay is essentially three-fold: to provide a broad overview of the socio-his... more The purpose of this essay is essentially three-fold: to provide a broad overview of the socio-historical context within which these communities emerged, developed and settled in the region – inadvertently laying foundations of a possible „Muslim civilization‟ in the region; to offer an insight into selected communities (e.g. South Africa) that demonstrated through their resilience the contributions that they have made during the past few decades – capturing their socio-political transformation; and to reflect upon the future of these communities in the Southern African democratic environment. It intends to however make use of the notion of „agency‟ as a theoretical frame within which to grasp these Muslim communities‟ role and position within this changing region, and it moreover prefaces the essay with an overview of Muslim demographics.
Southern Africa’s Muslims like many of their counterparts elsewhere have carved out for
themselv... more Southern Africa’s Muslims like many of their counterparts elsewhere have carved out for
themselves a unique multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, and a multi-religious identity in this part of the
continent. They have done so through the establishment and the formation of a variety of
complementary and supplementary Muslim education programmes and institutions. As result of these
innovative educational inputs, these Muslim communities have over the past few decades made an
interesting contribution towards the region. The region, for example, witnessed since the mid 1970s and
the beginning of the 1980s the mounting of ‘Islamic Studies’ courses and programmes at a few
universities in the region and these were further complemented by the emergence of non-accredited
Darul Ulums that have produced the necessary religious leadership for these communities. Since many
of the Southern African universities where these courses have been on offer needed feeder institutions
to keep their programmes viable and sustainable, some of them opened their doors to Darul Ulum
graduates to pursue post-graduate studies by permitting them through ‘recognition of prior learning’
entry points.
The purpose of this essay is manifold: the first is to undertake a literature review pertaining to
what has thus far been written about Muslim Higher Education; the second is to outline a theoretical
frame to assist in understanding this sector; the third is to briefly record the educational developments
of ‘Islamic studies’ as it unfolded from the 1970s onwards in the region in the tertiary sector; the fourth
is to analyze the Muslim educational developments with special focus on Darul-‘Ulums within the
predominantly non-Muslim environment in the post-cold war era (which coincides with the postapartheid
era [circa 1994-2013]); and the fifth is to evaluate selected Muslim educational institutions in
Southern Africa.
Muslims remain as conspicuous minorities in the West where they encountered numerous challenges; ... more Muslims remain as conspicuous minorities in the West where they encountered numerous challenges; one of the key ones is the maintenance of their religious identities amidst a predominantly secular society. Whilst some succeeded to overcome the challenges, others found themselves absorbed into the secular environment and as a result they abandoned their identities as Muslims. From among the latter group there are those such as Salman Rushdie and Hirsi Ali who not only rejected their identities but who began to write against the traditions within which they were nurtured and grew up. As they articulated their ideas in publications and through other means, they were countered by an array of Muslim representative organizations that touched upon the question of the 'Freedom of Speech' and the 'Freedom of Religion.' As expected these critical voices of Muslims and Islam were given full support by Islamophobic individuals such as Theo van Gogh and others. In this review essay the focus is Anshuman Mondal's Islam and Controversy that critically evaluated the ideas of a few of these individuals and their works (i.e. novels, films and cartoons).
Muslim communities have preserved their identity as religious majority and minority communities t... more Muslim communities have preserved their identity as religious majority and minority communities through the educational systems that have been set up in the countries where they reside. On the African continent these coummunities have been guided by many competent Muslim clerics and under their guidance have dealt with numerous challenges that they encountered over the centuries. This essay is essentially a review of a fascinating work that Rudolph Ware III published and that challenged many stereotypical views of, among others, the Qur'an School.
Paul Schrijver's Bibliography on 'Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa' is an important contribution to th... more Paul Schrijver's Bibliography on 'Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa' is an important contribution to the field. That being the case, this essay reviews the publication and considers it a critical tool for researchers and other interested stakeholders. Though this is; however, an unpublished text, a shorter version appeared.
