FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL) BICHI

SCHOOL OF PRIMARY EDUCATION STUDIES

PES 213 (B) ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND MORAL EDUCATION

BY

NURA IBRAHIM MUHTAR

Introduction
This course serves as an instrument of installing moral attitudes and morality in the student
teachers. At the end of the course, the students should be able to explain the role of the four rightlyguided caliphs in the development of Islam; describe the science of Hadith; explain Islamic personal law
relating to nikah and talaq and discuss the historical development of Islam in Nigeria.

History of Islam (Khulafa al-rashidun)

1 .Abubakr As-siddiq (R.A.)
His proper name is Abdullah bn Abi-Quhafah and he is also called Ateeq (someone who has been
freed from death).He was given the name Ateeq because his mothers children were always dying while
very young.And when his mother gave birth to him she prayed to Allah at the Holy Kaabah that, O
Allah free this one for me from dying very young like his other brothers and she called him Ateeq (freed
from dying while young).
Abubakr (R.A.) was born in the year 573 (C.E.) in Makkah and his mother is Ummul-Khair Salma
bint Sakhr and she was a cousin to her husband Abu-Quhafah. Abubakr (R.A.) is among those who
accepted Islam very early. Ibn Ishaq ( a renown Islamic historian) said : It has reached me that, verily the
prophet (s.a.w.) said : I never called anyone to Islam that did not delay and doubt a bit except Abubakr,
whom when I called him he without any delay accepted it. (Ridha, nd)
Abubakr (R.A.) was the most-informed about the genealogy of the Quraishi Arabic clan and the
situation of the Quraish. He was rich and abundant, magnanimous, nice, informed about dream
interpretation, slim ad white in complexion. He was also humble that he was milking for people their
goats even after he was appointed a caliph.
Abubakr (R.A.) was appointed as the caliph (the successor of the Prophet) after the passingaway of the Prophet (s.a.w.) unanimously by the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.).And they said:
How can we not accept him to be our leader while the Prophet (s.a.w.) accepted him to lead us inprayer,
when the Prophet (s.a.w.) was sick? As a caliph, he proved worthy and equal to the task. He was able to
suppress the evil of false claims of prophethood after the prophet (s.a.w.) and re-unifying the Muslims
into a single, consolidated entity as they were during the prophet (s.a.w.) lifetime and as they should be.
He also accomplished dealing with those who refused to give Allahs dues of Zakat after the passingaway of the Prophet (s.a.w.). He was able to achieve the compilation of Quran into written thus; the
Quran was preserved and passed to us the posterities.
Abubakr, as said by Ibn Ishaq, passed-away on Friday 22nd Jimadah Akhir in the year 13 A.H. (23rd
August, 634 C.E.).And Umar bn Al-Khattab led funeral prayer on him. He passed-away after the Prophet
(s.a.w.) passed-away in two years and some months time, in Madinah.

His children include Aisha bint Abi-bakr (R.A.), the wife of the Prophet (s.a.w.), Asma bint Abibakr, Muhammad bn Abi-bakr, among others.
2. Umar Al-faruq (R.A.)
Umar is a son to al-Khattab bn Nufail and Hatmatu bint Hashim. He was born in Makkah 13 years
after the event of elephant, the event that the Prophet (s.a.w.) date of birth is attributed to. Omars
(R.A.) date of birth is equivalent to 581 C.E.
Umar (R.A.) accepted Islam in Makkah before Hijrah and according to Abdullah bn Abbas he was
the fortieth among those who accepted Islam from the Prophet (s.a.w.) from the beginning. The Prophet
(s.a.w.) was reported to have prayed to Allah that, O my Lord! Make Islam mighty by the loved to you
among the two men: Umar bn Al-Khattab or Amr bn Hisham (Abu-jahil).Umar accepted Islam in the
sixth year of prophet hood of the Prophet (s.a.w.).
Umar (R.A.) was known to be tall, giant, bold, sincere, strong, generous, indefatigable,
powerful, trustful, truthful, that he was named al-Faruq i.e. the person who differentiates between
right and wrong.
Umar (R.A.) was appointed a khalifah after Abubakr (R.A.).And it was he (Abubakr) who
nominated him as his successor. His tenure as the caliph lasted for 10 years and five months and twentyone days.
Umar has a lot of records to his credit, among which are the followings:1. Supporting his personal views by divine revelation at various occasions, like the verses of taking
ransom from the prisoners of Badr war, verse of beer prohibition, verse of changing the qiblah
for prayers, verse of instructing women to put on hijab and verse of instructing not to stand by
the grave of one who died from the hypocrites (al-munafiqun).
2. Conquering so many places and nations into the blessings of Islam, that the Prophet (s.a.w.) was
reported to have called him Sahib al-futuhat i.e. the man of blissful conquers.
3. Eradicating and controlling crises among Muslims and promoting and preserving the unity and
peaceful co-existence among Muslims. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was reported to have said that,
there are going to be tribulations after him (s.a.w.) and Umar is going to be a cover against it.
4. Establishing public treasury and documentation office

