Sacred Sound, Public Wealth: Female Qur’an Recitation and Capital Formation in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper explores the socio-economic significance of female Qur’an recitation in Nigeria, illuminating how public performances of sacred sound serve as potent avenues for capital formation. By focusing on Qur’an recitation competitions (musābaqāt), the study explores the complex dynamics surrounding the visibility of female reciters, particularly the challenges posed by interpretations of the female voice as ʿawra. Groups such as Izala, for instance, have prohibited their female members from participating in state and national recitation competitions.

Employing Pierre Bourdieu’s framework of cultural, social, economic, and symbolic capital, this research demonstrates how female reciters translate their embodied religious knowledge into concrete worldly advantages—accruing wealth, social prestige, and upward mobility. The ceremonial ‘turbaning’ of winners elevates these women to a neo-royal status, reflecting enduring historical and cultural continuities.

While Islamic groups like Izala restrict female participation due to concerns over modesty and public presence, other Muslim communities actively endorse and celebrate women’s involvement. These competitions not only provide marginalized women with financial rewards, social recognition, and opportunities for travel and public engagement, but also create pathways for social mobility.

Ultimately, this study highlights how female Qur’an reciters deftly navigate patriarchal expectations, subtly asserting their religious authority and reshaping the contours of contemporary Islam in Nigeria.