Institutions of higher learning in the Muslim world are generally underpinnned by an Islamic etho... more Institutions of higher learning in the Muslim world are generally underpinnned by an Islamic ethos; but despite this they have encountered numerous challenges from various stakeholders in and outside their structures. This essay undertakes a review of Osman Bakar, Eric Winkel & Airulamri Amran co-edited conference proceedings titled Contemporary Higher Education Needs in Muslim Countries: Defining the Role of Islam in 21st century Higher Education (Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia and IKIP International College, 2011). The reason is basically twofold: the first is that there are few English publications that dealt with themes that the conference set itself out to explore, and the second is to assess whether the set of papers in this publication satisfactorily succeeded to address the themes. Key words: Institutions, Universities, Higher Education, Muslim World, Islam
Southeast Asia has been the birthplace of many important intellectuals; one the most prominent an... more Southeast Asia has been the birthplace of many important intellectuals; one the most prominent and well known is Jose Rizal from the Philippines. Whilst some remain private intellectuals, others became prominent public intellectuals and their ideas stimilated debates that led to social and educational reforms. This review essay turns its focus to Rosnani Hashim’s edited volume that selected a few Muslim intellectuals and that narrated their stories. Each of them left behind rich legacies and the chapters in this volume illustrated to what extent and in which way each of them made a difference to the education arenas in which they operated. This review essay thus seeks to reflect upon each of the chapters.
The essay focuses on two communities that were heavily affected by the segregation policies durin... more The essay focuses on two communities that were heavily affected by the segregation policies during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Besides briefly describing and analyzing the various strands within the (Cape) Coloureds, it comments on each strand's ancestry by tracing them to their (miscellaneous) forebears; most of whom came from varied regions, belonged to specific ethnic groups, spoke diverse mother-tongues, adhered to an assortment of cultural communities, and subscribed to different religious traditions. And it then shifts the focus to the smaller ‘Zanzibaris’ community; this community was anomalously categorized within the racial system as either ‘Other Asiatics’ or ‘Coloureds’ or ‘African’. It, however, reflects upon both within a specific timeframe beginning with the first British occupation of the Cape Colony until the outbreak of World War 1 (ca 1800-1914).
South Africa"s Cabo de Goede Hoop (i.e. Cape) became a convenient halfway station for the Dutch E... more South Africa"s Cabo de Goede Hoop (i.e. Cape) became a convenient halfway station for the Dutch East India Company during the mid-17 th century. The Company officials not only employed it as a refreshment posting but developed it into an important outpost; one that served as a base to extend its tentacles into the Cape"s expansive hinterlands, and the other was to use it as a place where it could banish those that opposed their rule. The review essay turns to two books that sketched the biographies of two iconic Melayu Archipelago personalities; respected individuals who stood up against the DEIC"s hegemonic role. The first of the two zooms in on Shaykh Yusuf Al-Makassari who was banished to Zandvliet; a place distant from DEIC"s headquarters at the Cape. And the second was Imam Abdullah ibn Qadi "Abdus Salam (aka Tuan Guru) who was incarcerated twice on Robben Island; an island that was located off the Cape coast. Fatefully, both religious figures are viewed as iconic figures who contributed to the formation of the nascent Cape Muslim community in different ways.
Over the past fifty years (c.1970-2020), one may argue that South African Muslim scholarship deve... more Over the past fifty years (c.1970-2020), one may argue that South African Muslim scholarship developed from a fairly weak foundation into a dynamic one. When this type of scholarship started out, one encountered difficulty in describing and defining it; this may be attributed to the fact that its bases were rather fragile and one hardly found Muslim scholars that made inputs. At present, one can easily identify and draw upon scores of Muslim scholars that have sought ways of relating their research to their religious tradition; among this coterie of scholars is Aslam Fataar who was not trained as a theologian and nor trained in Islamic studies. Fataar was trained in Education and that is where he made his mark. Though Fataar specialized in Education, one would find it problematic to pigeonhole him by describing him purely as an educationist; he is more than that. Defined differently, one can argue that since Fataar crossed disciplinary boundaries he was able to not only reflect on but also engage with various aspects of Islamic studies. During the past two decades and more, Fataar productively and meaningfully interacted with concepts and ideas intellectually in and outside the house of Islam; and he, as a consequence of his activist academic role in the public arena, took on the aura of a public Muslim intellectual; someone who openly engaged with issues theologically. This review essay thus examines Fataar"s collection of writings that are contained in this anthology; it does so to illustrate on what grounds Fataar may be described as a public intellectual and on what basis he stepped into the Public Theology arena in the house of Islam.
