ATTITUDE OF MUSLIMS ELITE TOWARD MARRIAGE A CASE STUDY OF DUKKU LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF GOMBE STATE

ABSTRACT

At first glance, the subject of Islamic influence on the Dukku people toward the attitude of marriage seem easy to write about, but it is, infact extremely difficult. No previous researcher, either early or modern, has compiled any work dealing specifically with this topic. And if there is, I couldn’t find any to lay my hands on. I personally conducted oral interview with the people of the area and others. Dukku’s people like any other tribal groups, have differed in defining the scope variety and causes of taboo and prohibition, most of which were a product of their primitive beliefs, culture and civic. The researcher therefore, focuses on certain laws and injunctions of Islam, especially, those that deal with marriage and it impact on marital status and custom of the Aborigine people in Dukku. The researcher’s zeal to expose readers to the field of the Muslim elite marital system in the society. The researcher’s zeal to expose readers to the field of the Muslim elite marital system in the society. Historically, Gombe State is a fusion of two distinct groups of people, comprising the Emirate of Gombe North and ethnic grouping of Gombe South. Bubayaro established the Emirate during the Jihad period of 1800. The major cash crops produced in the area include, cotton, bean, groundnut while the major food crops under production include millet, guinea corn, maize and rice also small quantity of wheat is produced during` dry season. Correlation analysis revealed that the spring of children is random. Women give birth to most of their children before reaching thirty years. The survival of the children depends on their health and nutritional status.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          At first glance, the subject of Islamic influence on the Dukku people toward the attitude of marriage seem easy to write about, but it is, infact extremely difficult. No previous researcher, either early or modern, has compiled any work dealing specifically with this topic. And if there is, I couldn’t find any to lay my hands on. I personally conducted oral interview with the people of the area and others.

          There has been hardly any attempt, however, to arrive at this Islamic influence in its totality and to access the importance of its contribution to the people of Dukku.

          Therefore, this research work aim is to give a comprehensive study of this influence. I must give more emphasis however, that this study will be giving from the standard prime of Islam and that of the historian of Dukku people. And as a result of lack of written materials and historical document, likely, it may crave indulgence for a short coming in this aspect of my research, most especially, the specification of some happenings.

          Dukku people like any other tribal groups, have differed in defining the scope variety and causes of taboo and prohibition, most of which were a product of their primitive beliefs, culture and civic. Then came the divinely revealed religion (Islam) with laws and injunctions uplifted human being from level of culture and animism to the level of dignity which befits a human being.

          The researcher therefore, focuses on certain laws and injunctions of Islam, especially, those that deal with marriage and it impact on marital status and custom of the Aborigine people in Dukku.

          Islam has therefore succeeded in uprooting numerous superstitions and illicit practices in the norms and culture of marriage of the people of Dukku, more especially, the conditions governing the validity of marriage is seriously affected by the Islamic system. Likewise, the purpose upholds by the primitive of Dukku people and the polygamous system of marriage is also influenced. So also, the prohibited degree of marriage which was given less concern in the others which were considered as the core subject or point, were discussed in very handwork.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

          This research is intended to study the effect of Islam on the attitudes of the elite Muslim toward the marital status in Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State. Among the aims of this research project are:-

•         The researcher’s zeal to expose readers to the field of the Muslim elite marital system in the society.

•         To emphasize and highlight the Islamic influence on such a marital system.

•         To help the subsequent researchers to have a first hand information that will serve as a clue in expansion of this topic having not every aspects of the Muslim elites’ attitude toward marriage in completely exhausted here.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          The researcher is obliged to state here the problems on the need that prompted the writing of this project. This problem is nothing other than to know the mode of marriage that existed and practiced by the Muslims elites and to know the actual origin of the Dukku people, the history of the Islamization of the people in the area, their occupation and settlement and also how Islam affected the life of the Dukku people but with a particular reference to marriage institution of their Muslims elites.

1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATION

          For the purpose of this research work, the study is confined to Dukku Local Government Area only with particular reference to Muslim elites out of the numerous populations that reside in the Local Government Area. Though, their customs and attitudes especially in the marriage institutions are intertwined.

          However, the Muslims elites of Dukku are the basis of this work, and the cause of my findings, the research looked into their attitude of moral and later, trace the Islamic influence in the present society.

1.               As such, all the information in this context concerning the Muslim elites will be base on my finding in the population of Dukku Local Government Area. Though, the project is restricted on the Muslim elites without consideration of other people in the area of the study is not sentimental but to succor me out of complication in the cause of my research. The source is an interview with Alhaji Muhammad Giwa, ‘’Ajiyan Dukku’’ [a traditional tittle], interviewed verbally on 21th November, 2015 by the researcher.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          The significance of the study (this work) would clearly be seen in the finding which will serve as a clue and a provision of first hand information to any further and subsequent researcher who may intend to elaborate more on this topic or any topic related to it’s for instance, the other aspect of the Dukku Muslim elites marriage which are not discussed in this study and some social attitude of the Dukku people. Also the skeleton of the Muslim elites system provided here will enlighten the reader about the attitude of the Muslim elite and how Islam urged such life and bringing the people to light of a pristine Islam.

1.6 METHODOLOGY

          This research work being the combination of both the field research and library research, the researcher uses or applies the following as a tool in collecting relevant data.

•         Oral discussion with the Muslim elite of the society.

•         Personal observation by the researcher.

•         Consultation of relevant materials includes published books, final year projects, e.t.c.

                 These tools itemized under contemporaneously, for the researcher relied on every of it and serve nearly the same purposes, because every information being collected through any of these tools is relevant to the topic of the study.

                Also, the mode of the study adopted here, is a descriptive and analytical at the same time. Thus, it describes the mode of Muslim elite’s attitude toward marriage and later analyzed the Islamical teaching on it.

1.7 LITERETURE REVIEW

Islam as a religion has made and still making immeasurable influence on different culture in every human society since from time immemorial to date as such different writers have complied many books in relating with these influences some of these writers may be quoted in this very hard works.    Ilsi Wich has this to say

                   “Islam permits all aspect of life within traditional Islam society and that Islam has been a dynamic historical force, not to be equated in history with Arab terkish and maghul political and military power.”

In the same view, Alfred further said “since the time of Abbasid Islam has continued to spread mostly by peacefully missionaries…

          To Tibi, Bassam, “after the foundation as ism as their religion a specifically Islamic process or civilization was initiated from the onset onward, that has to their day left traces in various parts of the world, (Asia, Africa and parts of Europe).

          The further declare that, in religion, human conception of reality is not base on of knowledge but on belief in an authority, which varies from one religion to another.

Similarly in relation to the Islamic influence on Dukku people, no any research conduct which could raise hand on only oral interview with Muhammad Giwa  Ajiyan Dukku which highlights some of the Islamic  influence, origin and settlement of Dukku local government people although, the research project is also confirming to Dukku local government area and specifically to Fulani tribes, its main force of investigation is to study only their marital customs and the influence of Islam in this aspect of their culture, thus it is the deal of the research to clearly spell out of the traditional aspect of the Dukku local government people and their marriages in the area. Influence by Islam after the Islamization of the Fulani in Mali according to other source. Although the areas influence by Islam in this aspect of marriage are not fully or completely exhausted, the research and hand coved simply be regarded as a pioneering work on the marriage system.