Transnational Contacts and Muslim Religious Orientation in Ghana

Abstract

A key issue worthy of academic attention in the study of the Muslim experience in the postindependence Ghana is the proliferation of new religious movements. These new religious movements found their way in Ghana in consequence of Ghana’s diplomatic relations with some Islamic states such as Egypt and Libya from North Africa, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Middle East. For the first time. Muslims in the post-independence Ghana came in touch with new Islamic orientations driven by the interests of the sponsoring Islamic states to serve their religio-political agenda. Some of these Islamic movements include Wahhabiyya (Ahlus-Sunnah), Shi’ah and the Green Book of the Third Universal Theory (TUT). The dissertation explores how these Muslim states through their embassies promoted their religio-political interest in the modem day Ghana. While the representative of these Muslim states (embassies) promoted the interests of Ghanaian Muslims on education, health, agriculture, Islamic centers and women empowerment, they in effect introduced their ideological interest in Muslim religious space in Ghana. We also examine the activities of the various quasi-state institutions and the affiliated NGOs to these Islamic states. The study further explores the extent to which these new religious ideas co-exist with the pre-colonial and the colonial Islamic movements such as the Tijaniyya in contemporary time. Significantly, Muslims transnational contacts in Ghana extend to the United States of America, in the aftermath of 9/11. Interestingly, this interaction with the West was largely driven by the interests of the United States government to educate Muslims globally on the menace of religious terrorism. The dissertation further examines this phenomenon.