I have come to realize that the Arabian Peninsula where Islam originated from is a dry place where sands and dust are common which led to the hijab-wearing of Muslim women! However, on a totally contrary level, I am yet to understand why Muslim men (especially else where other than the Middle East) enjoy tying the turban almost everywhere despite the fact that it's a mode of dressing from the Arabian people! I want to learn from learned Muslims in the house, please keep your comments civil!

in most cases it is cultural practice depending on how the turban is designed and tied.in the cases of learned muslim scholars,the turban is a sign of knowledge and authority,and it symbolises the knowledge of the Prophet (sa).

LagosShia: in most cases it is cultural practice depending on how the turban is designed and tied.in the cases of learned muslim scholars,the turban is a sign of knowledge and authority,and it symbolises the knowledge of the Prophet (sa).

At the bolded, that's quite interesting really want you to get down on that, I mean could you expatiate further?

tomakint:
At the bolded, that's quite interesting really want you to get down on that, I mean could you expatiate further?

when a Shia student in the hawza (religious seminary) reaches a certain stage of learning,he is crowned with either a white turban making him a "Sheikh",or a black turban (if he is a descendant of Prophet Muhammad [sa]) making him to be addressed with the scholarly title of "Sayyid" .likewise,when a Sunni student reaches a certain stage of learning in al-Azhar (Sunni Islam's highest learning institution),he is given a type of turban signifying he is a "sheikh" which reflects years of studies.these turbans reflect qualification in learning and you can see them here:


Sheikh Usama Abdul-Ghani (Shia)


Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamanei (Shia)

[img]http://www.alazhar.gov.eg/Alazhar/images/DrAltayeb.jpg[/img]
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb (Sunni)


Sheikh Tahirul Qadri (Sunni)


as for the emirs and others who put turban (depending on the type and design),it could be solely cultural and one of rulership instead of scholarship as the pictures above portray.

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1197648_turban_jpg6cc0a3a3d026e30a3ac9126799ca19df[/img]

@OP

i doubt the (above) picture in your post is that of a muslim.

LagosShia:

when a Shia student in the hawza (religious seminary) reaches a certain stage of learning,he is crowned with either a white turban making him a "Sheikh",or a black turban (if he is a descendant of Prophet Muhammad [sa]) making him to be addressed with the scholarly title of "Sayyid" .likewise,when a Sunni student reaches a certain stage of learning in al-Azhar (Sunni Islam's highest learning institution),he is given a type of turban signifying he is a "sheikh" which reflects years of studies.these turbans reflect qualification in learning and you can see them here:


Sheikh Usama Abdul-Ghani (Shia)


Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamanei (Shia)

[img]http://www.alazhar.gov.eg/Alazhar/images/DrAltayeb.jpg[/img]
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb (Sunni)


Sheikh Tahirul Qadri (Sunni)


as for the emirs and others who put turban (depending on the type and design),it could be solely cultural and one of rulership instead of scholarship as the pictures above portray.

Thanks so much for the exposition especially on the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam regarding the symbol of turban! However, I am of the opinion that Islamic scholars from the Northern part of Nigeria view their counterparts from the Southern as inferiors despite the fact that they profess the same faith and even wear the same turban and are schooled from the same Quran, why?

tomakint:
Thanks so much for the exposition especially on the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam regarding the symbol of turban! However, I am of the opinion that Islamic scholars from the Northern part of Nigeria view their counterparts from the Southern as inferiors despite the fact that they profess the same faith and even wear the same turban and are schooled from the same Quran, why?

i cannot really give exact answers or reply on their behalf.i can only speculate.yet still i believe it is a generalization.the yorubas generally are more tribalistic than religious.for instance if a northern muslim is having a disagreement with a pagan yoruba who is wrong,there is a high likelihood that the yoruba muslim would take the side of the pagan yoruba or try to be neutral, and not support the northern muslim.also the northerners tend to take religion more seriously.the yorubas are not as devoted into Islamic studies as the notherners.there is the factor of knowledge and devotion.also,the yorubas belong to different religions,while the northerners are predominantly muslims.these are all possible factors,but as i said i am only speculating.i could be wrong.

However, I am of the opinion that Islamic scholars from the Northern part of Nigeria view their counterparts from the Southern as inferiors

The premise of your question is not verified. Which Islamic scholars have you met? What gave you that opinion? Is your opinion borne out of any verifiable facts or just a guess??

Scholars are supposed to be knowledgeable and racism is not a factor is Islam at least amongst the knowledgeable.

tbaba1234:

The premise of your question is not verified. Which Islamic scholars have you met? What gave you that opinion? Is your opinion borne out of any verifiable facts or just a guess??

Scholars are supposed to be knowledgeable and racism is not a factor is Islam at least amongst the knowledgeable.

I am glad you separate the 'knowledgeable' from these 'divides'! The Northern Muslims believed they brought Islam to other parts of Nigeria, hence, consider Southern Muslims as subservients to them, this is a FACT!

@LagosShia: 11:16pm On Jul 12

i cannot really give exact answers or reply on their behalf.i can only speculate.yet still i believe it is a generalization.the yorubas generally are more tribalistic than religious.for instance if a northern muslim is having a disagreement with a pagan yoruba who is wrong,there is a high likelihood that the yoruba muslim would take the side of the pagan yoruba or try to be neutral, and not support the northern muslim.also the northerners tend to take religion more seriously.the yorubas are not as devoted into Islamic studies as the notherners.there is the factor of knowledge and devotion.also,the yorubas belong to different religions,while the northerners are predominantly muslims.these are all possible factors,but as i said i am only speculating.i could be wrong.

