Islam: Between Peace and Violence (original) (raw)
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Islām, Violent Extremism and Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria
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2010
Nigeria has a complex ethno-religious profile. Thanks to the British colonial administration, a myriad of individual groups professing various faiths and belonging to different ethnicities have found themselves in a tense, unsettled and competitive political system. Unsurprisingly, there have been several attempts to undermine the profile of the state. In spite of these consistent challenges, what is striking, however, is that the Nigerian state has not disintegrated. What explains the persistence of the Nigerian state on the face of these assaults? Traditionally, critics have suggested that the federal structure in Nigeria is responsible for deflating some of the attacks against the state. I, however, propose that the success of the Nigerian state is not only due to the prevalence of a federal structure of governance but also due to the inclusive identity provided by religion. In particular, I explore the role of Islam in an ethnically charged context such as northern Nigeria. Whil...
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Globally, there are various actors staging violence against civilians to foster fear and suspicion of others. People in many countries are convinced that terrorism represents the most significant threat to their daily lives. There are political movements that take advantage of tragedy and stage citizens against each other to gain greater support. It is important to remember that terrorism is not a new phenomenon. Many countries have suffered for decades from groups, both internal and external including both State and non-State actors, wielding violence against civilians as a political strategy. In many cases, the local population emerged stronger and more resilient, proving that brutality is no match in the long term for the progress of unity and shared values. Religion on the other hand is intended to mold character for a violent free world. Islam has been getting an extremely bad reputation across the world and Muslims have had to face some major hate because of it. People feel it is okay to blame the religion and its teachings and mar Islam's reputation. Hence, this paper studies the nexus between Islamic religion and terrorism in Nigeria and elucidates the impact of the Islamic religion on terrorism in relation to having a violence-free Nigeria. The scope of this paper however is a reconnoiter of the extent to which Islamic religion has been a causative factor or a panacea to terrorism in Nigeria and finds that Islam is a religion of peace but the Quran-which is the Islamic Sacred Book and rule of faith, has suffered major misunderstanding in the hands of ignorant extremists and fanatics distorting this view. This study adopts an evaluative method of research to arrive at its findings
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AL-NEBRAS International Multidisciplinary Academic Journal (ISSN: 9978-7901), 2019
We can't ignore the fact that Religion, is the second oldest institution after family. It governs the social as well as personal behavior of man by providing guidelines, laws and principles relating to his interaction with his fellow man. It is one of the strongest forces which used to maintain peace in the society. In Nigeria there are two major dominant religions: Islam and Christianity. All these religions advocate for peaceful coexistence. This paper intends to highlights the role of Islamic Religion in maintaining peace in Nigeria. The paper discusses the concept of Islamic religion, its five pillars and Principles of Islam in maintaining peace in the society. The paper relies on secondary sources, through internet and library materials such as journals, magazines, newspapers and textbooks for the study. It recommends that a dialogue should be organized between the Muslims and non-Muslims in the communities that have been experiencing religious intolerance and ethnic violence in this country. It also call on the people to cooperate to end some unfortunate cases of religious intolerance.
A Sociological Reflection on the Grounds of Shaping and Developing Islamic Extremism in Nigeria
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The outbreak of Islamic fundamentalism with its diverse attacks on other religions remains one ugly global phenomenon that truncates the quest for universal peace and interreligious harmonious co-existence even in Nigeria. The implication of such religious extremism is benumbing to almost every national and international peace effort. From a historical approach, this paper examined the cordial relationship with which Islamic faith grew up in its cradle amidst other existing religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. Findings in this work showed that the adherents of Christian faith, together with the pagans made huge positive contributions to the survival of Islam at infancy. Hence, the study recommends that the tremendous assistance rendered by other religions in the protection of Islam in its early days is a historical fact that must be promoted with the view to educating and dissuading Islamic fundamentalists and supporters of religious extremism. Bearing in mind that such hist...
Political Islam in Northern Nigeria
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The success of the Nigerian state is not only due to the prevalence of a federal structure of governance, but also on the umbrella of identity provided by religion. In particular, I explore the role of Islam in an ethnically charged society such as northern Nigeria. However, Islam has evolved and exploited as a basis for political mobilization in northern Nigeria. This discussion explores the symbiotic relationship between religion and politics. Furthermore, it explores how religion (Islam) as a powerful element has attained the position as the primarily identity marker of the Muslims in northern Nigeria, and surveys the role of Islam in integrating various ethnic groups in northern Nigeria.
Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam an Instrument for Sustainable Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2020
Nigeria, has had her fair share of conflicts right from the Aba riots of 1929, the independence struggle of the 1950s, the election riots of the 1960s, the Kafanchan riots of the 1970s, the Matasine massacres of the 1980s, the Oodua People Congress (OPC) militancy and the Odi invasion of the 1990s, the Niger Delta militancy of 2000s to the present-day Boko Haram insurgency of the 2010s. This study is purely based on secondary source of data. The study concludes that method of peace and conflict resolution in Islamic is the perfect source of coexistence in Nigeria. The study recommends that conflict resolution in Islamic system should be welcomed by the Nigerian societies in order to live in peaceful coexistence.
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This paper examines the activities of the Ombatse cult group and the violent conflicts that occurred as a result of their activities which took place in some parts of Nasarawa State from 2011 – 2015. The aim of the study is to portray how Islam is against ethnic bigotry. It also intends solutions based on Islamic teachings on how to resolve disputes especially which is ethnically related. It also discussed its effects on Islam and Muslims in the State. The paper found out that peace is one of the basic tools for the development of any society, as Islam encourages peaceful co-existence among/between Muslims and nonMuslims as well as co-existence among other ethnic nationalities as Islam prohibits ethnicity and nationalism. Therefore, the paper further revealed that the major actors who participated in the crises were predominately Muslim youths from the ethnic groups involved in the violent conflict. The research also unveils the context and undertone which precipitated establishment...
Mandyang: Journal of Central Nigeria Studies, Department of History, University of Jos, Nigeria
Researching through the history of religious activities in the north this essay argues that there is a relationship between the current state of disunity and conflict in Kaduna state and the Northern Nigeria in general, and the resurgence of the radical reformist religious movements' that developed among both the Muslim and Christian communities. These movements (Izala and Pentecostal) that resurfaced nearly at the same time created tendencies for division and militancy among their followers. Side by side with the international politics and the deteriorating state of the Nigerian economy due to merciless plunder of the national resources by the political elite across the religions and ethnic groups favourable condition for mass recruitment of insurgents becomes very easy. Thus from 1980s Kaduna state started experiencing clashes and continuing growth of enmity and hatred encouraged and financed by the respective local elites and possibly other international financiers. This essay argues that the challenge for peace in Kaduna state must address the excesses of these new religious movements, which produced not only inter religious, but intra-religious contestations and conflict.