Introduction to Islam for Malawi

David Bone

Description

In Malawi, where Islam arrived before Christianity, a substantial minority of the population are Muslims and, in some areas, they form the majority. Many people in one major ethnic group, the Yao, have an especially close association with the religion. In cities and many areas of the country the distinctive presence of Islam can be seen in the form of mosques, ways of dressing, customs and festivals. Muslims have provided Malawi with a State President and Vice-President, Cabinet Ministers and Ambassadors, as well as leading figures in commerce, the professions and the security services.

This book aims to contribute to knowledge and understanding in three main ways and falls into three sections. First and foremost, it offers a concise introduction to the foundations on which the religion of Islam is based. It then goes on to describe the expansion and development of the Islamic Community and account for some of the sources of the rich diversity that is found among Muslims. Some of this diversity comes from the very different cultures in which Islam has found a place, and some of it comes also from different interpretations of the foundations of the religion itself. The book concludes with an outline of how Islam has come to Africa, and to Malawi in particular, and how it has found expression in the lives of Muslims there.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Religion
• Islam
• History

Informations

• Publié par: Mzuni Press
• Date de parution: 11 mai 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789996060915
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Introduction to Islam for Malawi

Copyright 2021 David Bone

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from the publishers.

Published by

Mzuni Press

P/Bag 201, Mzuzu 2, Malawi

ISBN 978-99960-60-90-8 eISBN 978-99960-60-91-5

Mzuni Press is represented outside Malawi by:

African Books Collective Oxford ([e-mail])

www.africanbookscollective.com

www.mzunipress.blogspot.com

Cover design: David Bone, Klaus Fiedler and Josephine Kawejere Cover map: Dr Michael R. Izady. The Gulf/2000 Project-SIPA- Columbia University, by kind permission of the author. Cover picture: Tsanko Madinga Kasambala.

Introduction to Islam for Malawi

David Bone

Mzuni Books no. 47

Mzuzu

2021

4

Glossary

al-fatihaopening (initial chapter of the(Arabic) the Qur’an) abd(Arabic) servant adhan(Arabic) call to prayer aya (Arabic) verse (of the Qur’an) baraka(Arabic) blessing dhikr(Arabic) remembrance (of the name of God) dhimmiminority(Arabic) protected Eid ul-Adha(Arabic) Feast of Sacrifice Eid ul-Fitrending Ramadan(Arabic) festival fatwa(Arabic) legally binding declaration fiqh(Arabic) understanding (about Islamic legal rulings from sources) Hadith(Arabic) report/s (about actions and words of the Prophet) Hajj(Arabic) obligatory pilgrimage halal (Arabic)permitted haram(Arabic) prohibited haqiqa(Arabic) truth hijabMuslim covering(Arabic) modest hijrah(Arabic) emigration (of Muslims from Medina to Mecca) Ifriqiya(Arabic)area included in modern day Libya, Tunisia and Algeria ijaza(Arabic) authorization to transmit religious knowledge imam(Arabic) leader Injil(Arabic) Gospel jando(Yao) Yao boys’ Islamized initiation ceremony

5

jihad(Arabic) striving (in the way of God) jizyaon ‘protected minorities’(Arabic) tax jumbe(Swahili) governor/chief/sultan lupandaboys’ traditional initiation(Yao) Yao ceremony madrassa(Arabic) school Mahdi(Arabic) the expected one masjid(Arabic) mosque mu’alim(Arabic) teacher Maulid(Arabic) birthday (of the Prophet) Muhajirun (Arabic)emigrants mwalimu(Swahili) religious teacher nabi(Arabic) prophet qadi(Arabic) judge qiyasof deductive analogy(Arabic) process raab(Arabic) master Rashidun(Arabic) rightly guided (Caliphs) rasul(Arabic) prophet ribat(Arabic) stronghold sadaka(Yao) Yao Muslim funerary rite sadaqacharitable giving(Arabic) voluntary Salat(Arabic) obligatory prayers Saum(Arabic) obligatory fasting Shahadaof faith(Arabic) declaration sikiliwith religious origins(Yao) dance Sunnaway of the Prophet(Arabic) the sura(Arabic) chapter (of the Qur’an) tariqaway: a Sufi order(Arabic) lit. Tawrat(Arabic) Torah Ulemaof learned Muslim scholars(Arabic) class Umma(Arabic) the community of Muslims

Umrah(Arabic) wali(Arabic) wazir(Arabic) Zabur(Arabic) Zakat(Arabic) ziyara(Arabic)

6

minor pilgrimage authorized agent minister Psalms obligatory almsgiving lit. visit: in Malawi, ceremony for the Prophet’s birthday

Early Reaction in Mecca

The Night of Power

7

4 14 16 18 22 22 23

SECTION 1: THE FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM

Contents

Part 1: The Prophet Chapter 1 The Seal of the Prophets

Why Study Islam?

Introduction

The Qur’an and the Bible Chapter 2 The Arabian Setting

The Land and the People

Glossary Foreword

The Religious Background Chapter 3 The Early Life of Muhammad

The Revelations Chapter 4 Proclaiming the Message

26 26 28 32 33 34 36 36 37 39

Purpose and Structure of the Book

Persecution

Opposition in Mecca

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Chapter 5 Muhammad in Medina The Hijrah Establishing the Community of Islam

Muhammad and the Jewish tribes Chapter 6 Conflict with the Quraysh

The Battle of Badr

The Battle of Uhud

Expansion and Consolidation Chapter 7 Muhammad Wins Mecca

The Treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah

The Capture of Mecca

Muhammad’s Final Years

Muhammad’s Legacy

THE FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM

Part 2: The Book

Chapter 8 The Qur’an The Divisions of the Qur’an

The Compilation of the Qur’an Chapter 9 The Teaching about God in the Qur’an

The Unity of God

God as Creator and Sustainer

41 41 42 44 47 47 48 49 52 52 53

54 55 57 57 58 58 60 60 61

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God’s Sovereign Will 62 Chapter 10 The Teaching of the Qur’an about Humankind 63 People Dependent on God 63 How People should Respond to God 64 Right-doing 65 Chapter 11 The Teaching of the Qur’an about Judgement, Paradise and Hell 67 The Day of Judgement 67 Paradise 68 Hell 69 THE FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM Part 3: Islamic Law and Guidance 70 Chapter 12 Regulating the Community 70 The First two Sources of Authority 71 Hadith 72 Chapter 13 The Scholars of Islam, theUlema 75 The Sources of Authority of Islamic Law 76 Chapter 14 The Obligations of Islam 80 The Religious Obligations 80 Prayer 80 Almsgiving 81 Fasting 82