mubin raji | Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria (original) (raw)
Papers by mubin raji
Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, Aug 4, 2016
The Glorious Qur"ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to... more The Glorious Qur"ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Muslims, two of which are supplication and healing. Evidences of this assertion abound in both the Qur"ān and the Sunnah. Muslim scholars across the world have explored the Qur"ān with the aim of proffering solutions to all problems ranging from spiritual, physical and psychological. They have always believed that the Qur"ānic passages are quite potent and efficacious. One of such passages of the Qur"an is Sūratu Yāsīn. This study therefore takes a look at the hidden spiritual properties of the sūrah namely its merits, benefits and virtues. The various ways by which contemporary Yoruba Muslims put it to use are equally examined. The study reveals out that while righteous Muslims have always employed it for good ends, the fickle and vicious ones employ it for diabolical ends.
Lasu Journal of Humanities , 2019
Al-Istikhārah is a form of prayer sanctioned in the Qur'ān and clearly described in the Sunnah, w... more Al-Istikhārah is a form of prayer sanctioned in the Qur'ān and clearly described in the Sunnah, with the aim of seeking the guidance of Allāh about important decisions in life. The prayer reflects the Islamic direct way communication with Allāh, without mediation from anybody. In spite of the above, various manipulations and sharp practices have been established with regards to the prayer. This paper attempts to reveal these manipulations, especially by some Yoruba Muslims who perform Istikhārah as a way of seeking to know the ghayb (hidden facts), rather than seeking the guidance of Allāh on a particular issue or affair. It also seeks to expose the danger of this practice and the rulings of Islām using the Qur'ān, the Prophetic traditions and understanding of the pious predecessors as the basis. The paper finds out that two methods which comprise of consequent day time guidance and night dream interpretations form the core practice of the Istikhārah manipulations by some Yoruba Muslims. It is the recommendation of the paper that Muslims should desist from taking guidance based on dream symbolism or take actions on the advice or predictions of diviners. Rather, they are strongly enjoined to seek the guidance and reassurance of Allāh through Istikhārah prayer about important decisions in their life.
This paper is essentially a survey of some Muslim names and how they are bastardized in different... more This paper is essentially a survey of some Muslim names and how they are bastardized in different manners by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. The paper finds out that those engaged in this practice are the uncivilized and uncultured individuals regardless of any religious inclinations. A step by step analysis of the practice is provided to reveal the extent to which those names are abused. The paper also examines the implications of this practice under the 0 2 B B sharī ah and concludes by admonishing the perpetrators to desist in order to avoid the wrath of Allāh.
Abstract The Friday sermon (khuṭbah) has been held as a prerequisite for Friday prayer. In other ... more Abstract
The Friday sermon (khuṭbah) has been held as a prerequisite for Friday prayer. In other words, no Friday prayer is valid without a sermon. This is why in every central/jumat mosque all over the world; the sermon is delivered by the Imams prior to the Friday two rak῾āt prayer. This paper therefore highlights the elements, features, special rules and traits which distinguish the Friday sermon from other forms of lectures given on other occasions. With Lagos State (a cosmopolitan city) in focus, this paper has identified five categories of Imams and their methods of delivering the Friday sermon. These methods are examined critically with a view to determining their level of conformity to the Sunnah best practices and standard. In achieving this, effort is made to present arguments and counter arguments as regards the difference of methods adopted by the Imams, using the Qur’ān, Sunnah of the Prophet, understanding of the Ṣaḥābah (Prophet’s companions), Ṣīrah, opinions of Qur’ān exegetes and the juristic views of the schools of Fiqh as yardstick.
The Qur'ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Musl... more The Qur'ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Muslims, two of which are serving the purposes of supplication and healing. Empirical evidences of this assertion abound in both the Qur'ān and the Sunnah. Muslim scholars across the world have explored the Qur'ān with the aim of proffering solutions to all problems ranging from spiritual, physical and psychological. They have always claimed that the Qur'ānic portions are highly potent and efficacious due to their numerous spiritual values. One of such portions of the Qur'an is sūrah Yāsīn. This study therefore takes a look at the hidden spiritual properties of the sūrah vis a vis its merits, benefits and virtues. The various ways by which contemporary Yoruba Muslims put it to use is equally examined. The study however finds out that while righteous Muslims have always supplicated with it for good ends, the fickle and ignorant ones employ it for diabolical ends. In view of this, the study examines the sharī'ah implications of such anomaly and the danger it portends for the ummah.
