Religion

By Ibraheem A. Waziri

(My other essay, Against The Hadith Problem, discussed how Muslim empires in the past lived on a quartet of paradigms produced through the synthesis between the Qur’an, the body of Hadith, and reason. That provoked questions regarding the future of Muslim societies and states, hence these reflections and projections into 2075.)

It is 2075, and the world I walk through feels at once strange and familiar. The glass towers still gleam, drones still hum, algorithms still rule, yet beneath the circuitry there is a slower pulse: the rhythm of old fiqh and older faith.

For all our talk half a century ago of a secular age, the present belongs to hybridity. Constitutions speak the language of the Qur’an without calling it revelation. Western democracies borrow the moral grammar of Medina without feeling conquered. The four old schools of law (Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, Ḥanafī and Ḥanbalī) and the three great theologies (Ashʿarī, Māturīdī and Atharī) are no longer museum exhibits. They are living systems quietly moderating the noise of modernity.

West Africa: The Mālikī Republics

I began this journey in Abuja. The city has doubled in size, but its heart beats in rhythm with the Mālikī canon. In the courthouse, digital panels display sections from Mukhtaṣar Khalīl beside constitutional clauses. When a judge calculates inheritance shares, the algorithm he uses is Mālikī too: transparent, fair and incorruptible.

Even non-Muslim states around the Sahel now use these formulas. Ghana’s civil code borrows Mālikī inheritance rules, while Benin’s marriage registry follows the Islamic ʿaqd nikāḥ (marital contract) model because it ensures equity and consent better than the older colonial templates.

Banking has gone moral. Nigeria’s hybrid finance sector runs on maṣlaḥa-based smart contracts, while interest systems survive only in history syllabi. The ulama sit on the Council of Moral Economies, auditing state budgets for ethical imbalance. “Sharia,” an elderly economist told me, “is not our government; it is our conscience.”

Arabia: The Neo-Atharī Technocracy

From the Sahel, I flew east to Riyadh. The skyline looks like circuitry: solar glass towers, sky bridges humming with data. The Atharī–Hanbalī paradigm still shapes law, but it is encoded now in a literal sense. Hanbalī jurists work with AI engineers who have trained “Hadith logic engines” to map rulings from canonical texts.

The constitution speaks of dual sovereignty: divine law for the moral order, human law for function. A court clerk showed me how every regulatory draft is first run through an algorithm trained on Ibn Ḥanbal and Ibn Taymiyyah, then reviewed by human jurists.

Even cinema has turned pious. Historical dramas about early scholars play in multiplexes. Young Saudis quote Ibn Ḥanbal as easily as they quote quantum code. The result is not rigidity but confidence. They see tradition not as a wall but as a coordinate system for the future.

Southeast Asia: The Shāfiʿī–Ashʿarī Democracy

Jakarta feels like the world’s conscience. The call to prayer threads through a metropolis of electric trams and vertical gardens. The parliament convenes only after the Majlis al-Maqāṣid, the Council of Objectives, certifies that each bill meets four of Sharia’s six ethical aims: life, intellect, property, faith, lineage and justice.

This “maqāṣid democracy” has become the envy of the developing world. Corruption is rare because legislation itself is filtered through moral metrics. University students still memorise al-Nawawī and al-Ghazālī, but they also code in Python and quote maqāṣid theory in debates on climate law.

Shāfiʿī jurisprudence has not stifled freedom; it has disciplined it. A new civic pride glows here. Islam and democracy are no longer hyphenated; they are married.

Ankara: The Ḥanafī–Māturīdī Continuum

And then there is Turkey, the quiet custodian of the Ottoman inheritance. Its universities still teach Māturīdī theology as the bridge between revelation and rationalism. The state calls itself secular, yet its courts and social policy breathe Ḥanafī air.

In 2075, the High Directorate of Moral Logic, a successor to the old Diyanet, reviews every national reform for philosophical balance: does it protect reason (aql) and faith (īmān) equally? The framework is pure Māturīdī.

Turkey’s digital constitution, ratified in 2060, encodes “Ḥanafī modularity,” a principle allowing law to flex with circumstance. The same logic shapes its AI governance, its family law, and even its diplomacy.

