Print Media Portrayal of Islam and Muslims and Its Influence on Christian-Muslim Relations in Nairobi County, Kenya
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Date
2016-05
Authors
Thiong’o, Joyce Njeri
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study focuses on print media portrayal of Islam and Muslims and its
influence on Christian-Muslim relations in Nairobi County. Islam has been
accused of encouraging violence and Muslims perceived as people who thrive in
violence. Islam enjoins its members to embrace peace and harmonious inter- faith
coexistence. Print media as a powerful source of Christians’ knowledge about
Islam and Muslims could have led to shaping of the opinion. The objectives of the
study are: to evaluate the Islamic teachings on peace and harmonious Christian-
Muslim relations; to establish how Islam and Muslims are portrayed in the print
media in Kenya; to assess how portrayal of Islam by the print media affects the
Christian-Muslim relations in Nairobi County and to provide strategies for the
print media to present a more objective image of Islam and Muslims to enhance
Christian- Muslim relations. The study has been guided by semiotic theory in
particular Representamen and Intepretant concepts. Representamen means
something that does a representing while Intepretant denotes meaning. The study
uses Descriptive Survey Design as it is qualitative in nature. Primary data
collection has been through self-administered questionnaires and scheduled
interviews. Data presentation and analysis was in form of narrations and simple
descriptive statistics like tables, percentages and graphs. The study found that
Islam is a religion of peace and Muslims are supposed to be pacifists. Peace is
made to be a key part of Islamic culture through such fundamental elements like
the name Islam and the greetings. Muslims are enjoined to practice compassion,
forgiveness, moderation and interfaith tolerance as key pillars of peace. However,
the reported cases of radicalism practiced by some few members in Nairobi North
District and all over the world cause Islam to appear violent and intolerant. The
print media in Kenya portrays Islam and Muslims to be warlike. Mainstream
newspapers misreport the personalities of both Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and
Allah where they are portrayed as encouraging intolerance. Violence is seen as
core teachings in Islam taught by the sheikhs in the mosques. This study
established that print media influences Christians perceptions on Islam and
Muslims contributing to Islamophobia and sometimes tension. The ideologies of
radical Islamists which are reported in media and their use of Islam to justify their
aggression make it difficult for the Christians to distinguish between militancy
and Islam. Christians think that Islam teaches its adherents to hate non- Muslims
and fight them. The Christian- Muslims relations tend to be tense. The study has
recommended the media to adopt sensitive reporting to promote positive
coexistence between Christians and Muslims in Nairobi County. Media
practitioners need to exercise peace journalism to help in enhancing interfaith
pluralism despite the existence of radical Islamism. This will promote Christian-
Muslim dialogue in the efforts to build peace rather than creating diversity
Description
A thesis submitted to the school of humanities and social sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Arts in religious studies of Kenyatta University, May, 2016