Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia
This paper presents some preliminary observations on Sufi Muslim shrines or retreats in the Ethiopian Wällo region, places where local Muslim holy men or ‘saints’ lead the faithful and act as religious mediators and advisors. Some of these retreats of Sufi Muslims have a ‘monastic’ character, and al...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
| Published: |
Universität Hamburg Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies Asien-Afrika-Institut
2012-04-01
|
| Series: | Aethiopica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/aethiopica/article/view/151 |
| _version_ | 1818488444923412480 |
|---|---|
| author | Jon Abbink |
| author_facet | Jon Abbink |
| author_sort | Jon Abbink |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents some preliminary observations on Sufi Muslim shrines or retreats in the Ethiopian Wällo region, places where local Muslim holy men or ‘saints’ lead the faithful and act as religious mediators and advisors. Some of these retreats of Sufi Muslims have a ‘monastic’ character, and allow males and females a life of reflection and devotion to God. An obvious parallel with Christian monasteries presents itself, referring to a partly shared religious culture. Some reflections on the extent and nature of this similarity are made, and the need for a fresh approach to the study of religion in Ethiopia/Africa, in the context of contemporary debates about religious identity and the hardening of communal boundaries, is underlined. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:51:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-331fe8c0c65842de9816519e848d9be5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1430-1938 2194-4024 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:51:05Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | Universität Hamburg Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies Asien-Afrika-Institut |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aethiopica |
| spelling | doaj.art-331fe8c0c65842de9816519e848d9be52022-12-22T01:40:54ZdeuUniversität Hamburg Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies Asien-Afrika-InstitutAethiopica1430-19382194-40242012-04-0111110.15460/aethiopica.11.1.151Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern EthiopiaJon Abbink0African Studies Centre, Leiden and Vrije Universiteit, AmsterdamThis paper presents some preliminary observations on Sufi Muslim shrines or retreats in the Ethiopian Wällo region, places where local Muslim holy men or ‘saints’ lead the faithful and act as religious mediators and advisors. Some of these retreats of Sufi Muslims have a ‘monastic’ character, and allow males and females a life of reflection and devotion to God. An obvious parallel with Christian monasteries presents itself, referring to a partly shared religious culture. Some reflections on the extent and nature of this similarity are made, and the need for a fresh approach to the study of religion in Ethiopia/Africa, in the context of contemporary debates about religious identity and the hardening of communal boundaries, is underlined.https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/aethiopica/article/view/151IslamChristianityReligionMonasterySufismNorthern Ethiopia |
| spellingShingle | Jon Abbink Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia Aethiopica Islam Christianity Religion Monastery Sufism Northern Ethiopia |
| title | Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Muslim Monasteries? Some Aspects of Religious Culture in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | muslim monasteries some aspects of religious culture in northern ethiopia |
| topic | Islam Christianity Religion Monastery Sufism Northern Ethiopia |
| url | https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/aethiopica/article/view/151 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonabbink muslimmonasteriessomeaspectsofreligiouscultureinnorthernethiopia |