Sokoto Caliphate Research Articles

A Nitbit Citation of the Contributions of Sheikh Abdullahi Fodiyo in the Public Health of The 19th Century West Africa and Beyond: A Case Study of "Kitaabu Niyyati Fil' A'amaliddunyawiyyati Wal'ddiniyyati" (A Book of Intentions in the Issues of World and

Nowadays, invariably health improvement, health education, health benefits are attached to religiosity as confirmed by inexhaustible literatures. This paper reviewed some of the contributions of Sheikh Abdullahi Fodiyo in the public health of 19th century West African Sokoto Caliphate and afterwards in his famous book called "Kitaabu Niyyati Fil' A'amaliddunyawiyyati Wal'ddiniyyati" (A book of intentions in the issues of world and religion). In the examined book, he stressed the importance of cleanliness, ablution, prayer, work/ employment/ wealth, agriculture, and meat production in the development and sustainability of society, let alone the Muslim ummah. He warned against unemployment, lack of personal hygiene, poor production and handling of food/ meat among others. Certainly, the book exhorts benefits to public health especially in Islamic societies. There is need to use religion as health education, and health promotion tool especially in religious societies for better health and interventions.

A Short Report on Newly Identified Manuscripts of Miṣbāḥ al-Arwāḥ: A Treatise Authorizing Takfīr in the Early Sokoto Caliphate

Abstract Miṣbāḥ al-arwāḥ fī uṣūl al-falāḥ, written by a fifteenth-century Maliki scholar from Tlemcen, Muḥammad al-Maghīlī (d. c. 1505), had a great influence on the religious and legal thought of ʿUthmān b. Fūdī (d. 1817), the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, and the issue of takfīr in the history of his jihad movement. Although this work has not been fully examined because only one manuscript was previously known, I recently identified two manuscripts of this work held at al-Khizāna al-Ḥasaniyya (mss. 13446 and 13722). In the present paper, I provide a brief examination of these newly identified manuscripts, particularly from the perspective of the historical study of the early Sokoto Caliphate.

ECONOMIC RIGHTS OF WOMEN UNDER SOKOTO CALIPHATE: A LESSON FOR CONTEMPORARY WOMEN IN NIGERIA

This paper economic rights of women under the Sokoto Caliphate, a lesson for women of contemporary Nigeria, discusses the various economic activities which women engaged themselves in Sokoto without interference from the men. Rights of women have occupied prominent place in the scheme of Islamic affairs from the inception of Islamic message. It is no longer a history to state that the Prophet (S.A.W) upgraded the status of women from what is used to be and made them equal with the male gender throughout the period of his Prophet hood. Part of the rights accorded women in the early days of Islam includes economic right. This paper highlight some of the entrepreneurship which women engaged in and also challenges which they face in the caliphate before now. It also discussed are the rights enjoy by Muslim women in Sokoto. Adequate attention is devoted to the proprietary and the employment rights of women in Sokoto as well as other such challenges effecting enjoyment of rights accorded Muslim, women in Islam to cater for their economic well-being. The paper is structured into major parts starting with proprietary right of women in Islam contemporary to the economic rights of women in Nigeria. As a lesson and challenges to the cotemporary women in Nigeria. The study adopted qualitative research method where secondary sources of data were utilised and analysis as its methods of analysis.

What happened to the workshop of West Africa? Resilience and decline of handicraft textiles in colonial northern Nigeria, 1911–52

AbstractThe Sokoto Caliphate of northern Nigeria was the workshop of West Africa in the pre‐colonial nineteenth century, producing famous blue‐black cloth that reached many markets south of the Sahara as well as across it. Under British colonial rule this large handicraft textile industry was faced with the winds of foreign competition. We rely on a newly digitized set of colonial district reports to measure the impact of trade on northern Nigerian textile manufacturing and find that (contrary to British expectations) areas closer to railway stations were less likely to experience industrial decline. We argue that the resilience of local textiles relied on the low opportunity cost of dry‐season labour. Analysing a piece of tax microdata, we show that a low opportunity cost of labour outside of the rainy season was associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in textile by‐employment. Seasonal changes in relative factor prices were a trap as well as a refuge. Part‐time employment limited specialization and technological innovation, and can help to explain why northern Nigerian textiles eventually declined. Thus, beyond our particular case study, these results contribute to our understanding of the role of seasonality in determining the structure and pace of development of tropical economies.

