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 Periodical article |
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| Title: | The early Muslim communities of Nairobi |
| Author: | Kubai, A. |
| Year: | 1992 |
| Periodical: | Islam et sociétés au Sud du Sahara |
| Issue: | 6 |
| Pages: | 33-44 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Kenya |
| Subjects: | Islam Islamic history |
| Abstract: | In the process of colonizing East Africa, the British worked from the coast towards the interior, using the coastal, Muslim (Arab and Swahili) peoples as soldiers and porters. From 1893 onwards these coastal people settled in villages in the Nairobi river area (Kenya). These early inhabitants were joined by many upcountry peoples, especially the Kikuyu, Kamba and Maasai, who were driven to Nairobi by natural disasters and other factors. The author examines some of the factors which facilitated the process of conversion to Islam of these new arrivals, one of them being that conversion entailed 'detribalization' in the eyes of the British, which meant that they would not be sent back to the rural areas. In addition, she describes the simple procedure of conversion at this time. However, there were disagreements between the upcountry converts and the coastal Muslims. The latter tried to differentiate themselves from the converts and regarded them as inferior. This attitude was reinforced by colonial administrators. On the other hand, the Kikuyu and the Kamba regarded the coastal peoples as foreigners and constructed their own tribal mosques. Thus Islam provided an identity for different groups. The author concludes that Nairobi was during its infancy a Muslim settlement, though the Muslims now constitute only a small proportion of its population. Bibliogr., ref. |
