Islamic Arabic Literature in Nigerian Prisons: Rehabilitation Potential and Programme Design in Enugu State

The use of Arabic Islamic literature as a rehabilitative resource within correctional facilities draws on a body of international practice demonstrating the positive impact of religious education and literacy on inmate behaviour, recidivism, and post-release reintegration outcomes. This study investigates the rehabilitation potential of Islamic Arabic literature programmes in Enugu State prisons, examining existing informal Arabic and Islamic education activities within the prison system and designing a structured Arabic Islamic literature rehabilitation programme for piloting. Using a mixed-methods programme design approach, the research conducts needs assessment interviews with 60 Muslim inmates across two correctional facilities in Enugu, interviews with ten prison welfare officers and five Islamic chaplains, and a review of international and Nigerian literature on education-based prison rehabilitation. The study documents the current prevalence and informality of Arabic learning activities initiated by inmates themselves, finding that approximately 35 percent of Muslim inmates engage in some form of Arabic learning during incarceration but have no structured support or curriculum. A twelve-week Arabic Islamic Literature Rehabilitation Module is designed and its theoretical basis, pedagogical approach, assessment methods, and sustainability requirements are presented. The study argues for the formal recognition of Islamic Arabic literacy programmes within Enugu State's prison rehabilitation framework. Keywords: Arabic Islamic literature, prison rehabilitation, Enugu State, correctional education, programme design.