Isawa (sect)

The Bani Isra'ila, most commonly known as the Isawa, was an Islamic sect that originated in the Sokoto Caliphate (today in Northern Nigeria) that believed that Isa (Jesus) to be the greatest among the prophets of Islam. They rejected the hadiths and traditional Islamic practices such as Ramadan fasting and the hajj, adhering instead to a strictly Qur'an-based doctrine. They considered themselves the true Ahl-al-Kitab ("People of the Book"), and believed that they preserved the purity of the original revelation before it was corrupted by Judaism and Christianity. The sect has played an influential role in the early Christian conversion movements in Northern Nigeria, with some members and their children becoming important figures in Nigerian politics and society.[1][2]

  1. ^ Linden, Ian. Emirs, Evangelicals & Empire (PDF).
  2. ^ Last, Murray (2014), Mustapha, Abdul Raufu (ed.), "From dissent to dissidence: The genesis & development of reformist Islamic groups in northern Nigeria", Sects and Social Disorder: Muslim Identities and Conflict in Northern Nigeria, Western Africa Series, Boydell & Brewer, pp. 18–53, ISBN 978-1-78204-473-4, retrieved 2024-10-13