A STUDY OF MISUSE OF SELECTED CHAPTERS OF THE QUR'ĀN AMONG THEYORUBA MUSLIMS

Abstract

The Qur'an, as the revealed word of Allah and the foundation of Islamic belief and practice, serves as
a comprehensive guide for both spiritual and worldly affairs. Because any alteration to it directly
threatens the integrity of Islam, its preservation has always been regarded as a sacred responsibility.
From the Prophet's era to the present day, Muslims have consistently devoted themselves to
safeguarding the Qur'an from corruption or distortion, and this collective vigilance explains why the
text remains unchanged. Building on this legacy of protection, the paper investigates certain
practices among Yoruba Muslims that may unintentionally distort the Qur'an and, therefore,
constitute a form of abuse and misuse. Focusing on three chapters—Al-Mulk, Al-Waqi'ah, and AlKahf—the study examines unconventional methods of writing and reciting the Qur'an introduced by
some Yoruba Mallams. The findings show that these practices are unfamiliar to mainstream Islamic
scholarship and pose risks to the accurate transmission of the Qur'anic text. If such practices
continue, they may eventually influence how future generations understand the Qur'an. The study
identifies Jalabi practitioners and certain Sufi groups as the major contributors to these distortions
and urges Muslims to avoid any actions that may compromise the purity and authenticity of the
Qur'an.