The subject of sexual intercourse is without doubt one of the most highly controversial and highl... more The subject of sexual intercourse is without doubt one of the most highly controversial and highly misunderstood issues of all time. In past societies (and even primitive societies today), it was surrounded by an aura of mystique, rarely discussed, and engaged in with a sense of shame and guilt. In modern society on the other hand, it has been abused, indiscriminately over publicized and is much perverted in practice. Islam, however, being a balanced religion, adopts none of these extremes. As a complete system of thought and belief as well as a complete way of life, it deems it fit to educate its adherents in an unambiguous way on every issue that has to do with sex and sexuality. This paper, however, attempts to examine the attitudes of Yoruba Muslim couples towards sexual intercourse within marriage and with a view towards finding solution to where they have been found wanting, following the guidelines and principles of Islam.
In the last fifteen years of democratic rule in Nigeria, Lagos State has witnessed relative calm ... more In the last fifteen years of democratic rule in Nigeria, Lagos State has witnessed relative calm and peaceful co-existence among the adherents of the two major religions, (Islam and Christianity). This is not to say that there is absence of intra and inter-religious frictions but such are usually contained without escalating into religious crisis. This development is a direct result of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, (NIREC) Lagos State Chapter, an institutionalized intervention group saddled with the responsibility of interceding in inter-religious conflicts and promoting peace and religious tolerance and harmony in Lagos State. In view of the above, the activities of this group vis a vis its modus operandi and the support of the Lagos State government in sustaining religious tolerance is worthy of assessment. This paper finds out that through NIREC's efforts a number of issues which were capable of causing religious conflicts among adherents of religious bodies in Lagos State were resolved.
In Islām the heart is viewed as the essence of man. This is due to the fact that it occupies a gr... more In Islām the heart is viewed as the essence of man. This is due to the fact that it occupies a great and lofty position in the spiritual development of man; the place to which God looks and the storehouse for tawḥīd, faith and sincerity. In actual fact, actions in Islām are distinguished with respect to their excellence in the sight of Allāh in accordance with the condition of the heart. In spite of its lofty position, it was discovered in this paper that Muslims, especially in the contemporary period have lost the understanding of the importance of the role of the heart. Their focus is generally on actions or beliefs with little regards for the intention. It is in the light of the above that this paper attempts to increase Muslims' understanding on the role of the heart in the psychological and development of man, and also to emphasize the relationship that exists between it and intention/actions of man. This has been carried out from the Islāmic perspective using the Qur'ān and sunnah as framework.
Insecurity remains the most challenging problem of mankind despite humanity's outstanding and uns... more Insecurity remains the most challenging problem of mankind despite humanity's outstanding and unsurpassed advancement in the field of science and technology. In Nigeria, the spate of insecurity is at alarming rate. Almost on daily basis, reports of kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination and killing/bombing, each leading to scores of lives lost and destruction of properties, have become a recurring decimal.
The aim of this paper is to enlighten the Yoruba Muslims, in the light of the Sharīᶜah, scales th... more The aim of this paper is to enlighten the Yoruba Muslims, in the light of the Sharīᶜah, scales that would assist them in placing religious obligations in the right order. It has been observed over the years that a number of Yoruba Muslims give preference to acts of worship whose virtues are not only contestable among the scholars but less meritorious in deeds than those whose extra virtues are not contestable and also solve social problems of the society. A typical example is the issue of ᶜUmrah and subsequent voluntary Ḥajj undertaken on annual basis. Despite the need for spending much money on issues like feeding the poor, treating the sick and promoting education, Yoruba Muslims, particularly the wealthy individuals prefer to undertake the ᶜUmrah and voluntary Ḥajj annually with colossal amounts in quest for a reward on an act of worship that could afford to wait than divert the use of the money to address urgent needs of the Muslims. Reason for all this cannot be unconnected with the fact that they lack detailed information and good understanding of their religion. This paper therefore, was able to explain the Islāmic jurisprudence of priority in a number of ways and illustrations that make the relative merits of issues clear to them, individually and collectively, so as not to trade off or forsake the obligatory duties for the sake of supererogatory, or fall into a major sin
Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, Aug 4, 2016
The Glorious Qur"ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to... more The Glorious Qur"ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Muslims, two of which are supplication and healing. Evidences of this assertion abound in both the Qur"ān and the Sunnah. Muslim scholars across the world have explored the Qur"ān with the aim of proffering solutions to all problems ranging from spiritual, physical and psychological. They have always believed that the Qur"ānic passages are quite potent and efficacious. One of such passages of the Qur"an is Sūratu Yāsīn. This study therefore takes a look at the hidden spiritual properties of the sūrah namely its merits, benefits and virtues. The various ways by which contemporary Yoruba Muslims put it to use are equally examined. The study reveals out that while righteous Muslims have always employed it for good ends, the fickle and vicious ones employ it for diabolical ends.
