Theses and Dissertations (Islamic Studies)

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Challenges and Solutions to Primary and Secondary Islamic Education in Western Nigeria
(International Open University (IOU), 2021) Ibrahim-Katsina, Musa; Bocca-Aldaqre, Francesca Umm Yahya
This study discussed the challenges primary and secondary education in western Nigeria faces and the solutions needed. A problem which started from the colonization of the country by the British empire, the Christianization agenda by the colonizers, the inferiority complex that followed, and the lack of zeal to see or believe that western education can be presented in an Islamic point of view. There is also the problem of employing knowledgeable and qualified Muslim teachers whose primary objective is to impact knowledge into their students rather than the financial gains that comes with it. Teachers by circumstances who know little about pedagogy and al-Islām. Proprietors of Islāmic schools are to invest in their teachers by organizing workshops for them at least twice a year, inviting Islāmic pedagogists to train them, thereby boosting their confidence, increasing their knowledge and work input, and reducing the inferiority complex they might have towards the western education; which is unnecessary since Islām came with all branches of knowledge ranging from economics, human relations, sciences, agriculture, trade etc. and actualized by earlier Muslims especially in the golden era when the Muslims ruled in Andalusia Spain and in Baghdad. One of the ways Muslim teachers can improve and be dedicated is through mentorship. They gain experience through this which complements their knowledge. Proprietors should put Islam first before financial gains, and parents must be sincere and willing to allow their children learn according to Islāmic perspectives. The lack of zeal by leaders in the Islāmic world in implementing the findings by Islāmic educators in relative to the Islāmization of western curriculum and knowledge is a major setback in the Muslim world. The qualitative research method was the main source of information for this thesis sourced from books and research papers written on pedagogy by renowned educators in Nigeria and other countries. KEYWORDS: Islāmization, Pedagogy, Western Nigeria, Education. Table of Content DECLARATION .........................................................................4 DEDICATION ...........................................................................5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...............................................................6 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................7 1.1. Background / significance of the study .........................................9 1.2. Statement of the problem ........................................................10 1.3. Aims and objectives ..............................................................11 1.4. Research questions ................................................................11 1.5. Limitations of the research .............................................................................12 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE .......................................................12 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................16 4. ORIGINALITY AND SIGNIFICANCE ..........................................17 5. ISLAM AND KNOWLEDGE...............................................................17 5.1 The virtues of knowledge and danger of ignorance......................................19 5.2 The golden era of Islāmic knowledge.............................................21 6. EDUCATION IN WESTERN NIGERIA AND EMERGENCE OF ISLAMIC SCHOOLS.27 7. CHALLENGES FACING ISLAMIZING EDUCATION IN WESTERN NIGERIA......35 7.1 Islāmization of knowledge.......................................................37 7.2 Incompetence of Islāmic teachers..................................................................47 7.3 Financial Commitments of parents..................................................................54 8. CONCLUSION .......................................................................59 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................68 10. Appendix A. Interview transcript ...............................................75 11. Appendix B. Survey responses ...................................................79
The Upbringing of Muslim Children in the Republic of South Africa: Challenges and Suggested Solutions
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Asani, Mulani; Bocca-Aldaqre, Francesca Umm Yahya
This thesis studies Ibn Taymiyyah’s criticism of atheism in a contemporary light. The subject of atheism in Muslim circles has never been more important than now. With globalization and increasing clash of Islamic culture with western civilization, Muslim communities continue to witness a rise in the spate of faithful adherents abandoning faith for non-belief. Although, it is not the first time the topic of atheism has been addressed in Islamic history, what makes it interesting now is that atheism is branded as a scientific, rational enterprise while Islamic spirituality is presented with dogmatism and backwardness. The focus of this work is to reverse that narrative by looking back into the rich Islamic tradition to unearth gemstones for combating these ideologies from a reliable rational point of view without watering down foundational Islamic mores. The mystifying garb of science and scholarship with which modern atheism presents itself makes it necessary to tackle the latter with an equivalent level of sophistication and erudition domiciled in the House of Islamic philosophy. Ibn Taymiyyah stands tall in the lineage of indefatigable figures with documented wealth of knowledge and expertise in this field. Standing on the shoulders of 14th Century scholarly giant, this work aims to offer compelling rational and philosophical proofs for the existence of God after systematically critiquing the basis for modern atheism. It reviews primary and secondary sources on Ibn Taymiyyah’s extensive corpus to summarize his most powerful rebuttals to contemporary and classical atheism. This study found Ibn Taymiyyah’s arguments to be coherent under reason, revelation, signs, design, rational demonstration, and fitrah. Although Ibn Taymiyyah recognizes the need for rational demonstration, he advocates this as a last resort; all of which is described in this humble effort. This study concludes that it is possible to demonstrate using classical and modern resources compatible with reason and spirituality that God’s existence is unequivocal without much recourse for philosophical proofs.
Adhering to Islam- Challenges and Prospects Faced by Norwich Muslim Youths
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Badjie, Sheriff ML; Rabi’u, Warshu T.