5. Establishing the culture of praying Tarawih in congregation to promote accruing more reward
during the holy month of Ramadhan. Aliyyu bn Abi-talib was reported to have said (when he was
passing by mosques during Ramadhan and seeing them lighted by lanterns): May Allah lighten
Omars grave for him as he lightened us our mosques.
Umar (R.A.) was stabbed by a poisoned dagger on Wednesday 25th of Zul-Hijjah in the year 23 A.H.
and he was buried on Sunday in Al-muharram, 24 A.H. (644 C.E.), while he was 63 years old. He was
stabbed, he and 13 others out of whom seven died and the rest survived. The person who stabbed
him killed himself also when he realized that he was going to be killed too. The killer was an insane
person called al-Alaju Abu-luuluata.
Umar had children, among them are: Hafsat bint Umar bn al-Khattab (wife of the Prophet
s.a.w.), Abdullah bn Umar (the prominent companion of the prophet s.a.w.) and Asim bn Umar (the
maternal grandfather to the renown and pious caliph Umar ibn Abdul-Azeez).
3. Uthman Zun-nurain (R.A.)
Uthman bn Affan (R.A.)is the third caliph, who migrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and then to
Madinah in the beginning of Islam. He was called Zun-nurain (the man of two lights) because of that he
married to the two daughters of the messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), one-after-the-other i.e. Ruqayyah and
then Ummu-kulthum,after the passing-away of Ruqayyah (R.A.A.).He was born in the sixth year after the
event of elephant (Am al-fil).He was also martyred on Friday 18th Zul-Hijjah, 35 A.H. when he was 90
years old. His tenure as caliph lasted for twelve years. Othman (R.A.) accepted Islam through Abubakr
(R.A.), together with al-Zubair bn al-Awwam, Abdurrahman bn Awf, Saad bn Abi-waqqas and Talhat bn
Ubaidillah. This happened when the Prophet (s.a.w.) was in Makkah, in the early days of Islam.
Uthman (R.A.) was a nice, calm, beautifully thick-bearded, inter-mediate in height, gentle man.
He was also a balanced, peaceful and patient man.
In his tenure, he made Quran standard in Quraishi dialect and uniform to be read by all
Muslims. And this arrested the potentialities of Quran being messed-up and misrepresented by being
read in various ways. He was also among the Sahabah who committed the whole of Quran into
memory.