Lasu Journal of Humanities , 2019
Al-Istikhārah is a form of prayer sanctioned in the Qur'ān and clearly described in the Sunnah, w... more Al-Istikhārah is a form of prayer sanctioned in the Qur'ān and clearly described in the Sunnah, with the aim of seeking the guidance of Allāh about important decisions in life. The prayer reflects the Islamic direct way communication with Allāh, without mediation from anybody. In spite of the above, various manipulations and sharp practices have been established with regards to the prayer. This paper attempts to reveal these manipulations, especially by some Yoruba Muslims who perform Istikhārah as a way of seeking to know the ghayb (hidden facts), rather than seeking the guidance of Allāh on a particular issue or affair. It also seeks to expose the danger of this practice and the rulings of Islām using the Qur'ān, the Prophetic traditions and understanding of the pious predecessors as the basis. The paper finds out that two methods which comprise of consequent day time guidance and night dream interpretations form the core practice of the Istikhārah manipulations by some Yoruba Muslims. It is the recommendation of the paper that Muslims should desist from taking guidance based on dream symbolism or take actions on the advice or predictions of diviners. Rather, they are strongly enjoined to seek the guidance and reassurance of Allāh through Istikhārah prayer about important decisions in their life.
This paper is essentially a survey of some Muslim names and how they are bastardized in different... more This paper is essentially a survey of some Muslim names and how they are bastardized in different manners by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. The paper finds out that those engaged in this practice are the uncivilized and uncultured individuals regardless of any religious inclinations. A step by step analysis of the practice is provided to reveal the extent to which those names are abused. The paper also examines the implications of this practice under the 0 2 B B sharī ah and concludes by admonishing the perpetrators to desist in order to avoid the wrath of Allāh.
Abstract The Friday sermon (khuṭbah) has been held as a prerequisite for Friday prayer. In other ... more Abstract
The Friday sermon (khuṭbah) has been held as a prerequisite for Friday prayer. In other words, no Friday prayer is valid without a sermon. This is why in every central/jumat mosque all over the world; the sermon is delivered by the Imams prior to the Friday two rak῾āt prayer. This paper therefore highlights the elements, features, special rules and traits which distinguish the Friday sermon from other forms of lectures given on other occasions. With Lagos State (a cosmopolitan city) in focus, this paper has identified five categories of Imams and their methods of delivering the Friday sermon. These methods are examined critically with a view to determining their level of conformity to the Sunnah best practices and standard. In achieving this, effort is made to present arguments and counter arguments as regards the difference of methods adopted by the Imams, using the Qur’ān, Sunnah of the Prophet, understanding of the Ṣaḥābah (Prophet’s companions), Ṣīrah, opinions of Qur’ān exegetes and the juristic views of the schools of Fiqh as yardstick.
The Qur'ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Musl... more The Qur'ān apart from serving the purpose of guidance also serves many other purposes to the Muslims, two of which are serving the purposes of supplication and healing. Empirical evidences of this assertion abound in both the Qur'ān and the Sunnah. Muslim scholars across the world have explored the Qur'ān with the aim of proffering solutions to all problems ranging from spiritual, physical and psychological. They have always claimed that the Qur'ānic portions are highly potent and efficacious due to their numerous spiritual values. One of such portions of the Qur'an is sūrah Yāsīn. This study therefore takes a look at the hidden spiritual properties of the sūrah vis a vis its merits, benefits and virtues. The various ways by which contemporary Yoruba Muslims put it to use is equally examined. The study however finds out that while righteous Muslims have always supplicated with it for good ends, the fickle and ignorant ones employ it for diabolical ends. In view of this, the study examines the sharī'ah implications of such anomaly and the danger it portends for the ummah.