It is the unflinching belief of Muslims that the only religion acceptable to Allāh the Glorious is Islam. The Islamic faith has been perfected and completed as per the statement of the Most high in surah Al-Maidah. Thus, it must hence forth be practiced as espoused by the Prophet and his companions (RAD). Undoubtedly, adhering to pure Islamic values in our daily lives is challenging in modern times. These challenges are more pronounced in Western societies. Youths being the future of any given religion necessitates that their welfare be safeguarded and adherence to their faith be promoted to facilitate the passing of pure Islam from generation to generation. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges faced by Muslim youths living in Norwich in their quest to adhere to the teachings of Islam as espoused by the prophet peace be upon him. The researcher used qualitative research methods and recruited 11participants all resident in Norwich. Semi structured interviews were performed to collect data for the study. Recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. The study found that Muslim youths face enormous challenges amongst which are difficulties in reconciling their supposed Britishness with their Islamic values. This seems to be much of a problem due to them being minorities within the predominantly non-religious population of Norwich. Although the majority of the participants stated they observe their five daily prayers, their access to Islamic knowledge is somewhat limited due to the small number of Maktabs or madrasah available in Norwich. The lack of suitable prayer facilities for females as well as in the basic cycle schools was also found to be a challenge. However, the environment is generally friendly and not hostile to Islam thus presenting good prospects of practicing. The local community have scholars who can guide the youths adhere to the unadulterated form of Islam. In conclusion, dedicated prayer spaces in masjids and schools, more functioning Maktabs, and youth friendly programmes need to be provided under the guidance of the local scholars to guide and support the practice of these youths. Declaration and Statement I declare that this thesis is my own work and the materials presented herein have not been copied from other sources or substantially used in another academic award submission.
The Efforts of Contemporary Muslim Scholars in the Propagation of Islam in Sierra Leone
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Sahid, Mohamed Badamasie; Oyedapo, Raufu Mufutau
Sierra Leonean Muslims started experiencing a change in the methods of Islamic propagation in the early 1970s, when Muslims considered to be scholars and Sheiks diverted the propagation from cultural religion to religious culture. The study therefore investigate major activities and constraints of modern Muslim scholars in Islamic propagation in Sierra Leone. Questionnaire was designed and about 200 copies were printed and distributed to individuals (both scholars and non-scholars), who are known to be active in Islamic activities and in Muslim organisations in the country. 100 of the questionnaire were distributed within the 14-provincial head-quarter towns and the rest for the 2 districts in the capital city, Western Area Rural and Urban. Likewise, information from various relevant authentic sources were collected and analyzed to assess the efforts exerted. In propagating Islam (IP), about 90% were males and the remaining 10% were females. But 77% of the female population were youth within the age bracket 30-40 years. All of the females belong to a Jama’t and/or other Islamic propagation union/organization.For the portion of time allocated for Islamic propagation or learning, 48.4% are making it a primary profession by allocating full time to Islamic propagation. 48.4% are allocating either half or some of their time to the propagation. However, 3.2% are so busy with other things that they cannot manage their time for any of the means of Islamic propagation. About 88.3% of the respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that there are too much un-Islamic activates which obstruct the spread of Islam. Also, 81.2% were either strongly agreed or agreed that disunity among Muslims is a constraint to IP. For tribal sentiment affecting the spread of Islam in Sierra Leone, 75% are either strongly agreed or agreed that tribalism is an obstacle to Da’wah in Sierra Leone and 63% either strongly agreed or agreed that there are not enough Islamic scholars for Da’wah in Sierra Leone. The findings asserted that there is a difference in the methodology of Islamic propagation in Sierra Leone between traditional and contemporary scholars which has led to instances of contradiction and confusion among Muslims. About 38% recommended that the greatest need for Islamic propagation is to train more Arabic and Islamic teachers to join the propagation trail, 14% considered the unity of all Islamic organizations under one union as the most paramount while 9.3% considered both allocating monthly allowance for Imams and scholars and appointing a supreme Islamic leader qualify and capable of being a Mufti are the priorities to the solutions suggested. Keywords: Islamic propagation, Sierra Leone, Muslim, scholars, Organizations/Jama’t DECLARATIONS AND STATEMENTS I hereby declare that this thesis research is prepared and written by me and the results were from the investigations of the research, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or currently submitted for the attainment of any other degree at International Open University (IOU) and any other university.
