Contextualization and folk Islam : a case study in the Sudan

Abstract

Estimates suggest that seventy percent of Muslims follow\nfolk Islam (popular Islam), rather than the orthodox Islamic\nfaith. Most methods for reaching Muslims with the\nGospel have concentrated on one of two broad approaches\nwith a third blending the first two methods.\nApologetic, polemic and dialogue techniques argue\nthat Christianity is more valid or reasonable than Islam.\nOther approaches consist of contextualized methods seeking\nsome common ground between Christianity and Islam.\nApologetic arguments have not been very effective\nwith folk Muslims because cognitive propositions fail to\nanswer the “why” questions posed by popular Islam. Most\ncontextualized methods also miss the mark with folk Muslims;\nthey rarely attend Islamic worship, observe the\nfive pillars of Islam, or read the Qur’an. A few missiologists\npropose a fourth category for reaching Muslims –\ncontextualizing according to their worldview.\nThis thesis explores what are the best approaches\nfor evangelizing folk Muslims who are particularly influenced\nby African Traditional Religion (ATR). The Beja\ntribe of the Sudan and the Sukuma tribe of Tanzania serve\nas case studies. I argue for a contextualized approach to\nfolk Muslims, addressing their unique worldviews. ATRinfluenced\nfolk Muslims lean toward a fear-power\nworldview, while the Sufis among them hold to an existential-\ntranscendent worldview. Each group, therefore,\nnecessitates a different evangelism approach.\nThe first chapter presents preliminary matters, the\nresearch question, a literature review, and a rationale\nfor the thesis. The second chapter analyzes the case\nstudy example of Beja folk Islam. Chapter three examines\nfolk Islam and its relationship to orthodox Islam,including further illustrations from the Beja tribe. The\nfourth chapter explores the subject of ATR and its relationship\nto folk Islam. The Sukuma tribe of Tanzania\nserves as a base-line model of ATR for a comparison with\nBeja folk Islam. Chapter five introduces the topic of\ncontextualization in Muslim evangelization and assesses\nthe effectiveness and validity of methods that have been\nused. Chapter six suggests worldview approaches for\nreaching ATR and Sufi-influenced folk Muslims. The final\nchapter summarizes the thesis content, reviews the response\nto the research question, and analyzes the implications\nof the findings of the case study.