Fulani Nationalism and the Use of Herdsmen to Forcibly Acquire Land Belonging to Natives in Nigeria

Fulani people can be found in many African states, especially in West Africa. The Fulani who are mainly nomads and Muslims, migrated to Nigeria in the 13th Century and conquered the Hausa ethnic group in the 18th Century. Thereafter, they established their rule over the Hausa and other ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria through the Sokoto Caliphate. The study analyses how the sedentary Fulani use the nomads, herding cattle across the country to acquire land from the natives through intimidation and violence forcibly. The sedentary Fulani who are often well educated and sophisticated use their positions in government to protect and defend the herdsmen. Many authors have attributed climate change as the main reason causing the conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria. The study does not support this assertion. Rather it finds that the attempts by native farmers to resist land grabbing by the nomads lead to conflicts. The study adopted a qualitative method to review some earlier literature on the phenomenon and proffer solutions to the avoidable and unnecessary clashes that have led to the deaths of many farmers and other natives across the country.

The Role of ʿAjamī in Hausa Literary Production

Abstract Islamic education and literacy were present in Hausaland long before the jihad of Usman ɗan Fodio, which culminated in the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1804. While ʿAjamī made its way into Hausaland with the spread of Islam, its use today is not limited to sacred or religious texts. In fact, it serves as a medium for the diffusion of information through newspapers, personal correspondence, political and advertising signage, poetry, and even currency notes. At the same time, the Islamic values that inform Hausa culture are an integral aspect of these materials. Over time, Hausa scholars adapted the Warsh-based Arabic script to the particularities of the Hausa language, resulting in Hausa ʿAjamī’s enriched inventory of characters and diacritics. The ʿAjamī tradition remains strong and widespread, as shown in our collection of 20 manuscripts, most from the 20th century, that highlight a range of personal qualities valued by the Hausa people.

Batı Afrika’da Osmanlı Tefsir Geleneğinin Etkisi: Abdullah b. Fûdî’nin Ziyâ’ü’t-Te’vîl adlı Eserinde Molla Güranî’nin Gāyetü’l-emânî’nin Rolünün Analizi

The intellectual influence of the Ottoman Empire in West Africa has often been overlooked despite its vastness and significant contributions to Islamic studies. This study aims to shed light on this intersection by examining the relationship between Abdullah b. Fodio’s (d. 1245/1829) Ḍiyāʾ al-taʾwīl fī maʿān-al-tanzīl and Mollā al-Gūrānī’s (d. 893/1488) Ghāyat al-amānī fī tafsīr al-Kalām al-Rabbānī. Abdullah b. Fodio, a scholar of the renowned 19th-century Sokoto Caliphate, and Molla al-Gūrānī, a prominent 15th-century Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam, were both influential Qur’anic exegetes who held significant political roles during their respective periods. Despite recent studies on their individual works, the intersection between their writings demands further attention. Through content analysis, thematic analysis, and comparative analysis, this study explored the role al-Gūrānī’s work played in the formation of Ibn Fodio’s work’s content and methodology. By delving into various themes of their works, we reveal that Ibn Fodio greatly benefited from al-Gūrānī’s commentaries, considering them on par with those of renowned scholars such as Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 543/1148), al-Bayḍāwī (d. 685/1286), and al-Thaʿālibī (d. 875/1471). Ibn Fodio’s tafsir adeptly incorporated al-Gūrānī’s perspectives across various subjects and accorded significant value to his assessments of hadith authenticity. Nevertheless, Ibn Fodio, due to his distinct approach and priorities, selectively employed al-Gūrānī’s work in matters relating to fiqh, despite citing his istinbāṭ of uṣūl al-fiqh. While Ibn Fodio benefited from al-Gūrānī’s judgments on qirāʾāt, he did not uniformly adopt his approach. Both scholars adhered to the Ashʿarī theological tradition, resulting in doctrinal similarities, with Ibn Fodio occasionally directly quoting from al-Gūrānī’s work. On ishārī exegesis, while neither of them subscribed to its excessive form, Ibn Fodio included some interpretations omitted by al-Gūrānī. We speculated that Ibn Fodio sought al-Gūrānī’s work as a valuable source due to its richness, utilising it as a corrective tool for his other major sources, such as al-Bayḍāwī. By uncovering this link between Ibn Fodio and al-Gūrānī, this study contributes to the field of tafsir history, providing new insights into the intersection between the Ottoman tafsir tradition and the Sokoto tafsir tradition.

