Summaries in German and English / This thesis is a missiological case study analysing the reasons for conversions to Islam and Christianity among Kyrgyz people in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz people have a rich religious heritage with a history of more than 2,200 years. The uprooting of religion and the atheistic indoctrination by the Soviet government created a religious vacuum after the breakdown of the Soviet Union and caused a revival of religious receptivity in the society. Renewed receptivity to religion in the newly established sovereign Kyrgyzstan was followed by a rise in religious activity of Muslims and Christians beginning in the late 20th century. In only 15 years the number of mosques rose from 39 to 1,600 and the number of professing Christians increased from a few dozen to more than 7,000. This change between 1990 and 2005 developed in three stages through religious instability, an increase in missionary activity and the posturing of religious ideology during the government’s democratization process. A research of individual conversions produced complex results. Muslims were more attune to traditional religious thinking than were Christians. Most Muslims committed themselves to Islam because of their ancestral heritage. The secularization of society facilitated the Kyrgyz to convert to Christianity and turn to Christ due to a crisis in personal identity. Among Christians, conversions were primarily affected by relatives and friends persuading them through testimony and example. Most Kyrgyz becoming Muslims were significantly influenced by their parents. Faith in the existence of God was the basic prerequisite for both Muslim and Christian commitment to their respective beliefs. For Muslims it meant to obey the commandments of Allah, but Christians were led to confession of sins and to conversion. Changes in lifestyles and mindsets Muslims traced back to the Islamic religious tradition. For Christians, lives were affected through a relationship to Jesus Christ. / Die vorliegende Thesis ist eine missiologische Fallstudie, die die Gruinde der Hinwendung der Kyrgyzen in der post-sovietischen Zeit zum Islam und Christentum untersucht. Die Kyrgyzen haben ein reiches religioses Erbe einer uber 2200 jahrigen Geschichte. Doch mit der religiosen, Entwurzelung und der atheistischen Indoktrination durch die Sovietregierung entwickelte sich nach dem Zusammenbruch der Sovietunion ein religioses ,Vakuum" und bewirkten ein Wiedererwachen der religiosen Rezeptivitat in der Gesellschaft. Aufgrund der neuen religiosen Rahmenbedingungen in dem seit 1991 souveranen Kyrgyzstan folgte vonseiten der Muslime und Christen ein starker Anstieg religioser Aktivitaten. In nur 15 Jahren stieg die Anzahl der registrierten Moscheen von 39 auf uber 1600 und die Anzahl der Christen im gleichen Zeitraum von ein paar Dutzend auf uber 7000. Diese Entwicklung verlief im Zeitraum von 1990 bis 2005 in drei Abschnitten und war gekennzeichnet von anfanglichen religiosen Aufbruchen, einer Zunahme missionarischer Aktivitaten und einer religiosen Positionierung im Demokratiesierungsprozess. Die Untersuchung der individuell erlebten Hinwendungen brachte vielschichtige Ergebnisse hervor. So war der farmiliare Hintergrund der Muslime im allgemeinen religioser als der der Christen. Die meisten Muslime bekannten sich aufgrund ihrer Abstammung zum Islam. Die Sakularisierung der Familien begunstigte die Hinwendung der Kyrgyzen zum Christentum, die sich vor allem aufgrund einer existenziellen Auseinandersetzung zu Jesus wandten. Bei Christen waren es vor allem Verwandte und Freunde, die mit Worten und Leben auf Jesus hinwiesen, bei Muslimen die Eltern. Sowohl bei Muslimen als auch Christen war der Glaube an die Exitenz Gottes die wesentliche Vorraussetzung, wobei dies die Muslime zur Befolgung der Gebote Allahs, Christen zur Sundenerkenntnis und einer Bekehrung bewegte. Eine Lebens- und Sinnesanderung fuhrten Muslime auf den Islam und Christen auf ihre Beziehung zu Jesus Christus zuruck. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

‘A da’wah movement in Mauritius: A study of the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen’ is based on qualitative research and its objective is to examine the socio-cultural factors that may hinder the processes of da’wah in Mauritius. The study is placed in the context of a well-known national Islamic organisation, the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen whose founder is Mr. Muhammad Cehl Fakeemeeah, a Member of the National Parliament. The movement is also associated with a political party, the FSM (Front Solidarité Mauricien) or the Mauritian Solidarity Front. The Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen seeks to propose an alternative da’wah program in order to promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims and to accelerate the progression of conversion in Mauritius. The movement is involved in politics and mass media in order to reach the maximum number of people in the island. Emphasis is put on the urgent need for each individual to understand the concept of God as well as