From Istanbul outward, this Ḥanafī–Māturīdī ethos has spilt into Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Uzbekistan’s civic schools teach both Avicenna and al-Māturīdī. Pakistani fintech startups run on ḥiyal-based smart contracts. The Ottoman blend of faith and rational statecraft has found its second life in circuitry and policy code.

Europe: The Mālikī Renaissance

In Paris, I walked past a law office advertising “Islamic Equity Contracts.” Mālikī inheritance rules, once exotic, are now embedded in the French civil code for their mathematical clarity. Every December, the city hosts La Nuit des Saints, honouring figures from both faiths such as ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jazāʾirī, Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya and Francis of Assisi. The night ends with poetry readings under the Louvre’s glass dome.

Across the Channel, the United Kingdom has normalised Sharia arbitration. The Hanafi–Maturidi tradition, brought long ago by South Asian immigrants, is now part of national legal pluralism. Judges quote Abū Ḥanīfa in footnotes. Friday sermons mingle Qur’an with Shakespeare, and the term Anglo-Muslim has lost its hyphen; it has become a cultural fact.

The Global Drift Towards Muslim Norms

What surprises me most in 2075 is not conversion, though that too has surged, but imitation. The world has adopted Muslim social standards almost unconsciously.

The ʿaqd nikāḥ, once seen as a religious marriage, is now the global model for civil unions, prized for its symmetry and consent clauses. UN inheritance reforms draw on Mālikī logic for equitable estate division. Even secular citizens in Europe and East Asia now choose contracts modelled after fiqh because they feel fairer, cleaner and more human.

Reverence for saintly figures, long dismissed as superstition, has made a comeback. Shrines to al-Ghazālī, Rūmī, Ibn ʿArabī and even non-Muslim sages now form a new “pilgrim’s circuit of wisdom.” Modern psychology calls it “ancestral grounding.” We simply call it barakah.

As for conversions, some call them reversions; they grow yearly. Not by the sword of argument, but by exhaustion. People wanted meaning, proportion and discipline. They found it in Islam’s cadence: prayer as pause, zakat as fairness, fasting as freedom from appetite. In Europe, nearly one in five now identifies as Muslim or Muslim-shaped; in North America, one in ten. Many of them began not with belief but with admiration for the order that belief produced.

The Entangled Civilisation

By 2075, no state is purely Islamic or Western. The categories have dissolved.

The UN’s Council on Civilisational Ethics opens its sessions with verses from the Qur’an alongside Kantian aphorisms. Global digital charters cite ʿadl, justice, as their guiding principle. Algorithms that allocate water or distribute vaccines carry lines of fiqh-based code to ensure fairness.

The old paradigms have not conquered the world; they have simply proven indispensable. Mālikī–Ashʿarī, Shāfiʿī–Ashʿarī, Ḥanafī–Māturīdī and Ḥanbalī–Atharī each remain alive, shaping ethics, finance, law and art. Their jurists now sit on international boards beside secular philosophers, arguing about AI morality and interplanetary law. The conversation is no longer between faith and reason, but between kinds of reason.

A Closing Reflection

As I write this letter from a café in Fez, the call to prayer blends with the hum of an electric tram. A group of students nearby, Muslim, Christian and atheist, argue over a verse from the Qur’an, not as a theological claim but as a piece of political philosophy. The verse speaks of balance: “We made you a middle community.”

Perhaps that is what we have become by 2075: a middle community for a weary planet. The Western world brought machinery; Islam preserved measure. Together they built a civilisation that still argues, still hopes and still prays. The paradigms the world once thought ancient turned out to be the most modern of all.

By Ibraheem A. Waziri

In the Hausa Islamic civilisation, or what one might call the moral order and cultural refinement that grew from Islam’s deep roots in Hausaland, the word mutuwa (death) is a curious thing. It is harmless, ordinary, and adaptable. One can say mutum ya mutu – “the man has died” – regardless of who the man is. The same word can apply to an animal, a tree, or even an inanimate thing whose usefulness has come to an end. It can carry tones of mockery, pity, or finality. We say ya mutu mushe when some living thing has worthlessly ended, ya mutu murus when silence or defeat takes over.

Yet, our language is not without tenderness. When someone beloved passes away, whether out of affection or courtesy, we soften the word. We say ya rasu. Rasuwa is a form of loss tinged with grief and respect. It refuses the bluntness of mutuwa. It gives the heart its due.

