Customer Reviews

Muslim Brotherhoods in Nineteenth-Century Africa (African Studies)

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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?)