reading the Qur’an in order to avoid falling into the traps of traditional da’wah which has prevailed in Mauritius for decades.The present thesis analyses data provided in face to face interviews with a number of Mauritian converts as well as observation and discussions with other born Muslim members, all adherents of the said organisation. The Mauritian society is well-known for its multi-religious and multi-cultural background, influenced mainly by the majority, the Hindu community which consists of more than 50 % of the whole population. According to Soonita Kistamah 1, the percentage of Muslims is only 17, 3 % of the whole Mauritian population and this demonstrates a large gap concerning the work of da’wah in the island. Therefore the thesis will investigate factors that hinder da’wah by focusing on one particular movement – the Jamaat Ul Muslimeen. After having scanned the available literature, no specific study on da’wah in Mauritius was found. There is therefore a gap in the knowledge of da’wah especially issues such as socio-cultural factors that may affect da’wah progression within the Mauritian context. This thesis is a contribution to filling this gap. Since the thesis wishes to understand the socio-cultural factors which hinder the progress of da‘wah in Mauritius a qualitative approach was deemed most appropriate to explore this issue. The thesis begins providing my motivation for writing on the topic of da‘wah, a statement of the problem, research objectives, significance of the study, and the theory and methodology applied. Chapter II provides an overview of Mauritius and its history. Emphasis is given to the events of the 12th March 1968, that is, the civil war which occurred between Christians and Muslims which led to ethnic tensions. Another communal crisis which occurred in February1999 between Black Creole and the Hindu community is also examined. Chapter III will provide a biography of Cehl Meeah, the founder of Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen, his broader religious and political outlook and the history and da‘wah methodology of his organization. Chapter IV examines this methodology in the light of certain theoretical considerations with regard to da‘wah. Chapter V discusses and interprets the results and findings that emerge from interviews and discussions with converts belonging to the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen. Chapter VI concludes the dissertation and lists recommendations with regard to da‘wah methodology in Mauritius. / Religious Studies & Arabic / M.A. (Islamic Studies)

Summaries in German and English / This thesis is a missiological case study analysing the reasons for conversions to Islam and Christianity among Kyrgyz people in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz people have a rich religious heritage with a history of more than 2,200 years. The uprooting of religion and the atheistic indoctrination by the Soviet government created a religious vacuum after the breakdown of the Soviet Union and caused a revival of religious receptivity in the society. Renewed receptivity to religion in the newly established sovereign Kyrgyzstan was followed by a rise in religious activity of Muslims and Christians beginning in the late 20th century. In only 15 years the number of mosques rose from 39 to 1,600 and the number of professing Christians increased from a few dozen to more than 7,000. This change between 1990 and 2005 developed in three stages through religious instability, an increase in missionary activity and the posturing of religious ideology during the government’s democratization process. A research of individual conversions produced complex results. Muslims were more attune to traditional religious thinking than were Christians. Most Muslims committed themselves to Islam because of their ancestral heritage. The secularization of society facilitated the Kyrgyz to convert to Christianity and turn to Christ due to a crisis in personal identity. Among Christians, conversions were primarily affected by relatives and friends persuading them through testimony and example. Most Kyrgyz becoming Muslims were significantly influenced by their parents. Faith in the existence of God was the basic prerequisite for both Muslim and Christian commitment to their respective beliefs. For Muslims it meant to obey the commandments of Allah, but Christians were led to confession of sins and to conversion. Changes in lifestyles and mindsets Muslims traced back to the Islamic religious tradition. For Christians, lives were affected through a relationship to Jesus Christ. / Die vorliegende Thesis ist eine missiologische Fallstudie, die die Gruinde der Hinwendung der Kyrgyzen in der post-sovietischen Zeit zum Islam und Christentum untersucht. Die Kyrgyzen haben ein reiches religioses Erbe einer uber 2200 jahrigen Geschichte. Doch mit der religiosen, Entwurzelung und der atheistischen Indoktrination durch die Sovietregierung entwickelte sich nach dem Zusammenbruch der Sovietunion ein religioses ,Vakuum" und bewirkten ein Wiedererwachen der religiosen Rezeptivitat in der Gesellschaft. Aufgrund der