When it comes to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the most noble of all creation whose departure shook the heavens and all generations after, our forebears chose words such as wafati (a peaceful return to Allah), fakuwa (withdrawal or disappearance), and rasuwa (loss imbued with yearning). These were not accidental choices; they were marks of reverence. The Prophet’s message, after all, did not die with him. His presence lingers, like fragrance after rain. Thus, Hausa Muslims avoided the word mutuwa not because it was wrong, but because it was too plain for such a sacred absence. Language itself became a form of prayer and praise, salati towards the Prophet of Islam, as the Qur’an commands the faithful to always offer.

This sensibility reflects a civilisation shaped by Islam yet polished by Hausa thought. It has endured for over a millennium, blending revelation and reason, piety and poetry, into a coherent moral fabric. Scholars such as Professor Mahdi Adamu have rightly argued that Islam is now part of the defining essence of being Hausa. Indeed, no serious student of culture can separate the two.

When Professor Samuel Huntington, in his 1993 popular thesis The Clash of Civilisations, classified the great Islamic civilisations as Arab, Turkic, and Malay, I once protested, mildly but firmly, in my column of 22 July 2013 in LEADERSHIP Newspaper, “Egypt: Western World, Egypt, Political Islam and Lessons.” For he omitted the fourth: the African, which includes the Hausa Muslim civilisation. Perhaps he did so because we in West Africa have not been diligent in documenting our own intellectual heritage. Our scholars mostly built souls rather than libraries. Their wisdom lived largely in hearts, not in manuscripts. Yet civilisation is not measured by ink alone.

By the eleventh century, Islam had already entered Hausaland through kings, scholars, and merchants. It mingled with the social elite, who naturally became custodians of what was right and proper. Over centuries, Islamic principles and Hausa customs intermarried. Law, governance, poetry, and etiquette became fused with faith. The result was not confusion but coherence. Nothing central to Hausa civilisation contradicted Islam at its core, unless one judged too quickly or too superficially.

That is why scholars such as Murray Last, in his work The Book in the Sokoto Caliphate, observed that even the nineteenth-century jihad led by Shehu Usman Ɗanfodio did not reinvent Hausa Islamic learning; it merely revived and restructured it. The civilisation was already mature, only in need of renewal and discipline.

After colonial rule and the birth of Nigeria, this historical balance was tested. Contact with global Islamic thought from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and beyond brought new currents of theology and reform. Many who studied abroad returned believing they had discovered a purer Islam, one untainted by “local innovation.” Movements such as Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatissunnah (founded in 1978) sought to purify faith and democratise knowledge. Their zeal achieved much good, spreading Islamic learning to wider circles.

The unintended cost, however, was subtle: a growing suspicion towards the inherited Hausa sense of decorum, the gentle courtesies and expressions through which Islam had long been lived here. Many young preachers, both from Izala and other traditions, began to attack words, proverbs, and customs without studying their origins or meanings. They mistook refinement for deviation. They forgot that ladabi—good manners—is itself part of faith.

In the curricula of the Arab world, where some of them studied, there was no course on “Islam and Hausa civilisation.” Thus, they returned unaware that many Hausa forms of reverence, formal linguistic expressions, and proverbs had already been filtered through the sieve of Islamic thought over centuries. They saw impurity where there was actually depth. And when a people are cut off from the noble patterns that dignify their past, they begin to doubt themselves. This self-doubt, or inferiority complex, becomes more dangerous than ignorance itself.

Still, there is light in the dusk. From the 1990s onwards, a new generation of researchers began delving into precolonial manuscripts and oral traditions, recovering the intellectual dignity of old Hausaland. They showed how Islamic education, Sufi scholarship, and Hausa ethical thought intertwined long before the arrival of Europeans or the rise of the Sokoto Caliphate. Yet this work has mostly been carried out by Western-trained scholars, the so-called yan boko. Our purely religious scholars have been slower to engage, preferring imported frameworks to indigenous memory.

The road ahead, however, must bring both together. The Hausa Muslim future—steady, confident, and intelligent—will depend on producing scholars grounded in both the Islamic sciences and the lived wisdom of Hausa culture. Not a nostalgic culture, but one aware of its thousand-year conversation with faith.

