CompleteMartialArts.com - Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-Based Society

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 297.39096773 EAN: 9781569021033 ISBN: 1569021031 Label: Red Sea Press Manufacturer: Red Sea Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 174 Publication Date: 1998-10 Publisher: Red Sea Press Studio: Red Sea Press
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Editorial Reviews: This collection of essays, based on first-hand anthropological field research spanning many years, brings together in a single volume the author's collected material on characteristics of popular Islam amongst the Somali of the Horn of Africa. The tension between mystically mediated views of man's relation to God and more ritualistic interpretations of region provides the main focus of this book-Sufism on the one hand, and skeptical criticism of this mystical understanding of Islam on the other. A universal religion here, as elsewhere, Islam has its own local emphasis and special features, and in these investigations of the cult of saints, the reader is introduced to an array of Somali saints and holy men, their reputation for mystical powers, and the pathways to veneration. The repertoire includes clan ancestors, local holy men of outstanding piety, and famous pan-Islamic figures. These essays also look at some popular practices which are at the margins of orthodox religion, such as spirit possession cults associated primarily with women. Lewis' introductory essay to this volume deserves special attention. In it he challenges single strand theories on the cult of saints espoused by some scholars and non scholars, and sets the stage for the presentation of an intricate and integrated picture of Muslim beliefs and practice among the Somali. Rigorous, outspoken, and backing his arguments with reflections based on a lifetime of research and scholarship, Lewis makes a major contribution to understanding the place and role of religion in Somali society.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Very interesting but not completely accurate Comment: My husband was recommended this book when he visited the British Library; he is from the Reer Sheikh Mumin one of the clans of Arab origin mentioned several times in this book; it is a very interesting book but some of the things written about my husband's clan are from colonial sources and thus not fully accurate; for example saying that they were into sorcery and banditry is simply not correct; this was a smear first started by the Italian ruler whom the town of Lugh Ferrandi was named after; also it is now thought by some sources that the Reer Sheikh Mumin migrated to Somalia over a thousand years ago, not 300 Customer Rating: Summary: Good, really good Comment: Absolytely good boo Customer Rating: Summary: Good, really good Comment: Absolytely good boo Customer Rating: Summary: Good, really good Comment: Absolytely good boo More Reviews