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A library photo of Nigerian Muslims.
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By
Al-Khidr Abdul Baqi, IOL Correspondent
KANO,
Nigeria, October 22, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – One hundred Nigerians in
the northern state of Kano have reverted to Islam since the start of the
holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The
reverts, mostly animists and Christians, have registered with the
municipality of Baghwa and attended Friday, October 21, an iftar
(fast-breaking) banquet, said head of the municipality Ali Ado Baghwa.
"It
was thanks to the extensive da`wah activities during Ramadan that
those people had embraced Islam," Sheikh Mohammad Qaribullah, the
leader of the Sufi Al-Qadiriya sect in Nigeria and West Africa, told
IOL.
He
said Muslim organizations operating in Kano found the dawn-to-dusk
fasting month a golden opportunity to spotlight the true essence of
Islam and organize sermons, which attract a curious non-Muslim audience.
Appealing
Qaribullah
paid tribute to the dozens of young preachers, whose manners and way of
talk had appealed to many non-Muslims.
"Al-hamdu
lillah we have registered tens of reversions to Islam whether from
non-Muslims in the [Kano] state or others coming from outside."
Baghwa,
for his part, advised the new reverts to have a thorough knowledge about
their religion and to keep in close touch with veteran scholars in the
country.
He
promised that the local authorities would spare no efforts in helping
the reverts integrate into the Muslim community.
The
municipality chief appealed to Islamic organizations to contribute to
that end.
Nigeria
has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa.
About
half of Nigeria's population of 140 million are Muslims while the other
half are Christians or animists.
Twelve
predominantly Muslim northern states, out of Nigeria 36 states, have
reinstated Shari`ah, which was abolished under British colonial rule.