If the Turks, Arabs, and Malays take pride in their civilisational imprint upon Islam, why should the Hausa not do the same? Our civilisation too has carried the Prophet’s light for centuries, shaping it into our language, our etiquette, and even our choice of words.

So, when we say Rasuwar Manzon Tsira or Wafatin Manzon Tsira, it is not mere politeness. It is theology—lived, spoken, and refined in our own tongue. To call it otherwise is to forget who we are.

Ibraheem A. Waziri wrote from Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

By Uzair Adam 

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), on Tuesday hosted a landmark conference organised by the Faculty of History and Development Studies, exploring the historical and contemporary roles of ulama in Nigerian politics. 

The event, themed “Ulama and Politics in Nigeria: Historical Perspectives,” attracted scholars, politicians, and religious leaders from across the country.

Professor Muhammad Wada, Dean of the Faculty of History and Development Studies at the university, explained that the central mission of the conference is to highlight the pivotal role of ulama—Islamic scholars—in societal development. 

He stated that, “Over the years, through our research, we realised that ulama have played and continue to play an important role in various spheres of life, including politics and economics. 

“This conference seeks to address widespread misconceptions about whether it is legitimate for ulama to be involved in politics,” Professor Wada added.

He further stated that the conference has received hundreds of abstracts from scholars of various fields, demonstrating the broad relevance of the topic. 

“Historically, ulama have contributed to societal development, and they remain capable of doing so today. 

“Their role goes beyond leading prayers or teaching religion; it extends to guiding the public in political and civic matters,” Professor Wada emphasised.

Professor Sani Umar, one of the keynote speakers, described the conference as “highly enriching and a model that should be held regularly to sensitise ulama and the public alike.” 

He stressed that the discussions are not only relevant to Muslims but also to followers of other faiths, promoting mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. 

Umar further explained that the widespread perception that ulama should avoid politics is misguided, noting that true politics involves leadership, compassion, and care for the vulnerable—qualities inherent in the work of scholars.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman of the Council of Ulama, urged the public to recognise that politics is for everyone and that ulama, given their knowledge and moral grounding, are particularly well-suited to political engagement. 

He called for more frequent conferences of this kind, at least twice or three times a year, and appealed to media professionals to disseminate these messages widely, including via social media.

The conference drew participation from ulama representing various Islamic sects, academics, and politicians, including Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Jigawa State. 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by Professor Tijjani Muhammad, also attended, highlighting the significance of the event for both scholarship and governance.

The two-day conference will continue tomorrow with plenary sessions, providing a platform for rigorous discussion on the contributions of ulama to Nigerian society and politics.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling such reports misleading and lacking a consistent pattern, as reported by The Guardian (Nigeria).

The claims gained attention after U.S. comedian Bill Maher and Senator Ted Cruz accused Islamist groups and Nigerian officials of persecuting Christians. Cruz even proposed sanctions through the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act. 

At the same time, U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore urged the U.S. government to halt arms sales and label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.”

In response, Nigeria’s Presidency denied any religious war, stressing that the violence affects all citizens regardless of faith.

CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, acknowledged widespread killings but said they were not targeted solely at Christians. He noted that both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to terrorist attacks, adding that bullets “don’t look for a Christian or spare a Muslim.”

Ayuba cautioned against foreign interference and urged Nigerians to work collectively to end the insurgency through local institutions rather than seeking sympathy abroad.

By Muhammad Isah Zng

Marriage in Islam is not just to bind together; it is an institution that preserves faith, protects men and women from immoralities, and creates harmony between men and women. It’s also a way of raising and nurturing children on the right path.  

Allah (S.W.T) describes marriage as one of His most significant signs, saying: “And among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect.”
(Qur’an 30:21)

In the above verse, Allah (S.W.T.) highlights the true purpose of marriage, emphasises peace, love, and mercy between husband and wife. 

Similarly, Imam Al-Ghazali, a prominent Islamic scholar, said: “Marriage is companionship, not domination. It is a place of comfort, where both husband and wife share love, trust, and cooperation.”

We can also notice that marriage is also built on trust from both husband and wife, because trust brings comfort and increases love between the spouses. Without it, marriage won’t be last in any relationship. 

