ISBN 9789996060908
Pages 174
Dimensions 210 x 148mm
Published 2021
Publisher Mzuni Press, Malawi
Format Paperback

Introduction to Islam for Malawi

by David S Bone

In Malawi, where Islam arrived before Christianity, a substantial minority of the population are Muslims and, in some areas, they form the majority. Many people in one major ethnic group, the Yao, have an especially close association with the religion. In cities and many areas of the country the distinctive presence of Islam can be seen in the form of mosques, ways of dressing, customs and festivals. Muslims have provided Malawi with a State President and Vice-President, Cabinet Ministers and Ambassadors, as well as leading figures in commerce, the professions and the security services.

This book aims to contribute to knowledge and understanding in three main ways and falls into three sections. First and foremost, it offers a concise introduction to the foundations on which the religion of Islam is based. It then goes on to describe the expansion and development of the Islamic Community and account for some of the sources of the rich diversity that is found among Muslims. Some of this diversity comes from the very different cultures in which Islam has found a place, and some of it comes also from different interpretations of the foundations of the religion itself. The book concludes with an outline of how Islam has come to Africa, and to Malawi in particular, and how it has found expression in the lives of Muslims there.

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About the Author

David S Bone

David Bone, formerly Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi, has had a career in education, teaching about Islam at Univeristy, Theological College, and Secondary School levels in Malawi and in his native Scotland. He has researched and written extensively about the development of Muslim communities in Malawi.