The Impact of Orientalism on Hadith Literature in Nigerian Institutions
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Dahiru, Muhammad Auwal
This study examined the impact of Orientalism on Hadith literature in Nigerian institutions. Hadith course materials for studies in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) serve as the primary source of the data. The secondary sources of data were libraries, books, articles, and other internet sources. The study examined critically the impact of Orientalism by studying the authors of the materials. Also, the content of materials and their sources or references were examined. From the analysis, the study shows that there were a lot of influences of Orientalism in the structures and curriculum of Islamic studies of NOUN. The study has, in addition, established that there are not many influences of Orientalism on the design and development of the Hadith course materials of NOUN. Therefore, it requires deep research on other Islamic studies course material before establishing that Orientalism does not impact the Islamic studies of NOUN. The study further discovered that Orientalists impacted the field of teaching and explanation of Hadith to some Muslim scholars. Therefore, the study recommends that the works of the Orientalists be thoroughly surveyed and critically analyzed in the light of known facts. Also, an organization that will take care of teaching of Hadith in Nigeria is required to provide scholarly research on the Hadith and its sciences marked by a scrutiny of the sources, interpretation, of the original texts. So that the wrong conclusion and erroneous theories based on illogical and doubtful premises may be demoli This study examined the impact of Orientalism on Hadith literature in Nigerian institutions. Hadith course materials for studies in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) serve as the primary source of the data. The secondary sources of data were libraries, books, articles, and other internet sources. The study examined critically the impact of Orientalism by studying the authors of the materials. Also, the content of materials and their sources or references were examined. From the analysis, the study shows that there were a lot of influences of Orientalism in the structures and curriculum of Islamic studies of NOUN. The study has, in addition, established that there are not many influences of Orientalism on the design and development of the Hadith course materials of NOUN. Therefore, it requires deep research on other Islamic studies course material before establishing that Orientalism does not impact the Islamic studies of NOUN. The study further discovered that Orientalists impacted the field of teaching and explanation of Hadith to some Muslim scholars. Therefore, the study recommends that the works of the Orientalists be thoroughly surveyed and critically analyzed in the light of known facts. Also, an organization that will take care of teaching of Hadith in Nigeria is required to provide scholarly research on the Hadith and its sciences marked by a scrutiny of the sources, interpretation, of the original texts. So that the wrong conclusion and erroneous theories based on illogical and doubtful premises may be demoli
The Impact of Media on Muslim Religious Behavior: A Case Study of India
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Riyaz, Aniqa Akrami Mohamed; Oyedapo, Raufu M.
This research seeks to explore the impact and influence that representations and depictions of Muslims in mass media — including but not limited to the news media, film industry, and social media — has on global Muslims in general, and on Indian Muslims in particular. The research argues that currently there exists overwhelmingly greater negative representations of Muslims in the mass media, and attempts to investigate the reasons behind negative representations of Muslims in both global and Indian mass media networks and platforms. The research also attempts to analyze the impact of themes like capitalism and secularism present in the media upon Muslim religious behaviors. Presently, there exist studies on the negative presentation of Muslims in mainstream media and on the existence of the above-mentioned themes in commercial media, but few studies are available on how those representations impact Muslims and their religious behaviors, and even fewer studies have been made on the effects that these portrayals have over the religious beliefs, practices, and behaviors of Indian Muslims. Using the mixed research methodology, this thesis uses extant research design as the primary source of data and uses the results of a survey of 207 respondents who are either Indian Muslims or deeply acquainted with Indian Muslims as a secondary source for supplementing the understanding gained from the qualitative method. The findings of the survey reveal that there exists impact of media representations of aforementioned themes on Muslim religious behaviors that affects Muslim spirituality, social identities, and the very lives of Muslims as well. The researcher hopes that these findings will contribute towards the understanding of how the media works, who owns or controls most of the media, what are the agendas behind the representations and narratives of the media, how this impacts Muslims and their religious behaviors, and what can be done to undo the negative effects of media on Muslims. Keywords: Minority Muslims, Media Representation, Impact, Muslim Religious Behaviours, Islamophobia Declarations and Statements The researcher declares that this work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. The researcher also declares that this thesis is the result of her own investigations, except where otherwise stated. Abstract 2 Declarations and Statements 3 Abstract 2 Declarations and Statements 3
Modeling the Governance Structure of the State – a Contemporary Islamic Perspective
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Ibrahim, Amro Abdelalim Shafik Mohammad; Thani, Taofeek Muhammad
The Muslim ummah has been suffering the last hundred years to create prosperous and independent countries. The ummah experienced autocracy, monarchy, tyranny, and corruption; and have gone through wars, revolutions, coups, and massacres striving for a solution. This thesis presents a contemporary Islamic model for a governance structure of the state that can be part of this solution. The state in Islam shall be governed by sharīʿah and shall implement shūrā at the different levels of governance, and most importantly, at the level of state administration. The proposed model does not only incorporate Ahlu al-ḥall wāl-ʿaqd as a core element in the model, but also discusses a contemporary structure for this organization. The model emphasizes the role of education and Islamic sciences as well as the importance of creating and maintaining an active and dynamic society. In this thesis, the concepts of sovereignty and authority are discussed and are embedded in the proposed model. Beside the governance structure model, this thesis also presents a unique Islamic good governance model that highlights ten Islamic principles and shows the correlation between them. This good governance model is compared with other models in the literature. The comparison shows that proposed model is more extensive and comprehensive and fill the gaps that existed in the previous models. This study was made using library research and content descriptive analysis methods for the information obtained from published books and papers. The suggested model and values are practical and can be gradually implemented to create a positive change in the ummah.
Ibn Taymiyyah’s Critique of Atheism
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Lasisi, Ahmed Oluwafemi; Rabi’u, Warshu T.
