Writing on Marginal Muslim Figures: The Religious Career of a Community Mu’adhdhin in FESTAC-Town, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite its importance in Islam, the Mu’adhdhin’s position has largely been perfunctory. This is often linked to the ambivalent and veiled understanding of their religious roles or duties, particularly among Yoruba Muslims in southwest Nigeria who view them as ‘marginal’ religious figures. This study, therefore, brings to light some of these ‘marginal’ Muslim figures whose works or activities play significant roles in the historical progression of Islam within a religious agency and locality. It similarly addresses the misconceptions among Muslims on the duties and roles of the Mu’adhdhin in a typical Yoruba Muslim community. The paper is based on a fieldwork conducted in FESTAC town in 2017, which draws primarily on evidence from oral sources and readings from secondary sources. Findings show that, beyond his core duty as ‘caller’ of the Muslim compulsory prayers, the Mu’adhdhin commands profound authority and also performs strategic and institutional roles in Islam. The paper concludes that there is a need to accord the Mu’adhdhin due recognition within Yoruba Muslim communities, as dictated by the Sharī’ah.