Muslim Brotherhoods in Nineteenth-Century Africa (African Studies) [Paperback]

B. G. Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0521534518 | ISBN-13: 978-0521534512

The mystical and hierarchically organized brotherhoods, the sufi, were first formed in the twelfth century in Iraq, Iran, central Asia, and North Africa. These brotherhoods drew their members from all kinship groups and all classes and professions. By the end of the eighteenth century, however, the African orders were faced, as was the Muslim world in general, with the steady growth of European imperialism in the Near East, dramatically symbolized by the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt. The sufi's fear that their world was endangered combined at this point with the evident political and military weakness of the Ottoman Turks and with a pervasive and general sense of cultural decline to bring about a religious revival under the aegis of the Muslim brotherhoods. This revival has as its main goal the defence of Islam, and through it the sufi orders acquired great, and indeed unprecedented, political and social influence. Professor Martin considers the social and the political aspects of this revival. He focuses on eight sufi brotherhoods and their leaders; five moderates who taught mysticism, carried on jihads, or instituted social reforms; and one conservative sufi leader very little affected by the changing world of the nineteenth century. The book should appeal to all readers interested in African, Islamic, and Middle Eastern history, and to those anthropologists, sociologists, and historians interested in religion.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Professor Martin considers the social and political aspects of the revival of the Muslim brotherhoods, or sufi in the nineteenth century. This revival had as its main goal the defence of Islam, and though it the sufi orders acquired great, and indeed unprecedented, political and social influence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521534518
• ISBN-13: 978-0521534512
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,220,166 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for the student of Islam in Africa, August 11, 2005

By 

Gogol (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Muslim Brotherhoods in Nineteenth-Century Africa (African Studies) (Paperback)

An exellent book and it would seem the only one on the market that deals comprehensively with the Sufi/Islamic revival in 19th century Africa. Central figures are given particular attention to such as Emir Abd-al-Qader, The Sanusiyye, Sheikh Usuman dan Fodio and al-Hajj Umar Tal. The fact that Melvin Hiskett's book the 'sword of truth' which is a biography (and as far as I know the only biography) in English of Sheikh Usuman dan Fodio is no longer available makes this book all the more important.

Lesser known Islamic leaders are also covered in this book such as Seyyid Muhammad Abdullah Hasan who as derogatorily called by the British the 'mad Mullah' (in spite of the fact that as the book rightly puts, he was neither mad nor a Mullah)and Ma'al-Aynayn of Mauritania. There is also a section on the Shadhili and Qadiri Sufi orders in East Africa and the contributions they made to the spead of Islam in not only Africa but as far away as Java and South India and their relations with other Sufi orders in the Middle East and the Ottoman Sultan.

I would have liked more on the subject of the relations between these Islamic leaders and similar leaders in other parts of the Islamic world for example the fact that during his exile Emir Abd al-Qader resided in Bursa in Turkey (a street there still bears his name) The many Shadhili Sheikhs from the Arab world that moved to Istanbul to support the Sultan and the relations between the Khalwati orders in the Balkans and Turkey with the Khalwatis in Egypt (Sheikh Usuman was also a Khalwati)

Still an exellent book, my only complaint is the price (was it realy necessary to make it so expensive?)