This book examines in historical perspective the hitherto
little-studied relationship between Islam and caste among the
Haalpulaaren of Senegal. The Islamic uprising of the 1770s, which
established a class of Islamic clerics in positions of authority in
the Senegal river valley, had long-term consequences for the social
relations between clerics and caste groups. The book examines how
at different historical junctures attempts were made to negotiate
the equalitarian claims of a universalist faith with the expression
of social differentiation lying at the heart of caste inequality.
While the existing literature focuses on those who established
Islam within the region, this present work provides insights into
how marginalised artisans, poets and musicians understood
themselves and how they responded to a faith which had become the
cornerstone of social prestige and status. It analyses the
knowledge practices of clerics and of specialised craft groups,
arguing that they are crucial for our understanding of social and
cultural distinction. This involves a synthesis of historical
sources and ethnography, and provides an innovative approach to the
study of religious identity and specialist practitioners.
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