The Use of Sacred Texts by Islamic Public Preachers in Mumias, Western Kenya

Abstract

The public visibility of Islamic free preachers points to the development of religious leaders whose claim to authority is based on extensive knowledge of the Bible, not on traditional Islamic learning. Unlike traditional ulamā, these preachers specialize in inviting non-Muslims to embrace Islam. They claim that compared to Christianity, Islam is a more rational and biblical tradition. They call on Christians to debate with them, based mainly on biblical texts. They approach their activities as an exercise of Da'wah, a debate staged in the public square, where the truth of Islam against the Christian tradition is proclaimed by preachers who engage in discursive battles. Such discussions usually take on an essentialist character, reshaping religious boundaries between Muslims and Christians and between religious communities and the state. The nature of the engagement is largely polemic and tends to fuel inter-religious tensions and challenge the political domain and the secular order.