Oludamini Ogunnaike: Ways of Knowing in Tijani Sufism

Tijani Sufism is one of the most popular and prominent religious/intellectual traditions on the continent. In this talk, I will examine how this tradition answers the questions: "What is knowledge?," "How is it acquired?," and "How is it verified?". Based on these answers, I will compare and contrast Tijani epistemology to certain Western theories of epistemology, both ancient and modern. I will argue that Tijani Sufism (and other non-Western traditions) offer distinct and compelling perspectives on, and approaches to, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, psychology, and ritual practice, but that these dimensions can only emerge if we take these traditions on their own terms—that is, on the same level as our own academic theories.