This thesis studies Ibn Taymiyyah’s criticism of atheism in a contemporary light. The subject of atheism in Muslim circles has never been more important than now. With globalization and increasing clash of Islamic culture with western civilization, Muslim communities continue to witness a rise in the spate of faithful adherents abandoning faith for non-belief. Although, it is not the first time the topic of atheism has been addressed in Islamic history, what makes it interesting now is that atheism is branded as a scientific, rational enterprise while Islamic spirituality is presented with dogmatism and backwardness. The focus of this work is to reverse that narrative by looking back into the rich Islamic tradition to unearth gemstones for combating these ideologies from a reliable rational point of view without watering down foundational Islamic mores. The mystifying garb of science and scholarship with which modern atheism presents itself makes it necessary to tackle the latter with an equivalent level of sophistication and erudition domiciled in the House of Islamic philosophy. Ibn Taymiyyah stands tall in the lineage of indefatigable figures with documented wealth of knowledge and expertise in this field. Standing on the shoulders of 14th Century scholarly giant, this work aims to offer compelling rational and philosophical proofs for the existence of God after systematically critiquing the basis for modern atheism. It reviews primary and secondary sources on Ibn Taymiyyah’s extensive corpus to summarize his most powerful rebuttals to contemporary and classical atheism. This study found Ibn Taymiyyah’s arguments to be coherent under reason, revelation, signs, design, rational demonstration, and fitrah. Although Ibn Taymiyyah recognizes the need for rational demonstration, he advocates this as a last resort; all of which is described in this humble effort. This study concludes that it is possible to demonstrate using classical and modern resources compatible with reason and spirituality that God’s existence is unequivocal without much recourse for philosophical proofs. Keywords: God, Atheism, Philosophy, Ibn Taymiyyah, Reason, Revelation
An Analysis and Assessment of the Islamic Educational Centers in Ghana: A Case Study of the Farukiyyah Islamic Institute in Tamale
(International Open University (IOU), 2021) Anass, Yakubu; Oyedapo, Raufu M.
This research work was on the topic an analysis and assessment of the Islamic educational centers in Ghana: a case study of the Farukiyyah Islamic Institute in Tamale. The main objective of the study was to examine the role of Farukiyyah Islamic Institute in educating the Muslim communities in Tamale and specifically: to examine the importance of Islamic education among Muslims in Northern Ghana; to assess the role of Farukiyyah Islamic Institute in imparting knowledge to Muslims in Northern Ghana and to assess the Farukiyyah Islamic Institute’s effort in blending Islamic and Scientific education. The study employed a mixed research design for this research where qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data for the research. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample 111 respondents for this study. However, 110 effective responses were obtained from respondents. The study found that there are four importance of Islamic education in Northern Ghana. It was found that morality is a key indicator in imparting knowledge at the Institute, Islamic educational centers have helped in providing many Arabic teachers in the region, Islamic educational centers have contributed to the understanding of the values of society and Islamic educational centers have encouraged religious tolerance among the people of Tamale. The study also found that Farukiyyah Islamic Institute plays a key role in imparting knowledge to Muslims in Northern Ghana. For instance, it was revealed that Farukiyyah Islamic Institute follows up on its students after completion, the Institute usually prepares its students for further education and certifies its graduates. Additionally, the results show that the Institute blends Islamic and scientific education by partnering with Ghana Education Service (GES) with regards to posting of teachers to the Institute, studying the natural and social sciences and has contributed to the development of the Tamale metropolis. It was concluded from the findings of this study that: morality is a key indicator in imparting knowledge at the Institute; Islamic educational centers have helped in providing many Arabic teachers in the region; Islamic educational centers have contributed to the understanding of the values of society and Islamic educational centers have encouraged religious tolerance among the people of Tamale. This study also concludes that Farukiyyah Islamic Institute plays a critical role in imparting knowledge to Muslims in Northern Ghana since it follows up on its students after completion, prepares students for further education, and also certifies its graduates. This study recommends that Farukiyyah Islamic Institute should take pragmatic steps to organize seminars for its students since this can help open up the minds and knowledge of the students. The study also recommends that Farukiyyah Islamic Institute should work to promote the study of comparative religions since it will help to train quality students who appreciate other religions and can leverage that to promote the Islamic religion.
India's Law on Marriage and Divorce from an Islamic Point of View. A Comparative Study
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Sadiya, Haleema; Sahib, Anwar
The personal rights of Muslims are one of those critical challenges that are constantly changing the narrative of Indian policy about Muslim identity in a negative way. It is undeniable that practically all personal laws degrade the status of women and are discriminatory in nature, although many improvements have in the personal laws of the different communities over time. Although these changes to personal laws do not reflect gender differences, they have evolved and evolved considerably in the direction of more effective policy. Instead, the same developments are still happening in Muslim personal laws, which are still in the early stages of development. It will examine the conflicts among minority groups within a culture and the burden of accommodation on liberal democratic society. Keywords: Islamic personal laws, uniform civil code, gender equality, Hindu laws.
