Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. Religious fervor, as well as economic and social factors, fueled this expansionism. However, there is a significant shia minority, mostly in sokoto state see shia in nigeria. Nigeria was not to be granted independence, nor admitted to the united nations unless northern nigeria abandoned the sharia this threat was backed with a vow to impose sanctions on the north and strangulate its economy. Islamic domination and islamic education began in the bornu empire. Robinson to study hausa at tripoli in 1892 and later in 1894 he travelled to kano.
A smaller number of people follow the ahmadiyya islam, a. It is on record that islam as a religion became prevalent in nigeria in the 9th century during the reign of mai idris alooma, who ruled the borno empire till 1603. Bringing together two dozen leading scholars, this comprehensive work treats the. Reconsidering the influence of islam on yoruba cultural. The movement is unique in that it combines a sectarian, radical islamic agenda with violence. History of attacks against persons with albinism pwa july 15, 20 introduction this paper takes on an enormous task. Trade was the major connecting link that brought islam into nigeria erinle oluwashola idris 2020. From the above history of islamic education in nigeria, the spread of islam and the islamic education system can be more prevalent in the northern and southwestern tribes or ethnic groups in nigeria than in the east. Islam arrived in nigeria in the 11 th and 12 th centuries through trade, migration, and through the travels of the scholarmysticwayfarer along trade routes, through the regions of kanem and bornu had been in contact with muslim traders as early as the 9 th century. Her history therefore is not simply about the rise and fall of dynasties but a clear and coherent picture of a dynamic, complex, and global religion. It came to northern nigeria as early as the eleventh century and was well established in the state capitals of the region by the sixteenth century, spreading into the countryside and toward the middle belt uplands.
What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link. Dawn for islam in eastern nigeria 73 when various locations are mentioned in the text, the same problem arises. A case study of boko haram, journal of religion in africa 42. Pdf on jan 1, 2011, egodi uchendu and others published dawn for islam in eastern nigeria. Pearson islam in the bilad alsudan to 1800 nehemia levtzion the juula and the expansion of islam into the. Amid assumptions of a hegemonic igbo christian identity, conversions to islam began in the late 1930s in the igbo territory of southeast nigeria the only region in the country that was not. Islamic movement, power, state formation, governance, introduction the creation of medinah state during the time of the holy prophet muhammad saw and his companions was a turning point in the history of islamic political experience. A brief explanation of igbo society at the beginning of the book would have also been useful. Portraits of ordinary muslims nigeria muslims frontline. The origins of islam in the country is linked with the development of islam in the wider west. Islam in nigeria has witnessed a rise in the numbers of islamic extremism notably among them, the boko haram, maitatsine, darul islam among others. This also coincided with the time islamic education began in the country especially in the northern.
Nigeria has one of the largest muslim populations in west africa. Islam came into nigeria in the 9 th century and this was the time islamic education began in the country. The following 11 files are in this category, out of 11 total. Muslims in nigeria are predominantly sunni in the maliki school, which is also the governing sharia law. Nigeria full name federal republic of nigeria government presidential republic population 203,452,505 governmentrecognized religionsfaiths na religious demography 51.
Islam a brief overview of the history of islam the origin of islam is placed around 610 ce when muhammad, a highly spiritual and religious man who spent months in praying and self contemplation in a secluded cave near the town of mecca, is thought to have received divine messages. Pdf this paper is an aspect of a wider research project on the introduction of. Nigeria has the largest muslim population in west africa. In particular, international attention has been drawn to the application of sharia law to criminal. Conquering armies and migrating tribes swept out of arabia and spread islam. Introduction history of islam in nigeria jihad islamic law sharia islam and politics islamic movements, islamic reform selected web resources there has been considerable recent media coverage of the implementation of islamic sharia law in the northern states of nigeria. The histom1 ofls1am il1 africa ohio university press. In 1897 a small party of cms missionaries left england and travelled to tripoli to study hausa. As a result of the rise of democracy in nigeria and the perceived empowerment of southern nigeria at the expense of northern nigeria, the restoration of the islamic state and the elimination of all forms of western influence and education became a rallying cry for the followers of mohammed yusuf when he founded boko haram in 2002. Islam was introduced to northern nigeria as early as the 11th century and was well established in the major capitals of the region by the 16th century, spreading into the countryside and toward the middle belt uplands. But boko haram has also periodically shifted its strat egies, tactics, and self presentation.
Islam in nigeria simple english wikipedia, the free. In the 1980s, for example, the maitatsine sect, which heretically claimed muhammad was not the messenger of allah, established itself in the slums of kano. Pdf evidence for islam in southeast nigeria researchgate. Besides the rich corpus of arabic manuscripts uncovered in west africa, there is a large body of ajami manuscripts in dagbani dagomba, fulfulde the eastern variety of fula. This january 2000 new york times article offers an overview of islam in nigeria. Islam in subsaharan african contexts the web site cannot be found.
