ORIGIN OF ISLAMIC SECT IN NIGERIA

CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC SECTS AND GROUPS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA BY ABDULRAUFU MUSTAPHA ( 2014) A REVIEW BY IBRAHIM ALI (2020) IBRAHIM ALI. 

INTRODUCTION

The revelation received by Prophet Muhammad saw the emergence of another formidable book religion in the global space in 7th century in Mecca and its growth in medina but his death 632 AD brought a split in the Umma (Muslim community) into two strong groups, the Sunni and the shia Islam sect. Seyyed (2002:36) opined that, the split came as a result of leadership crisis between the Ansar (land owners), Muhajiran ( Emigrants) and the family of the prophet who argued that the right person to succeed the prophet should be his Cousin ALI who also happens to be among the first converts and who also suffer to propagate the faith with the prophet. But Abdulraifu (2014:56) argued that, the split that has it historical lineage from the spread of the religion continued in northern Nigeria, a Muslim giant in Africa. According to Abdulraifu (2014) the first Islamic ideology was Sunni and shia’at, there after Qadiriya, Tijaniya, izala and some other smaller groups in northern Nigeria. 

 THE SECT.

Historically, there are fundamentally two Islamic sects in the world SUNNI AND SHIA. All other sect is subsects and variant of the two sects. All other subsect and the two major sects believe in the HOLY BOOK but some strongly go against the Hadith

SUNNI ( ETIMOLOGICALLY MEDINA 632 AD out of leadership crisis after the death of the prophet) 

VARIANTS OF SUNNI 

Qadiriyya Sunni (Founder ABDAL- QADIR AL JILANI ( 1077-1166) ) 

Uthman Qadiriyya Sunni (founder in Nigeria Uthman danfodio) 

Nasiriya- Qadiriyya Sunni (Founder in kano Nasiru Kabara) 

Tijaniya Sunni (Founder Sheikh Ahmad Tijani 1737-1815) in 1781 

Tijaniya Sunni ( founder in Nigeria Al-hajj Umar) 

Tijaniya Ibrahimiyya (made powerful in Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse Senegalese)

Izala SUNNI (Founder in Nigeria Sheikh Abubakar Gumi) 

SHI'AT SECT (came out of leadership crisis at the death of the prophet in Medina 632 AD)

Shi'at in Nigeria (Founder in Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim El- Zakzaky) 

SUNNI

According to Abdulraufu (2014:56), the first Islamic sect in Nigeria was Sunni version of Islam based on the Malik School of figh. Abdulraufu (2014) viewed that, Sufism is the individual spiritual quest to get closer to God and it remains the majority within northern Nigeria. Cisse (1984) cited in Abdulraufu (2014) that the aim of Sunni is purifying man's heart and employing his senses faculties in the way of God. 

QADIRIYYA SUNNI 

According to Abdulraufu (2014:58) the Qadiriya order was named after Abdal-Qadir Al-jilani (1077-1166) a Sufi teacher of enormous prestige and learning whose family lineage is said to go right back to the prophet. Loimeier (1997) opined in the Abdulraufu (2014) that Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio identified with the Qadiriya order and became one of the clerics, the identification was so strong that his followers were referred to as Qadirawa meaning followers of Qadiriya. Uthman Dan Fodio been the sheikh that came to purify Islam in northern Nigeria introduce Qadiriya to the northern people. Abdulraufu (2014:58) continued by saying that, Qadiriyya came to northern Nigeria through Uthman Dan Fodio but the contemporary Qadiriyya developed around Kano based Scholar Sheikh Nasiru Kabara making Kano city to have the largest number of Qadiriyya followers despite its origin in Sokoto state. However,

Abdulraufu (2014) argued that, Sheikh Nasiru kabara Qadiriyya named Qadiriyya nasiriyya reformed the Qadiriyya and adopted some rituals similar to Tijaniyya in order to strengthen the Qadiriyya against the powerful and rising Tijaniyya sect of Ibrahimiyya. Abdulraufu (2014:58) argued that, Kabara's important contribution from 1930 was the transformations of an elitist, cerebral, traditional, religious order as in Sokoto into a reformed mass movement based on expressive group rituals as in Kano. 

Paden (1973) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:59) that, Qadiriyya at this period (19th century) several points can be observed in Qadiriyya Sunni sect in Kano 

1) It was limited to the Fulani Malamai (Muslim scholars) and not a mass phenomenon but an ethically segmented religious orientation 

2) At colonial period Elements of Kano Qadiriyya community identify direct links with North Africa sources of spiritual authority. 

3) Hausa Malamai renewed with north Africa Qadiriya and were recruited into readership position.  4) Success of Qadiriyya Hausa society was due to group worship and activities within local mosque. 5) The legitimate successor of leadership traditional Fulani Qadiriyya in Kano by Nasiru Kabara, who consolidate the Arab, Hausas and Fulani strands of Qadiriyya. 

