DAKAR: Maria Victoria Correa is a Catholic but she keeps a prayer mat in her house for Muslim visitors, one of the everyday kindnesses which underpin Senegal’s religious tolerance.
At a time when caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) have triggered violent protests in several Muslim countries, the respect between faiths in Senegal remains unshaken.
While the overwhelming majority of its people are Muslim, the West African country has made religious harmony a point of pride. Many families, like Correa’s, mix different religions.
Two of her sisters are Muslims, while one of her nephews — whose father is Catholic and mother Muslim — has chosen to follow the Islamic faith.
“There is always a prayer mat in my house for my Muslim nephew and other Muslims who visit us,” said Correa, 52. “We all worship the same God, irrespective of being Muslim or Christian.”
During the holy month of Ramazan, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, Correa cooks her nephew the Iftar.
It is common for Muslims to invite Christian friends and neighbours to their homes to celebrate the main feast of Tabaski, commemorating prophet Abraham’s proof of his dedication to God.
Although 95 per cent of its 11 million people are Muslim, Senegal has a secular constitution and the government celebrates both Christian and Muslim holidays. The authorities assist Muslim pilgrims who wish to make the annual journey to Makkah as well as Catholics travelling to the Vatican.
Other religions are not represented in significant numbers, aside from traditional animist beliefs.
Accustomed to the respect of Senegal’s Muslim community, many Christians have been amongst the most outspoken critics of the controversial caricatures of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
“Every single religion needs total respect from others,” said Catholic priest Jacques Seck, 72. “Islam deserves respect, so does the Prophet ... It’s Western countries that challenge Islam”.
Neighbouring West African nations have witnessed more violent demonstrations against the cartoons, first published in Denmark and reprinted in more than 20 countries.
Muslims have complained bitterly at religious insult under the guise of freedom of speech.
Tens of thousands of protesters packed the streets of Niger’s capital Niamey this week, while in Nigeria’s Muslim north members of the Kano state assembly burnt Danish flags in protest and called for a boycott of Danish goods.
By contrast, popular protests in Senegal have not gone beyond a campaign of SMS text messages. Muslim community leaders also presented a letter of complaint to the Danish consulate.
A football friendly between Denmark and Senegal to raise money for charity remains scheduled for next month.
Senegal’s modern history has been marked by tolerance. Its first president was a Catholic, the poet and politician Leopold Sedar Senghor, who ruled the former French colony for more than 20 years after independence.
Senegal’s distinctive form of Islam is marked by Islamic brotherhood and spiritual leaders known as marabouts, who are revered by disciples and organised in elaborate hierarchies. The leaders have traditionally preached respect for the rules of secular society.—Reuters