During his caliphate, Alexandria, Sabur, some parts of Africa, Qubrus, Istaqar al-Akhirah, Persia
al-Ula, Khawaz, Persia al-Akhirah, Tabarstan, Daru-Bajard, Karman, Sijistan, Maru e.t.c. were all
conquered into the blessings of Islam.
4. ALIYYU ABUL-HASANAIN (R.A.)
Aliyyu bn Abi-talib was a cousin to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and a son in-law to him (s.a.w.) who was
born in the year 600-601 C.E. His mothers name is Fatimatu bint Asad. He is the fourth caliph of Islam
and the first caliph from the Hashimites. He accepted Islam before he was matured, at the age of ten as
explained by Ibn Ishaq. He was under the custody of the Prophet (s.a.w.) before prophet hood, because
his uncle Abu-talib (the father of Aliyyu) was affected of lack of resources to fend for the many children
he had. Hence, the Prophet (s.a.w.) took Aliyyu into his custody, to jettison the burden of the uncle.
The circumstance behind his acceptance of Islam was that he once entered into the Prophets
room, he saw him with Khadijah (his wife R.A.) praying and he asked: What is this? The messenger
(s.a.w.) answered and said: It is the religion of Allah that He chose for Himself and sent His messengers
with it. I then call you to believe in Allah alone, with no partner associated to Him and to the worship of
Allah and disbelieving in al-Lat and al-Uzza. Aliyyu (K.W.) then said: I never heard about this before and I
will not decide until I talk to Abu-Talib. The Prophet (s.a.w.) disliked Aliyyu to expose his secret before it
was due time to reveal it; he then said: O Aliyyu, if youre not accepting Islam then conceal the issue. In
the next morning Aliyyu (R.A.) was guided by Allah to accept Islam and he thus went to the Prophet
(s.a.w.) and accepted Islam.
Aliyyu (R.A.) was brave, with high intelligence quest (IQ), intellectually-minded, bold,
knowledgeable and pious.
He was appointed a Khalifah after the martyrdom of Uthman in Madinah on Friday 25th ZulHijjah, 35 A.H. (24th June, 656 A.H.)
Aliyyu (R.A.) added a lot of feathers to his cap, some of them are:1. Getting laid on the Prophets bed when he (s.a.w.) was wanted by the Quraish, to give him
protection
2. Serving as one of the secretaries of the Prophet (s.a.w.) who were writing divine words
3. The Prophet (s.a.w.) being the city of knowledge and Aliyyu serves as the citys gate
4. Being one of the automatically-forgiven participants of the battle of Badr

5. The Prophet (s.a.w.) appointed the custody of his family to him in his absence for the battle of
Tabuk
Aliyyu (K.W.) was struck by Abdurrrahman bn Maljam (the pagan) on the 17th Ramadan,
40 A.H. (24th January, 661 C.E.) and he passed-away as a martyr after three days of being struck.
He was buried in Kufa on Saturday the 20th Of Ramadan, 40 A.H. He passed-away at the age of
63. His tenure as a Khalifah was five (5) years without three months.
His children were: Hasan and Husain, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, Umar, Abubakr and
the rests.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HADITH
Hadith literally means something new, some words or oral statement. In technical terms, hadith
means sayings, actions and silent approval of the Prophet ( s.a.w.). Hadith is the second of the two
primary sources of Shariah and an explanatory tool and key to Quran i.e. the message there contained
in the Quran ca never and not be understood and used without hadith. And this determines how
significant and important hadith is. It is of this significance and importance that many and several works
have been done, all with a view to preserving and maintaining the hadith.
In the early days of Islam some methods were employed and used in learning of hadith. The
followings are the methods:1. SAMA:-This is a method of learning hadith where the teacher reads the hadith for the
student(s) and he or they listen.
2. ARD: - This method involves the student reading and the teacher listens.
3. IJAZAH:- In this method the teacher permits someone (a student) to transmit a hadith or book
on the authority of the teacher without reading by anyone
4. MUNAWALAH: - This means handing the written material of hadith to someone to transmit it.
5. KITABAH: - To write hadith for someone.
6.

ILAM:- This is to inform someone that the informer has permission to transmit a certain book
of hadith on certain scholars authority.

7. WASIYYAH: - This is to entrust someone his book (of hadith).

8. WAJADAH:- This is to find some books of hadith written by someone just as we nowadays
discover some manuscripts in a library or somewhere else (Azami, 1997)

Subsequently, an issue arose and the issue was the issue of hadith fabrication, where people started
to fabricate hadith for mischievous purposes. Hadith fabrication started in the year forty after Hijrah
as a result of the political crisis between Aliyyu (K.W.) and Muawiyah (R.A.), with a devilish view of
promoting the priviledges of a sahabi to the detriment of the other sahabi i.e. campaigning for a
political candidate by forging lies against the prophet (s.a.w.).
Apart from politics there are other factors that led to fabrication of hadith. The factors include:1 .al-Zandaqah (combining Islamic and unislamic thoughts)
2. Ethnocentrism (al-asabiyyah)
3. Preaching (al-waz wal qisas)
4. Disagreement in jurisprudential matter and logic (fiqh and al-kalam)
5. Ignorance of religion with an interest in doing well
6. getting closer to Muslim kings and public office holders
To check-out this menace of hadith fabrication the scholars of Islam made an effort and develop
the following devices:(a)Authentication of the chain of collection of hadith:- Sahabah were initially accepting hadith
reported by anyone of them because they were all truthful and trustful and no any threat of anyone
among them fabricating a hadith. And the same with the tabiun, they were accepting hadith from a
sahabi with no doubt. But with the emergence of Abdullah bin Saba al-Yahudi with his vicious
thought of Shiism that believes in Ali as god and the continued working against Sunnah, scholars
among the Sahabah and the tabiun started to authenticate by verifying those involved in the chain
of collection of hadith.
(b) Developing the rules of classifying hadith into Sahih, Hasan, Dahif, al-Maudu and their
characters
(c) Compiling hadith into written (by Umar Ibn AbdulAzeez)
(d) Developing the field of technical knowledge of hadith (Mustalah al-Hadith)
(e) Knowledge of Jurh and Tadil

