In this study, Prof. Dr. Kadir Özköse's work entitled African Sufism Studies consisting of translations and articles are evaluated. Africa is a continent that has hosted many civilizations. The first contact of Muslims with Africa was with the Abyssinian migrations that took place shortly after the Prophet Muhammad's prophethood. The Muslims stepped into the continent with the conquest of Egypt during the reign of Caliph Omar (d. 23/644). With the ongoing conquest movements, the Muslims established many states affiliated to or independent of the caliphate centre. In the preservation and spreading of the existence of Islam in the continent, the tradition of marabout, the cooperation between the scholars and Sufis, the association of madrasah and lodge, the travels of the wandering dervishes into Africa and the activities of the merchants played a crucial role. Sufis, who existed in Africa since the first centuries of Islam, became popular in the 15th century after the establishment of the sects, being based in North Africa. Many sects such as Qadiriyya, Shadhiliyya, Badawiyah, Ticaniyyah, Darkaviyyah and Sanusiyya played an active role in this geography. The relationship of the West with Africa, which started in the 15th century for economic reasons, turned into a colonial understanding in the following centuries. Against the colonialist West, the Sufis have been the main actor in the resistance and organization of the people. The contact of Africa with the Ottoman Empire started with the conquest of Egypt in the first quarter of the 16th century and the relations that developed afterwards took place in the form of mutual solidarity. Sufis in Africa deserve to be examined carefully in terms of establishing their understanding of Sufism, focusing on what is the best activity to be done in their circumstances, and having a reactionary identity. Özköse's book entitled with African Sufism Studies has a quality that can fill an important gap in the literature in terms of showing the Sufi movements in this geography from the beginning of Islam up to now and being the first book published with this content.
Primary Language | Turkish |
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Subjects | Religious Studies |
Journal Section | Book Review |
Authors | |
Publication Date | June 25, 2021 |
Published in Issue | Year 2021 Volume: 6 Issue: 2 |