Everyday Islam in Kumasi: Devout Lay Men and Women in Daily Life

by Gracia Clark

Allabar Women's Islamic School

The wife of an Islamic teacher founded this school in their home, in one of Kumasi's oldest Muslim neighborhoods. A long front room holds beginning, intermediate and advanced groups. It offers Arabic, English, math and sciences classes, and she has hired Muslim and non-Muslim teachers to present the full public school curriculum, although the school gets no government support. The students are mostly married women, who attend part time in between their family and work responsibilities.

Bantama Women's Fellowship

Bantama mosque serves a central Kumasi neighborhood that historically contained a large proportion of Muslim families before colonial rule. On Fridays, a group of women gathers under the supervision of the local Imam, to study the Koran and learn basic Arabic. On two Fridays they heard an explanation of this website project and were invited to record interviews for posting on it. Interviews were held in the large women's side chamber of the mosque before prayers began.

Tafo Women's Fellowship

Old Tafo lies along the main highway north from Kumasi, and was one of the earliest settlements for immigrant Northerners. As an old Muslim community it has several neighborhood mosques, and the imam of one founded a government-supported primary and middle school that offers instruction in the Koran and Arabic language along with the standard national curriculum. This group of women attends that mosque and meets on Fridays to learn Arabic and read the Koran. After hearing about the website project, those who agreed to record an interview for it met us in an empty classroom.

Men

Abdu Basit

Abdu Basit

Date: August 13, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"Bicycles have helped me."
Abdul Hannan Al Waiz

Abdul Hannan Al Waiz

Date: August 13, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"I know what is bad and what is good for me."
Ahmed Bashir Baba

Ahmed Bashir Baba

Date: August 13, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"All that we need is unity."
Mohammed Bawa

Mohammed Bawa

Date: August 13, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"First, be honest; second, be patient."
Suleiman Zakaria

Suleiman Zakaria

Date: August 13, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"The religion of Islam is totally about peace"
Abdul Rashid Alhassan

Abdul Rashid Alhassan

Date: August 15, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"You must be seen to be a good Muslim."
Abu Rawbil

Abu Rawbil

Date: August 15, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"Islam teaches us to love one another."
Fuseini Nahidshah

Fuseini Nahidshah

Date: August 15, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"People like coming here."
Ibrahim Abdul Rashid

Ibrahim Abdul Rashid

Date: August 15, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"We don't advise that."
Sadick Jaffo

Sadick Jaffo

Date: August 15, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"I have to respect these people."
Ahmed Abdulah

Ahmed Abdulah

Date: August 21, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"I will drive peacefully; I will come home peacefully."
Ahmed Abubakar Ali

Ahmed Abubakar Ali

Date: August 21, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"I'm a real Zongo man."
Muhammed Amin Abu Bakr

Muhammed Amin Abu Bakr

Date: August 21, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"Islam has taught me a lot."
Muhammed Bashiru Danakabu

Muhammed Bashiru Danakabu

Date: August 21, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"They are not doing it for Islam."
Suleman Haruna

Suleman Haruna

Date: August 21, 2009
Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4