BASIC PRACTICES
OF RELIGION IN NIGERIA

by
Joseph Kenny, O.P.

DOMINICAN PUBLICATIONS, LAGOS
1998

Introduction (below)
    PART 1: ISLAM PART 2: CHRISTIANITY
1. Belief Belief
2. Prayer Prayer
3. Fasting Fasting
4. Zakāt Contributing
5. „ajj Pilgrimage
6. Marriage Marriage


INTRODUCTION

Sharī`a law for Muslims includes every aspect of life from beliefs to the details of conduct. This law is distinguishable into the more important elements, commonly known as the "five pillars", which primarily concern the worship of God (`ibādāt). and other miscellaneous headings which have mainly to do with the relations of men to one another (mu`āmalāt).

The material in this chapter is Mālikī law, and is based mainly on the Risāla of Ibn-abī-Zayd al-Qayrawānī (d. 996), which is a commonly used textbook in West Africa. Following the order of this book, we consider first the five pillars, namely, belief, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage. Because of its special importance, there is also a section on marriage.

Muslims list five basic practices as the "pillars" of their religion: 1)Īmān - Faith, 2) Ąalāt - prayer, 3) Ąiyām - Fasting, 4) Zakāt - paying dues, 5) „ajj - or pilgrimage. Some add 6) Jihād.

Other subjects considered in Muslim law, but not explained here are:

  1. Jihād,
  2. Oaths and vows,
  3. Buying and selling, and property rights,
  4. Crimes and punishment, and court procedure,
  5. Bequests and inheritance portions,
  6. Good manners.

Since many students desire to know the Christian counterparts of Islamic practices, these are presented in a parallel section.