Analysis and Critique of Theological Claims Raised by Apostates of Islam
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Zabir, Omar AL; Sahib, Anwar
This paper examines testimonies of 42 apostates of Islam from seven books to analyze and criticize their most common objections to Islam that led to their infidelity. This is a qualitative study that concentrates exclusively on the theological claims made against Islam by the apostates. It does not address assertions about particular practices of sects, societies, cultures, and regimes, as they do not challenge Islam’s status as the true religion. It organizes the claims into several themes and addresses top three themes: a) Islam’s stance on women and marriage, 2) Islam’s stance on slavery and dealing with female prisoners of war, and 3) Islam’s treatment of non-believers and apostates, and the Prophet’s alleged violent life. Examination of the claims in these themes reveals unsound argumentations, out-of-context quotation of verses of Qur’ān and Ḥadīth, mistranslations, misinterpretations, reliance on dishonest Orientalist and anti-Islamic literature. Two methods have been used to criticize these claims. Unsound arguments are refuted with sound arguments. Claims made using out-of-context quotations, misquotations, and mistranslations of Qur’ān and Ḥadīth are refuted using correct translation, context and supporting evidence from classical Islamic texts and modern academic work. Numerous social science research are utilized to deconstruct the presentism bias towards western law and culture, and to show the scale of evil that modernity has brought to humanity that Islam wants to uproot. This work should help an apostate, a doubting Muslim, or even a weak believer evaluates and criticizes the legitimacy of some of the common arguments made against Islām. This paper examines testimonies of 42 apostates of Islam from seven books to analyze and criticize their most common objections to Islam that led to their infidelity. This is a qualitative study that concentrates exclusively on the theological claims made against Islam by the apostates. It does not address assertions about particular practices of sects, societies, cultures, and regimes, as they do not challenge Islam’s status as the true religion. It organizes the claims into several themes and addresses top three themes: a) Islam’s stance on women and marriage, 2) Islam’s stance on slavery and dealing with female prisoners of war, and 3) Islam’s treatment of non-believers and apostates, and the Prophet’s alleged violent life. Examination of the claims in these themes reveals unsound argumentations, out-of-context quotation of verses of Qur’ān and Ḥadīth, mistranslations, misinterpretations, reliance on dishonest Orientalist and anti-Islamic literature. Two methods have been used to criticize these claims. Unsound arguments are refuted with sound arguments. Claims made using out-of-context quotations, misquotations, and mistranslations of Qur’ān and Ḥadīth are refuted using correct translation, context and supporting evidence from classical Islamic texts and modern academic work. Numerous social science research are utilized to deconstruct the presentism bias towards western law and culture, and to show the scale of evil that modernity has brought to humanity that Islam wants to uproot. This work should help an apostate, a doubting Muslim, or even a weak believer evaluates and criticizes the legitimacy of some of the common arguments made against Islām.
Perceived Effects of Muslims’ Participation in Democracy in Blantyre, Malawi.
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Kachala, Edington; Oyedapo, Raufu M.
The study aimed at analyzing the perceived effects of Muslims’ participation in democracy in Blantyre, Malawi. The research is important in the sense that there has been a gap in knowledge as to what is expected of Muslim politicians and the silence by Muslim scholars on Islam and democracy in Malawi. The study used explanatory research design and mixed research approach was employed. Data for the study was gathered from primary and secondary sources. The primary data was obtained by questionnaire and interviews. The survey was conducted from Muslim lecturers, teachers, Sheikhs, Imaams, students, businessmen and politicians and random sampling was employed. The secondary data was collected from working papers, reports and journals. Data was analysed with descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentages through statistical tool of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. In addition, the data was presented in tables. The study tried to respond the questions on factors that affect Muslims participation in the country's democracy, perceived effects of Muslims' participation in democracy and constraints of Muslims to participation in the country's democracy. The findings of this study shows that the Muslims participating in democracy in Malawi are doing less to protect Islam and Muslims whenever there are issues that requires their attention. It further established that the intention of Malawi Muslim politicians joining politics, is not to serve Islam however, Muslims do expect a lot from them as their brothers hence the anger when situations that requires their hand happens and no reaction from them. The study has revealed the knowledge gap with most Muslims and politicians on what Islam says on governance. The fact that Allah commanded that ruling of the state should be by the text (Allah revealed laws) surprisingly it less known by most as a result the practicing of democracy is not considered as something being done out necessity according some scholars. This paper recommended that the need by Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) in providing awareness through the Ulama Council of Malawi to Muslim politicians and general Muslims the essentials of Islamic governance and there should be a good communication between Muslim politicians (including those aspiring to become politicians) and MAM to ensure that there is a good coordination and guidance as to how Muslims can be operating as both Muslims and politicians. TABLE OF CONTENT
The Ideology of Boko Haram: An Analytical Study of Its Origin, Development and Impact on the Muslim World
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Yusuf, Danjuma; Thani, Taofeek Muhammad
