Revising Islamic Studies Courses for Improving Cordial Interfaith Relations in Nigeria: A Case Study of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina, Nigeria

Nigeria has been, for the last four decades, struggling with the menace of inter-religious hostilities between Christians and Muslims who formed the largest religious groups in the country. Numerous policies and programs brokered by various Governments and non-Governmental organizations to curtail the situation failed to yield the desired result. Islamic studies as one of the widely offered programs in the Nigerian universities has the prospect of offering solution to the predicament. However, the courses taught in the program are mainly studies on the Qur’an, Hadith, Tauhid, Ibadat, Fiqh, Islamic civilization, thought and history without single course on interfaith relations. Taking Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina (UMYUK)-Nigeria, as a study case, this paper attempts to draft and propose the inclusion of interfaith relations courses in the curriculum of Islamic Studies programs at the university level in Nigeria for realization of peaceful coexistence in the country. The researcher uses primary data from the Qur’an and sunnah as well as secondary data from different sources. The paper employs exegetical methods and adopts content analysis in the process of conducting the research. The article recommends merging of duplicated courses in the existing curriculum and inclusion of the proposed courses by the Nigerian universities and other institutions of higher learning that offer various Islamic studies programs for the attainment of peaceful interfaith relations in the country.

Impact of Occupational Stress on Job Burnout With Moderating Role of Psychological Capital and Social Support

The medical field is quite challenging as employees have to work day and night under extreme pressure and long and irregular working hours. This work pressure and exhaustion leads to occupational stress. Occupational stress when unaddressed, leads to burnout which severely affects the physical as well as mental health of females in medical field. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship of Occupational Stress and Job Burnout on the female medical staff of Public Health Sector by introducing the moderating variables of Psychological Capital and Social Support. The role of positive psychological capabilities and support from supervisors and family in lowering the stress and burnout has also been studied. This study is conducted on female medical staff i.e. Lady Doctors and Nurses working in Public Hospitals of Pakistan. The Sample of the study comprises of 250 female medical employees. Data is collected through Quantitative data collection technique i.e. Questionnaires. Results show that occupational stress causes job burnout and psychological capital moderates the relation between occupational stress and job burnout. The three dimensions of psychological capital namely, self-efficacy, hope and resilience moderate the relation while optimism does not moderate the relation. Results also show that family support acts as a moderator between burnout and stress but supervisory support does not moderate this relationship.