Westerlund (1980) contends that apart from the facts that demand for Sharī’a implementation has contemporarily been the major element of Islamic resurgence in the world; Sharī’a demand is more than that. For him after 1924, when the Ottoman caliphate, which had been a manifestation of Islam’s unity, ceased to exist, the Sharī’a has gradually replaced the caliphate or idea of the caliphate, as the manifestation of Islam’s unity. Westerlund’s comment shows that for Muslims Sharī’a is not only law for their daily life guidance but also an autochthonous agent for them, which unites Muslims locally and internationally.
The issue of identity has to do with the choice of which civilization one identifies with and follows its ethos and values. Samuel Huntington (1996) gives reason behind the existing tension between the quasi Democratic-Christian-West and Sharī’a-Islam-Arabic civilization. For him the tension is a clash of civilization. Thus he argues that the end of cold war brought the world into another threat of clash. According to him the clash is no more ideological rather it is a clash of civilization. In his classification of civilizations, religion is also categorized as a civilization. Huntington further suggests that there is a possibility that the third world war will be a result of religious or civilizations clashes so to speak. He sees Islam and Christianity as two civilizations contending for space especially in Africa, a situation which may result into worldwide clash because Christianity more or less represents the Western world whereas Islam represents the Arab world in Africa. To him these two big worlds are always in constant rivalry.
In a pluralistic Country with a secular Government (which Tanzania is among them), religious groups always contend for space and dominance in the society. Because of it, sometimes politicians hijack religion for their political gain. Johannes Harnischfeger (2008) presents a case of politicians manipulating religion in the Northern Nigeria for their political gain. Apart from Nigeria’s historical background, the hijack, according to him was the main reason for the imposition of strict Sharī’a law in the area. Politicians used the agenda of Sharī’a implementation to mesmerize voters so as to gain their consent in the ballots.
The scenario shows that Sharī’a implementation was an elites’ agenda. Politicians inculcated a utopia of changes for a better life for their voters once Sharī’a dominates the Country. Such a promise, politicians have not been able to fulfill hitherto. Sharī’a implementation in Northern Nigeria was not an idea from the ordinary people rather a mastermind of the elites; its practicability faces a lot of underground resistance from the common people. It is because of this that execution of the law to the day-to-day life of people is still a riddle in Northern Nigeria. Government officials in the Country are reluctant of signing judgments for Sharī’a execution, stoning and chopping peoples’ hands. This has turned into an international scandal because human right organizations are condemning the Government of detaining people for long time without judgment. Ironically, introduction of total Sharī’a implementation has brought schism among the Muslim community during the campaign and after its approval. There is a dichotomy of the pro Sharī’a and pro democracy Muslims in the Country. The dichotomy has caused factionalism among Muslim community. Harnischfeger concludes that Sharī’a implementation in the Country has heightened confrontation between Christians and Muslims.
Tanzania is not exceptional on this. There are several instances whereby politicians and political parties try to manipulate religions for their ascendance to power. However this also tendency endangers the long existing peaceful Christian-Muslim coexistence in the Country.
2.3.7 Summary
The aim of this chapter was to acquaint the reader with Sharī’a. It familiarizes the reader with most basic information of Sharī’a. It presented different literature and previous research about Sharī’a and its dynamics in the world. It presented the meaning, the understanding of meaning, origin source and science of Sharī’a in order to help the reader to follow the discussion in the study of Sharī’a implementation in Tanzania mainland.
This study employed qualitative research methodology to analyze Sharī’a implementation in the context of Tanzania mainland and the influence of its debate in Christian-Muslim and state-religion relations. This chapter begins by presenting the research design followed by justification for the choice of qualitative approach to this study. The chapter continues to discuss the area of study, how access to the field was gained, the sampling procedures, and methods of data collection, data organization, and analysis and finally the summary of the chapter.
3.2 Research Design
In research undertaking, design refers to the “plan for collecting and analyzing evidence that will make it possible for the investigator to answer whatever questions he or she has posed. Research design touched almost all aspects of the research” (Flick, 2009:128). According to Katz (2000) it is the procedure of how knowledge is obtained in the research.
The theoretical background of the research was developed through the review of the previous literature before engaging in the field research. This review paved way to the formulation of the research design, clarifying the questions and research task. Right from the beginning of the field work the researcher had in mind that qualitative data would offer enough understanding on the study of Sharī’a implementation in Tanzania mainland. Apart from the general review of the selected literature, qualitative research methodology was reviewed and the views were used to frame the research methodology in this chapter. It later functioned as a way of drawing up the framework for data collection and analysis. This research was both library and fieldwork. Through library research, the researcher got his theoretical background of the study and historical development of the subject under study. In the field research, the researchers obtained the empirical research findings.
