ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES ON THE PRACTICE OF AN NAFAQA IN NASARAWA STATE

An-nafaqa is the Islamic law of maintenance of dependence which can be defined as the responsibility of a Muslim to maintain his/her dependents as deduced from the Qur'an and Sunnah} While Doi defines it more elaborately as the right of one’s wife and children to get food, clothing and residence, some other essential services and medicine, even if the wife happens to be a rich lady.2 Islamic regulations regarding human beings are equally applicable to men and women. But this does not mean that men and women are identical in everything. There are certain regulations that strictly apply to women because of their feminine nature and others that strictly apply to men because of their masculine nature. The causes of dependents liabilities are milk (ownership), qarabah (blood relationship-father child and vice-versa) and nikah (marriage). The responsibility of dependents on the basis of marriage is the strongest because, it is a term of contract and its arrears should be paid, while the other two fall under the category of ihsati (righteousness).3 Bearing this in mind, the work examines the effect of culture on the practice of annafaqa as it affects the rights of women in the Muslims societies in Nasarawa state. The work therefore, thrashes out these practices in relation to traditional groups with substantial Muslim population in the state. Groups like Hausa, Fulani, Afo, Kanuri, Gwandara, Mada, Nunku, others from Nasarawa State are examined through interviews and observations.