Quaestiones Infinitae Publications Of The Department Of Philosophy And Religious Studies Volume C © Murtala Ibrahim, 2017 Printed by Ipskamp Printing - Enschede Cover photo by Murtala Ibrahim (National Christian Centre at Abuja and Central Mosque at Abuja, 2015) SENSATIONAL PIETY Practices of mediation in Christ Embassy and NASFAT Sensationele vroomheid Praktijken van bemiddeling in Christ Embassy en NASFAT (met een samenvatting in het Nederlands) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit Utrecht op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof.dr. G.J. van der Zwaan, ingevolge het besluit van het college voor promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 30 oktober 2017 des middags te 12.45 uur door Murtala Ibrahim geboren op 21 april 1976 te Jos, Nigeria Promotoren Prof. dr. B. Meyer Prof. dr. H. Dilger This thesis was accomplished with financial support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Berlin Graduate School of Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS), the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. 1. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................1 Prelude ...........................................................................................................1 Positionality ....................................................................................................4 Religious Coexistence and Comparative Approach .......................................5 Methodology of the Research .......................................................................13 Pentecostalism and Islamic Reformists ........................................................14 Pentecostalism ........................................................................................15 Islamic Reformists in Nigeria ..................................................................26 NASFAT .................................................................................................32 A Material and Aesthetic Approach ............................................................34 Organisation of the Study ............................................................................40 2. RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN THE NEW CAPITAL CITY OF ABUJA ....................................................................................................43 Introduction .................................................................................................43 Abuja: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ................................................45 Abuja as the City of Dreams .........................................................................48 Sites of Divine Encounter: Religious Buildings of the City ..........................53 The Diverse Religious Landscape of the City ...............................................61 Managing Religious Diversity: State Level ..................................................65 Managing Religious Diversity: Local Level..................................................68 Pluralistic Religious Soundscape of the City ...............................................72 Visual Markers of Religion in the City .........................................................77 Religion and Social Capital in the City .........................................................81 Conclusion .....................................................................................................85 3. CHRIST EMBASSY .....................................................................................88 Introduction ..................................................................................................88 Brief Historical Background of the Church ...................................................90 Organisational Structure ................................................................................93 Members and Membership ............................................................................98 Cell Ministry ................................................................................................104 Engaging with the ‘Other’ in Christ Embassy .............................................107 Muslims: Competitors or Potential Convert? ........................................107 Demonisation of Indigenous Religion ...................................................109 Women: the Internal Other? ..................................................................110 Politics: a Dirty Game? .........................................................................111 Fund Raising .............................................................................................112 Heaven Cell: The Practice of Sacred Investment .......................................117 Sacred Temporality: the Spiritual Significance of Time in Christ Embassy ...................................................................................................123 Time of Divine Encounter: Sunday Worship Service and Holy Communion Services ...............................................................................127 Miraculous Healing Performance of Pastor Chris ......................................129 Conclusion ..................................................................................................138 4. NASFAT .....................................................................................................141 Introduction ...............................................................................................141 Historical Background of NASFAT ............................................................143 Organisational Structure and Membership ..................................................148 Aims and Objectives of NASFAT ...............................................................153 Engaging with the ‘Other’ in NASFAT ......................................................155 People of the Book: Fellow Citizens or Competitors ............................156 Other Muslim Organisations: Partners in Promoting Islam? .................159 African Traditional Religion: The Evil Other? ......................................162 Women: the Internal Other? ..................................................................163 Politics: the Evil Game? ........................................................................166 Youth, Wings and the Caliphate System ....................................................167 Sources of Funds and Social Projects .........................................................173 Times of Divine Encounter: Asalatu, Tahajjud and Lailatul Qadr .............176 Conclusion ..................................................................................................188 5. COMMUNION WITH THE DIVINE: PRAYER AS PERFORMANCE OF MEDIATION IN CHRIST EMBASSY AND NASFAT ......................190 Introduction ...............................................................................................190 Theorising Prayer ........................................................................................193 Genre of Prayer in Christ Embassy and NASFAT ......................................195 Prayer of Adoration: The Practices of Sacred Emotion ...............................200 Glossolalia and Zikr: Prayers of Aesthetic Speech......................................210 Glossolalia .............................................................................................210 Zikr ........................................................................................................215 ‘I Claim it in the Name of Jesus:’ Instrumental Prayer in Christ Embassy ...................................................................................................217 In Prayers there is Power: The Practice of Instrumental Prayers in NASFAT .............................................................................................223 Semiotic Ideologies, Sensational Forms, and the Functions of Instrumental Prayers .................................................................................227 Material Sacrifices: Keys to the Portals of Prayers ....................................231 When a Prayer Failed to Materialise ..........................................................234 Conclusion ..................................................................................................237 6. ORAL TRANSMISSION OF THE SACRED: PREACHING IN CHRIST EMBASSY AND NASFAT .........................................................240 Introduction ...............................................................................................240 Preaching in Christ Embassy and NASFAT within the Larger Religious Landscape ................................................................................241 Preaching in Christ Embassy and NASFAT ................................................246 Themes ..................................................................................................246 Religious Authority and Listening ........................................................258 Styles of Preaching ................................................................................262 Preaching as Performance of Mediation .....................................................270 Preaching as Instrument