Encyclopedia of African Religious and Cultures , 2019
The short encyclopedia entry undertakes a brief comparative study between Nguni communities and M... more The short encyclopedia entry undertakes a brief comparative study between Nguni communities and Muslim culture in South. The essay first records on the migration of different ethnic groups to South Africa before it describes the interaction between Muslim missionary organizations and the Nguni communities. It then identifies various aspects of the Nguni communities: from their conceptualization of God to their various cultural practices; and in the process of doing this, it compares Nguni with Muslim practices.
Muslims opine that the cosmos was constructed by God for human beings. God brought it into being ... more Muslims opine that the cosmos was constructed by God for human beings. God brought it into being so that humans may act and perform tasks that would harmonize with the natural regulations; a set of laws forms part of the divine scheme of things. However, while God created the cosmos in this way, God also provided humans with the faculty of reasoning; a faculty that he/she may apply as he/she charts out a relationship with other beings (humans and animals) and with the universe (that is, the cosmos). Each person may, however, opt to use his/her faculty of act righteously in order to be in tune with legal pronouncements or the person may choose to act non-righteously performing deeds that go against God's natural laws and may be liable for punishment. The purpose of this presentation is fourfold: it first reflects on God's trustee in the divine scheme to illustrate the close connection between the two. The second turns to the ever-changing environment as a result of human interventions thus bringing to the fore Muslim insights and responses to these; it makes used of the Divine Command Theory as a theoretical frame. The third examines the changing cosmos wherein contemporary societies have encountered various challenges (such as nuclear chemicals and deforestation that have contributed towards climate change) that have severely affected everyone. And the fourth focuses on the ethical discourses; a set of ideas that present-day Muslim thought leaders-in and beyond Africa-espoused as regards environmental matters. These discourses have been raised and have been tabled with the idea of seeking ways of overcoming these diverse challenges. The presentation being located in an African context thus grapples with these discourses alongside legal decrees-using maqasid ash-Shari'a as its entry point-that have been generated as responses to current environmental issues.
Africa is the home of a variety of religious traditions and their offshoots. Like other continent... more Africa is the home of a variety of religious traditions and their offshoots. Like other continents, these traditions encountered internal and external challenges. In the case of Africa"s Muslims they have grown over the centuries and in certain parts are in the majority and in others they are in the minority. Since it is well-nigh beyond the focus of this paper to cover the whole continent to discuss its Muslim societies, it decided to concentrate on these by offering specific attention to the Ahmadiyyah Community; a community that emerged during the early part of the 20 th century and one that made its presence felt continently; particularly in what has been described as Sub-Saharan Africa. But anyone attempting to give a detailed and balanced understanding of this community across the continent in a paper such as this will not succeed it in providing a reasonable coverage. That being the case, it opted to restrict itself by reflecting on the Ahmadiyyah community in South Africa; a community that has evolved since the 1950s into a relatively active one but that has had legal run-ins with the national Muslim theological bodies. The purpose of this paper is to locate this community in its socio-historical contexts continentally and regionally. Thereafter it intends to zoom in on the conflict that develop in the 1960s and that spilled over into the 1980s when court cases were held. Alongside this, it refers to two texts that were published during those years; the one text will be briefly discussed to show how the Ahmadiyyah ideologue, Mr. Dawood Sydow championed its cause and advanced ideas in reply to a local controversial tract; and it then considers the anti-Ahmadiyyah publication that was used to undercut the emerging community theologically and sociologically. The paper hopes to illustrate to what extent the Ahmadiyyah managed to sustain itself and hold onto its double identity within a predominantly non-Muslim Christian environment in South Africa. It, however, conceptualizes the terms "movement" and "community" to frame the discussion.
