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Handbook of Contemporary Islam and Muslim Lives pp 1–34Cite as

Experience of Muslims in South Africa

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Abstract

South Africa’s Muslims, who form an integral part of a secular society that has been affected by the respective imperialist and apartheid governments’ series of discriminatory policies between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, like other religious minorities have been working toward building a democratic nation during the post-apartheid period. Since they have used all their resources at their disposal to make their inputs at different levels of the South African society during this period, this chapter intends to share their experience by providing an overview of their contribution. However, before doing the latter, the chapter aims to narrate this community’s evolution. The chapter, moreover, plans to address the South African Muslim identity by (a) reflecting on developments during the first part of the century that form part of the imperial era (circa 1910–1948), (b) assessing their activities during the apartheid era (circa 1948–1994), and (c) zooming in on their involvement in civic affairs in the post-apartheid era (circa 1994–2017). While certain parts offer a cursory synopsis of specific socio-political and economic developments, other sections provide detailed insights into educational and cultural aspects. As an important backdrop, it begins by narrating the status of the “founding fathers” in this community’s eyes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Theology and Religion Studies, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

    Muhammed Haron

  2. Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Muhammed Haron

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  1. Muhammed Haron
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona State University , TEMPE, Arizona, USA

    Mark Woodward

  2. Dept of Sociology and Anthropology, University of North Florida Dept of Sociology and Anthropology, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

    Ronald Lukens-Bull

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Haron, M. (2018). Experience of Muslims in South Africa. In: Woodward, M., Lukens-Bull, R. (eds) Handbook of Contemporary Islam and Muslim Lives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73653-2_22-3

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  1. Latest

    Experience of Muslims in the Republic of South Africa; Historical Perspective
    Published:
    18 July 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73653-2_22-4

  2. Original

    Experience of Muslims in South Africa
    Published:
    02 March 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73653-2_22-3

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