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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Zakat - the politics of social welfare in Northern Nigeria since 1999
| Panel |
63. Nigeria under Obasanjo
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| Paper ID | 552 |
| Author(s) |
Kogelmann, Franz
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | The since 1999 continuing debate on the full implementation of Islamic law in Northern Nigeria seems to be heavily dominated by the implications of Islamic penal law on Muslims and Christians alike. However, for serious observers it is obvious that the „Sharia-project“ of Northern Nigeria is far more than a debate on certain aspects of Islamic penal law. The ultimate goal of its protagonists is the Islamization of society by political means.
Zakat or almsgiving is on top of their agendas. As one of the so called five pillars of Islam it is obligatory to Muslims. Every believer should set apart a certain amount of the annual income and spend it upon religious duties and on needy members of the Muslim community. Collection, control and distribution of Zakat should be handled by representatives of the Muslim community. As a fundamental part of Islamic social welfare it could be an important political tool to re-distribute wealth and to create social justice. But it is also a powerful political instrument to create a devoted clientele.
The aim of this paper is to show the efforts of the different “Sharia-states” in Northern Nigeria to introduce Zakat as an obligatory tax. Beside a close look at the legal frameworks, the composition of the Zakat boards, the way it is propagated by the representatives of the state, the paper will also try to examine the effects of this policy so far.
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