Contemporary Islamic Thought and Societal Reforms, 2019
Africa"s communities are ethnically, linguistically, culturally, religiously, politically diverse... more Africa"s communities are ethnically, linguistically, culturally, religiously, politically diverse like the communities on other continents; these communities have evolved over time into dynamic and resilient communities where they continue to reside as religious majorities and minorities. While an attempt in this presentation is to provide an overview of Africa"s Muslim communities that have lived and continue to live on a vast continent, it will be well-nigh beyond its scope to offer a balanced and an informed insight of each of them. Considering this and other facts, it restricts itself to Africa"s Muslim minorities; wide-ranging communities that have been caught between modernist thought and their traditional practices; they have been challenged by modernity to such an extent that some of these communities witnessed the whittling away of some of their age-old traditions; these have been gradually eclipsed and replaced by modern ways of doing things. Different fields have been affected by those who initiated reform whether it was in the social sector, cultural arena, economic segment, or in the educational system. Interestingly, many Muslim leaders, who have been educated in missionary/secular schools and who were exposed to various dimensions of modern thought, have used their ideas that they learnt in these educational environments to bring about modern changes in their communities; while some used education as their key entry point by setting up private schools, others used the social arena to bring about tangible reform. These social and educational reforms were evident in all various parts of the continent stretching from East to West Africa and from Northern to Southern Africa; wherever Muslims resided in these geographical zones reformers emerged among the Muslim communities; they became these communities" agents of socio-educational change. Some of them were traditionally trained teachers, others were trained theologians, and others hailed from professional backgrounds such as pharmacists and doctors. These individuals and their organizations that they represented realized the relevance of making use of modern technologies in conveying their ideas and thoughts. Based on previous textual studies, this essay focuses on a selection of theologians and professionals who demonstrated to what extent they were challenged by modernity and to what degree they managed to transform their communities" established traditions.
The chapter, however, addresses three interrelated issues. The first section focuses on the neoli... more The chapter, however, addresses three interrelated issues. The first section focuses on the neoliberal age (circa 1980-2020) within which it locates migration and religion. The second part broadly reflects on the interconnected between migration and religion by superficially reviewing selected documents that capture African people’s migration global flows with Europe as one of their main destinations; this is, of course, a continent where they stood out racially, ethnically, linguistically, culturally and religiously. And the third portion reflects on African Muslim migrants’ position by evaluating the challenges and dilemmas that they by and large faced during this neoliberal era; in this section, it illustrates using two examples; these studies show how these African Muslim communities have had to theologically engage with the process of integration and to what degree that tackled Islamophobia’s rise and spread. In addition to these, the chapter rounded off with three complementary issues that tried these communities religiously and that tested them theologically.
Graduate Education at the University of Botswana: Towards a Selected Literature Review, 2018
The question that confronts us all in the academia is: ‘Graduate Education: Quo Vadis (Which dire... more The question that confronts us all in the academia is: ‘Graduate Education: Quo Vadis (Which direction [is it heading])?’ In responding to this question, the research report undertakes a literature review in order to bring about changes at this level at the University of Botswana. The review's one objective is to assist us in comprehending the importance of this sector within all academic institution and the other is to appreciate its pivotal position within and beyond our academic institutions. Armed with an acceptable understanding, we should be able to envisage its role in transforming society and country. The report thus identifies a selection of relevant literature that offers a fair insight into graduate education.
Muslim Education Variations: Cases from Central & Southern Africa, 2019
The essay's aim is to discuss the contemporary ‘Muslim education’ systems that are operatives in ... more The essay's aim is to discuss the contemporary ‘Muslim education’ systems that are operatives in a few Central and Southern African nation-states. Since it is well-nigh beyond this essay’s scope to cover all states even-handedly, it will select case studies to do that. Factoring in the diverse educational settings in each of the 19 Central and Southern African nation-states, the six countries that will be referred to will give one insight into the various types of systems. Besides, the sketchy overview of the Central and Southern Africa Educational Landscape, it discusses the policy of religious freedom and ties this in with the important issue of religious education. This then opens the pathway for the essay to reflect on the ‘Muslim education’ systems regionally.
