The Impacts of Islamic Awakening (Sahwah) on Muslims in Yorubaland: Salafiyyah Groups as Case Study

Abstract

The experience of the Muslim Ummah in the 19th and 20th centuries has given rise to various terms, aimed at reclaiming the lost glory of Islam and returning Muslims to their right position. Among such terms is the Islamic awakening which gained popularity towards the last three decades of 20th century. The Salafiyyah groups are among the movements that maintain the vanguard of sustaining the tempo of awakening throughout the Muslim world. Hence, the research on the impacts of Salafiyyah groups in the Islamic awakening of the Muslims in Yorubaland. Field and library research methodologies were adopted. Findings of the research show that Salafiyyah groups have done well in impacting the Islamic scholarship, Islamic schools and Islamic orientation and exposure of the Muslims in Yorubaland. Also it was discovered that religious-, extremism, intolerance, grudge and Takfīr are all products of misinterpreted version of Salafiyyah. The research recommends that for Salafiyyah groups in the Muslim world, generally. and Yorubaland, particularly, to spare themselves of the fall-outs of extremism, Takfir and intolerance among their members, they need to be more rationalistic than literalistic in their interpretation of Islam.