Boko Haram is a contemporary Islamic movement that emerged in Northern Nigeria in the early 2000s. Though it began as a peaceful organization with the aim of propagating the true teachings of Islam in the face of rising societal ills, it was noted for consistently expressing extreme ideological views on issues of aqeedah and general Islamic principles. In 2009, however, in reaction to the considerable opposition to its ideology, the movement changed course and adopted a violent strategy towards achieving its goals. Though the violence continued unabated after 2009, the study only focused on the years 2001 to 2009, which covered the formative and consolidation stages of Boko Haram’s ideology. While existing literature explained Boko Haram's dynamics from the perspectives of economic deprivation theory, political alienation theory, and corruption theory, this study attempted to fill the gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of the theological issues that underpin Boko Haram's ideology and its impact on the Muslim world. The study used qualitative data gathering methods from both primary and secondary sources, including video and audio recordings of interviews, debates, and lectures, as well as books, journals, and articles. The study heavily relied on the content analysis approach to examine the textual materials and video/audio recordings of Boko Haram's ideology. It also used a historical development approach to examine several written works on the doctrine and methodology of some classical and modern Islamic sects with extreme ideologies. The study result indicate that Boko Haram’s ideology was formulated from theological concerns about Muslims' participation in Western education, government employment, democracy, and democratic rule. According to the research, Boko Haram claimed that western education is forbidden because it contains some aspects of knowledge that conflict with Islamic faith and cannot be removed or separated under the Western educational system. They also believe that democracy, democratic rules, and government employment are forbidden because they all entailed ruling by or obedience to man-made laws, which conflicted with the fundamental principles of Islamic faith that conferred absolute legislative rights on Allah alone. After detailed analysis of the key evidence used by Boko Haram to articulate its ideology, the study concluded that the ideology was founded on deep-rooted ignorance and flawed methodology, making what is permissible forbidden. Similarly, while the study agrees with Boko Haram's textual proof in rejecting democracy and democratic rules, it utterly disagrees with Boko Haram's overall perspective, which declares western education and government work to be forbidden. The study also demonstrates that the ideology had a negative impact on the Muslim Ummah, the image of Islam, and da'wah activities, and in addition, recommended practical steps to forestall the creation of similar ideological groups in the future. However, while other factors may have contributed to the rise of Boko Haram, the study shows that the religious (theological) aspect is the most important theme that was responsible for the formation and growth of Boko Haram's ideology. Keywords: Ideology, Boko Haram, forbidden, Western education, ignorance, flawed methodology, deprivation theory.
Living Healthy in Islam
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Homoud, Motaz Bani; Tahir, Ibrahim Nuhu
This paper will explain the importance of living healthy and happy. The paper defines health and answers questions about Islam’s relationship with health and vice versa. The methodology is based on a qualitative approach, where the Qurʾān (the sacred book for Muslims) and the prophetic teachings are used for Islamic references, and scientific studies for medical references. The first section covers: relationships and smiling lead to health and happiness, hope, joy, gratitude, stress, depression, anxiety, grief, anger management, OCD, substance abuse, screen addiction, social media, gaming, family role, meditation therapy, suicide, resilience, and patience. The second section covers: exercise, sleep, cupping, marriage, sex, intermittent fasting, breastfeeding, hygiene, Prayers, smoking, holistic medicine, spiritual and therapeutic interventions. Other sections are: prevention, healthy weight, food, drinks, eating habits, honey, olives, vinegar, black seed, and forbidden items. Islamic lifestyle leads to a healthy life and vice versa. Declarations and Statements I declare that this paper has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree other than Master of Arts (Islamic Studies) at the International Online University. There are no known conflicts of interest associated with this paper and there has been no financial support for this work. This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. 1. Table of content...............................................................4 1.1 Acknowledgements............................................5 2. Introduction...................................................................6 2.1 Background and importance.................................6 2.2 Statement of the problem ....................................6 2.3 Research questions ............................................7 2.4 Aims and objectives ...........................................7 2.5 Methodology...................................................7 2.6 Significance of the study......................................8 2.7 Limitations .....................................................8 3. Review of literature..........................................................8 4. Psychology and mental health.............................................10 4.1 Relationships lead to health and happiness................... 10 4.2 Smiling promotes health and happiness........................11 4.3 Hope, joy, and gratitude..........................................13 4.4 Stress, anxiety, depression .......................................13 4.5 Grief and anger management...............................................16 4.6 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder................................17 4.7 Alcohol and substance abuse....................................19 4.8 Screens addiction, social media, and gaming..................21 4.9 Family role..........................................................23 4.10 Meditation therapy................................................24 4.11 Suicide..............................................................25 4.12 Resilience and patience..........................................25 5. Lifestyle......................................................................27 5.1 Exercise and walking............................................27 5.2 Sleep...............................................................29 5.3 Cupping..............................................................................30 5.4 Marriage and sex life............................................31 5.5 Fasting and intermittent fasting.................................33 5.6 Breastfeeding......................................................34 5.7 Washing and hygiene.............................................34 5.8 Prayers from a health perspective...............................37 5.9 All types of smoking..............................................40 5.10 Holistic medicine................................................43 5.11 Spiritual and therapeutic interventions........................44 6. Prevention.....................................................................46 6.1 Controlling the spread of contagious disease..................46 6.2 Obesity .............................................................47 7. Food and drinks..............................................................49 7.1 Eating habits.......................................................49 7.2 Black seed.........................................................50 7.3 Honey, olives, vinegar............................................52 7.4 Forbidden food, drinks, substances............................53 8. Results and Discussion ....................................................55 9. Conclusion...................................................................56 10. Bibliography...............................................................58
