| dc.description.abstract | After the death of Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) the Muslim Uinnah was rocked by succession disputes. One group was in favour of the principle which was devoid of the notion of heredity, while the other favoured succession by members of the House of the Prophet. Gradually the Sunni and Shia theological positions begun to take form.
After the death of Imam Jafar as Sadiq in 765 the Shia group was split between the followers of his two sons, Ismail and Al-Kazim.
The followers of Ismail became known as the 'Sevcners' and those of Al-Kazim as the ’.Twelvers'. Again in 1094, after the death of A1 Mustansir, the Seveners were divided. The majority pledged loyalty to Nizar and others to his brother, Mustali. While all these schisms took place, the Sunni remained united except for the formation of the four schools of thought. As Islam spread, the various sects found their way into India, Persia and Africa.
As a result of the trade contact between the East Coast of
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Africa and the Muslim world Arab and Persian Muslims had settled in the Coastal towns of Kenya by mid 8th century.
Gradually an Islamic - Swahili culture was developed. By the time the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century
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the coastal belt was predominantly Mislim in population and culture. It was this Islamic - Swahili Culture which was later passed on to the ethnic communities which embraced Islam. The coastal Muslims were the exemplars of the faith. The Asian Muslims arrived much later and with them, came the religious diversity which now characterises
Islam in Kenya. However, Islam remained confined to the coast for many centuries. It was not until the beginning of the second half of the 19th century that Islam reached some parts of the interior of Kenya through Arab/ Swahili traders.
In the process of colonization the British moved from the coast towards the interior, using coastal peoples as porters and soldiers. At the turn of the century, some of them settled in what is now known as the Pangani area of Nairobi. Since they had been recruited from areas which were traditionally Muslim, they formed the nucle us of the Muslim community which absorbed immigrants from nearby Kikuyu, Kamba and Masai areas. Also, there were Somali and Nubian Muslims who settled in separate camps.
The coastal Muslims dominated the religious affairs and the leadership of the villages. After the first World War, the 'converts’ begun to show resentment at this domination by the coastal Muslims. Consequently, tribal mosques were constructed and tribal identity was emphasised by the Kikuyu and the Kamba Muslims and unity was not achieved
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even after they were moved to the new Native Location.
Most of these disagreements were given religious interpretation.
On the one hand, the ’converts’ argued that the Swahili Muslims had distorted the Islamic message, while on the other, the Coastal Muslims looked down upon them as 'converts' and therefore inferior to those born into the faith.
During the construction of the railway to Uganda, many Asians were recruited from India. They were employed as administrators, clerks and indentured labourers. After the completion of the railway they settled in Nairobi and, later on, they were joined by others from the Coast.
They established their own social, economic and religious institutions. The institutions established by the Shia groups were essentially sectarian up to the late 1950's.
Religious affiliation determined membership of societies and participation in communal activities. However, in comparison to the Shia Institutions, the Sunni Tuniabi Mosques and clubs were open to all muslims and the Sunni adopted a nonsectarian
attitude. But the Ismailis built an elaborate educational system for the Ismaili children in Nairobi. In these schools, the children were trained to be good Ismailis first and foremost.
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Children from other corwiunitics were not admitted into the school until after independence. The Bohra also managed a school for their children and other children were not admitted there until 1969. The Ithna* ashari and other small communities which were not able to establish their own schools, sent their children to the Indian government schools in Nairobi, while religious education was imparted in the mosques and at home.
In conclusion, it can be said that sectarianism is one of the most salient characteristics of Islam in Nairobi. | |
