http://www.islamicnews.org/english/index.html
Addis Ababa, Safar 5/Apr 29 (IINA) - Fifteen thousand Borana tribesmen in Ethiopia's southern province have embraced Islam, in the hands of the Africa Muslim Committee, which is an offshoot of the Kuwait-based Direct Aid Society. It was the result of three months of Daawa work that was
carried out by Daawa activists of the organization among the tribe.
The Director General of the AMC, Muhammad bin Hamad Al-Khamisy, said that thousands more had previously embraced Islam during the implementation of the Ramadhan Feeding Program, adding that there are at the moment 25 villages whose residents have expressed the wish to
known more about Islam, before they could make the final decision.
The Boranas of southern Ethiopia are estimated at around one million, and they have their fellow tribesmen, the Boranas of northern Kenya.
The majority of Boranas and animists, and Muslims make up about 10 percent only of the Borana population. Some Borana tribal leaders maintain, however, that the Borana were originally Muslims, and only drifted away from Islam about 500 years ago, and diverted toward animism.
What lends credence to this assertion is that many of the customs and traditions that are observed by the Borana conform to the Islamic tenets and teachings. For instance, many of them don the turban and use the Siwak for teeth cleaning, and their names, such as Yahya, Ali, Noor, are typically Islamic names. Also when they slaughter an animal they face north, which is the direction of the Qibla (Makkah). The Borana also forbid the eating of pork, the commission of adultery, and they bury
their dead almost identical to the Islamic way of burial.
What is more captivating is that one of the Borana elders, named Areru Busar, once told his people that one of the Borana sages of olden times had left a will that said that there would come a time when two groups would approach the tribe, each with their own message. These were Muslims and Christians, he said, and advised the tribe to follow the
Muslims.
This will is very well known among the Borana and old and young keep on referring to it from time to time.
Some of the elders said that many Borana fear to embrace Islam because during the reign of Haile Selassie anyone who embraced Islam was severely punished, on the pretext that by doing so he had turned against his tribe, and joined the enemy camp.
Also during and after Haile Selassie's time there was a lot of missionary activity that was aimed at Christianizing the Borana, but apart from a few individual converts the majority have shunned that creed.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khamisy said that the Borana need to be helped in no small measure, because their region, among others, has been officially declared a disaster area, in view of the prevailing drought, and they also require short-term and long-term development assistance, in addition
to intensified Daawa activity.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khamisy said that the Africa Muslim Committee has prepared a special program for helping the Borana people, so that they could be convinced to come back to the fold of Islam, and appealed to philanthropists and others to contribute generously to this effort. He said they should espouse the several Daawa and development projects that await their help.
HI/OB/IINA
Addis Ababa, Safar 5/Apr 29 (IINA) - Fifteen thousand Borana tribesmen in Ethiopia's southern province have embraced Islam, in the hands of the Africa Muslim Committee, which is an offshoot of the Kuwait-based Direct Aid Society. It was the result of three months of Daawa work that was
carried out by Daawa activists of the organization among the tribe.
The Director General of the AMC, Muhammad bin Hamad Al-Khamisy, said that thousands more had previously embraced Islam during the implementation of the Ramadhan Feeding Program, adding that there are at the moment 25 villages whose residents have expressed the wish to
known more about Islam, before they could make the final decision.
The Boranas of southern Ethiopia are estimated at around one million, and they have their fellow tribesmen, the Boranas of northern Kenya.
The majority of Boranas and animists, and Muslims make up about 10 percent only of the Borana population. Some Borana tribal leaders maintain, however, that the Borana were originally Muslims, and only drifted away from Islam about 500 years ago, and diverted toward animism.
What lends credence to this assertion is that many of the customs and traditions that are observed by the Borana conform to the Islamic tenets and teachings. For instance, many of them don the turban and use the Siwak for teeth cleaning, and their names, such as Yahya, Ali, Noor, are typically Islamic names. Also when they slaughter an animal they face north, which is the direction of the Qibla (Makkah). The Borana also forbid the eating of pork, the commission of adultery, and they bury
their dead almost identical to the Islamic way of burial.
What is more captivating is that one of the Borana elders, named Areru Busar, once told his people that one of the Borana sages of olden times had left a will that said that there would come a time when two groups would approach the tribe, each with their own message. These were Muslims and Christians, he said, and advised the tribe to follow the
Muslims.
This will is very well known among the Borana and old and young keep on referring to it from time to time.
Some of the elders said that many Borana fear to embrace Islam because during the reign of Haile Selassie anyone who embraced Islam was severely punished, on the pretext that by doing so he had turned against his tribe, and joined the enemy camp.
Also during and after Haile Selassie's time there was a lot of missionary activity that was aimed at Christianizing the Borana, but apart from a few individual converts the majority have shunned that creed.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khamisy said that the Borana need to be helped in no small measure, because their region, among others, has been officially declared a disaster area, in view of the prevailing drought, and they also require short-term and long-term development assistance, in addition
to intensified Daawa activity.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khamisy said that the Africa Muslim Committee has prepared a special program for helping the Borana people, so that they could be convinced to come back to the fold of Islam, and appealed to philanthropists and others to contribute generously to this effort. He said they should espouse the several Daawa and development projects that await their help.
HI/OB/IINA
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