Therefore, apart from being a way of sharing love, peace, and trust between husband and wife, it is also a means of having children who would be beneficial to society.

That’s why Allah called the attention of both husband and wife in this verse: “O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones…”
(Qur’an 66:6)

This verse emphasises the responsibility of couples towards the good upbringing of their children by ensuring that they provide them with proper guidance and support throughout their lives. 

Marriage in Islam is an avenue where both husband and wife share love, mercy, peace, and trust; it’s also a way of raising children that benefits themselves and their society. 

Muhammad Isah Zng is a student of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano (BUK). 

By Bashir Jelani, PhD

It has been trending over the past two days that Boko Haram killed more than 500,000 Christians and burned 18,0000 churches in Nigeria since 2009. Local and international news media are spreading false information that Muslims are carrying out ethnic cleansing against Christians. 

Till now, no news media from Arewa has debunked this news. No Arewa intellectual, writer, or public figure responded to this. It is a big shame on us. Thanks to Femi Fani-Kayode for sincerely putting the record straight.

This phoney propaganda did not start today. Some insincere Nigerian Christians have been working hard to blackmail Muslims on the international stage. I don’t know what they want to get by fabricating that fake news. The dead silence from Arewa is what makes this misleading information gain momentum. 

I have debated this issue with Christian friends for many years. I have maintained that the majority of the victims of Boko Haram and bandits are the Muslims themselves. The Boko Haram terrorists do not spare Muslims. They don’t care about your religion. 

Boko Haram wouldn’t be operating in Northern Nigeria if its target were to cleanse Christians. I sympathise with some Christians who were affected, but the truth is that the Muslims are Boko Haram’s target. That is why they do their evil atrocities in the Muslim dominated regions, mainly killing Muslims.

Arewa needs to wake up. Debunking this dangerous propaganda is very important.

By Umar Sani Adamu

The Almajiri system, once a noble pursuit of Islamic knowledge, has degenerated into a humanitarian disaster spread across Northern Nigeria. From the streets of Kano to the slums of Sokoto, thousands of children wander barefoot, hungry, and hopeless victims of a tradition that has outlived its purpose.

The idea behind Almajiranci was simple: young boys, mostly from rural or poor families, would be sent to Islamic scholars for religious education. But over time, what began as a pathway to learning became a pipeline to poverty, abuse, and neglect. Today, these children beg for survival, live in unhygienic conditions, and face constant exposure to criminality and exploitation.

Every year, thousands more are pushed into this cycle. With no formal curriculum, no sanitation, no feeding structure, and no monitoring, the system violates every principle of child welfare and human dignity. Many of these almajiris live in overcrowded, unventilated rooms, sometimes as many as 18 children in a single space, with no access to health care, no protection, and no future.

While governments talk reform, very little action meets the urgency. Integration programs are underfunded, religious institutions are left unchecked, and families often forced by poverty continue to submit their children to this outdated system. Meanwhile, the streets of Northern Nigeria grow more unsafe as vulnerable children are manipulated by extremist groups and criminal syndicates.

Let’s be clear: the Almajiri system, in its current form, is not education. It is abandonment. It is state-sanctioned child endangerment masquerading as religion. Any society that claims moral or spiritual uprightness cannot continue to tolerate this level of systemic neglect.

What Northern Nigeria needs is not a patchwork of reforms, but a complete overhaul. Islamic education should be formalised, monitored, and integrated into the broader national curriculum. Children should learn in safe environments where Qur’anic knowledge is integrated with literacy, numeracy, hygiene, and vocational training. Religious scholars must be trained, certified, and held accountable.

Above all, we must shift the responsibility from children back to adults. Governments, communities, parents, and religious leaders must admit the system has failed and work together to end it. The Almajiri child deserves more than survival. He deserves dignity, opportunity, and a future.

This is not just a social concern. It is a national emergency.

Umar Sani Adamu can be reached via umarhashidu1994@gmail.com

By Muhsin Ibrahim

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, congratulates Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, the State Commander-General of Hisbah, on receiving an honorary doctoral degree from Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto. The award was conferred during the university’s 42nd convocation on September 6, 2025.

Governor Yusuf praised Sheikh Daurawa for his contributions to Islamic scholarship and his efforts in promoting morality and societal values in Kano. He emphasised that the recognition reflects the recipient’s dedication to eradicating immorality and fostering justice, bringing pride to Kano State.

