Ilorin
14-02-2018.
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Sheikh Adam standing with Sheikh Kamalud-deen during one of his lectures |
The leadership of Adabiyyah has condemned some statements credited to the Mudir’ Markaz, Shaykh Habeebullahi Adam Al-Alory, where he claimed Shaykh Kamalud-deen wasn’t the first to inculcate the western methodology into Islamic Education system in Yorubaland, among others
The National Missioner, Ansarul-islam Society of Nigeria, Shaykh Abdulmumeen Hanafi Ayara made this disclosure during a weekly lecture at Ansarul-islam primary school, Okekere on Friday.
Ayara while reacting to the claims, made reference to a book authored by Shaykh Adam Al-Alory titled Nizoomu-ta’alimul arabiy where the he emphasised that Shaykh Tajul-Adab was the first to lay prerequisites for the modernization of Islamic Education in Yorubaland after which Sheikh Kamaldeen took over and other Shaykh followed suits after several crictism.
“Shaykh Tajul-Adab (Sheikh Kamalud-deen’s teacher) was the first to introduce some form of modernization into the system. In previous years, Students were known to stay years under the tutelage of their masters without graduating. But Shaykh Tajul-Adab started the revolution by certifying his students graduate after 5years of study.”
“He also induce the introduction of photographical aspect of learning into the system around 1924. But Shaykh Tajul-Adab never make use of table and chair nor chalkboard throughout his time, except for his student, Shaykh Kamalud-deen, who introduced it.”
He continued, “Shaykh Adam Abdullah also remarks in another of his books “lamhatul baluri fi mashaahir ‘ulamai” that:
“Muhammad Kamalud-deen excelled in Arabic Studies to a level that astonished all his contemporaries and so much so that nobody competed with him in the whole of Yoruba land. Infact, he became a model and there was none of his contemporaries who was not influenced by him or did not borrow some of his system”
Explaining further, Ayara said it was when Shaykh Kamalud-deen visited Saudi Arabia that he brought along a reformed method of teaching which involves the use of tables and chairs in 1938 in Lagos.
“Some of his students in Lagos who witnessed this reformation includes The late Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki, and Alhaji Olosho Babaita among others before he returned back to Ilorin in 1942.”
“Shaykh Kamalud-deen started Western Education schools in 1947.”
Commenting on the establishment of Markaz in relation to Shaykh Sofiyullahi , he said, “When Shaykh Adam was at the verge of establishing Markaz, he invited Apaokagi who declined with reasons that he wouldn’t be able to leave Owo were his Shaykh instructed him to stay but he however promised to introduce him to someone (Shaykh Abdulrahman Baba Ile Ila) who is equally very learned”
” Shaykh Sofiyullahi, who was born in 1928, had received Islamic education both in Lagos and Ilorin under his father, and among his contemporaries then were Alhaji Kuranga and Alhaji Mustapha Olayiwola Ajisafe, the chairman, league of imam in Yorubaland and Edo, before he went to Alfa Ake in 1944, he was with him in Abeokuta till 1947. He stated giving public lectures immediately after leaving his place, at Lagos. He would later went to join Ansarudeen were he was transferred to Ikene and was eventually transferred to Oshogbo. It was after this period that Sheikh Kamalud-deen instructed him and Sheikh Ali Adebayo Salaudeen to accompany Sheikh Abdulrahman Baba Ile Ila to Abeokuta in January 1952, a place he stayed for five months before he left in May of same year. Owing largely to the tight schedule of Sheikh Adam then, all he learnt in Marzak was from Baba Ile Ila.”
“Markaz started in 1952 at Abeokuta with the support of Abdulrahman Baba Ile Ila before it was shifted to Agege in Lagos.” Ayara authoritatively said.
While responding to another claim on the products of Sheikh Kamalud-deen, he said, “They includes Shaykh Abdus Salam Sharafud-deen Agaka, Shaykh ya’qub Alawo, Imam Bashir, Alhaji Yahaya Olayinka and Alhaji Yahaya Salahud-deen among the first batch of students. Notable among the second batch of students are Alhaji Is’haq Ibrahim Onireke, Mallam Fasasi Epe and Mallam Sofiyyu’-Lahi Muhammed al-Jami’ (son of Late Shaykh Taj al-adab). Other batches include Alhaji Musa Alfanla Al-Adaby, Alhaji Abdur Rahman Salaud-deen Al-Adabiy, Alhaji Musa Alfanla Al-Adaby, Late Alhaji Muhammad Jamiu Gold, Alhaji ‘Alli Olukade and Alhaji Khidir Salahu-deen Apaokagi al-Adabiy, who joined in 1928 and was issued a certificate upon graduation in 1940 which was unprecedented in the whole of Yorubaland at that time.”
Sheikh Apaokagi’s certificate of 1940 |
“Among the product of Ma’ad ulumi-l arabiyah are; Justice MA Ambali, Alhaji Yaqoob Aliagan, Alh.Waliy Kamal, Daudu Bala, Khalifa Ajara, Justice Imam Fulani, Alhaja Rihat Arowolo to mention but a few.”
“Other distinguished students includes Alhaji Sofiyullahi Kamalud-deen, Alhaji Abdur Rahim Aminullahi Al-Adabiy (Oniwasi Agbaye), Prof. Ajetumobi, Alhaji Shaykh Mustapha Oniyangi, Prof. Oladosu, Sheikh Mustapha Olayiwola Ajisafe among other notable personalities of international reputes.”
Reacting to Habeebullahi’s comment on Al-Azhar, He said, “Shaykh Muhammad Kamalud-deen was instrumental to the establishment of Al-Azhar Islamic Institute in Ilorin. During Shaykh Kamalud-deen visit to Cairo in 1962, he held talks with the then Grand-Shaykh of Al-Azahr Mahmoud Shaltuti who consented to the establishment of the institute. The institute took off in 1963 with only regular teaching staff, and books provided by the Azhar authorities.”
He, however, appealed to everybody to let bygones be bygones and consolidate together in unity to confront the challenges facing Islam in recent times.