The Influence of Islam on the Bukusu Indigenous beliefs and Practices Surrounding death and <: Inheritance

Abstract

Most indigenous societies have elaborate beliefs and practices that express their way of life especially in relation to death and inheritance. At death, rituals :<ge performed in order to enable the deceased to join the spirit world peacefully and to avoid repercussions on the living by the deceased incase funeral rituals are not performed. It is also at this time that the deceased's property is shared out. In view of the above, many scholars contend that whenever two cultures interact, there is always change and continuity in the beliefs and practices of the two cultures. The purpose of this study therefore was <; essentially to examine the influence of Islam on the Bukusu indigenous beliefs and practices surrounding death and inheritance. It set out to investigate: the Islamic and Bukusu indigenous beliefs and practices in relation to death and inheritance; and the influence Islam has had on the Bukusu indigenous death and inheritance beliefs and practices. This study was based on three hypotheses, that: some Muslims do not adhere to the Sharia rules and regulations concerning death and inheritance; that the Bukusu indigenous inheritance rules are patriarchal and hence different from the Sharia law of ! inheritance; and that Islam has had an influence on the Bukusu indigenous beliefs and practices in relation to death and inheritance. The study was guided by the conceptual and theoretical orientation that combines Bascom and Herskovit's conception of "Change and Continuity" and Bungers' "Islamization theory". rtJe theory states that Islam ization depends entirely on the contact-situation between the Muslim and the non-Muslim. Similarly, whenever new influences impinge on any society, some of the pre-existing body of customs and beliefs are discarded, modified or retained. Since the study deals with the interaction of two cultures, the conceptual framework provided a model of thought to address the objectives of the study. Basically, the central contention of this thesis is that Islam has had an influence on the Bukusu indigenous beliefs and practices surrounding death and inheritance. The study utilized primary and secondary data. Qualitative techniques especially oral interviews, informal group discussions and non-participant observation methods were utilized to collect primary data. An interview guide was used to interview a total of 289 respondents. Sampling techniques such as simple random, purposive and snow-ball sampling were used. The informants interviewed were the Bukusu public counselor/comforter, Imams, Bukusu elders, Bukusu Muslim elders and Bukusu Muslim youth. Non-participant observation method was used where various burial and postburial rituals were observed. Document analysis method was used to get secondary data from published books, unpublished manuscripts, articles, periodicals and government records to supplement primary data. The collected data was then analysed using univariat and bivariate analysis and from the analysis, conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further research were drawn. The research findings revealed that the Islamic understanding of death is determined by the Qur'an and the practical interpretation of Qur'an in Hadith. Death in Islam belongs to the will of Allah and cannot occur without His leave. After death, there is v Resurrection, Judgment and the Hereafter, where each individual's deeds are weighed on a balance. The righteous go to paradise as a reward for their deeds In this life after judgment while the doomed are destined for hell. Death is conjoined with inheritance because the death of a person brings about the transfer of most of his or her rights and obligations to people who survive him or her. Islam accords specified fixed shares for inheritance for each family member be it a man or a woman. The study also adduced evidence to the effect that death has remained a mystery to all African people, the Bukusu included despite its symbolic use in their rites of passage. They therefore, fear death and make all attempts to protect life. According to Bukusu indigenous religion, life is a long process in which the living and physically dead interact with one another. Hence, physical death is but a stage in human life, not an end to it. Funeral rites among the Bukusu serve socio-religious functions. Through them, the Bukusu maintain contact with their ancestors who are their intermediaries. The fear of J punishment by the ancestors makes the Bukusu to observe funeral ceremonies without failure. Therefore, the Bukusu observe funeral rites because of the religious and social significance attached to them. The bereaved have to be re-incorporated into the community while the deceased must be incorporated into t world of the ancestral spirits. It is observed in this thesis that Islam has led to change and continuity in the indigenous Bukusu death beliefs and rituals, and inheritance rules. Many Bukusu Muslims only abandoned those indigenous beliefs, which were satisfactorily addressed by Islam. However, indigenous death beliefs and inheritance rules that were not adequately replaced are still surviving the onslaught of Islam. This kind of set-up calls for inculturation so as to make Islam meaningful to the indigenous Bukusu people. Despite the interplay of the above factors, the study reveals that the contact - situation between Islam and Bukusu indigenous religion is one of acculturation.