Tarbiyah Aspects of Aqeedah in the Qur’anic Narrative of Luqman’s Advice to His Son
(International Open University (IOU), 2022) Bande, Abdoul Hac; Thani, Taofeek Muhammad
The title of this study is Tarbiyah Aspects of Aqeedah in the Qur’anic Narrative of Luqman’s Advice to His Son. The study aimed to analyze and elicit Aqeedah aspects in the Qur’anic narrative of Luqman’s advice to his son, specifically, Tawheed Al-Asma Was-Sifat (Maintaining Allah’s Names and Attributes) and Shirk (Polytheism). The scope of the study was the (Qur’an 31:12-19). Analytical, thematic, deductive, and descriptive methods are used to analyze and extract Aqeedah aspects in the story of Luqman and his advice to his beloved son. This study used library research methods to collect data from multiple sources, such as the Internet, journals, and other publications, which are relevant to the study. The study consists of five Chapters. The first Chapter of this thesis had an introduction, the statement of the problem, research questions, goals, methods, significance, scope, definitions, and organization of the thesis. The second Chapter focused on education, Aqeedah, the Qur’an, narrative, Surah Luqman, Luqman’s biography, the style of reading Qur’anic verses, and the ruling derived from the verses. Chapter three consisted of rejecting polytheism and proving monotheism. The fourth Chapter held the importance of Tawheed Al-Asma Was-Sifat, categories of people according to their knowledge of Allah, the benefit of learning and memorizing Allah’s Names and Attributes, principles of Tawheed Al-Asma Was-Sifat, Allah’s Names deduced from the advice that Luqman gave his son, Divine Love, the educational effects of Allah’s Beautiful Names and Attributes and Luqman’s approach to Aqeedah consolidation. The last Chapter summarized the results and recommendations. Appreciations and Acknowledgments In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All perfect praises are due to Allah. I seek Allah’s help, forgiveness, and refuge from the evil within myself and the consequences of the same. Whomever Allah guides will never go astray, and whomever Allah leads astray will never find guidance. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, who is without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is Allah’s slave and Messenger. It is such a great honor to be a student at International Open University, (IOU) for a master’s degree. As well, I wish to express my gratitude to my advisor Dr. Taofeek Muhammad Thani for his insightful comments and advice about my thesis. Furthermore, I would like to thank everyone who provided me with helpful ideas, suggestions, or editing. Once again, I would like to thank my beloved parents and family for all that they have done for me. Lastly, there are no references to any individual’s works or opinions in this study, except for those in the text and bibliography.
Raising Muslim Children in the United States: Challenges and Suggested Solutions
(International Open University (IOU), 2020) Hossain, ASM Delowar; Bocca-Aldaqre, Francesca
As a minority in the USA, the Muslim youth are facing countless challenges. Many of them are in disarray and are even leaving Islam. Consequently, it is a difficult task for the parents to raise them as Muslims. Currently, this crisis is spreading at an alarming rate. Nevertheless, there are no detailed work in the literature based on the Quran and sunnah that explores the underlying causes and appropriate solutions to such a crisis. Therefore, this study explores the specific underlying causes of this crisis from the standpoints of youth, parents and school teachers to recommend feasible religious solutions for a long-lasting character building and support initiatives for the Muslim youth. To that end, surveys were conducted that included the youth and parents from both the public and Islamic schools along with the teachers from Islamic schools. The youth offered first-hand information of their challenges and possible solutions while the parents and teachers offered their views from the perspectives of the home and school respectively. The participants of the surveys interestingly revealed that they generally agree with specific religious challenges and their potential solutions regarding the youth. The survey identified the lack of involvement of the parents and inadequate religious training for the children among the key parenting challenges. On the other hand, peer pressure, poor role models, drug and Islamophobia were recognized as the major challenges regarding schooling. Concerning potential solutions to the challenges, the study revealed that the parents need to learn and practice Islam as role models, foster a righteous living atmosphere and be involved with the children with respect and kindness. Additionally, concerning schooling, the academic institutions need to provide meaningful religious education, righteous role models, and offer guidance about the evil effects of drug, gang and other social ills. Finally, the youth themselves need to choose their friends prudently.
Corruption in the Gambian Arabic School, Repercussions and Suggested Solutions
(International Open University (IOU), 2021) Kabba, Muhammad Omar; Oyedapo, Raufu
Corruption plays a major part in dismantling the Arabic education system in The Gambia. It all starts with the deduction of teacher’s salaries as the root cause and tampering with evidence. These involve denying teachers monthly payment slips, no agreement sign or contract at the beginning of their appointment. Social security has never been paid by Amanah, schools principals are mainly the accountant, registrar, and master in a small school, embezzlement of private funds, bribes, and forgery are main done by principals of the schools. The research, therefore, examined corruption in Arabic schools in The Gambia and its consequences.
