The article asks: To what extent does the Maulidi Festival of Lamu represent the wider culture of the region?It goes on to explore the relationship between Yemen and East Africa, the dawah of Habib Saleh in Lamu among the enslaved and lower classes, and the controversial practices of maulid (Sw. maulidi). I learned a lot from reading and I highly recommend checking out the site.
It just passed while I was in Zanzibar....It's interesting to read some of the comments on this video:
sasa nauliza sisi tumpenda Mtume MUhhamad kuliko WAKE na masahaba?mbona hakufanya hivi?fuateni mwendo wake maulidi,mwigeni mavazi yake vitendo vyake leo mnaonahaya kuweka ndevu,na kuvaa nguo za kisslamu nyie maulid maulid amkeni.acheni Bid'aa
TRANSLATION: Now I'm asking us do we love the Messenger Muhammed more than him and his companions(?) Why did he do like this? Let you all follow his way of maulid, imitate his clothes, his deeds, today you all see this growing a beard and wearing the clothes of islam, you all maulid maulid(?) wake up and stop this bid'aa!
subhannallah waislam bado tumelala na haya maulid,,,,kama kweli tunampenda mtume wetu basi tufuate maisha yake jinsi alivyoishi kuliko kushughulikia hizi culture zilizokuwa hazina mashiko wala ushahidi wowote..
TRANSLATION: Allah be praised, Muslims, we are still sleeping with this maulid. Truly we love our prophet so lets imitate the type of life he lived more than being occupied with this culture which they do not have any foundation nor evidence for.
maulid ,khitma,arubaini,dhikri etc ni uzushi mtupu sio ktk mambo ya kukutia peponi.lazima tufuate uislam na sunna zake bwana mtume ndio tutafanikiwa...s.a.w
TRANSLATION: Maulid, khitma, arubaini, dhikri [Not sure what the third one is], etc..are worthless speculations/matters; its not a matter for you to get you in the spirit. We should follows Islam and its Sunna of the Messenger (Muhammed) indeed we will be successful.
mimi nakubaliana na nyinyi hii ni bidaa tupu
TRANSLATION: I agree with you'all, this is worthless, bidaa
And the last comment from the video: astaghfirullah, this is not bi'dah. They are merely showing their love for our Master, Sayyidina Muhammad (saw). May Allah guide you and whoever believe this is bi'dah.
The Azanian Sea was founded in 2009 by Nathaniel Mathews as a web resource and online hub for information, inspiration and informed commentary on the African presence in the Indian Ocean. The name is derived from the famous 8th century travel document, Periplus of the Erythrean Sea and refers to the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean adjacent to Africa. The mission of The Azanian Sea is to provide high quality web content about Africa and the Indian Ocean and create spaces for cultural exchange and dialogue. The Indian Ocean has been called the 'cradle of globalization' and the blog reflects the complex mix of global and local cultures. Over the years, the blog has become a platform for theological and philosophical commentary on racism, whiteness, Christianity, Islam and world history.
