Conclusion: The Meaning of Islamic Reform
This chapter summarizes the results of the book. In particular, it raises the question what Islamic reform actually means for Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa and it points out both patterns and peculiarities of the development of Islamic reform. It also stresses the importance of the local context to explain the success or failure of Islamic movements of reform and shows that the emergence of Salafi-oriented movements of reform in sub-Saharan Africa was not necessarily linked with movements towards independence (as in North Africa). The development of Salafi-oriented movements of reform was rather linked with the emergence of urban middle class groups that sought support for new forms of piety and that also sought to dissociate themselves from seemingly obsolete practices associated with Sufism. Despite the emergence of Salafi-minded movements of reform, Sufi orders have managed to retain at least some of their former influence by adopting some aspects of Salafi-minded reform programmes.