Female Education in Contemporary North-East; With a Special Reference to Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States, Nigeria: Impediments and Prospects

This study titled “Female Education In Contemporary North-East; with A Special Reference To Yobe, Borno And Adamawa States, Nigeria: Impediments And Prospects has been established to examine the inception, growth, nature, essence extent and impact of its acquisition on human existence and society of the areas under review, as well as the positive and negative development associated with it aimed at highlighting some of the major obstacles confronting our subject matter of study for an outstanding solution to the problems. This signifies that it is an intellectual attempt to portray what the concept of Female Education means from gender point of view. In the course of conducting the study both interviews, published and unpublished source were interacted with. In addition to the above, both quantitative and qualitative techniques for presentation and analysis were adopted and applied into use. In the first instance, the study argues that there was neither evidence of the emergence of female scholars nor schools established for female education in the Northern Emirates, regardless of the studied areas until after the 1804 Sokoto Jihad (Islamic Revolutionary Movement), which brought about the formation of Yantaru Institute for Female Religious Education in the Sokoto Caliphate founded by Nana Asma’u Bin-Fodio’s biological daughter. The study also stresses that by 1903, this brand of education was not the priority of the British Colonial Administration but Political Power consolidation for the satisfaction of their multiple interests, purely for political, economic and social advancement of the metropolitan Europe, a full scale project inwardly executed under the pretext of exploitation of human and material resources of the colonized nations. The study observes that by 1930’s this brand of education started gathering momentum in our studied states and the North at large. It is against this backdrop, the idea of forming collaborative partnership between

Hausa-Ajami Poetry in the Study of the Sokoto Caliphate: The Anatomy of Wallahi-Wallahi

One of the important intellectual legacies left by the founding fathers of the Sokoto Caliphate was Hausa Ajami literary tradition through poetry. Poetry has been used by the Sokoto Ulama and their lieutenants as a mechanism through which Islamic knowledge was transmitted to the Muslim community, considering the fact that a large number of Hausa people could not understand Arabic language fluently. In the poem, the Shehu exonerates himself for acting unjustly, and accuses the Habe rulers for advocating political corruption and social injustice, which are contrary to the Islamic Shari’ah. In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine the authorship controversy, reasons for the poem and the lessons learnt from it. It is the position of the paper that the teachings of the poem will play a significant role in reducing the rate of political corruption and social injustice in our societies if put into consideration.

A Nitbit Citation of the Contributions of Sheikh Abdullahi Fodiyo in the Public Health of The 19th Century West Africa and Beyond: A Case Study of "Kitaabu Niyyati Fil' A'amaliddunyawiyyati Wal'ddiniyyati"

Nowadays, invariably health improvement, health education, health benefits are attached to religiosity as confirmed by inexhaustible literatures. This paper reviewed some of the contributions of Sheikh Abdullahi Fodiyo in the public health of 19th century West African Sokoto Caliphate and afterwards in his famous book called "KITAABU NIYYATI FIL' A'AMALIDDUNYAWIYYATI WAL'DDINIYYATI" (A book of intentions in the issues of world and religion). In the examined book, he stressed the importance of cleanliness, ablution, prayer, work/ employment/ wealth, agriculture, and meat production in the development and sustainability of society, let alone the Muslim ummah. He warned against unemployment, lack of personal hygiene, poor production and handling of food/ meat among others. Certainly, the book exhorts benefits to public health especially in Islamic societies. There is need to use religion as health education, and health promotion tool especially in religious societies for better health and interventions.

Reconsidering the Intellectual Relationship between Muḥammad al-Maghīlī and ʿUthmān b. Fūdī: A Comparative Examination of Ajwiba and Sirāj al-Ikhwān

Abstract It has been frequently stated that ʿUthmān b. Fūdī (d. 1817), founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, was influenced by the works of Muḥammad al-Maghīlī (d.c. 1505), a Maliki jurist from Maghrib, in the formation of his religious and juristic views. However, their intellectual relationship has not been fully scrutinized based on a concrete and detailed comparison of their works. By closely comparing two of their well-known works (Ajwiba by al-Maghīlī and Sirāj al-ikhwān by ʿUthmān), I demonstrate that ʿUthmān did not blindly accept al-Maghīlī’s views but actively reorganized his predecessor’s words using selective quotations and strategic interpretations to justify his own thoughts and actions.