The subject of sexual intercourse is without doubt one of the most highly controversial and highl... more The subject of sexual intercourse is without doubt one of the most highly controversial and highly misunderstood issues of all time. In past societies (and even primitive societies today), it was surrounded by an aura of mystique, rarely discussed, and engaged in with a sense of shame and guilt. In modern society on the other hand, it has been abused, indiscriminately over publicized and is much perverted in practice. Islam, however, being a balanced religion, adopts none of these extremes. As a complete system of thought and belief as well as a complete way of life, it deems it fit to educate its adherents in an unambiguous way on every issue that has to do with sex and sexuality. This paper, however, attempts to examine the attitudes of Yoruba Muslim couples towards sexual intercourse within marriage and with a view towards finding solution to where they have been found wanting, following the guidelines and principles of Islam.
In the last fifteen years of democratic rule in Nigeria, Lagos State has witnessed relative calm ... more In the last fifteen years of democratic rule in Nigeria, Lagos State has witnessed relative calm and peaceful co-existence among the adherents of the two major religions, (Islam and Christianity). This is not to say that there is absence of intra and inter-religious frictions but such are usually contained without escalating into religious crisis. This development is a direct result of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, (NIREC) Lagos State Chapter, an institutionalized intervention group saddled with the responsibility of interceding in inter-religious conflicts and promoting peace and religious tolerance and harmony in Lagos State. In view of the above, the activities of this group vis a vis its modus operandi and the support of the Lagos State government in sustaining religious tolerance is worthy of assessment. This paper finds out that through NIREC's efforts a number of issues which were capable of causing religious conflicts among adherents of religious bodies in Lagos State were resolved.
In Islām the heart is viewed as the essence of man. This is due to the fact that it occupies a gr... more In Islām the heart is viewed as the essence of man. This is due to the fact that it occupies a great and lofty position in the spiritual development of man; the place to which God looks and the storehouse for tawḥīd, faith and sincerity. In actual fact, actions in Islām are distinguished with respect to their excellence in the sight of Allāh in accordance with the condition of the heart. In spite of its lofty position, it was discovered in this paper that Muslims, especially in the contemporary period have lost the understanding of the importance of the role of the heart. Their focus is generally on actions or beliefs with little regards for the intention. It is in the light of the above that this paper attempts to increase Muslims' understanding on the role of the heart in the psychological and development of man, and also to emphasize the relationship that exists between it and intention/actions of man. This has been carried out from the Islāmic perspective using the Qur'ān and sunnah as framework.
Insecurity remains the most challenging problem of mankind despite humanity's outstanding and uns... more Insecurity remains the most challenging problem of mankind despite humanity's outstanding and unsurpassed advancement in the field of science and technology. In Nigeria, the spate of insecurity is at alarming rate. Almost on daily basis, reports of kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination and killing/bombing, each leading to scores of lives lost and destruction of properties, have become a recurring decimal.
The aim of this paper is to enlighten the Yoruba Muslims, in the light of the Sharīᶜah, scales th... more The aim of this paper is to enlighten the Yoruba Muslims, in the light of the Sharīᶜah, scales that would assist them in placing religious obligations in the right order. It has been observed over the years that a number of Yoruba Muslims give preference to acts of worship whose virtues are not only contestable among the scholars but less meritorious in deeds than those whose extra virtues are not contestable and also solve social problems of the society. A typical example is the issue of ᶜUmrah and subsequent voluntary Ḥajj undertaken on annual basis. Despite the need for spending much money on issues like feeding the poor, treating the sick and promoting education, Yoruba Muslims, particularly the wealthy individuals prefer to undertake the ᶜUmrah and voluntary Ḥajj annually with colossal amounts in quest for a reward on an act of worship that could afford to wait than divert the use of the money to address urgent needs of the Muslims. Reason for all this cannot be unconnected with the fact that they lack detailed information and good understanding of their religion. This paper therefore, was able to explain the Islāmic jurisprudence of priority in a number of ways and illustrations that make the relative merits of issues clear to them, individually and collectively, so as not to trade off or forsake the obligatory duties for the sake of supererogatory, or fall into a major sin