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Islam and Music in Africa

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The Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa

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Abstract

This chapter traces histories of sounded practice that connect geographically distant locales, revealing shared orientations to sound and spirituality that unite Islamic Africa’s diverse populations. It draws on fieldwork done with religious associations in Dakar, Senegal and perspectives from music studies, anthropology, media studies, and history. Avoiding “music” as a presupposed object of study, this chapter engages instead with the concept of “sound,” thinking through different ways that sounded practice orients people toward Islam. Sound is a pedagogical tool, a medium of interpersonal connections, and a means for accessing divine grace (baraka). A close examination of African Islam’s sonic engagements also counteracts narratives of “syncretism” and “periphery,” showing instead how decentralized practices spreading from multiple locations have enriched Islamic orthodoxy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Art and Music, John Jay College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Brendan Kibbee

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  1. Brendan Kibbee
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Fallou Ngom

  2. Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

    Mustapha H. Kurfi

  3. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Toyin Falola

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Kibbee, B. (2020). Islam and Music in Africa. In: Ngom, F., Kurfi, M.H., Falola, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45759-4_19

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