Many years back when Abunuasi passed through Jukistopia, he told very interesting stories. I will paraphrase one.
A charlatan escaping a lynching from a big city ended up in a village called Kenia. While there he noticed that the people of Kenia
were quite gullible by dint of their propensity for seeking superficial fixies to their problems. He also noticed something else. There was no preacher in the village. So, he got himself a kanzu, a few Arabic sounding words and asked the loving people of Kenia to build a mosque. He was now their prayers leader. He knew nothing of Islam or the leading of prayers. But in the city, he had been woken up every 5:00am by the chants “allahu akbar!” When the mosque was ready gathered the Kenians in it for prayers.
“Allahuuuu akbarrr!” He hollered. There was no response. That was a good sign. He drew closer to his flock and explained. “Hakuna madhabahu bila dhabihu” he told them meaning an altar without a sacrifice is useless and therefore every time they came for prayers they must bring with them a dhabihu. “But”, he added, “obedience is more important than any sacrifice” Therefore every time he said Allahu akbar or any such they had to reply “amin” then put whatever each had brought as a sacrifice in a big kikapu he had placed in front of the mosque.
When the prayers ended, they praised their preacher and leader and gave him more presents. This went for many days.
Then one day, a second visitor arrived in the mosque from the city. The charlatan leader recognised him immediately as a swindler and one of the people who had tried to lynch him in the City. Trust fate to spoil the party just when the gravy was being served. The swindler too recognised the charlatan immediately. He started walking towards him.
Then in a light bulb moment the Charlatan found his footing and started chanting;“Aaamin! Allahu akbar!”
The people replied “amin”
“ m,m,m Mwenzangu usinitambue, amin. Wajinga ndio waliwao, amin”
the Kenians replied in unison ‘amin!”
“nikipata nane, nne zangu na nne zako, Amin!”
“Amin”, his students dutifully answered
The swindler continued walking menacingly towards the charlatan.
Then he repeated again
“Aaamin! Allahu Akbar! “ The people said amin.
“ Mwenzangu usinitambue, amin. Wajinga ndio waliwao, amin”
“nikipata nane, nne zangu na nne zako, Amin!”
“Amin!” the people thurdered.
The swindler in most pious and musical way rhymed, in ‘Arabic’,
“amiiina mwenzaaangu, nne zangu mmmn … na nne zako mmmmn, aaamiiina, allahu akbar! Tu-mandugu sasa.”
Then he kneeled next to the charlatan and helped him with ‘prayers’.
After the prayer session, the two went out hugging each other and laughing merrily.
Their animosity in the City forgotten, they henceforth prayed and preyed together in Kenia as the villagers showered them with gifts and praises.
