Reconsideration of the Concept of Islamic "Saints" with a Case of alfa in Djnné, Mali

イスラーム セイジャ ガイネン サイコウ ヘノ イチコウサツ マリ キョウワコク ジェンネ ノ alfa ヲ ジレイニ

イトウ, ミク

Ito, Miku

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ シャカイガク ニンゲンガク ジンルイガク ケンキュウシツ

Sociology, Anthropology and Philosophy, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

聖者

西アフリカ

マリ

ジェンネ

Islam

Saint

West Africa

Mali

Djenné

In the many parts of Islamic world there are people who are considered to have special power given by Allah. Muslims respect and call them in their local appellations. Studies of Islamic “Saints” have enclosed such people as “Saints” irrespective of their local variation. As the term of “Saints” has its origin in the Christianity, validity of its appropriation to Islamic practices has been discussed. This paper presents a reconsideration of the term and concept of Islamic Saints with a case of alfa in Djenné, West Africa. Djenné is one of islamic study centers in Sub-Saharan Africa and there are many people who are called alfa. Alfas being considered to have special power given by Allah, they play important role in people’s every-day life and life cycle as teacher of Koranic school, local Islamic leader, maker of talisman, predictor, traditional medical doctor and so on. We can find some common aspects to other Islamic “saints” in their roles in the society of Djenné. But their relation with people seems more “secular.” Such roles and activities of alfa in Djnné rouse the importance of focusing on the local context in the studies and discussion on “Islamic Saints.”