Politics of conversion and inter-faith marriages among Christians and Muslims in Nigeria: An analysis in religious contest and conflict

Nigeria is a country where Christianity and Islam compete for dominance in the political realm. This competition which often degenerates into physical confrontation is rooted in the 1804 jihad tradition of the Fulani-driven Sokoto Caliphate which is founded on the immutable request for the conversion of their non-Muslim neighbours. Unfortunately, this quest found itself frontally confronted by the fledging advance of Christianity and westernization from the south, with both eventually meeting at the Middle Belt region, which is home to non-Hausa-Fulani minority ethnic groups. Although Islam in Yoruba land no doubt predated the Fulani Jihad of 1804, the later advent of Christianity in the 19th century with its superior sophistication, soon overwhelmed Islam there. Thus Islam subsequently found itself in retreat. With this retreat came resistance against the domineering influence of Western civilization which is often associated with Christianity. It consequently elicited a state of conversion and counter-conversion between these two competing religions which often extends to inter-personal relations, one of which is inter-marriage. The present work looks at the subject of this confrontation from the barometer of conversion through inter-marriages between members of both faiths. Focusing on the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria—the mainly Muslim Hausa-Fulani of the North, the mixed Christian-Muslim Yoruba of the West, and the mainly Christian Igbo of the East, it explores their respective trajectories of response to Christian-Muslim marriages within the context of their religious traditions and by extension assesses their respective levels of inter-religious tolerance and accommodation.

The Role of Some Sokoto Caliphate Leaders in Spreading and Development of Maliki School of Law in North West Nigeria

The Role of Some Sokoto Caliphate Leaders in Spreading and Development of Maliki School of Law in North West Nigeria

REFORMS IN EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NIGERIA AND PLACE OF ARABIC STUDIES

’Reform in education’’ is the center point of this paper it discusses the literal and technical concept of the word “REFORM” in relation to education. It went memory lane on the reforms in education in Nigeria since pre-colonial era till the present time. Historically, Arabic was the first official medium of communication and lingual-fracas during the Sokoto Caliphate (1804-1903) and later suffered a neglect and unjust treatment due to different reforms in the education sector in the country during the colonial era and even after the independence. The paper aims at studying how these reforms affected Arabic Studies in term of development or otherwise and various contributing factors. The main methodology used for data collection are interviews, questionnaires circulated to a number of Arabic experts and education reform specialists in addition to some other methods benefited from. The paper discovers that Arabic was the first international language that brought Nigerians out of illiteracy; Thus, became the most beloved language among them being the language of their religion. And that the language was negatively affected by various education reforms that caused its some set back. and that later became one of the recognized courses in the Nigerian system of education. Various recommendations were made some which is that Arabic must be one of the core causes in the national curriculum. And that private Arabic schools should receive more attention from Government for their development.

Turbaning of Amina Yusuf Garba as Tambarar Binji: A Gender Narrative in Nigeria

The paper examines the epic turbaning of Amina Yusuf Garba as Tambarar Binji and the promises it holds for women folks in the Muslim north and non-Muslim women in Nigeria. It notes that the event which occurred on the 26th February 2022 was first of its kinds in the recent history of northern Nigeria and the Sokoto caliphate in particular. Generally and traditionally, women even before the Jihad of 1804 are perceived to be held to utmost seclusion which is to have very serious effect on the ambitious few. However, Amina’s experience in recognition of her contributions to girl child education and the general development of her people appears to drawn a new curtain that society now appreciates and recognizes outstanding personalities irrespective of religion and sex. The paper therefore, concludes by charging women in the north and beyond to explore and grab the opportunities brought about by the event in the struggle for the changing plight of female.

Afterlife as Motivation for Later Life Education among Elderly Women: Evidence from Bauchi Emirate North-Eastern Nigeria

This study explores the motivation for later life education among elderly women (60+) in Northeastern Nigeria. Intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions of motivation were explored in relation to personal, historical, and institutional influences based on an orientation of Activity, Life-course, and Gerotranscendence theories. To achieve the research aims, three research questions were posed. First, what are the historical and institutional basis of motivation for later life education among elderly women? Secondly, how do intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions of motivation influence later life education among elderly women? Thirdly, how can improvement in later life education result in better coping among elderly women? Information was obtained using qualitative methods. Findings reveal that extrinsic motivation stems from historical links between Bauchi Emirate and Sokoto Caliphate as a center for Islamic civilization. Further, since the social institutions in the Bauchi emirate were a replication of the model of society promoted by the Jihad and the caliphate administration, later life education among elderly women is encouraged. As evident from the data generated on personal motivation factors, the majority of elderly women see later life education as an important coping prerequisite arising from intrinsic motivation with the most common reasons given as spiritual and religious benefits. A major finding of the present study relates to how motivation for later-life learning is regarded as a means of perfection in spiritual engagement for a successful transition to the afterlife. The study offers a number of recommendations for improved motivation for later life education among elderly women.

