William andrew kopwe the open university of tanzania

SHARĪ’A IMPLEMENTATION IN THE CONTEXT OF TANZANIA MAINLAND: AN ANALYSIS OF ITS DEBATE, PRACTICE AND ITS INFLUENCE IN CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS

WILLIAM ANDREW KOPWE


THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

2013

SHARĪ’A IMPLEMENTATION IN THE CONTEXT OF TANZANIA MAINLAND: AN ANALYSIS OF ITS DEBATE, PRACTICE AND ITS INFLUENCE IN CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS

WILLIAM ANDREW KOPWE


A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA
2013

CERTIFICATION

I, the undersigned, certify that have read and hereby recommend for acceptance by The Open University of Tanzania a Dissertation entitles “Sharī’a Implementation in The Context of Tanzania Mainland: An Analysis of Its Debate, Practice and Inlfuence in Christian-Muslim Relations” in fulfilment of requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies of The Open University of Tanzania

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Prof. Dr. Ulirich Berner

(Lead Supervisor)
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Date

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Sr. Dr. Maria Goretti Kente

(Supervisor)
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Date

CERTIFICATION

I, the undersigned, certify that have read and hereby recommend for acceptance by The Open University of Tanzania a Dissertation entitles “Sharī’a Implementation in The Context of Tanzania Mainland: An Analysis of Its Debate, Practice and Inlfuence in Christian-Muslim Relations” in fulfilment of requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies of The Open University of Tanzania

………………………………………

Prof. Dr. Ulirich Berner

(Lead Supervisor)

………………………………………

Date

………………………………………

Sr. Dr. Maria Goretti Kente

(Supervisor)
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Date

COPYRIGHT

No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographing, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the author or the Open University of Tanzania on the behalf.

DECLARATION

I, William Andrew Kopwe, declare that this dissertation is my own original work. It has not been submitted to any other institution or University for a similar or any academic or professional award.

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William Andrew Kopwe

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Date

DEDICATION

To my paternal uncle, the late Dr. Peter Zachariah Kopwe who died on 2006 when I was attending my research courses in Germany. He has set an exemplary life to me and to many others for his diligence in the service to God and humanity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I thank the Almighty God who gave me the strength and sustained me throughout this undertaking.
I would also like to express my sincere appreciations to my supervisors. Sr. Dr. Maria Goretti Kente from the University of Dar es Salaam and Professor Dr. Ulirich Berner from Bayreuth University, Germany. They have given me invaluable advice, guidance and support over the years of my study.
My gratitude also goes to the Volkswagen Foundation for the scholarship they gave me. The foundation enabled my summer courses in Bayreuth University and different workshops within and outside Africa. They also facilitated my living through monthly stipends.
I thank the entire leadership of the North-Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania for granting me study leave to pursue my studies in and outside the country.

I would like to thank specially, the family of Pastor Jörn Handel of Bayreuth, Germany who paid for my ticket and accommodated me when I went to Germany during the 2010 summer time to meet my supervisor. In the same spirit I thank the family of Pastor Christian Pohl of Bayreuth, Germany, who gave me accommodations during the same period.

Similarly I thank the Mission Einevelt of the Bavarian Lutheran Church in Germany who also contributed to my stay during that time. I should particularly mention Pastors Manfred Schekenbagh and Christian Pohl who connected me with Mission Einevelt.

I would also like to thank Dr. Franz Kogelmann who has been organizing my stay in Germany during summer schools and workshops on Sharīa Debates and Their Perception by Christians and Muslims in Selected African Countries’. Together with him I would like to thank Dr. Asonzeh Ukah for his advice in the whole research process.

I would like to appreciate the assistance of Librarians and Archivists of the following Universities and archives: Bayreuth University, Germany; Tumaini-Makumira University, Tanzania; the University of Dar es Salaam, St. Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya and the Tanzania National Archives.
I would like to thank Dr. John Chesworth. Through his efforts I got scholarship from the Volkswagen Foundations. Also, as the area coordinator for the project of Sharī’a Debate and Their Perception by Christians and Muslims in Selected African Countries he contributed a lot in this study.
I appreciate the collaboration of all who gave me information for this study during my research through interviews discussions, informal talks and correspondences. They are acknowledged in a reference section.
I would also like to thank Mr. John Lwali and Jim Bampas for their help in editing my English grammar during early stages of this dissertation.
I thank my fellow junior scholars in sharī’a for their invaluable comments and constructive criticism during class presentations and in different colloquia.
Lastly but not least I would like to thank my Wife Alice, our daughter Sayuni and son Agathos for the tremendous moral and spiritual support they gave me during the time of my study.