DIFFICULTIES FACED BY MUSLIMS IN AFRICA(KENYA)
Many a times, The difficulties faced by Muslims in Africa and in various other places of the world are almost same and similar.This is especially when there a lot of pressure on Islam after the September 11th US attack by people who had Islamic Identities.
Some of the difficulties affecting Islam awareness in Kenya can be summarised as herebelow:
1. Lack of knowledge of the islamic culture and religion(illiteracy on Islam and education)
2. Random practices of the religion by some. This came about because muslims themselves do not understand Islam, trying to look and act like the societies where they live, finally imitating their traditions, losing interest in their own rights.
3. Lack of formal teaching of the arab language ehich is an essential part of Islam and which has hindered the understanding of Islam from the Quraan/hadith point of view.
4. Lack of economic resources(The economy of Kenya's especially the North where muslims are the majority is almost in decay.This happened because of succesive marginalization of muslims by the british colonies(who were christians) and the respective Kenya Governments which consisted of a christian majority.
5. Lack of resources by religious guides who spoke Arabic coming from the region, who knew the how to spread the Dawah(Islam).
6. Lack of help for kids and adolescents.many parents are poor and can't afford education.many children and adolescents are orphans and poor(In need).
7. Lack of a commission to administer islamic property (Waqf).
8. Lack of islamic and arab secondary schools.
9. Lack of islamic material in various languages of Kenya.
10. Lack of coordination in the activities of islamic institutions. Many institutions will require staffing, teachers and certifications in various Government agencies.
11. Lack of communication among muslims in all aspects: individual, in the family, and among institutions and organizations. This is caused by lack of an Islamic body that binds all muslims together that is Liberal.
12. Lack of frequency of conferences and religious gatherings.
13. Lack of trained personnel in charge of liasing with the press.
14. Local media showing a wrong image of Islam and of muslims.The media normally copies what the anti-Islam media says about Muslims.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
After exposing the different problems and mentioning how muslims are coping with their present environments, Thank God, Various Islamic bodies are doing their best to maintain the Dawah In Kenya and neighboruing countries.Many Islamic groups maintain their identity and are constantly creating some kind of a dialogue between themselves.
The islamic groups work hard in order to change the situation. It is in this light that Islam Awareness Kenya would like to forward proposals on how best to help Kenyan Muslim organizations assist their fellow Muslims In kenya and neigbouring countries.
Some problems are impossible to solve and some need contractual agreement with the Kenyan Government. Today many members of the islamic community participate in islamic congresses round the world, many Muslim schools are being built with the Help of our brothers from The UAE and Saudi Arabia like The Almaktoum Foundation mission of Kenya.
Many Young muslims study at muslim universities in the arab countries courtesy of the Saudi Arabia Government.We wish to be helped to increase this Inshallah.
Also we now start to see that the number of people embracing Islam grows day by day. There are many people in Kenya who are permanently looking for new spiritual paths; we have noticed that people in these countries feel a great void, and the lack of response of other faiths to people's
needs.
The situation for islamic work and the development of Dawa is a good one at this time, not only to help the muslims from the loss they are experiencing, but also to offer others this religion based on tolerance and faith.
In view of this situation we are putting a lot of momentum in building a cohesive islamic gatherings meant to create Islam awareness in kenya and neighbouring areas.
We wish Islamic bodies to help us In Islam awareness by:
*The edition of various books in Swahili, English
on Christian Muslim Dialogues,
Funerals in Islam,
The Exemplar Caliphs',
Prophet Muhammad's companions (Pbuh),
the translation of Muslim Sahih Volumes 1 and 2,
Islamic Jurisprudence, leaflets on Human rights,
some on the Tauhid,
The pillars of Islam,
an explanatory educational C.Drom,
The Islamic library ,
various videos related to Islam and VCD'S,
Children toys etc to be distributed across The Muslim communities in various parts of Kenya.
*Sending and sponsoring of new muslims(The converts) to The Hajj in representation of Islamic Communities.
*Massive distribution of all material in English, swahili and somali on Islam.
*Sending of various students to study at islamic universities.
*Return of many of them to their countries of origin, with the corresponding acknowledgement to develop the Dawa.
*pressing for Recognition by government authorities of various Islamic NGO's as "no threat".
*Face the defense of the muslim community by assisting them to declare emergencies like famine and droughts whenever they occur as priorities before world organizations like the United Nations, and the human rights commission.
CONCLUSIONS
Dear brothers and sisters:
If we can elaborate and maintain a common and precise work plan which we can execute and supervise through our islamic structures, we will be able to go back on the situation completely. Let us not forget that there are many people who are not muslims looking for new religious options.
Considering the situation the world is facing today, the void people feel and the lack of someone to provide an answer to their needs are constantly latent.
Many muslims in Africa must get together, and follow an intensive program of conferences, meetings, studies, educational gatherings, taking advantage of this meeting that joins us today.
Once it has been evaluated and studied, this program can reach young muslims in this part of the world and receive a high acceptance and understanding from them. We could also edit a newspaper for the Islam community in the Country.
We must create an incentive for the community in the places where islamic societies or centers are non-existent.
We must uphold islamic education and teaching, particularly taking care of the younger generations, starting with a program to teach Muslims about the Importance of the Arabic language and the principles of Islam.
We must prepare our young on the basis of the understanding of the Qoran and the islamic law with their correct meanings.
We must cooperate in the building of mosques in the places where islamic communities suffer the lack of them.
We must publish, in all possible media, the true Islam and try to dismiss its detraction.Most Kenyans know Islam the way It is depicted in the media.Alhamdulillah we now have IQRA FM which propagates Islam always.
We must cooperate in the creation of a fund for humanitarian help to the old, the poor and the sick.
We must unify the attitude of all muslims in subjects like marriage, funerals, burials, etc.
We must stimulate the feeling of responsibility in muslims, motivating them into participating and donating according to their possibilities, to achieve self-funding of our projects, as it is very difficult for the islamic community to move forward counting only on outside help.
We must incentive the activities at the mosques, so that they can perform their true roles and not only that of a place to pray and commemorate events.
Finally, I would like to thank Allah-Subhanahu wa Taala who HAS illuminated the heart of all those responsible for the spread of the Islam, Arabic and Islamic culture, for the benefit of so many women, children, old people and families in all parts of the world,
We pray To Allah to Help us all.
Wassalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah
