Islam in Africa 
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| Title: | Islam, education and politics in West Africa |
| Author: | Skinner, David E. |
| Book title: | Sierra Leone Studies at Birmingham, 1988 |
| Year: | 1990 |
| Pages: | 133-138 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic terms: | West Africa Gambia Ghana Sierra Leone |
| Subjects: | Islam politics education Shi'ites |
| Abstract: | This is an overview of some important characteristics of the development of Islamic education and political action in three West African nation-States: The Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone. The paper focuses on political relationships in the varied activities of Islamic organizations in the three countries. Islamic activities take place within a highly politicized environment as Muslim organizations compete with each other, vie for government aid and seek support from Muslim agencies abroad. The paper examines a few cases where Islamic organizations have participated in political arenas. Muslims have a particular interest in political action when it comes to building and operating a national mosque; preparing for and overseeing the annual pilgrimage to Mecca; building schools and recruiting teachers; contacts with foreign agencies through correspondence, receptions for visiting delegations and missions sent abroad; and foreign policy decisions. In conclusion, a rather new movement is considered, the Shia movement. Particular attention is paid to the International Institute for Islamic Studies, based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which is a Shia educational and cultural organization funded in part by the Lebanese community and the Iranian government through the Iranian embassy. Bibliogr., notes. |