Against Wahhabism? Islamic reform, ambivalence, and sentiments of loss in Harar

Abstract

Due to its historical role during the jihad in the sixteenth century, as a locus of religious education and as an urban civilization, Harar is considered an important Islamic center in the Horn of Africa. A distinctive feature of its religious life is the veneration of saintly figures, practiced at numerous shrines in and outside the city. The saints, their legends, and practices are still playing a significant role in the urban context, which is reflected in the local expression madinat al-awliya, the city of saints (Ahmed Zekaria 2003: 91; Ammi 2004; Desplat 2008; Foucher 1994; Gibb 1999; Tarsitani 2006). The appearance of several Islamic reform groups in Harar since the early 1990s, however, triggered new debates concerning meaning and legitimacy of saint veneration in Harar. At least three new groups were involved in the argument, locally known as the Da’wa Jama’a (Tabligh-i Jama’at; see Masud 2000), the Shaykh Abdallah Jama’a (al-Ahbash; see Hamzeh and Dekmejian 1996), and some reformers which are classified by the majority of the Harari by their pejorative nickname, the "Wahhabis" (see Delong-Bas 2004). While the Tablighis and the followers of Shaykh Abdallah act rather neutral, sometimes even positive towards the veneration of saints, the "Wahhabis" seem to consider these as out-dated, un-Islamic practices. However, the majority of the Harari community has a clear attitude against these critics. The so-called "Wahhabis" are blamed to represent a "false" Islam and being wrong in their approach, practices, faith, or even state of mind. In their outrage, many Harari call them derogatorily "parrot-like cassettes," "extremists," or "good-deed-sayers." In spite of their emotionality, these arguments are rarely mentioned in public, but remain offstage and restricted to semi-private everyday communications, often ridden with rumours, suspicions, and accusations.