Sectarianism and Its Impact on the Muslim Community in Cleveland, Ohio
(International Open University (IOU), 2020) Cozart, Abdurrahim Ibn; Oyedapo, Raufu
In as much as Allah commands the Muslims to be moderate in every parameter of their life and to promote unity and constituents of unity are extremely prominent in all the Islamic injunctions and worships, the American Muslims (like other Muslims in other parts of the world) have become divided into different sects because of political alignments and religious dogmas. The study therefore investigate sectarianism and its impact on the Muslim Community in Cleveland, Ohio with the specific objectives of describing the demographic characteristics of the respondents in the study area, identifying the types of sectarianisms among the Muslims, examining the factors responsible for sectarianism among the Muslims in the study area, as well as the impact of sectarianism among the Muslims in the study area and suggestions of possible solutions to sectarianism in the study area. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 402 respondents. Primary data collected through the use of structured questionnaires were analysed using descriptive and Logistic Regression Analysis as the inferential statistics. The results revealed that 54.0 percent of the respondents fall between the age of 18-50 years and about 15 percent of them are between 12- 18 years of age while 21.1 percent are 50 years and above. Majority (20.9%) of them are students, 15.9 percent are artisants, 14.2 percent are business owners, 10.9 percent are laborers and 10.2 percent are medical professionals (Medical Doctors, Nurses etc). About 27.9 percent of the respondents are retirees, lecturers, cashier assistants, housewives, marketers etc. Furthermore, majority (74.4%) of them were Sunni, 7.7% were Ahmadists, 5.0% Quranist, 5.6% altogether belong to the Black Muslims, Liberalists, Modernists and Nation of Islam while 7.0% belong to no Islamic group/sect. About 0.2 percent each belong to the Kharijites, Salafis, Deobandis and Moorish Science. It was observed that age of the respondents (p=0.022), provision of mental health services by the mosque (p=0.015), Islamic programs offered (p=0.063) and opportunity to study abroad (p=0.012) among others significantly determined acts of sectarianism in the area of study. The study therefore recommends providing awareness about sectarianism, eradication of unpraiseworthy taqleed (blind following), encouraging unison among the Muslims and the implementation of a “three phase” initiative curriculum.
CHALLENGES FACED BY MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS IN THE WEST AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS
(International Open University (IOU), 2020) Nawazia, Sathak; Babangida, Muhammad
This research paper discusses the history of migration of Muslim immigrants to the Western world. How they gained the opportunity to migrate towards West, the challenges they underwent because of the attack from media and what was the situation of Muslim immigrants before migrating to West. This research would also help us to bring out the reality of the Western world and the orientalists who are trying to defame Islam even with the small opportunities they find. As the main objective of the research is to give the clear picture of Muslim immigrants in Western countries by clarifying how they got integrated with their host society with the help of various quantitative data, research works that talks about the migration of Muslim immigrants and with the help of theories that states the integration of immigrated Muslims to the west. This research would discuss Islamic ways to overcome the issues of Muslim immigrants after settling in Western countries by deriving the solutions from Quran and from the Sunnah. By making this it would make difference from the other research works that are done regarding the Migration Muslim immigrants in West. This research is also based on the qualitative information by doing surveys for Muslims and non - Muslims.
Al-Qur’anyoun and Their Attitude Towards Sunnah: An Analytical Study
(International Open University (IOU), 2020) Massoud, Yomna Saleh; Rabi'u, Warshu Tijjani
The main objectives of this study are: exploring the reasons behind the emergence of the Qur’aniyoun ideology; presenting the suspicions of al-Qur’aniyoun against the Sunnah and giving strong counter-arguments. Also, clarifying the resulted beliefs of adhering the Qur’aniyoun’s doctrine concerning the worships and criticizing them logically in accordance with the correct explanation of the Qur’anic verses. The used methodology in this research is the case study method. The main results are that the doctrine of al-Qu’aniyoun, which is based on rejecting the Sunnah, leads them to reject the Qur’an as well and explain the Qur’anic verses depending on the logic and free-thinking. The motive behind creating the Qur’aniyoun ideology in the modern era is the will of reaching the same renaissance level of the west, believing that following the Sunnah is the cause of the backwardness of the Muslim world. This study contributes to establishing a Muslim community that following the right Islamic teachings through correcting the false beliefs against the Sunnah to aware Muslims from the different types of innovations in the modern era. The study has shown that the misunderstanding of the Qur’anic verses’ meaning is one of the main factors which has led the Qur’aniyoun to reject the Sunnah. Therefore, it is recommended to activate the various online and offline means to correct the misconceptions against the Sunnah and clarify the correct explanation of the Qur’anic verses. Besides, implementing studies to reveal the possibility of applying the Islamic principles and rulings of the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah in the modern era and how the adhering of the Islamic teachings does not contradict the development of the Muslim societies.

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