Africa and Islam
General Info. about IslamIslam is the Arabic word for "submission." This world religion was initiated by Mohammed, a prophet of Allah (God). Those who practice Islam are called Muslims.A Muslim must:
Qualities of Allah:
The Prophets:
The Quran:
Methods of worship:
6 basic beliefs:
The spread of Islam through Africa:
BerbersThe Berbers were Christian inhabitants of Northern African countries including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, etc. They were conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century. At first they resisted but then accepted Islam. The Berbers became the dominant spreaders of Islam because they controlled Trans-Saharan trade and, hence, were a nomadic people. Moving from place to place, they spread their faith. Intermarriage was also a factor in the distribution.Integration into indigenous African cultureTraditional customs of African ethnic groups were integrated into the religious practices. For example, in Upper Volta, during the feast held after the holy month of fasting (Ramadan) children perform dodo, which is like a skit, for entertainment. The purpose is Islamic but the costumes and masks are African in origin.West Africa has generated many Muslim scholars including Shaykh Ahmad Baba, who wrote forty books (Tuba, the city where Baba's tomb lies, is considered something like Mecca to many Senegalese Muslims), Sidi Al-Mukhtar al-Hunt, who wrote 3 00 volumes, and Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio, who wrote 150 books and manuscripts. Today, Africa is the only Islamic continent in the world.
LinksIslam in Africa Origins of Islam---Class PowerPoint Presentation (useful links indicated)
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