TOPIC:- CHANLLENGES AND PROSPECT OF DAW’AH IN SELECTED AREAS IN NIGERIA

BEING THE PAPER PRESENTATION AT THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSEHOLDING AT ICOS,OSOGBO BETWEEN RAJAB 9TH TO 13TH 1438 A.H (5TH – 9TH APRIL, 2017)

TOPIC:- CHANLLENGES AND PROSPECT OF DAW’AH IN SELECTED AREAS IN NIGERIA Statement of problem • The topic intends to:- • Find out problem/challenges facing da’wah in 3 selected areas in Nigeria • Identify peculiarities and differences in those areas as they affect daw’ah there • Identify the problems in Da’iyahwhich limits the growth ofda’wah in the studied area. • Seek out the attitude (qualities) of a good dai’iyah

continued Besides it wants to know the method to be used to : • Surmount the challenges facing Da’wah in the studied areas • To evaluate the impact of daw’ahin our community • Questions/Evaluation of the audience to bring the discussion home

Terms in the Topic • Challenges • claim or demand i.e what are the need of da’wah that is yet to be provided hence serving as obstacles for achieving the desired aim (result). • Prospect Our expectation, when the challenges are surmounted, as to what the future hold in promise for our da’wah. • Da’wah A call towards a cause. Here it refers to the call of the movement and its likes with intention of reviving and restoring Islam and muslim to the standard

Discussion • Area of studied are:- • North central (Kwara and Kogi) • South-West (Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo etc) • North-West/ North-East ( Old Kaduna and Borno axis)

North Central • Kogi - Okene axis • Kwara - Ilorin axis • Challenges of Da’wah • Ebira zone:- • Some of the du’at here lack moderate temperament to maintain or sustain organize da’wah . • Lack of patience i.e given to excessive zeal which in moment of rising can reach its apex and debased in short time frame.

North Central cont. • Though highly dedicated, committed and brave, some of the youths are given to stubbornness. • The nature of the people strongly affected the da’wahin this area. • The good qualities in the people made them to strongly depart from idolatry and strongly embrace Islam. • Hold to Islam tenaciously as quite majority are not given to hypocracy.

North Central cont. • Failure to build correct Islamic personality make the defect to outweigh the qualities and hence the spread of da’wah is limited. • Since the people are given to farming, they are dispersed and sandwiched between cosmopolitan Abuja and fertile soil of south-west Nigeria. • The centre (okene) still retain its traditionalities in virtues and defects. • Moderating the people’s temperament will do a great favour to da’awah.

North Central cont. Kwara (Ilorin axis) • Not given to radical change • Though has partially rich Islamic traditions which is continuously degenerating to the unspeakable level. • Majority are conservative to old-traditions and not easily given to changes.They pay lip-service to changes than real embracement. • Majority are cowardice though quite number are brave, the latter are always calculating and meticulous. • pompous of their background, they hold Jihad i.eqitalwith levity.

North Central cont. • Prefer faith of spirituality devoid of tears. Sometimes, the people have good virtues of taking caution in embracing new aqeedah. • Growth of da’awah of the movement is slow because of low zeal for particilation and high level of conservative da’awahstatusquo. • Some young du’aattransanct in religion but the movement call for sacrifice for religion • Sandwiched between various ethnic group, they share some qualities of south-western and the North, acting as buffer state between the two.

North Central cont. • The nature of Ilorin people strongly affected the daw’ah in the area. Building an Islamic personality from its inhabitants and mobilizing them for active movement work will catalyze da’wah prospect there.

South –Western Nigeria • High level of mixed faith practice • Western influence (colonialist) is high • Less gullible so not easily given to blind obedience. • Claim wise but still obey leaders in authority • Too many societies and leaders, • Mixed bravery and cowardice • Cleverness leading to hypocracy • Given to ephemerality and ceremonies

South –Western Nigeria cont. • Not given to irrational reaction although they are still vulnerable tools in the hands of politicians. • Lagos as old capital witnessed large pour of various ethnic group with their strengths and weaknesses and thus serve as strong points for positive and negative growths of south-west generally. • More heterogeneous in religious differences along Christian, Muslim and Pagan line.