The governor also assured ongoing support for Daurawa’s endeavours in serving humanity and Islam. He prayed for divine guidance and blessings to continue serving the community.

The congratulatory message was conveyed during a meeting at the Kano Government House, as announced by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

By Khadija Muhammad

In a momentous ceremony steeped in academic tradition and spiritual reverence, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), has conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree on one of Nigeria’s most influential Islamic scholars and peace advocates, Sheikh Muhammad Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa.

The prestigious honour was bestowed on Saturday during the university’s 40th Combined Convocation Ceremony, held at its main campus in Sokoto. The event, attended by dignitaries from across the academic, traditional, and religious spheres, recognised Sheikh Daurawa’s monumental contributions to Islamic education, moral rejuvenation, and national cohesion.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Lawal Suleiman Bilbis, in his address, stated that the decision to honour Sheikh Daurawa was a unanimous one by the Senate and Council of the institution. He described the renowned cleric as a “beacon of knowledge and a pillar of moral rectitude,” whose work has profoundly impacted the lives of millions across Nigeria and beyond.

“Today, we are not just honouring a man; we are honouring a lifetime of dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and the betterment of society,” Professor Bilbis said. “Sheikh Daurawa’s efforts through the Hisbah and his countless sermons promote peace, discipline, and ethical living, which align perfectly with the core values this university stands for.”

Sheikh Aminu Daurawa is widely celebrated for his leadership of the Kano State Hisbah Board, where he championed initiatives aimed at promoting social welfare and moral ethics. As the founder of the popular Daurah Islamic Institute and through his extensive preaching tours and online lectures, he has educated a generation of Muslims, advocating for a message of moderation, tolerance, and community service.

Dressed in the university’s signature academic gown, a visibly humbled Sheikh Daurawa expressed his profound gratitude to the university community for the recognition. He dedicated the honour to all his teachers, students, and supporters who have been part of his decades-long journey in dawah (Islamic propagation).

“This doctorate is a challenge to do more,” Sheikh Daurawa stated in his acceptance speech. “It is a call to further dedicate myself to the service of knowledge and humanity. I accept this not as a culmination, but as a catalyst to intensify our collective efforts towards building a more peaceful, virtuous, and educated society, in line with the teachings of Islam.”

The Daily Reality gathered that the ceremony was hailed by a wide range of attendees, all of whom were happy, smiling, jubilant, and chanting “Allahu akbar” (Allah is the greatest), especially when the Sheikh stood while the University orator read his citation.

Many consider Sheikh Daurawa as a significant bridge between the academic and religious communities. Prominent Sultanate Council members, led by the revered Sultan and fellow scholars, praised UDUS for acknowledging the critical role of traditional Islamic scholarship in national development.

The conferment solidifies Sheikh Daurawa’s legacy as a key figure who harmonises deep traditional scholarship with contemporary societal challenges, earning him a place of honour within the hallowed halls of one of Nigeria’s premier institutions of learning.

By Musa Kalim Gambo

In a rapidly evolving and increasingly secular world grappling with unprecedented challenges posed by science and technology, a groundbreaking symposium was convened at Kaduna State University (KASU) on August 28, 2025, to advocate for the integration of Islamic values into the academic content of tertiary institutions. Organised by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Central Nigeria Office, Abuja, in collaboration with KASU’s Department of Islamic Studies, the one-day event brought together leading scholars to explore the philosophical and theological foundations, pedagogical strategies, and practical pathways for embedding ethical and spiritual principles within conventional academic disciplines. The symposium was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Kaduna State University and the International Institute of Islamic Thought, Central Nigeria Office, on research, publication, and other areas aimed at integrating Islamic knowledge.

The symposium underscored the urgent need for education to transcend mere knowledge transmission and embrace the holistic development of character, ethics, and purpose. Speaking at the event, Dr. Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa, the national coordinator of IIIT Kano Office, thanked KASU for the opportunity to “interface” and highlighted the IIIT project’s aim to revive the early Muslims’ approach to acquiring knowledge, integrating acquired knowledge with revealed knowledge, and reclaiming a holistic knowledge heritage. On his part, Dr. Aliyu Tanko, Coordinator of the IIIT Central Nigeria Office in Abuja, highlighted the ongoing contributions of the IIIT towards reform in Islamic studies within the framework of contemporary global realities across the Muslim world.