An Overview of Selected Historical Monuments of the Sokoto Jihad, in the Old Gwadabawa Metropolitan District

This paper aimed to discribe selected monumental locations in the old Gwadabawa created by Maiturare Marafa Gwadabawa. The old Gwadabawa Metropolitan District was a land and extensive district, which disgorged Tangaza, Gada, Illela, and Gudu local governments of present Sokoto State, Nigeria. The great Islamic reformer of the 19th century, Shehu Usman Danfodiyo, was brought up, moulded, and taught in Degel of the present Gwadabawa local government, Sokoto State. Therein was his house, school, and tombs of many distinguished personalities who lived with Shehu. Near Degel there is Chimmola, then some kilometers away is Huchi. Both were intially established as Ribats to guard the Sokoto Caliphate. Huchi and Chimmola are still parts of Gwadabawa local government area of Sokoto; being visited by people from far and near to witness the historical scenes of the 9th century jihad. Gudu, the migration destination of Shehu was part of Gwadabawa, and presently in Tangaza and Gudu region of Sokoto State, Nigeria. These places are of historical value, their remains need to be preserved for the upcoming generations to appreciate history. Keyword : Sokoto Caliphate, Shehu Usman Danfodiyo, Gwadabawa, Chimmola, Gudu, Migration, jihad, islam.

Colonial control of firearms in the Sokoto Province 1897-1950s

This paper is a historical investigation into colonial control of firearms in the Sokoto Province. The role and use of firearms in colonial Nigeria have gained currency in the last five decades. The European interest in the commercial expedition of Africa facilitated the movement of firearms as an item of trade in exchange for African slaves. The increasing access to firearms, from European traders, provided the opportunity for the emirates of the Sokoto Caliphate to acquire a considerable number of these weapons. However, the vast majority of the literature focuses on their role in warfare and conquest. Despite the important role of the defunct Sokoto Caliphate in the import of firearms, it scarcely received scholarly attention. Deploying the historical method of inquiry, this paper argues that the British attempt to maintain law and order after the conquest of the Sokoto Caliphate instituted several measures to control possession of firearms by the natives. The study concludes that ownership of firearms was seen as a potential threat to the stability of both the colonial administration and the Native Authority.

A Treatise on Practical and Theoretical Sufism in the Sokoto Caliphate

Abstract This article presents an annotated translation of The Exposition of Devotions, a short text by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Muṣtafā (1218–1280/1804–1864) about his spiritual master and maternal uncle, Muḥammad Sambo (1195–1242/1782–1826). Muḥammad Sambo was the son of ʿUthmān ibn Fūdī (also known as Usman dan Fodio), the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, one of the largest pre-colonial polities on the African continent. While modern scholarship has tended to focus on the political, legal, social, and economic dimensions of the jihad movement that created the Sokoto Caliphate, this text provides a brief, but detailed account of the spiritual practices and discussions amongst Usman dan Fodio’s clan (the Fodiawa), demonstrating the centrality of the Akbarī tradition in technical discussions, as well as the unique developments of this tradition in thirteenth/nineteenth century West Africa. The work begins with an account of a dream of the then-deceased Muḥammad Sambo that occasioned its composition, and after a brief discussion of the status of dreams and their importance, gives an account of Sambo’s spiritual method and practices. The short treatise concludes with the author’s summary of Sambo’s responses to several technical and highly esoteric questions posed to him by the author, illustrating the profound mastery and unique perspectives developed on these topics by the Fodiawa. Combining oneirology, hagiography, practical and theoretical Sufism, this short treatise is an illuminating window into the spiritual and intellectual traditions of the founders of the Sokoto Caliphate.

An assessment of selected traditional leaders from the Sarkin Musulmi Abubakar Atiku family and their domains in Africa

This paper briefly discussed some of the Atikawa who had been on their rightful thrones and their domains. This was achieved via literature review and interviews with key informants. This paper explained that Caliph Abubakar Atiku had contributed immensely to the development and progress of the Sokoto Caliphate during the jihad of Shehu Usman Danfodiyo. It was found that Caliph Abdurrahman Atiku reigned 1891-1902, the last direct grandchild of Shehu to be on the throne. Attahuiru (the son of Ahmad) reigned in 1902-1903 and was the one who fought the final battle with the British. His descendants are presently holding a Sultanate throne in Maiyurno, Sudan. Some of his disciples spread to Makkah, Mali, and many other parts of the world. His time allowed the Shehu's jihad to reach international space. Maiturare (son of Amadu) became sultan in 1915-1924 and was the most successful after the invasion of the Sokoto Caliphate by the British. He was preceded by his son, Muhammadu Tambari, who left the throne in 1931. Apart from Sultanate, the descendants of Atiku had built many towns and villages and managed them to greatness.