ABSTRACT
Many rights given by the sharia follow a classification based on faith, but also gender. The fact that when sharia was originally introduced it did in fact improve the position of women by trusting them with independent legal status is overlooked as a motive for improving their lot, especially in rural areas where such progressive rights of the sharia might conflict with age-old tribal customs. M. Barkun summarises by arguing that societies differ in their likelihood to disaster and their vulnerability to these events, its impact falling more heavily on rural than urban areas, and when moving from single to multiple disasters. Millenarism is an anachronistic fringe phenomenon, politically, sociologically and intellectually on the margins of modern society. This phenomenon connects American black separatist movements with the millenarism of the West Indies through such leaders as Marcus Garvey and Elijah Muhammad.