The Philosophical Bedrock: Tawhid as the Unifying Principle

A central theme woven throughout the presentations was the concept of Tawhid, the Islamic principle of the oneness of God, as the fundamental basis for integrating revealed (theological) and rational (philosophical) knowledge. IIIT’s Secretary General, Professor Omar Hasan Kasule, whose virtual presentation from Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia focused on the philosophical and theological foundations, explained that Islam itself is an integration of theology and philosophy. “All knowledge originates from one Creator,” Professor Kasule asserted, emphasising that revealed knowledge (Qur’an and Sunnah) and rational knowledge (human observation and experimentation) are inherently related and integratable.

Historically, Islamic intellectual discourse witnessed significant controversies between proponents of revealed and rational knowledge. Early Muslim thinkers, such as Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, particularly Aristotelian thought. Al-Farabi was even known as “al mu’allim al thaani” (the second teacher) after Aristotle. However, this intellectual engagement also led to significant debates. Al-Ghazali, a towering figure in Islamic thought, famously authored “The Incoherence of the Philosophers” (Tahafut al-Falasifa), rejecting certain aspects of Plato and Aristotle’s philosophy and challenging the views of Muslim philosophers. Ibn Rushd later countered his critique in “Tahatuf al Tahatuf” (Incoherence of the Incoherent), arguing that reason and revelation cannot contradict each other because both seek truth.

Later, Ibn Taymiyah rejected Aristotelian philosophy and, in his seminal work “Removing Conflict between Reason and Revelation” (Darʾ taʿāruḍ al-ʿaql wa al-naql), proved that clear rational thought (sariih al ma’aquul) aligns with correctly transmitted revelation (sahih al manquul). This resolution to the perceived contradiction, rooted in the Tawhidi paradigm, underpins the modern movement for the integration of knowledge (IOK).

Professor Kasule further highlighted empirical observations supporting the unity of knowledge, citing discoveries such as:

• The synthesis of urea from inorganic materials breaks the barrier between organic and inorganic worlds.
• The atom is the common building block for all physical bodies.
• DNA serves as a common basis for the biological sciences, demonstrating a higher order.
• The interchangeability of mass and energy.
• Brain chemistry explaining mental phenomena.
• Universal phenomena of anticlockwise revolution, from celestial bodies to electrons and the tawaf around the Kaaba.

These scientific and natural phenomena serve as powerful evidence that the universe is integrated, implying that the disciplines studying it must also find integration.

Value-based Teaching and Research: A Holistic Approach

Professor Ahmad Bello Dogarawa, a seasoned scholar from Ahmadu Bello University, elaborated in his presentation on contextual approaches and pedagogical strategies, highlighting the value-based (VB) teaching and research methodology. From an Islamic perspective, this approach integrates ethical, spiritual, and moral values derived from Islamic teachings into the education and creation of knowledge. It seeks a “middle path,” preserving Islamic values without impeding scholarly progress.

Professor Dogarawa emphasised that VB teaching aims to nurture graduates with a strong foundation of faith, deep knowledge, competence, skills, and value-based creativity and innovation. The approach is founded on six essential elements:

• Tawhidic worldview
• Ethical considerations
• Islamic epistemology
• Contextualisation
• Integrative approach
• Maqasid al-Shari’ah (objectives of Islamic law)

He outlined practical pedagogical strategies, including infusing the Qur’anic worldview into content delivery (e.g., biology for the concept of life as a trust from Allah, economics for the prohibition of interest, and accounting for Islamic contributions to double-entry accounting). He also introduced case studies with ethical reflections.

Critiquing the scientific approach often prevalent in modern research, Professor Dogarawa pointed out its weaknesses, such as:

• Disconnection from ethics and values
• Knowledge dichotomisation
• Secularist worldview
• Neglect of context and over-reliance on statistical significance
• Vague claim of objectivity

He presented the Islamic approach as an alternative, combining spiritual, philosophical, and empirical perspectives to foster a more holistic understanding, encouraging purposeful investigation, contemplation, reflection, and verification of truth.