neuen religiosen Rahmenbedingungen in dem seit 1991 souveranen Kyrgyzstan folgte vonseiten der Muslime und Christen ein starker Anstieg religioser Aktivitaten. In nur 15 Jahren stieg die Anzahl der registrierten Moscheen von 39 auf uber 1600 und die Anzahl der Christen im gleichen Zeitraum von ein paar Dutzend auf uber 7000. Diese Entwicklung verlief im Zeitraum von 1990 bis 2005 in drei Abschnitten und war gekennzeichnet von anfanglichen religiosen Aufbruchen, einer Zunahme missionarischer Aktivitaten und einer religiosen Positionierung im Demokratiesierungsprozess. Die Untersuchung der individuell erlebten Hinwendungen brachte vielschichtige Ergebnisse hervor. So war der farmiliare Hintergrund der Muslime im allgemeinen religioser als der der Christen. Die meisten Muslime bekannten sich aufgrund ihrer Abstammung zum Islam. Die Sakularisierung der Familien begunstigte die Hinwendung der Kyrgyzen zum Christentum, die sich vor allem aufgrund einer existenziellen Auseinandersetzung zu Jesus wandten. Bei Christen waren es vor allem Verwandte und Freunde, die mit Worten und Leben auf Jesus hinwiesen, bei Muslimen die Eltern. Sowohl bei Muslimen als auch Christen war der Glaube an die Exitenz Gottes die wesentliche Vorraussetzung, wobei dies die Muslime zur Befolgung der Gebote Allahs, Christen zur Sundenerkenntnis und einer Bekehrung bewegte. Eine Lebens- und Sinnesanderung fuhrten Muslime auf den Islam und Christen auf ihre Beziehung zu Jesus Christus zuruck. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

‘A da’wah movement in Mauritius: A study of the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen’ is based on qualitative research and its objective is to examine the socio-cultural factors that may hinder the processes of da’wah in Mauritius. The study is placed in the context of a well-known national Islamic organisation, the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen whose founder is Mr. Muhammad Cehl Fakeemeeah, a Member of the National Parliament. The movement is also associated with a political party, the FSM (Front Solidarité Mauricien) or the Mauritian Solidarity Front. The Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen seeks to propose an alternative da’wah program in order to promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims and to accelerate the progression of conversion in Mauritius. The movement is involved in politics and mass media in order to reach the maximum number of people in the island. Emphasis is put on the urgent need for each individual to understand the concept of God as well as reading the Qur’an in order to avoid falling into the traps of traditional da’wah which has prevailed in Mauritius for decades.The present thesis analyses data provided in face to face interviews with a number of Mauritian converts as well as observation and discussions with other born Muslim members, all adherents of the said organisation. The Mauritian society is well-known for its multi-religious and multi-cultural background, influenced mainly by the majority, the Hindu community which consists of more than 50 % of the whole population. According to Soonita Kistamah 1, the percentage of Muslims is only 17, 3 % of the whole Mauritian population and this demonstrates a large gap concerning the work of da’wah in the island. Therefore the thesis will investigate factors that hinder da’wah by focusing on one particular movement – the Jamaat Ul Muslimeen. After having scanned the available literature, no specific study on da’wah in Mauritius was found. There is therefore a gap in the knowledge of da’wah especially issues such as socio-cultural factors that may affect da’wah progression within the Mauritian context. This thesis is a contribution to filling this gap. Since the thesis wishes to understand the socio-cultural factors which hinder the progress of da‘wah in Mauritius a qualitative approach was deemed most appropriate to explore this issue. The thesis begins providing my motivation for writing on the topic of da‘wah, a statement of the problem, research objectives, significance of the study, and the theory and methodology applied. Chapter II provides an overview of Mauritius and its history. Emphasis is given to the events of the 12th March 1968, that is, the civil war which occurred between Christians and Muslims which led to ethnic tensions. Another communal crisis which occurred in February1999 between Black Creole and the Hindu community is also examined. Chapter III will provide a biography of Cehl Meeah, the founder of Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen, his broader religious and political outlook and the history and da‘wah methodology of his organization. Chapter IV examines this methodology in the light of certain theoretical considerations with regard to da‘wah. Chapter V discusses and interprets the results and findings that emerge from interviews and discussions with converts belonging to the Jamaat-Ul-Muslimeen. Chapter VI concludes the dissertation and lists recommendations with regard to da‘wah methodology in Mauritius. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Islamic Studies)