Moslem Senegal

[Thomas]

It's worth considering Islam in Senegal ...

Unlike the schools of Islam the west is aware of, Senegal, which is 95% Moslem, is primarily structured around Sufi brotherhoods. It's considered heterodox (if not heretic) by the Arab states, both Sunni and Shia, and especially Saudi's Wahhabi interpreters, but seems peaceful ... ?

 

[BigJoeNobody]

I'm no expert on sufism, nor senegal, but after a small amount of reading it seems very hierarchical "I'm better than you" ish... This wouldn't be acceptable to most Muslims. All people who claim Islam should be considered peaceful, the issue arises when 1 group decides to venture outside of our Shariah and seek gains in this world using non-Islamic methods.

 

[Ahanu]

It's worth considering Islam in Senegal ...

Unlike the schools of Islam the west is aware of, Senegal, which is 95% Moslem, is primarily structured around Sufi brotherhoods.

I had to look up Senegal. According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of Muslims in Senegal belong to a tariqa. Chad falls in second place with 55%, Cameroon has 48%, and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa have similar percentages that are higher than other regions - such as South Asia, Southeastern Europe, and the Middle East. Are you saying Sufism is more peaceful? It would be worth comparing sub-Saharan Africa with other regions.

 

[Ahanu]

I'm no expert on sufism, nor senegal, but after a small amount of reading it seems very hierarchical "I'm better than you" ish... This wouldn't be acceptable to most Muslims. All people who claim Islam should be considered peaceful, the issue arises when 1 group decides to venture outside of our Shariah and seek gains in this world using non-Islamic methods.

In your opinion it's wrong to say Sufism is more peaceful than Wahhabism?

 

[BigJoeNobody]

In your opinion it's wrong to say Sufism is more peaceful than Wahhabism?

no, I said no such thing. I said all Islamic schools would be peaceful if the basic parts of the Shariah were followed everywhere. Wahhabi tend to be too harsh (general statement, not representative of whole school), and Sufi tend to be too hierarchical. This list could go on, but until we focus on the basics first, all this focus on the more obscure or less defined portions is going to remain blurry.