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The Practice of Islamic Experts in a Village On Mayotte

The Practice of Islamic Experts in a Village On Mayotte THE PRACTICE OF ISLAMIC EXPERTS IN A VILLAGE ON MAYOTTE BY MICHAEL LAMBEK (University of Toronto, Canada) Knowledge and Practice in Village Islam In Mayotte, the southernmost island in the Comoro Archipelago off the coast of East Africa, there is a good deal of self-consciousness about local forms of knowledge. Knowledge is organized in three main explicitly distinguished disciplines, which I translate roughly as sacred Islamic (hilim fakihy), astrology or cosmology (hilim dunia), and spirit possession (hilim ny lulu). The acquisition of these kinds of knowledge forms significant goals and their relative presence is an important basis for social identity, performance, and prestige. This paper, which deals with village experts in the hilim fakihy, forms a piece of a larger project concerning how the contemporary organization of knowledge in Mayotte shapes and is shaped by religious thought, action, and experience. The contrast in the prac- tice of two local experts, who happen to be brothers, is used as a lens through which to explore issues of Islamic knowledge and authority in an African society. The heterogeneity of knowledge in Mayotte is a product of its history. Mayotte lies, both geographically and culturally, approx- imately half-way between Madagascar and http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Religion in Africa Brill

The Practice of Islamic Experts in a Village On Mayotte

Journal of Religion in Africa , Volume 20 (1): 20 – Jan 1, 1990

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References (14)

Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1990 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0022-4200
eISSN
1570-0666
DOI
10.1163/157006690X00033
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

THE PRACTICE OF ISLAMIC EXPERTS IN A VILLAGE ON MAYOTTE BY MICHAEL LAMBEK (University of Toronto, Canada) Knowledge and Practice in Village Islam In Mayotte, the southernmost island in the Comoro Archipelago off the coast of East Africa, there is a good deal of self-consciousness about local forms of knowledge. Knowledge is organized in three main explicitly distinguished disciplines, which I translate roughly as sacred Islamic (hilim fakihy), astrology or cosmology (hilim dunia), and spirit possession (hilim ny lulu). The acquisition of these kinds of knowledge forms significant goals and their relative presence is an important basis for social identity, performance, and prestige. This paper, which deals with village experts in the hilim fakihy, forms a piece of a larger project concerning how the contemporary organization of knowledge in Mayotte shapes and is shaped by religious thought, action, and experience. The contrast in the prac- tice of two local experts, who happen to be brothers, is used as a lens through which to explore issues of Islamic knowledge and authority in an African society. The heterogeneity of knowledge in Mayotte is a product of its history. Mayotte lies, both geographically and culturally, approx- imately half-way between Madagascar and

Journal

Journal of Religion in AfricaBrill

Published: Jan 1, 1990

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