(f) Developing the field of hadith sciences by Imam al-Shafii

(g) Coming-up with the six sound collections of hadith (Sabiq, nd)
ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy is originally a Greek word that contains philos that means love and Sophia that
means wisdom. Technically, philosophy refers to the use of wisdom and reasoning base on some facts,
to reach at the truth pertaining to a phenomenon or problem.
Philosophy is compartmentalized into some branches. The branches are:1. Logic: The use of reason to skillfully determine an issue
2. Ethics: Establishing what is right and what is wrong
3. Epistemology: Deals with the source and nature of knowledge
4. Metaphysics: Deals with the existence of supernatural
Additionally, Philosophy in secular terms has some schools that are in other words, called
philosophical ideas. These philosophical ideas are:a. Idealism
b. Realism
c. Pragmatism
d. Existentialism
Philosophy in Islam has been welcome and re-directed to tally and suit with the principles of
Islam. And this issue of philosophy being welcome and re-directed gave birth to what is called
Islamic Philosophy.
Islamic Philosophy is a kind of philosophy that involves the use of wisdom and reasoning with
the view to finding the truth regarding a phenomenon or a solution to a problem, where human
wisdom are capable, not incapable, base on the principles of Quran and Sunnah.
In Islamic Philosophy it is believed that human reason and wisdom are inconsistent, that there
are philosophical issues beyond its capacity and the two (the reason and wisdom) should thus, not
be regarded as absolute authority and source. This is because if the two are recognized as the final
authority they would potentially mislead to destruction. Therefore, Allah should be the Absolute

Authority and Source and Muhammad (s.a.w.) the one and only perfected human being, should be
the role-model in philosophical viewings, reasonings, arguments and processes. Therefore, Islamic
Philosophy is solely based on the principle of Monotheism (Tauhid).
On the other hand, secular philosophy advocates the absoluteness of human wisdom and
reasoning in addressing issues that regards human perception of events by the sensory faculties as
the final. This dimension of secular philosophy led to so many misrepresentations and
mispresentations. Some of these are:1. Ignoring the concept of God and His Existence, because He is not perceived by senses, they said.
2. Inhuman attitudes and behaviors like same-sex marriage and single parenthood
3. Instability in philosophical issues and ideas that makes one thing to be true today and falsified
by the other tomorrow.
4. Feeling of hatred to religion and proliferation of immorality
5. Converting humans into materialistic rather than being true human with good feelings and
disposition.
ISLAMIC PERSONAL LAW (NIKAH AND TALAQ) IN THE QURAN
Nikah is an Arabic word that means something to enter into something. In technical terms of
Islam Nikah means marriage, that refers to a social contract between a man and a woman to be
accessible to each other, with the presence of a bride price, two guardians, and two and above
witnesses and a betrothal statement.
In Islam there are factors that prohibit someone to marry another and they are:1. Close blood relationship
2. In-law relationship
3. Foster hood
4. Step-fatherhood and mother-hood
5. Step-son-hood or step-daughter-hood
The followings are the women that a Muslim must not marry:-