Evidence of human inhabitation has been found as far back as 9000 bce. Although the years since nigerias return to civilian rule in 1999 have seen an increased interest in its history and politics, nigeria remains one of the most underresearched african countries. A history of the arrival of islam in igboland find, read and cite. Nigeria, 19891999, published by africa world pressred sea press, to a range of. By examining key themes such as colonialism, religion, slavery, nationalism, and the economy, the authors show how. An introduction to islamic movements and modes of thought in nigeria. For the first time in a single volume, the history of islam in africa presents a detailed historic mapping of the cultural, political, geographic, and religious past of this significant presence on a continentwide scale.
Similarly, when the arabs consolidated their rule over the berbers the text reads after the islam of the berbers had been made good bada ma hasuna islam albarbar. Over time, boko haram has preserved core elements of its message. This could then have been expanded as it is indeed explained at greater length in the. Today, hausas live primarily in the countries of niger and nigeria, although one can find significant. The development and application of sharia in northern nigeria. Lagos, is an associate professor in the department of history and strategic studies, university of lagos, nigeria. Accordingly, the results of this paper reveal that while. The history of nigeria before independence in order to understand the current nigerian politics and society, three dominant characteristics need to be taken into account. Evidence for islam in southeast nigeria article pdf available in the social science journal 471. Today, hausas live primarily in the countries of niger and nigeria, although one can find significant hausa populations throughout africa. It attempts to explain the history and origins of the attacks against persons with albinism pwa. The portuguese brought christianity with them but were unable to successfully plant christianity because of their involvement in slave trade. In fact islamic criminal justice was eliminated in preindependence nigeria.
Ongoing attacks by boko haram and other violent islamist groups coupled with an at times arbitrary response by nigerias security forces have contributed to a deteriorating security situation in the north. The size of the caliphate made it difficult for its rulers to fully establish a purely orthodox form of islam, partly because of the ease. Includes bibliographical references and index introduction. The aim of this paper is to track the change of the muslim population in africa since 1950. Pearson islam in the bilad alsudan to 1800 nehemia levtzion the juula and the. Aug 17, 2017 the history of islam in nigeria the nigerian region has had a long rich history. The sultan of sokoto, currently muhammadu saad abubakar iii b. This book is dedicated to those who openmindedly seek knowledge wherever it is. To the 15th century in nigeria was strengthened islam, it was brought here through the desert tradersmuslims. Nigeria and its indigenous people in the preliterate times is traced to oral traditions of storytelling gardner, 1990. This often manifests as a conflict between salafi fundamentalists and the tolerant sufis who dominate the traditional nigerian muslim elites. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960.
The writer notes that while religion in nigeria often can be exploited by. Radical reformers in what is now nigeria have long claimed that muslim leaders are infidels if they are unjust, even when the rulers themselves claim to be muslims. Since then there have been several waves of foreign influence. Al islam fi njiriiyawauthman ibn fodi, tarikh al dawah al islamiyyah, mashakil al ta limarabi fi nijiriyya and lamahat al balhurnasim alsaba fi akbarulislamwaulamabiladyuruba translation a history of islam in nigeria after uthman dan fodio, history.
Shehu usman dan fodio established a government in northern nigeria based on islam before. Today, islamic studies is taught as a religious course in nigerian universities. First major centralized state in northern nigeria was kanembornu, the occurrence of which belongs to the late 8th century a. The development and application of sharia in northern. First, the spread of islam, predominantly in the north but later in southwestern nigeria as well, began a. Forgery of passes and other documents, fraudulent commercial transactions, and. These sects have sometimes resorted to the use of violence in a bid to realizing their ambitions on the wider islamic and nigerian populations as a whole. The history of islam in nigeria the nigerian region has had a long rich history. Several islamic reform movements have taken place in nigeria since the late 1970s, including the izala movement, maitatsine, and darul islam. In particular, international attention has been drawn to the application of sharia law to criminal offences and the. Galadima and turaki christianity in nigeria 95 in 1892 the hausa association was fonned in great britain. However, looking at this history as a steady progression between distinct stages obscures the fact that past practices continue to have a powerful influence on the present.
It is on record that islam as a religion became prevalent in nigeria in the 9 th century during the reign of mai idris alooma, who ruled the borno empire till 1603. There is also a history of muslim sects growing in the cities of northern nigeria. A brief history, second edition wiley desktop editions. A smaller number of people follow the ahmadiyya islam, a reformatory sect that started in. Government, economy, foreign policy, administration of justice and the organization of society. Yusufu turaki presented the following paper at the african theological fellowship continental conference at the akraji christaller memorial centre in. Introduction history of islam in nigeria jihad islamic law sharia islam and. By michael olufemi sodipo august 31, 20 download this brief as a pdf. This book reconstructs the movements history, paying attention to how its doctrine in.
Several dominant themes in nigerian history are essential for understanding contemporary nigerian politics and society. Britain outlawed slavery in 1807 and pushed for forms of legitimate commerce such as palm oil and cotton, and in so doing developed an internal infrastructure to facilitate these markets. Islam, christianity, traditional religions and power politics in. The history of christianity in nigeria can be traced back to the 15th century, when the portuguese were the first europeans to arrive the shores of the region via the atlantic. Africa was the second continent that islam spread into, which explains why almost onethird of world muslim population resides in this continent.