Observations on the Muslim Culture in Senegal

One of the things that intrigues me most about Senegal is the Muslim culture. Nearly every Senegalese is Muslim - estimates range between 95 and 99% of the country's 14 million people identify themselves as Muslims. When I learned this as I researched this trip, I expected the culture to be something similar to what one might experience in the Middle East. But Senegal is far from what I picture Iran or Saudi Arabia to be like. For example, I have seen only one woman wearing a burqa the entire time I have been here (her husband was wearing a t-shirt and shorts). Most older women wear traditional colorful dresses while the younger generation wear the same things as their counterparts in the West: tank tops and flip flops, though only little girls wear shorts or skirts. Men and women sit side by side (or nearly backside ON backside) on Dakar's public transport, the car rapides, a far cry from Iran's segregated subway cars. Having heard of Muslims' devotion to prayer, I expected the city to essentially stop at regular intervals while everyone headed over to the mosque or took out their rugs to pray towards Mecca. While I do see men praying on the side of the road fairly often, it really is only a very small number. If you were to visit Dakar for just one day, I think you would find Senegal has more in common with the West than with the Islamic world.

But upon closer inspection, the influence of Islam here in Senegal is evident, though perhaps not in the manner you would expect. I have heard the "brand" of Islam practiced here is akin to the type of Catholicism that one might find practiced in Latin America. Idols and images are an important part of religion here, and following a particular marabout is as important as learning the Koran. Perhaps marabouts are analagous to saints in Latin American culture in terms of imagery and devotion. Marabouts are seen as intermediaries between laypeople and Allah. Devotion to a marabout earns one favor with Allah because a marabout has a better relationship with Allah than a regular Joe (or Aliou - one of the most popular male names here). Unlike saints, marabouts are living. Their adherents carry a photo of their marabout with them, sometimes hanging around their neck. Nearly every car, taxi, and bus has a photo of a marabout on the windshield. Though there is much much more to know about marabouts and their role in Senegalese culture, that is about all that I know definitively - anything else would be bordering on an educated guess.

Senegal is not a theocracy, although Islamic religious leaders have a powerful voice in political life here. That is why I was able to tell the customs agent at the airport that I was arriving as a missionary and he stamped my passport with a smile. Had I tried that in Tehran, I doubt I would have received the same reaction. And though the Islam practiced here by the majority is more casual or secular than in more fundamentalist countries, the culture of Islam plays a powerful role in Senegalese society. The concepts of honor and shame which characterize Islam are pivotal to life here. To embarrass or bring shame on oneself is to hurt your family as well. That is why it is so difficult for Christians here. To become a Christian is to bring shame on your family and likely they will disassociate themselves from you in order to maintain their standing in the community. Losing your family also means seriously reducing your opportunities for work (since jobs are often given here based on who you know rather than what you know) and for creating a family of your own. As a Christian you would be joining a very small community, so to follow Christ here requires some serious sacrifices. I pray and will continue to pray for the boys here at the House of Hope because once they leave, they face numerous challeneges as Christians in Senegal.