Reviews and assesses comparatively Malaysia and South Africa relations, and considers their roles... more Reviews and assesses comparatively Malaysia and South Africa relations, and considers their roles in their respective regional structures (that is, ASEAN and SADC). Takes into account their strategic geographical locations and reflects on their respective notions of and approaches to regionalism.
This short essay wishes to narrate and record the cases of two individuals whose enviable contrib... more This short essay wishes to narrate and record the cases of two individuals whose enviable contributions towards apartheid's destruction cannot be overlooked and ignored. Whilst this essay has no intention of providing detailed biographies of the two, it does so in a telegraphic form since it reflects briefly upon their respective inquests that were held during 1970 and 1972/2017 respectively. The two personalities that it focuses on are Imam Abdullah Haron and Ahmed Timol; both were detained under the same notorious Acts and both were killed at the hands of their interrogators. But since the findings of the respective inquests were naturally biased in the way the two magistrates worded and phrased their corresponding reports, anyone with commonsense was able to reach the same conclusion and that was that none of the Security Branch members, who were directly involved in the interrogation and brutal torture of these two valiant men, would be found guilty of any crime; and they were, of course, not found guilty for any wrongdoing. The essay therefore reflects on these two individual cases and opens with a telegraphic comparative synopsis of their biographies.
Africa’s Muslims, like their counterparts on other continents, have been concerned about the nega... more Africa’s Muslims, like their counterparts on other continents, have been concerned about the negative effects of climate change. During the past few years, media reports from across the continent illustrated to what extent religious leaders have been called upon by their respective states and civil societies to draw upon their intangible assets such as supplicating publicly and performing mass prayer meetings to beseech the Almighty to bring rain to their regions. Though the supplications of some were answered soon after, others have long-sufferingly and obediently been waiting for the Divine’s response by simply keeping their hands raised and their eyes upon the skies. The purpose of this essay is fourfold. The first is that it identifies prayer as a critical intangible asset that religious traditions bring along when they encounter a crisis; the second is to discuss, somewhat broadly, the interconnections between religion (in this case, Islam) and climate change; the third sets out the guidelines when and why the ‘prayer for rain’ should be performed; and the fourth descriptively narrates African Muslim communities’ responses and the strategies that the Muslim religious leadership adopted when they prayed for rain in and beyond times of drought.
The essay offers a contemporary profile of Botswana's Muslim community. It basically tells the co... more The essay offers a contemporary profile of Botswana's Muslim community. It basically tells the contemporary tale of how Botswana's Muslims emerged and developed with the focus on the present-day period. In order to do so, it narrates, albeit briefly, a few historical developments that provide a context within which the Muslims' contemporary profile emerged, and that links their past with the present. The essay sets itself the task dealing with a number of issues. It first undertakes literature review, and then it provides some basic background data about Botswana in order to insert the Muslims' presence. These issues open the way for a discussion regarding the Muslim' socio-religious and other related developments from before 1966 when Botswana gained its independence until 2016; the year during which it celebrated its 50 years of existence as an African nation-state. In the last part, the essay describes the Muslims' position since independence by selecting and piecing together significant developments, and it briefly analyses their current condition that offers insights into their contemporary profile.
Towards the end of the 20th century that was a period that coincided with the end of the aparthei... more Towards the end of the 20th century that was a period that coincided with the end of the apartheid period and South Africa's era of democracy, many names of men and women of substance come to mind. Among South Africa's Muslim community Ahmad Kathrada's name looms large; he was and remains among the small number of notable individuals who have made an indelible impression on and who made a noteworthy impact in South Africa's socio-political arena. Since a young age, he demonstrated commitment towards achieving the principles of social justice. And as observed in the 1940s up until beyond 2010s, he continued to play a critical role in South Africa's domestic and international affairs. Bearing these in mind, this obituary tries to capture albeit in brief parts of Ahmad Kathrada's rich life.
