Abstract

The spirit of Africa was imbibed by von Sicard, who grew up there and studied in South Africa before moving on to Uppsala, Hartford, and Cairo. The journey is marked by figures like Tor Andrae, F.A. Klein, the shaykhs of al-Azhar and Sayyid Akhtar Rizvi of the Bilal Mission and immersion in Swahili language and culture. It is argued that the days of polemic and apologetic are past, to be replaced by diapraxis –growing through shared social action for the common good – and an open, sincere experience of intellectual, spiritual and humanist dimensions. The shared languages should be used to promote Christian-Muslim understanding. Human growth is directed towards God-consciousness. This is the African approach to which we are called: a sincere respect for the views and ways of others.

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