Masjid Musa Mosque and The Narratives of Radicalization of School Children in Mombasa, Kenya

Abstract

Not long ago, a number of research findings linked Muslim pupils and students in boarding schools and colleges that are considered more likely to be indoctrinated by extremists to join terrorist groups such as Al-Shabab-that children living away from their parents were easier to mislead and indoctrinate. While acknowledging that violent extremists have no direct relationship with nor represent Islamic teachings, this study argues that whereas it is true that most Madrasas are peaceful and serve a constructive role in societies where education is often a privilege rather than a right, this overlooks the fact that Madrasas have been vitally important in furthering the mission of some of the most volatile terrorist groups. Therefore, this study intends to explore these competing claims and address how the Madrasa question is systematically linked to radicalization by using examples of the Masjid Musa Mosque that became a centre of international scrutiny in a similar case.