Christian–Muslim Relations in South Africa (circa 1986–2004): Charting Out a Pluralist Path

Abstract

South Africa, like many other nation-states in sub-Saharan Africa, has been a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious state for more than a century. This mosaic character of South African society stimulated Archbishop Desmond Tutu to aptly describe it as ‘the rainbow nation’. The population of South Africa's rainbow nation numbers in the region of 44.8 million, and is predominantly Christian. Other members of this nation belong to numerous other religious traditions, including Muslims, who make up roughly 1.5% (less than one million) of the total population. Despite their small numbers, Muslims have played a prominent role in South African society before and throughout the twentieth century, and their relationship with the majority Christian society, particularly within the African, Coloured and Indian communities, may generally be described as cordial.