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| Title: | Mosques, Mawlanas and Muharram: Indian Islam in Colonial Natal, 1860-1910 |
| Author: | Vahed, Goolam H. |
| Year: | 2001 |
| Periodical: | Journal of Religion in Africa |
| Volume: | 31 |
| Issue: | 3 |
| Pages: | 305-335 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic terms: | South Africa Natal |
| Subjects: | Islamic history Indians Religion and Witchcraft History and Exploration Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Ethnic and Race Relations colonialism |
| External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/1581611 |
| Abstract: | This study examines the establishment of Indian Islam in colonial Natal, South Africa. The majority of Indian Muslims arrived in Natal between 1860 and 1911 as contract indentured workers and pioneer traders. For the workers, the experience of indenture militated against maintenance of culture, religion and caste. However, there is evidence that, on an individual level, indentured Muslims displayed 'Islamic awareness'. The most important 'religious' activity of indentured Muslims was the Muharram festival. The situation was different in the case of traders. They possessed resources and set about building mosques shortly after their arrival in Natal. Natal's Muslims developed along several separate trajectories. Indentured workers constructed common forms of cultural and religious practices, a process boosted by the arrival in Natal in 1958 of 'imam' Soofie Saheb. Traders did not attempt to forge a broader Muslim community on the basis of Islam. Their concern was to protect their economic and political rights in Natal. The diversity of tradition, beliefs, class, practices, language, region of origin, and experience of migration has resulted in fundamental differences among Indian Muslims that have generated conflict. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. |
