100 Nigerians Revert to Islam During Ramadan

By Al-Khedr Abdel 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.