The Spread of Islam in Muri, 1817-1953: The Role/Contributions of the Emirs

Abstract

With the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1804,which emerged as a result of the efforts made by Islamic scholars to
reform the then existing Muslim polities in Hausaland, the spread of Islam became the primary concern of the emirates that
formed the Caliphate. Though Islamic scholars were shouldered with the responsibility of propagation, emirs too, played important roles in the spread of Islam and the dissemination of knowledge to the nooks and crannies of the then central Sudan. This paper therefore, attempts to assess the role of Emirs in the spread of Islam in Muri Emirate, which is located in the present day Taraba State, but incorporating about seven Local Government Areas namely; Jalingo, Gassol, Ardo-Kola, Karim Lamido, Lau,
Yorro and Kunini. Largely built on oral sources, the paper found out that Emirs contributed tremendously to the spread of Islam
through revivalist movements, aidingof Islamic scholars, provision of books, building of mosques and schools, as well as the promotion of peace and religious tolerance.