1) Mother 2. Daughter 3. Blood sister 4. Paternal and maternal aunts 5. Brothers and sisters
children 6.Wife (ves) of your father 7.Mother in-law 8. Two sisters at a time 9. Daughter in-law
10.Foster sister
After marriage, there comes the issue of Talaq that means divorce or dissolution of
marriage. Talaq is not encouraged in Islam and many rooms have been opened for
reconciliation, better than separation. Nevertheless, there are types of Talaq in Islam, Those
types include the followings:1.Talq al-bain
2. Faskh
3. Khulu
4. Mubaraah
5. Lian
6. Tala ghair al-bain
7. Zihar
8.Talaq sunni
9. Talaq bidi
After divorce has taken place, Allah forbid, Iddah arises. Iddah is a waiting period observed by a
widow or a divorcee to verify the purity of her womb from pregnancy before getting married again,
where applicable.
The implications behind Iddah are that in the waiting period there could be reconciliation to
recover the marriage, where possible. Secondly, by Iddah wombs are testified to be free from pregnancy
so that someones child should not be introduced into anothers home.
Iddah is of the following types:1. Iddah of a divorcee
2. ,,

,, ,, widow

3. ,,

,, ,, ceased-menstruating woman

4. ,,

,, ,, non-menstruating

5. ,,

,,

,,

,, pregnant
ISLAM IN NIGERIA: SPREAD AND DEVELOPMENT

Islam is believed to have come to Nigeria through North Africa as a result of the coming of North
African people caravan for trading and business transactions. Islam is more pronounced in the northern
part of Nigeria due to earlier trade transaction with North African countries. Islam also met some parts
of Nigeria since many years. Areas like Oyo, Ibadan and Lagos have an old record of the presence of
Islam even before the coming of Sheikh Othman Danfodio.
Before the jihad of Danfodio, Islam has gone deep in Nigeria with various achievements and
developments. Some of them are the emergence of Yandoto kingdom in the centre of Hausa land.
Yandoto kingdom (inter-changeably called Shurafau kingdom, meaning the kingdom of the progenies
of the prophet s.a.w.) was established by Yahya son of Nafs al-Zakiyyah, son of Aliyyu Zain al-Abidin, son
of our master Hussain, son of our master Aliyyu son of Abu-Talib (R.A.). The kingdom was founded in the
8th century C.E. Father of Yahya called Nufail was one of the teachers of Imam Malik, the founding father
of Maliki law school. And this contributed to the monopoly of Maliki law school in Hausa land.
Another development pertaining to Islam in Nigeria worthy of mentioning is the issue of
Wangarawa. Wangarawa were some 40 men who came to Kano in 1349-1385 C.E. under their leader
called Abdurrahman al-Zaiti or al-Zaghaiti. They invited the then Kano king (Aliyu Yaji Dantsamiya) to
Islam and he accepted it. Wangarawa are believed to be from a tribe called Wangara in Mali, who came
for the propagation of Islam. It is believed that Islam was there before the coming of Wangarawa but
the king and more of the masses then converted into Islam as a result of the Wangarawas coming.
Islam got spreaded particularly in Northern Nigeria but over the years it was adulterated and
misrepresented. Pagan beliefs and pagan religious rites were mixed-up with those of Islam. And Islam is
never to be combined with anything else. To reform and mobilize people back to pure, normal and
bonafide Islam, Danfodio came and made jihad. People were guided to the true Islam and means of
getting salvation. Danfodio was able to establish political and system of governance base on the
teachings and principles of Islam. He was able to do that from the far north-western Nigeria down to
Ilorin in Kwara State,Nigeria. Emirates were established, justice and peace prospered in the society.
Islamic knowledge and education also were projected, promoted and protected.

Islam continued to transform and making affects in and on Nigeria, that almost all the
population of Nigerians are Muslims.

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Alqairawany, A. (1992). Al-risalah.Dar al-fikr publishing house,Beirut, Lebanon
Al-shazaly, A. (nd).Muqaddimat al-iziyyah. Beirut, Lebanon:Al-maktabat al-shabiyyah
Azami,M.M. (1977). Studies in hadith methodology and literature. Islamic book trust,Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Dambatta,M. (2010). Pull of fate: the autobiography of Magaji Danbatta.ABU
Press limited, Zaria, Nigeria
Haladu, A.A. (nd).Philosophical foundation of adult education. Nigeria: Faculty of education,Bayero
University
Ibrahim, B. (nd). Tarihin rubutun ajami.Nigeria: Federal college of education
Ridha, M. (nd). Muhammadun rasulullah (s.a.w.). Cairo,Egypt: Maktabat al-jamial-misriyyah
Sabiq, S. (nd).Alsunnah wamakanatuha fi al-tashri al-islami.Unpublished Phd thesis