Role of Fatwā in the Fight against Terrorism: The Relevance of the Malaysian Fatwā Model to the anti-Boko Haram Crusade

Abstract

The institution of fatwā plays a vital role in the contemporary sociey, more especially in a diverse society where different people and different legal regimes exists. It can be utilized as an instrument of social, political and religious control. Institutions of fatwā harmonize the religious perceptions, ideologies and believes of people, thereby regulating their conduct of religious activities in such a manner that can be acceptable to the Islamic tenets, public policy and contemporary developments. In Malaysia, fatwā has been institutionalized and has been used in all the spheres of administration and activities related to human endeavour. By admiration, such model could be borrowed by other countries, especially those facing security challenges, which are believed to have been emanated from the religious extremism. The Nigerian “Boko Haram” conflict is a typical example of the religious sectarianism, the genesis of which was rooted from the errouneous religious belief that “western education is forbidden or unlawful”. In view of this, the paper suggests among other things; that the Nigerian Government (including the State Governments) in consultation with the Islamic scholars, should immediately set up a powerful Islamic fatwā institutions, or empower the existing ones with statutory legal backing simila