The role of Convergent Sufi and Somali world views in Islamization

Sufism is the mystical and spiritual dimension of Islam. There is a connection or point of contacts between Sufism and some African traditional practices. This connection of convergent world views has contributed immensely to the spread of Islam in the Horn of Africa through Sufi orders. Most of the Sufi orders in this area originated from Somalia and came downwards to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The link between Kenya -Somalia Muslims is a combination of religious-ethnic and political associations that has created a brotherhood of some sort. Political unrest in Somalia due to clanism and militia struggles has always overflowed to Kenya. Somalis in Kenya and Somalia itself have had strong solidarity whenever one side is affected. The recent or ongoing Al-shabaab militia warfare that has attracted the attention of the United Nations is a case in point of the strong link between Kenyan and Somalia Muslim solidarity. It has been said that the head of the militia group is in Kenya while the body is in Somalia. This book provides the much needed examination of the genesis of the Kenyan-Somalia militia links in Africa.