Tales of religious tolerance in Africa
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 By Maryam
By Thomas J. Morrisey, Written for UPI
Published: Nov. 24, 2009 at 12:31 PM
David Robinson, professor of history and African studies at Michigan State, is collecting print, audio and video documentation of the Muslim people of Ghana and Senegal in an online archive.
A Michigan State University professor is creating a digital archive of stories of West African Muslims in two countries he considers models of peaceful coexistence between different religions.
David Robinson, a professor of history and African studies at MSU, is gathering print, audio and video documentation of the Muslim people of Ghana and Senegal. They comprise an archive titled “Diversity and Tolerance in the Islam of West Africa: Creating Online Resources of Peaceful Muslim Practice.
”sufism
tasawwuf
sufi poems
sufi masters
December 30, 2009 2:53 AM
Dear Maryam,
Thank you for sharing this.
I highly recommend the book, "A Spirit of Tolerance: The Inspiring Life of Tierno Bokar," by Amadou Hampate Ba. This is the story of Shaykh Tierno Bokar, an African sufi from Mali. He died in 1939, and was thus a very modern sufi.
The degree to which, particularly amidst social upheaval and turmoil, that Shaykh Tierno Bokar, a deeply devoted sufi Moslem, was open, tolerant, and insistent upon *not* creating any racial or religious boundaries is (in my opinion) very inspiring and instructive for modern religious/spiritual travelers.
Published by World Wisdom Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-933316-47-5
Best wishes,
mo'in
December 30, 2009 2:47 PM
Dear Mo'im,
Thank you for this comment about the book "A Spirit of Tolerance: The Inspiring Life of Tierno Bokar", by Amadou Hampate Ba. I am adding it to the Book List as this is a very important book. And the name Tierno means Tender in Spanish...
Ya Haqq!
Maryam
December 31, 2009 10:40 PM
Dear Maryam,
Thank you for sharing with us about "Tierno" meaning tender. I did not know this.
From my reading of Shaykh Tierno Bokar, he never (ever) elevated himself above others. He would not allow anyone to call him "master." He insisted upon "brother."
His favorite book - and he was extremely well read (though his humility wouldn't show it) - was by Shaykh Ibn al-'Arabi. I share this, thinking of the book you discovered (in Egypt?) that was special to you.
The sharing of Tierno/Tender means a lot to me. Thank you.
Kindest wishes,
mo'in
December 31, 2009 11:01 PM
Dear Mo'in,
I will read about this Master Brother, so lovely well put through your comment here. I like very much Ibn al-'Arabi writings although I take time to read them with introspection. The book I was thinking of now is about Dhul Nun The Egyptian, at the reading list.
In Egypt, yes. How did you guess:-)?
January 01, 2010 2:35 AM
Dear Maryam,
Just recently, I read the guest column you wrote for the teresasilverthorn.wordpress site. You there mention that you bought a book (by Shaykh Ibn al-'Arabi) in Cairo to which you felt very connected.
Kindest wishes,
mo'in
January 01, 2010 12:54 PM
That's very true.
Kindest Wishes indeed to you too!
Maryam