World Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, 2 (2): 102-107, 2012
ISSN 2225-0883
© IDOSI Publications, 2012
Corresponding Author: Lateef Mobolaji Adetona, Department of Religions, Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University,
Ojo, Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria. Tel: +234-33033416.
102
NASFAT: A Modern Prayer Group and its
Contributions to the Propagation of Islam in Lagos
Lateef Mobolaji Adetona
Department of Religions, Faculty of Arts,
Lagos State University, Ojo, Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria
Abstract: Nasrul-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) that has become an household name in Lagos, albeit the
entire Nigeria as the leading Muslim prayer group or what others refer to as Muslim Pentecostal group started
as a branch of another elitist Prayer group, Yusrullahi Society of Nigeria founded by a retired banker with its
headquarters in Ibadan. This fact had been downplayed by other historians of NASFAT. This fact has been
documented in this article. Its success is primarily based on the availability of its liturgy in such a manner that
clergies are really not required to embark on its usual prayer as well as the seemingly miraculous efficacy of the
prayers offered by the group which has accorded it the stead to gauge the conversion of Muslims into
Christianity and has equally aided reversion of those hitherto lost back to Islam. The group equally has a
number of challenges ranging from qualitative education for its members to economic empowerment of the
jobless as well as making their impact in the socio-political spheres of the Lagos Society especially in the comity
of Prayer groups. In a bold step towards overcoming the challenges, a number of education projects including
scholarship schemes, grants and establishment of a full fledge University have been put in place while various
halaal business companies including Tafsan Tours and Tafsan Beverages, the brewer of the NASMALT malta
drink were started
Key words: NASFAT Modern Prayer Group Propagation of Islam Islam in Lagos State Da’wah Workers
INTRODUCTION Lagos. Ibrahim Nyasi visited Lagos and instituted the
Prayer groups had been known in Yorubaland before Abdus-Salam Akosile, Muqaddam Lawal and Shaykh
colonialism and its consequent modernization effect. Hamzat Masha Eshinlokun. The offshoot of these orders
Christianity became a dominant religious tradition in is the Alasalatu prayer group. Mainly, these groups were
Yoruba nation yet some Muslims and non-Muslims had part of the ratibi mosques in Lagos and in some
on different occasions acknowledged the efficacy of divisions; they all came together on Friday for special
Muslim prayers. Muslim and non-Muslim leaders alike Asalatu prayers at Jumat mosques. A few of these groups
had often employed the services of Muslim clerics to operated beyond these two levels. Examples of such
assist them in overcoming some difficulties using their included the Asalatu of Jama’at-ul-Suadai, with
spiritual powers. This was the kind of relationship that headquarters at Kuti Mosque, Lagos. Muqaddam Adeniyi
brought a close alliance between Gen. Yakubu Gowon and [d.1985], a student of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani Awelenje
Shaykh Ibrahim al-kawlakh an-Nyasi [1]. Prior to Shaki (1968) was the founder. All through the seventies
independence as earlier noted, Sufi clerics had visited and until the death of the Muqaddam, Lagos Muslims
Lagos in good numbers and had not only founded Sufi believed so much in the efficacy of prayers that were
convents (zawiyyah) but had equally shown the power of offered at this Asalat group. The prayer used to hold
Islamic clerical activities. Alfa Nda of the Qadiriyyah fame between 8:00 and 10:00p.m every Friday at the Kuti
did not only live in Lagos but also built a building that is Mosque. The mosque was always filled to the fullest
till date the grand centre of Qadiriyyah in Ilasamaja area of capacity.
Tijaniyyah order empowering such lieutenants as Shaykh