oa Work Ethics among Sufis in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper explores Islamic work ethics through a case study of the Tijaniyya Sufi order in sub-Saharan Africa. Whereas the normative injunctions of Islamic ethics with regard to work provide little indication as to how work is imbued with religious meaning, approaching the topic empirically allows us to get a clearer sense of the religious significance and spiritual dimension of work. The key concept in the Sufi context analyzed in this paper is khidma, literally “service.” Drawing on fieldwork among Tijani communities in Senegal and Sudan, the article expounds the ideas related to work as well as the ways in which these ideas are being put into practice. By committing one’s life to the service of the shaykh and the community, the followers believe to attain success in this world and bliss in the Hereafter.