Textual Analysis of Quranic Verses on Social Justice and Their Resonance in Contemporary Nigerian Muslim Social Activism

This study conducts a textual analysis of Quranic verses addressing social justice themes and examines their resonance and application in contemporary Muslim social activism in Nigeria. Social justice movements rooted in Quranic ethics have historical precedents in Nigeria, including the Zaria-based Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Izala reformist advocacy, and more recent urban Muslim civil society initiatives. The study employs a qualitative design combining exegetical analysis (Tafsir) of selected social justice verses from Surah al-Nisa, al-Maidah, al-Hujurat, and al-Baqarah with content analysis of 50 sermons, advocacy documents, and social media posts produced by Nigerian Muslim activist organisations between 2021 and 2025. In-depth interviews were also conducted with 20 Muslim social activists and 10 Islamic scholars in Abuja, Kaduna, and Lagos. Data are analysed using Islamic hermeneutics and critical discourse analysis. Findings reveal a diverse landscape of Quranic appropriation in Nigerian Muslim activism, ranging from literalist proof-texting to contextual interpretive approaches. Social justice themes most frequently invoked include the Quranic prohibition of oppression (Zulm), the mandate for fair witnessing (Qist), and the communal obligation to forbid wrongdoing (Nahi Munkar). The study recommends deeper scholarly engagement with Quranic social ethics in Nigerian Islamic academic discourse. Keywords: Quranic social justice, Muslim activism, Tafsir, Nigeria, Islamic hermeneutics.