Responses of Muslims communities against imperial conquest : the Sokoto caliphate in comparison with the Bosnian case

Abstract EN

This paper tries to explore and compare two important events in Islamic history: the handing over of Muslim Bosnia to the Austro-Hungarian Empire by the Ottoman Turkey in 1878 and the invasion of the Sokoto Caliphate (Northern Nigeria) by the British colonial power in 1903, and the subjection of the Communities in the two Muslim polities under nonMuslim (Christian) rule.

The culama‟ in the two communities had engaged in debating the appropriate response in light of Islamic law.

Some culama‟ counseled for hijra (emigration) while others ruled permissibility of remaining to safeguard dar al-Islam.

Each party based its argument on the Islamic law.

Both contradicting opinions gained adherents, who acted accordingly.

While part of the Bosnian community undertook hijra to the Ottoman territories, and part of that of the Sokoto Caliphate headed in hijra to the east (having Mecca in their minds but ended up by settling in Sudan).

The others in both communities stayed in their respective home-lands.