Upon close inspection ample evidence exists that demonstrate that the Islamic Revolution of Iran ... more Upon close inspection ample evidence exists that demonstrate that the Islamic Revolution of Iran influenced a plethora of Muslim movements in both majority and minority Muslim communities. When glancing at the African continent and more specifically at its Muslim minorities, it is not difficult to observe the extensive impact that the mentioned historical event of 1979 had on many of these Muslim movements. As far as one could assess, the revolution's impact was enormous and far-reaching; it caused individuals, who were deeply inspired by it, to set up structures or rather movements that would help bring about meaningful change and transformation within the Muslim community and also within the Muslim leadership. In many instances, these individuals drew their understandings and insights from the primary source of Islam and that is the Quran. Since it is indeed beyond the scope of this essay to cover different examples of Muslim movements that were influenced by the revolution, it will take one particular case study from Southern Africa where one such movement emerged. Here the paper wishes to give its attention to Qibla Mass Movement that was established in 1981 by Imam Achmad Cassiem at the Cape. The essay thus first intends to trace the social history of this organization, and thereafter it zooms in on Achmad Cassiem; it does so in order (a) to show how he-as a non-traditional Muslim leader-was heavily influenced by the revolution; (b) to illustrate how he engaged with the Quran by placing his writings with numerous Quranic verses; and (c) to demonstrate to what extent Quranic thought underlined the way he understood it within an anti-apartheid setting (circa 1980-1994).
Documentaries about the outcomes of the tragedies in the Middle East have soared over the past fe... more Documentaries about the outcomes of the tragedies in the Middle East have soared over the past few years; these have helped to highlight the plight of communities in the affected region. This essay is a review of a documentary that focused in ISIS and illustrated to what extent ISIS undermined the dignity of these communities. Though the documentary demonstrated the trauma encountered by some of the communities in this region, it also reflected the issues that were missed by the producers. Hence the key question in this essay: Was it a balanced expose?
The presentation reflects on the life of Imam Abdullah Haron who was killed while in detention du... more The presentation reflects on the life of Imam Abdullah Haron who was killed while in detention during September 1969. It sketches his life and draws on brief stories that highlight his persona. It stressed that though he was an Imam in the Cape community, he was also concerned with the developments in and beyond that community. As a result of the Imam's dedication, he charted out a socio-political cum religious pathway that was opposed by the Apartheid system; hence the Imam's incarceration and eventual killing at the hands of the notorious Security Branch.
Being a keynote address to graduates who completed the undergrad Islamic Studies program at this ... more Being a keynote address to graduates who completed the undergrad Islamic Studies program at this Cape Town bases International Peace College, the address reflects our observations as regards IPSA status within the academia. It offers brief thoughts to the graduates encouraging them to be self-critical the various stages as they chart out a vision for themselves into the future; and for institutions such as IPSA, it recommends that it partner with like-minded institutions to transform and advance learning and research.
Muslim thought has always been on the move and, as a consequence, it has motivated communities an... more Muslim thought has always been on the move and, as a consequence, it has motivated communities and effected change. Over the generations, it has travelled distances and crossed borders and outlived the empires from where it was generated. This review essay focuses on two scholars whose ideas have impacted on those in the Melayu archipelago over the centuries; the first is Al-Ghazali and the second is Al-Sanusi. While the latter came from North Africa, the former hailed from Southwest Asia. Their respective writings have had an enormous effect on subsequent generations since that dealt with key issues in the house of Islam. Two Malaysian scholars, namely Megawati Moris and Che Razi Jusoh studied these two personalities; and both tangibly demonstrated the impact that their works have had on the Melayu world at both the ideational and practical levels.
Publisher: Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Pretoria, 2019
Indonesia and South Africa have created a strong relationship over the two and a half decades; du... more Indonesia and South Africa have created a strong relationship over the two and a half decades; during 2019 the two countries celebrated a partnership of 25 years. This edited work was prepared to celebrate the ties between these two nation-states. It covered different aspects of the relations to demonstrate the nature of the bonds that have been forged over the years. Though their historical links go back to the time the Dutch East India Company (popularly known as the VOC) colonized the Cape of Good Hope and ruled the archipelago from Batavia, most of the chapters covered contemporary issues.
