National Seminar on Muslims and Islamic Scholarship in Twentieth Century Nigeria

Abstract

This seminar was organized by the Center for Islamic Studies (CIS),Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDU), Sokoto, Nigeria. Many importantpersonalities and academics of merit attended. The main theme wasdivided into seven subthemes: Islamic scholarship in modem Nigeria, intellectualcontributions of notable Muslim scholars, Muslim relationswith non-Muslims, Muslim religious groups and national unity, the influenceof foreign Muslims on Muslims in Nigeria, contemporary innovation(bidah) and the challenge of Islam, and Muslims and religiouspractices.Twenty-two papers were presented. During the opening ceremony,speeches were made by Zayyanu Abdullahi (vice-chancellor of UsmanuDanfodiyo University) and Sambo W. Junaid (director, Center of IslamicStudies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University). The paper by Colonel YakubuMu’azu (governor of Sokoto State) was delivered by his representative,Muhammad Lawa Maude (commissioner for works, housing, and environment).The representative of Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki (sultan of Sokoto)Magajin Rafi of Sokoto also attended the opening ceremony.In the first session, M. G. Maitafsir (Faculty of Education, UDU) presented“Islamic Scholarship in Nigeria Today: A Way Forward.” He discussedthe problem facing Islamic scholarship and offered solutions. BelloD. Bada (Department of Modem European Languages, UDU), speakingon “The Role of Hausa Proverbs in the Propagation of Islam in Nigeria,”explained how some Hausa proverbs containing codes of “do’s” and“don’t’s” similar to Islam help to establish the Islamic faith and practices.Habib al Hassan (Translation Bureau UNESCO, UDU), in his “TheKnowledge of HisLsb and Its Teachers in Hausaland (1900-1914),” pointedout that many Nigerian scholars specialize in this area. In a similar paper,“How Hisab is Performed in Hausaland (1900-1914),” he showed throughfigures and illustrations how mathematics is mixed with magic to find certainhidden facts and to perform certain good or bad actions ...