My invitation was to a Tijanniya Convention at the Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Md., starting at 7 p.m. I had been to a convention of this Muslim sect before, and knew such events tended not to start on the dot, so I figured 9 p.m. was a reasonable time to arrive.
Wrong. The auditorium was empty.
But a whole group of audiovisual types were setting up some impressive equipment, so something was under way. Slowly people filtered in and I was told the real start time might be 10 p.m. The actual event began around 11:30 and the place was packed at midnight. I am told (since I had long since faded) that they were going strong at 6 a.m.
In all the brouhaha about the Muslim world today, the extraordinary diversity of global Islam is not enough appreciated. It should hardly be surprising for anyone who drives along 16th Street in Washington and takes in the dozens of placards announcing the multitude of Christian groups.that religion is not monolithic. But somehow stereotypes cling to the Muslim world. In fact, it's full of surprises.
The Greenbelt convention brought together mostly people who came originally from West Africa, from Senegal, Gambia, Mali and other countries, who are proudly Muslim. They are joyous and full of energy, and mostly followers of a current of Islam termed Sufi. The Tijanniya order started in Algeria and Morocco and spread across West Africa. It's a powerful bond among many immigrants from that part of the world. Music, poetry and dance are a key element of the culture.
West Africans are exuberant people with a rich culture. In this high school auditorium, the gorgeous boubou-clad men , in yellow, salmon and pink garb, went to the right and the far more gorgeously dressed women to the left, but all intermingled and greeted each other. Children darted all over, pictures were snapped, and friends greeted one another.
The Tijanniya conventions work to build networks and community spirit. The Greenbelt event had a strong spiritual tone, with Koranic recitations and a lively choir. It also included, even after midnight, a long series of lectures by eminent scholars that touched on world problems, education, environment, and a host of other global issues. For this group, globalization needs no special introduction as they live it each day.
The Tijanniya convention brought together people from Greenbelt, Dakar, Washington, Banjul, and maybe 40 other cities. They were fired up last Saturday by the spirit of change in the United States but also by the spirit of change in their far-flung community. The new America is alive among us. As the auditorium came to life in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the miracle of what diversity really means hit home.