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The purpose of this essay is to essentially return to Bemath’s invaluable compilation as well as the updated curriculum vitae (CV); it does so to study and review from a bibliometric perspective Mazrui’s substantial contribution to the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Put differently, it sets itself the task to undertake a bibliometric approach that would help to map out Mazrui’s ‘mind’ reflecting upon the numbers of peer reviewed articles alongside his long list of books and book chapter publications. It graphically depicts and analyzes Mazrui’s outputs in order to show the extent of his contributions towards the knowledge production process that relates to the mentioned disciplines and in particular to that of African Studies.
The purpose of this essay is to essentially return to Bemath’s invaluable compilation as well as the updated curriculum vitae (CV); it does so to study and review from a bibliometric perspective Mazrui’s substantial contribution to the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Put differently, it sets itself the task to undertake a bibliometric approach that would help to map out Mazrui’s ‘mind’ reflecting upon the numbers of peer reviewed articles alongside his long list of books and book chapter publications. It graphically depicts and analyzes Mazrui’s outputs in order to show the extent of his contributions towards the knowledge production process that relates to the mentioned disciplines and in particular to that of African Studies.
This essay’s purpose is twofold: the first is to revisit the concept in the light of the Muslims’ understanding of it, and the second is to specifically zoom in on the Muslim media’s educational role in addressing various SD goals. It is, of course, acknowledged that the Muslim media industry is fairly broad and expansive, and since this is the case it was decided to review a handful of online non-Muslim and Muslim managed magazines/websites, and to also assess to what degree these publications/sites have been using their columns and platforms to, on the one hand, inform and, on the other, educate the readers about SD issues. The essay will basically adopt a textual study approach that intends to review and also draw upon online magazines and websites to underscore the media’s proactive position in conscientising/educating Muslims about SD matters.
Well in this presentation one way of doing so is to re-define the term within and beyond a non-Muslim context; in other words, an attempt will be made to provide a holistic definition rather than a myopic insight into the term. Defining the term in a fairly broad manner will indeed assist in providing an opportunity of educating non-Muslims and Muslims alike about the term’s employment and application. Educating these communities will be critical in that it should help in dispelling the negative notions associated with it. After a method has been devised to concretely and successfully publicize information about the term, efforts should be made by representative groups within the Muslim community of branding the ideas connected to the concept; put differently, the term should be advertised and conveyed in such a manner that non-Muslims should also want to be identified with it; they should be convinced of its wholesome and healthy nature and impact.
Key words: Definitions, Branding, Halal, Haram, Communities, Muslim, non-Muslim, Education, Minorities, Fiqh al-‘Aqalliyyat.
Field of Research: Education, Schools, Southern Africa, South Africa, Botswana, Educational Development
themselves a unique multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, and a multi-religious identity in this part of the
continent. They have done so through the establishment and the formation of a variety of
complementary and supplementary Muslim education programmes and institutions. As result of these
innovative educational inputs, these Muslim communities have over the past few decades made an
interesting contribution towards the region. The region, for example, witnessed since the mid 1970s and
the beginning of the 1980s the mounting of ‘Islamic Studies’ courses and programmes at a few
universities in the region and these were further complemented by the emergence of non-accredited
Darul Ulums that have produced the necessary religious leadership for these communities. Since many
of the Southern African universities where these courses have been on offer needed feeder institutions
to keep their programmes viable and sustainable, some of them opened their doors to Darul Ulum
graduates to pursue post-graduate studies by permitting them through ‘recognition of prior learning’
entry points.
The purpose of this essay is manifold: the first is to undertake a literature review pertaining to
what has thus far been written about Muslim Higher Education; the second is to outline a theoretical
frame to assist in understanding this sector; the third is to briefly record the educational developments
of ‘Islamic studies’ as it unfolded from the 1970s onwards in the region in the tertiary sector; the fourth
is to analyze the Muslim educational developments with special focus on Darul-‘Ulums within the
predominantly non-Muslim environment in the post-cold war era (which coincides with the postapartheid
era [circa 1994-2013]); and the fifth is to evaluate selected Muslim educational institutions in
Southern Africa.
Key words: Institutions, Universities, Higher Education, Muslim World, Islam