 QADIRIYYA RITUALS

According to Adamu (n. d) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:60) important rituals of the Qadiriyya includes; 1) Wird ( litanied) 

2) Dhikr ( remembrance and praising the prophet) 

3) Bandiri ( religious music and incantation accompanied by drumming) ( specific to Qadiriyya Nasiriya 

4) Maukibi ( procession of thousands of followers to the grave yard of Qadiriyya saint in Kano) 

5) Ashafa ( Special congregations during Ramadan for the prophet 

6) Celebration of the birth of the founder Abdal Qadir (introduced by Nasiru Kabara) Sheikh Nasiru Kabara died in October 1994 and was succeeded by his son Sheikh Qaribullah Nasiru Kabara. 

TIJANIYYA SUNNI

Abdulraufu (2014:62) posited that Tijaniyya Sunni was founded in 1781 by Sheikh Ahmad Tijani an Algerian Scholar who migrated to Moroccan city of Fez. It was introduced to West Africa by Al- hajj Umar who travel through Sokoto and Borno state in the 1830 and spread the Tijaniyya ideology within Sokoto. 

However, according to cisse (1984) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:62) Tijaniya became powerful in Nigeria through Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse a Senegalese. Tijaniyya-Ibrahimiyya according to Abdulraufu (2014:61) is the largest Sunni order in Nigeria. 

Tijaniyya three foundamentals 

1.Sharia This includes; a) Core belief about the prophet b) Holy Quran c) The day of judgment d) Ibadat (worship) which includes salat, zakat, fasting, haji, jihad. e) Marriage contract, settlement of disputes and contractual terms for trade and loan f) Kaffarat ( expiration of sin against God) g) Iqubaat (grave sins with capital punishment). 2 ) Al- Iman (concern spiritual purification).This includes, a) lazimi ( emulation of the ways of prophet and companions) individual asking for forgiveness, praise the prophet and seeking God grace. b) Wazifa: is a group recitation perform on daily basis c) Dhikr: Juma'a group recitation perform on Fridays 3) Al- Ihsan (the search for closeness with God) this includes; 9 steps a) Al-taubah ( repentance) b) al- ma'arifah ( identification with God power) and more. 

 IZALA 

Laremont (2011) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:64) that in the face of competition between the Sufi orders in Nigeria in the 1960s the jama at basil Islam was formed in1962 at the initiative of the Premier Ahmad Bello, the Sarduna of Sokoto in order to unify Muslim Umma, with the death of Sarduna in 1966 a disputes broke out and jama atu basil Islam broke into two factions a key figure in this dispute was the adviser of Ahmadu Bello Sheikh Abubakar Gumi. In 1972 Gumi published a book titled Al- Agida al- sahiha, in which he set out frontal attack on the core principles of the two surfi order in Nigeria. According to Abdulraufu (2014), He thus introduce one of the most popular concept in the island in Nigeria when he made a declaration that the era of jahiliya is gone (era of ignorance) which means historical period before for the coming of the prophet. 

Sheikh Abubakar Gumi became the founder of Izalat. Gumi emphasize the importance of the following; 

Ibadat (worship of God) 

Taoheed (oneness of God)

And totally rejected the special role which the Qadiriyya and Tijaniyya ascribed to Prophet Muhammed. Aside the above, he argued that anyone who recited Tijaniyya litany salat al-fatih was an apostate (not a Muslim.) According to Abdulraufu (2014:65), Gumi strongly stand against innovation in Islam which the two Sunni order Qadiriyya and Tijaniyya has introduced to Islam and subsequently formed an association named the Juma'atu izalatil bidia wa igamat Al Sunna ( meaning society for the eradication of innovation and reinstatement of tradition).

Principle of izala;

The izalat believe that, they are the follower of righteous ancestors (as- salad as Salim) and divided Muslim community into 3 

 1) Al-sunnah (they themselves were perceived to be the followers of the path of the prophet) something which applies to all Muslims. 

2) Ahl al- bidia (those who had corrupted their worship with innovation) 

3) The shi'at which the izala total condemned not to be Muslims. 

 Abdulraufu (2014:65) further argued that, Izala with their uniqueness also faced leadership crisis, the leadership crisis came as results of embezzlement and political tussle which split izala into two factions. IZALA A based in Jos was dominated by old brigade and IZALA B based in Kaduna was dominated by the younger generation. Abdulraufu (2014) viewed that while izala A believe strictly in the application of Maliki figh as the only point of legal issues izala B places emphasis on Hadith ( traditional teaching) while izala. A prays in the sadlu style (arms to the side) Izala B Qablu style (arms across the Chest). 

With the death of Gumi in 1992 Ben Amara (2011) reported in Abdulraufu (2014) that, the factionalism became wide open and third group izala C emerged consisting of Young Scholars from Medina. 

