By Ibrahim usman
Some
historical perspectives on life and times of legendary revivalist,
Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodiye were distorted and significance of his jihad
misconceived over the years.
This was stated by Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky(H), at the 5th Annual
Conference of Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodiye, organized by the Resource Forum
of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Abuja branch held at the Abuja
Central Mosque.
Sheikh
Zakzaky pointed out that, right from the onset, Sheikh Bin Fodiye did
not bring Islam to the region but fought injustice and innovation
through preaching, teaching and examplary good conduct.He said, Sheikh
Bin Fodio devoted his 63 year life span in the search of knowledge and
teaching, which made him a symbol of learning.
According
to Sheikh Zakzaky, Sheikh Bin Fodiye was an Islamic scholar, and not a
traditional ruler as he is being portrayed. The name “Fodiye”, he
explains, means Islamic scholar and he therefore represented knowledge.
“Sheikh
Bin Fodio could not just keep silent on the prevailing situation of
injustice and religious distortion by rulers he found himself, being a
schloar who was divinely vested with the trust of speaking out against
injustice and misrule”, said Sheikh Zakzaky.
Sheikh
Zakzaky also explained that some mythical historical distortions had
given Bawa Jan Gwarzo, the ruler at the time of Sheilh Bin Fodiye’s
struggle, supernatural powers over and above Sheikh Bin Fodiye, which he
said were unfounded.
He
pointed out that, though Sheikh Bin Fodiye was a threat to Bawa Jan
Gwarzo, he was however diplomatic with him, til his death and subsequent
rulers took over him.
Another
misconception cleared by Sheikh Zakzaky was portraying the Jihad of
Sheikh Bin Fodiye as a tribal issue, to be specific Fulani versus Hausa.
“This is why sometimes they refer to it as Fulani Jihad”, he added. He
emphised the Sheikh Bin Fodiye’s Jihad was an Islamic Jihad which
changed the course of history, as there were Fulani, Hausa and other
tribes among his students and disciples. He cited the example of Shehu’s
flagbearer in Bauchi, Yakubun Bauchi, who he said was not Fulani.
“Sheikh
Bin Fodiye did not necessarily used sword to successfully actualized
his revolution. His, like other revivalists, was a revolution of
knowledge and good conduct which he used as basic weapons to change the
unjust system of his time. The then rulers were Muslims who mixed Islam
with sorcery, bad innovations and tyranny. Sheikh Bin Fodio could not
have kept quite silent in the face of these as an Islamic scholar who
was looked upon as a role model”, said Zakzaky.
Drawing
the lessons to be learned in the life and times of Sheikh Bin Fodiye,
Sheikh Zakzaky said in the current Nigerian situation, where traditional
institutions similar to the time of Shehu are intent on destroying the
remnant of his good work, it is incumbent on those who are now living in
the land where the Shehu lived to revive the Jihad of Shehu.
He
said, Islam is now portrayed as a religion of terrorists through evil
machinations, and that they only way out of this is taking up the model
of Sheikh Bin Fodiye.
“This
is the land of Shehu and the land of Muslims and Islam, wheather one
likes it or not, it is the truth. We are not dead, but in a slumber, and
surely we will be awake”.
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