Contact Zone

Rahman Yakubu critiques the notion that Islam and Christianity in Africa have been benevolent to African Traditional Religion (ATR) in their interreligious encounter. Rather, he argues that ATR plays an active and central role in creating a peaceful interreligious space in Africa. Using an ethnographic study of rituals in the rites of passage among Dagomba Muslims, Christians and adherents of ATR of Ghana, the author concludes that Dagomba religio-culture has influenced not only the identity of adherents of the two faiths, but also the relations between them. This book proposes that, for a constructive negotiating of religious identity and peaceful interreligious existence, Traditional Religions should be considered an equal partner in interreligious dialogue.