The Hausa Muslim Ummah in Kasar Arewa has been blessed, among other things, with many great Islaamic poets who made invaluable contributions to the spread of Islaam in the part of Nigeria called Arewa. It is well known that even in the time of the Jihaad of the revered and erudite Shehu Usmanu Dan Fodiyo [May Allaah have Mercy on him] such itinerary poets made great strides in the spread of Islaamic education through poetry as poems were readily composed and delivered at various public places like the mosques throughout the territories under the administration of the Sakkwato Khalifate. Indeed the Jihaad leaders like the Shehu himself, Malam Abdullaahi, Muhammadu Bello, and other major players in the Jihaad movement like Muhammad Tukur, Muhammadu Sambo, Muhammadu Saada, Isa Maikware, Nana Asmaa’u, Maryam Uwar Daje, Sa’iidu Dan Bello and others were known to have mastery in composing Islamic poems that directly addressed the numerous religious, social, economic, political and other problems and issues of the day. For instance, it was reliably reported that the Shehu composed the poem” Tabbat Haqiqa” [It is undeniable and certain] as a wake up call for the Muslim Ummah not to relent their effort in practicing behavior that befits a true Muslim who must also abide by the Law and obey the Amir [Sarkin Musulmi]. The Shehu warns: “Wanda bashi girgizama Sarkin Musulmi shika mutuwa da jahalu tabban haqiqa.” [Whoever does not respect the Islamic ruler he is certain to die in ignorance]. Mallam Isa Maikware, nicknamed ‘Autan Shehu’ and Nana Asmaa’u were known to have not only translated numerous works of the Jihad leaders like the Shehu, Mallam Abdullahi and Muhammadu Bello into Hausa [Ajami] from Fulfulde and Arabic, but to have done so sometimes in poems for easier public consumption and awareness. Numerous poems by the women under the leadership of Nana Asmaa’u became the feature of life in the education of the women as well. The women Islaamic activists, popularly known as ‘Yan Taru [women itineraries] were most effective in the education and enlightenment of the women folk who were otherwise unable to participate [publicly] in the propagation of Islaam. The ‘Yan Taru played significant role through the practice of distributing and singing Islaamic poems through different parts of the Khalifate, with some of these women holding the positions as propagators and household Modibbo [women teacher] as well. Hence it is not surprising today, almost two hundred years since the Jihaad, one finds that one of the most durable effects of the Islaamic revolution in Arewa is the culture of Islaamic poetry that still permeates the length and breadth of the Muslim North. Today hundreds, indeed thousands of such poems are still sung in the mosques, especially on Friday, while it is well known that Muslim youths especially in the past, were more likely to receive their first doses of Islaamic education and awareness through the hands of masu wakar wa’azi [poets for Islaamic propagation]. Although as one grows up one finds that some of the poems, or what the poet had conveyed was not always authenticated, it is still a great blessing and an enormously resourceful means of Islaamic public education and enlightenment. Indeed I can say without any fear of contradiction that even today when corruption has reared its ugly head in all facets of the Muslim’s life in Nigeria, the impact of such Islaamic poets has remained with us. The late poets like Dr. Ali Namangi, Bala Mai Yafe, Alhaji Umaru Wazirin Gwandu, and the erudite Malam Ummaru Gwandu, the subject of my write up, and other poets are some of the beacons of hope whose poems till this day continue to remind us that the life on earth is mortal and it behooves us to fear Allaah [SWT] intensely so that we may prosper in the Hereafter.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:44:33 +0000
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