The Concept of Hausa Traditional Religion (Maguzanci): A Glance at Sokoto Jihad Literature

The aim of this paper focuses on the analysis of the concept of Hausa traditional religion, the Maguzanci, with special glance at the Sokoto Jihad literature. An analytical approach was used in the paper, where some ideas and views were analyzed in the light of the Jihad literature. A number of works had been written by numerous contemporary scholars concerning the religious tradition of Hausaland, especially the Maguzawa Hausa people. However, many among the works on the said subject, especially those written in the early and middle 20th century, were carried out by foreigners, who in most cases viewed and interpreted issues based on their perspective which has the bane of racism, misconception and misrepresentation. On the other hand, the Sokoto Jihad literature were written long by the Jihadists in order to explain among other things the environment of Hausaland and its religious traditions. The paper therefore, analyzed the concept of Hausa Tradition religion in the light of their literature with view of clarification to the concept. It argued that Maguzanci is not an off-shoot of Majus (Magians) religious tradition. Majus were among the Quasi people of the book (man lahu shubhatu kitab); while the Maguzawa were among the polytheists or pagans who do not have any Divine book or similitude to Divine book.