SHI'AT SECT 

According to Abdulraufu (2014:70) the shi'at sect is one of the earliest Islamic sects. It started to take place after the death of prophet Muhammed and the choice of Abubakar to be the first Caliph in place of ALI in (632-633) AD and according to Yusuf (2012:67) it became more pronounce after the slaughter of Hussein his wife the daughter of the prophet Fatima and his six old child by the Sunni leader Yazid in 680 AD under Umayyad dynasty accompanied by Aisha the prophet wife and daughter of caliph Abubakar in the Battle of Kabbalah. This according to Abdulraufu (20140) lead to a Sharp split between the shi'at and the Sunni till date Shi'at in Nigeria According to Abdulraufu (2014:71) Shi'at started in Nigeria as Muslim brothers under the leadership of Sheikh Ibrahim El-zakzaky in 1970. According to kane (2003) Ibrahim El-zakzaky was one of the students at Ahmadu Bello university Zaria and he was expelled in 1979 after been charged with setting fire on the VC Chancellor office and senior staff club As well as attacking fellow students of Palm wine drink clubs. Bunza (2004) cited in Abdulraufu (2014) that, initially it wasn't a Shia ideology but was later transform into Shia ideology after identifying with Iranian shi'at. Subsequently, Sheikh Ibrahim El-zakzaky group (IMN) expanded beyond its initial students based to include about 12 % of Muslim population in northern Nigeria. At the level of rituals Abdulraufu (2014:72) viewed that, while the shi'at rub water on their feet during abolution while other Muslim sect wash their feet. However, according to Abdulraufu (2014:73) the national headquarters of The IMN is in Zaria city, the birth places of the leader sheikh Ibrahim El-zakzaky with branches in almost all states in Northern Nigeria and Niger republic. They consists a minority Muslim group mostly located in the city of the north. 

YORUBA MUSLIMS

According to Abdulraufu (2014:4), in addition to the three major Sunni sect and Shi’a in northern Nigeria, there are other smaller groups. Some of this group is (NASFAT) meaning Nasirul- Lahi F Society of Nigeria. NASFAT arose as a response to the threats to Yoruba Muslim identify perceived by the Yoruba Muslim elites in Lagos and as a result on March 5th 1995 NASFAT came into existence with Alhaji Abdullateef wale Olasopu as national chairman and chair of the Board of trustees. 

Activity of NASFAT includes; 

1) Weekly prayers/ Sunday lecture 2) Observation of late night prayers 3) Economic empowerment scheme 4) Promotion of peaceful coexistence 5) Publication of NASFAT news bulletin 6) They emphasis on equality of all Muslims 7) Active role of women ( this is contrary to Sunni in the North) Other Yoruba ethnic Muslim group includes; Nurudeen, Ansarudeen and Nawairudeen group. 

MARGINAL SECT

According to Abdulraufu (2014) they are also other marginal sect in Northern Nigeria and one among them is Maitatsine sect. The belief of this group is that a Muslim could prayer facing any direction instead of facing Mecca as Orthodox believes. Any Muslim who wears a watch, or button clothes and took money to bed in his pocket is a kuffir (unbeliever). Maitsine according to Abdulraufu (2014:76) remove the name of Prophet Muhammed from the Qur'an and replaced it with his named. Clarke and linden (1984) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:76) that, as a result of opposition to the Orthodox believe and quest for jihad, violent conflict ensued between the sect and the Kano state authority in 1980 which lead to the death of over 4,000 people.  Maitatsine was a movement of different sect which seeks to overhaul the Muslim community in northern Nigeria. Abdulraufu (2014) argued that, though Maitatsine started in Kano it spread to other northern cities like Maiduguri, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Funtua and Yola and it violence against the state lasted from 1980 to 1993. 

However, other smaller sect are; Darul Islam founded by Mallam Bashir Abdullahi. According to Orintunsi (2014) cited in Abdulraufu (2014:77) they lived in a secluded place in Mokwa in Niger state. Orintunsi (2014) cited in Abdulraufu (2014: that Nibrassiya Gida another group headed by sheikh Mohammed Abubakar were dislodge from a forest in checche village near lapai in Niger state. Saidu (1983) also cited in Abdulraufu (2014) that another sect is the mahdiyya basses largely in Kano, these are followers of Muhammad Ahmad b. Sayyid of Sudan who proclaimed himself as the long expected Mahdi, the God guide one who will come and be saviour of the Muslim at the end of time. There is also Yan hakika, jama atu Ahlul Sunna li Da awati Wal jihad ( Boko haram) which started in Maiduguri in 2000 

CONCLUSION

From the death of prophet Muhammed the Islamic community continued breaking into different sect across the world and by so doing the faith continues soaring strong in every angle of the world with intellectual clerics with different interpretation of the Quran and the hadith. The emergency of Qadiryya, Tijaniyya, izala shows intellectual capacity, understanding, interpretation of the Quran. And how the understanding of the Quran and hadith made them to bring forth an ideology that would drive the faith from different angle to achieve one purpose of the whole (Islam), this intellectual capacity of the cleric has continued till date but a rising challenges which has also proved to be on a positive side to the faith. 

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REFERENCES 

1) Abdulraufu Mustapha (2014) contemporary Islamic sects and groups in northern Nigeria. 

2) Seyyed Hussein (2002) Islam 

3) Yusuf and etal (2012) the rightly. guided Caliphs and dynasties.