Paper short abstract:

This paper explores how Muslims in Nigeria have related and responded to the activities of Christians through vacation camps for spiritual development of Muslims in Nigeria.

Paper long abstract:

Beyond the conflicts that usually occur in their encounter, Muslims have responded to the activities of Christians in Nigeria with religious vacation programmes notably Islamic Vacation Camp (IVC) and Islamic Training Programme (ITP). Following their co-religionist's holiday camps for Christians in Secondary schools, the vacation programme was initially organized by the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) for young Muslims in such schools to learn about Islam and encourage interaction among them. They were organized during Easter and Christmas holidays to dissociate young Muslims from the activities of their Christian communities during these periods. Today, other Muslim organizations such as the Muslim Congress (TMC) are organizing vacation programmes in various urban and rural communities during these periods. For many Muslims, going to the camps is a spiritual pilgrimage, hajj, and migration, hijrah, away from 'sins' which are believed to be caused by complex urban culture and Christian festivals in these periods. They also provide opportunities to develop spirituality and skills needed to cope with these challenges. This paper argues that vacation camps could be considered as both spaces and practice which emerge from the fluidity of relationship between Muslims and Christians in modern Nigerian. Focusing on the MSSN and TMC in southwest Nigeria, this paper explores the development of these vacation camps and how they emerged as spaces where spirituality is mediated and performed. It will further show the pattern of interaction between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria and how this relation has shaped each other's practices.