Islamic History

Works by
Joseph Kenny, O.P.

General

• Islamic Studies: Programmes and literature review   An orientation for anyone devising programmes of Islamic studies for Christians at beginning or advanced levels, and a guide for anyone wanting to learn about Islam at any level.
• Newspaper Series   A popular survey of many questions Christians ask about Islam. These and a few other works on this site were serialized in the Ibadan Catholic paper, The Independent.
• Early Islam   Background, the Life of Muhammad, the Umayyyad and `Abbâsid Caliphates, Echoes Today. Lagos: Dominican Publications, 1997.

Africa

• West Africa and Islam   Written on behalf of the Inter-Religious Dialogue Commission of AECAWA (The Association of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa), it contains 45 lessons on all aspects of Islam necessary for a Christian lay person in West Africa to know.
• Le clé du dialogue avec nos frères musulmans   A French version of the previous work, except that the chapters on West Africa are reduced in favor of coverage of Africa as a whole. Done for a course at Les Facultés Catholiques de Kinshasa. Preface by Frédéric ETSOU, Archbishop of Kinshasa.
• The Spread of Islam Through North to West Africa   A historical survey with relevant Arab documents. Dominican Publications, 2000, iv + 227 pp. Not in that edition, but on this site is a huge bibliography.
• The economic dimension of West African Islamic history   An analysis based on material presented in the previous work. First published in Christianity and Islam in dialogue (Cape Coast: AECAWA), 84-90, later revised for Orita 27 (1995), 90-98.
• Adaptation for Christian marriage among the Maguzawa   The Maguzawa are Hausa who retain the Traditional Religion. Resisting Islam, but heavily influenced by it, large numbers have accepted Christianity. Article first published in Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft, 24:2 (1968), 133-144.
• Christians and Muslims in Nigeria: A case of competitive sharing   Published in Nigerian Dialogue No. 4, 1982, 5-8.
• Religious movements in Nigeria: divisive or cohesive: Some interpretative models   Published in Orita 16:2, December 1984, 111-128.
• Arab Aid   Written for Consultation of the Christian Councils in West Africa on Christian-Muslim Relations, Monrovia, 25-28 November 1984. Published in Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa, Christianity and Islam in dialogue (Cape Coast, 1987), pp. 77-83.
• Sharî`a and Islamic revival in Nigeria   A history of Sharî`a in Nigeria and a survey of the different Muslim organisations and interests at the present time. Published many times over, as the first note indicates, and together with the following:
• Islamic revival in confrontation with Christians   A survey of the debate about Sharî`a and membership in the O.I.C. Much of this and the previous article were published as "Sharî`a and Christianity in Nigeria: Islam and a 'secular' state," Journal of Religion in Africa, 26:4, 338-364.
• Nigeria Chronicle   Studies on Christian-Muslim relations and dialogue from 1966 to the present.