Challenges and Opportunities in Conventional Academia

Professor Khalid Aliyu Abubakar, the Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), addressed the challenges, opportunities, and strategic pathways for promoting the Islamic worldview in conventional academic environments. He acknowledged the “epistemological tensions” present in modern academia, which are often rooted in secular, materialist, and positivist frameworks that may dismiss metaphysical or revelation-based perspectives as “non-scientific”.

“Universities in the West and increasingly in Muslim majority contexts tend to separate faith from scholarship,” Professor Abubakar lamented, highlighting the resulting erosion of character and learning. He also pointed to internal fragmentation among Muslim scholars themselves, who may “lack consensus on how to integrate Islamic principles with modern disciplines”. Dr. Dukawa also used the analogy of Imam Al-Ghazali, likening acquired knowledge to “eyes” and revealed knowledge to “light” – both are essential, and neglecting either leads to blindness or inability to see. He further elaborated on Ibn Taymiyah’s work, which deconstructed Aristotelian philosophy regarding the relationships between “essence and existence” and “body and soul,” demonstrating how an Islamic perspective provides a more comprehensive understanding of reality and the afterlife.

Despite these challenges, Professor Abubakar identified significant opportunities:

• Enhancing ethical discourse: Islamic values can enrich debates on bioethics and other fields.
• Offering holistic paradigms: Integrating material and spiritual aspects of human existence (body, mind, and soul) can broaden understanding in psychology, education, and health sciences.
• Interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue.
• Revival of intellectual tradition: Promoting classical Islamic thought (e.g., Ibn Khaldun in sociology, Al-Ghazali in philosophy) and demonstrating its relevance to modern challenges.

Practical strategies include curriculum development that incorporates Islamic perspectives into the social sciences, economics, and psychology, as well as framing research questions informed by the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic intellectual history.

A Call to Action and KASU’s Commitment

Professor Kasule also highlighted several societal problems arising from the lack of integrated values in the modern technological era, including:

• Lack of purposiveness (غائية): Technology advancements occur without a clear vision or purpose, leading to mere “play” or “pastime” (عبث).
• Blind following (تقليد): People blindly adopt new gadgets and trends without questioning their necessity, echoing historical instances of following forefathers without intellect.
• Over-reliance on concrete thinking over conceptual thinking: Modern life, with its abundance of imagery, discourages abstract thought, thereby impacting reflection on divine signs.
• Loss of balance (توازن) and equilibrium (اعتدال): An immersion in virtual reality and a culture of extremes can lead to a loss of natural balance in various aspects of life, contrasting with Islam’s emphasis on moderation.

To counter these issues and advance the integration of knowledge, Professor Kasule strongly advocated for professors and lecturers to write their own textbooks, integrating Islamic values rather than merely consuming knowledge from others. He outlined a detailed process for textbook writing, from general epistemology seminars to specific discipline working groups, curriculum outlines, and structured chapter development, including Islamic input, case studies, and texts from Islamic sources. IIIT offers grants to support authors in this endeavour.

The main achievement of the IOK movement, Professor Kasule noted, has been the establishment of integrated schools and universities globally, alongside integrated curricula and teaching materials, particularly in finance and food technology. However, the remaining challenge is to move beyond merely “adding Islamic values to existing knowledge or subtracting non-Islamic ones” towards creating new integrated or Islamised knowledge, making Muslims “creators and innovators and not consumers of knowledge by others”.

Concluding the symposium, Professor Abdullahi Musa Ashafa, the Vice-Chancellor of Kaduna State University, lauded the organisers and expressed KASU’s deep commitment to the integration agenda. Emphasising that “Islam is knowledge, knowledge is Islam,” he stated that KASU would analyse the presentations, implement the ideas, and organise a follow-up workshop on value-based teaching and research. Significantly, the Vice-Chancellor announced that KASU’s governing council had recently approved a brand-new Centre for Quranic Science, which will serve as a hub for discussions on knowledge, Islamic perspectives, and the relationship with Quranic insights. He also indicated a strong desire to formalise the partnership with IIIT through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The symposium at KASU marks a crucial step in re-establishing the holistic and value-driven pursuit of knowledge that characterised early Islamic scholarship, paving the way for a future where academic excellence is inextricably linked with ethical grounding and spiritual purpose.

Musa Kalim Gambo writes from Kaduna, Nigeria