| shite sect Nigeria |
Ibrahim Zakzaky is the
primary figure and spiritual leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).
The Islamic sect has established itself in all strata of the Muslim Ummah in
Nigeria. They are identified as Shiite followers.
IMN drew its followers from among the uneducated
urban and rural underclass. Formerly, the Muslim Brotherhood constituted of
northern university intellectuals, some of whom became leading northern
politicians and technocrats.
Here are 9 facts you must know about this Islamic
sect in the Northern part of Nigeria:
1. Self-flagellation
On the tenth day of Muharram, which is the first
month of the Islamic calendar, thousands of men of all ages take to the streets
with swords, chains with blades and various sharp objects to take part in the
bloody flagellation rituals.
Some Shi’a believe that taking part in self
flagellation which is also known as Ashura washes away their sins.
2. Propagating of Shi’a Islam
Zakzaky began propagating Shi’a Islam around
1979. He started at the time of the Iranian revolution which saw Iran’s
monarchy overthrown and replaced with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah
Khomeini.
The resource forum of IMN held a symposium on
“The creation of the illegal state of Israel” at the Arewa house, Kaduna on May
21, 2008.
Zakzaky said: “When Israel is celebrating sixty
years of occupying Palestine’s land, we are mourning because the truth is
Israeli State is created on the basis of terrorism and what is not yours is not
yours, no matter years of oppression and hostage it would slip someday along
with those supporting them. Israel will fall with her allies certainly.”
3. Shiite’s Location
The establishment of Nigerian Islamic
institutions is like the Sufi brotherhoods and other Islamic reformist
organizations like the Izala which is to fight innovation practiced by the Sufi
brotherhoods.
The IMN has been most popular across the emirate
states, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Gombe
because of its criticism of the emirs.
4. IMN’s founder is an intellect
Nigeria’s Islamic Movement (IMN), formerly the
Muslim Brothers was founded by Ibrahim Zakzaky in the late 1970s. Zakzaky is
also an outspoken Shi’a Muslim cleric in Nigeria.
He was a student at Ahmadu Bello university where
he bagged his first degree as an economist before his certificate was withdrawn
due to his religious activities.
5. The belief of the leader
Zakzaky believed that the establishment of a
republic along similar religious lines (both Sunni and Shia schools of thought)
in Nigeria would be feasible.
IMN under Zakzaky is to ensure more stringent
application of Islamic legal and administrative systems then ultimately to
create an Islamic state in Nigeria.
6. The leadership is perceived as a threat
He, Zakzaky has been detained several times due
to accusations of civil disobedience under military regimes in Nigeria during
the 1980s and 1990s and is still viewed with suspicion or as a threat by
Nigerian authorities.
7. Pilgrimage rites
The Shi’a organize an annual pilgrimage to Zaria,
El Zakzaky’s base. They trek in large groups from certain points to meet their
leader.
While trekking, they block major highways and
create a lot of trouble for travelers, and security agents turn a blind eye to
it.
8. IMN condemns other Islamic groups
Zakzaky’s movement maligns other Islamic
reformist organizations to be too corrupt and un-Islamic government.
9. Eruption of violence
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria reportedly
mobilized millions of people for Shi‘a religious events and 50,000 people for
political rallies where Khomeini and his successors were revered, while flags
of the United States and Israel are burned.
Meanwhile in a related development, an associate
professor and head of the department of mechatronics engineering in Bayero
University urges the President Mohammadu Buhari to beware of having Shi’a Islam
adherents in his government.
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