South –Western Nigeria cont. • The nature of the people affect the da’wah here. Spreading basic principles of tawheed and expunging old idolatries are strong points of focus for any da’wah work here. The movement cause being comprehensive, has to be systematic in its propagation. Care should be taken not to mingle truth and falsehood together in the name of da’awah. • Though so many areas here are moving away from these weaknesses, but the pace is slow, perhaps due to lack of precedence of Khilafah as seen in the Khilafah of Sheikh IbnFodio and partially that of Sheikh Alimi.

North East/West • Though claimed to be knowledgeable, their intolerance and misconception about Islam gave rise to sects (Izala, Tijaniyyat, Shites) with strong hold. • Some are very gullible, vulnerable on mere misinformation about religion. • Some are very fatal and stubborn. • High poverty level and the al-majiri educational system has increased vulnerability of the people. • Lack of trust for other muslims in Nigeria, very self-conceited leading to hostility and discrimination for others

North East/West cont. • Stereotype religious practices in many ramifications. • Not friendly with minority faith and vice versa • Easy tools for politician manipulations. However, they are very brave, stubborn to the belief they hold.

North East/West cont. • Their sheepish obedience to corrupt/ incapable leaders make it easy for them to be manipulated. • Very dedicated, obedience, committed but highly materialistic.

Problems of Du’at, which limit the growth of da’wah in the selected areas • Insufficient capable scholars leading to misinformation and disinformation to the people. • Sponsorship from Arabian, Persians and western countries, all for intended purposes. • Ego and selfishness among some scholars • Poor personality building i.e. lack in Islamic mentality and disposition.

Problems of Du’at, which limit the growth of da’wah in the selected areas. Cont. • The west complexity in 21st century da’wahand misconception about leaders/leadership power and mode operandi. • Insincerity and immoderation • Traditionalism and modernism • Armed chaired scholars and practical du’at.

Attitudes of good da’iyah • Clear vision about the goal • Knowledge and practice • Dedication and sincerity • Correct translation of speech and action i.e scholarship and leadership. • Spirituality and abstention • Good means of sustenance • Sacrifice, endurance and steadfastness • Grasping complexity of Jahiliyah

Methods to be used to surmount the challenges • Organized good method or system • Good understanding of the environment and the people • Financial independent of leaders • Living above one ethnic nature and even sacrificing it for Islam • Moderation and personal feeling of responsibility

Method to be used to surmount the challenges. Cont. • Leaders/leadership style should be Islamic • Evaluating impact of da’wah in our community • Qualities of Islamic personality produce • Level of tackling of societal ills

Methods to be used to summont the challenges. Cont. • Holding the centre (leadership) together and influencing them • How deep do the Jahili system feel our existence

Points to note Our experimental period has enlisted suffering, sacrifice, endurance and martyrdom. Our da’awah has sowed a lot but reaped a little. Our approach to da’awah has been superficial and negligent under the guise of tawakul. The nature of our call is reform for revolution.

Our pitfalls Leadership Superficiality in knowledge of the struggle,its vision and goal. Methodology of da’awah. Turning point: marriage and fruit of the world. Materialism and poverty. Insincerity

Recommendations Comprehensive planning and training to acquire Islamic personality. The strength and pitfalls of our predecessors should be discussed, analyzed and evaluated for correction and learning purposes. The principles,methods and actions of the 21st century Jahili should be critically studied for tackling.

Questions • What are the reasons for the pitfall of leaders/leadership • Why is our ideology becoming moribund • Why is it that the North,especially North –East being the centre of manipulation and mobilization for religious crisis and terrorism. • Why is it difficult to have Bokoharam in South-West and North central.

Questions cont. • Why the low response/patronage of our call • What causes increase in sectarianism among us • What should we do to secure ourselves, our da’wah from these pitfalls. • Any differences between orthodox and 21st century da’wahand du’at.

TOPIC:- CHANLLENGES AND PROSPECT OF DAW’AH IN SELECTED AREAS IN NIGERIA