Are you northerner, mr. lagosshia? its a good thing that you concluded that you may be wrong because absolutely you are. head count is not the criteria of devotion. devotion is an individual thing. hypocrisy is worse than outright disbelief. in a climate of peace, a muslim who discriminates against another just because of regional difference is first class hypocrite.


a muslim who doubts the faith of another who says he is a muslim, he himself has erred. a muslim who slaughters innocent souls, indeed the soul of a muslim just because they do not share more than islam, he himself is condemned. the northerners support the northerners in conflicts where the adversary are from outside their group, muslims or not.


and i know enough northerners outside the shore of nigeria to determine my southern muslims are in the middle course as the Quran encourages. i will let anyone lead me in prayer, as long as he knows the fundamentals of it. i will not say that i will not pray with or allowed to be led because they are not of my tribe. tribe is useless before Allah, but piety is what counts.



@tbaba1234:

11:23pm On Jul 12

However, I am of the opinion that Islamic scholars from the Northern part of Nigeria view their counterparts from the Southern as inferiors


The premise of your question is not verified. Which Islamic scholars have you met? What gave you that opinion? Is your opinion borne out of any verifiable facts or just a guess??

Scholars are supposed to be knowledgeable and racism is not a factor is Islam at least amongst the knowledgeable.

In essence what his opinion is suggesting is quite in line with your answer; just claiming to be a scholar does not make you it, if racism, really tribalism in this case has eaten deep into your heart.

^

what I wrote I maintained was only speculation.therefore I see no need to reply to your post.

on what ground is your speculation? your own, opinions of others, what? from the nl muslim community, if it a good representation of islam in nigeria, i am grateful to Allah for what He has done for the southerners of nigeria.

RoyPCain: on what ground is your speculation? your own, opinions of others, what? from the nl muslim community, if it a good representation of islam in nigeria, i am grateful to Allah for what He has done for the southerners of nigeria.

I don't know.may be more of the imagination

PS:I'm not a northerner.i am talking as a southerner,so don't think I am biased or prejudiced.

then dont let your imagination run this wild especially when you are saying northerners are more committed to islam that the southern muslims. its impossible to know, except that the level of commitment of the individual is known by the All Knowing of all secrets.


the southern muslims as a whole are moderate and struggle to be better, the requirements of balanced faith. every muslim should avoid all kinds of evil deeds, ranging from koumu lut to all evils of juju, illegal sex, drunkenness, etc and the emptying of community treasury, tribalism, nationalism, etc. many a fellow have accepted islam through the efforts of southern persons. talk is cheap. the walk is what matters and Allah knows


i respect the reverts more than i will of those born into it, arabs or not [because of their noses sometime up in the sky thinking paradise is written down for then, already]. now the americans are becoming scholars and leading arabs; sheikh shuaib webb is from oklahoma and now the iman of the largest mosque in boston, with plenty of arabs praying behind him and he is not even an old man.

^

you are putting words into my mouth.i have NOT said northerners are more devout.i made speculations based on the northern mindset.you're just blabbing,because I don't think it is me you are arguing with over what I didn't say.i gave theories that are not proven.

lagosshia, in post number 6 of this thread, this is what you said while i am babbling. you need to be consistent.

i cannot really give exact answers or reply on their behalf.i can only speculate.yet still i believe it is a generalization.the yorubas generally are more tribalistic than religious.for instance if a northern muslim is having a disagreement with a pagan yoruba who is wrong,there is a high likelihood that the yoruba muslim would take the side of the pagan yoruba or try to be neutral, and not support the northern muslim.also the northerners tend to take religion more seriously.the yorubas are not as devoted into Islamic studies as the notherners.there is the factor of knowledge and devotion.also,the yorubas belong to different religions,while the northerners are predominantly muslims.these are all possible factors,but as i said i am only speculating.i could be wrong.

speculation on one hand and believe on the other hand dont mean the same thing. you went on giving your analytical believe of the "yorubas", not the southerners, while my concern is the southerners. how do i put words into your mouth when you said the northerners tend to take religion more seriously and the yorubas are not as devoted into islamic studies as the northerners, or how do people write 'northerners are more devout' based on what you wrote in post number 6?

i am gonna leave all of this because your its your 'mere' opinion since thats what you wish it is, you know your reasons, Allah knows your reason. i just cautioned you against generalization, while i babble. no one is perfect and definitely no society without its faults. if the nigerian muslims have taken a middle road and display better qualities instead of of what they mostly do now, the folks in the core east would have been knocking the door of islam, long time before now that they are just looking at this direction.

i remember an incident that happened many moons back; a person who hardly knew me was cautioning a person i was holding an opposing view during a friendly discussion, that my friend should be concern about my pulling out a dagger! it was a shock for me because while i am not a northerner, the people know me for long time and our conversation was across the pond, so how is it that this southerner in a far away place is dagger wielding, except there is an opinion, a wrong one, a generalization. such a person thinking all nigerian muslims will dagger anyone faster than dropping a naira on the table will be hard to listen to anyone talking about Islam.

may Allah have Mercy on all of us by forgiving us and let us practice this religion the way it should be practiced. Amin.