THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN

WEST AFRICA
HIZBULLAH ALHASSAN ALIYU

Department of Islamic studies

Abstract: The factors responsible for the spread of Islam in West Africa are–religion, economic, politics and education. In
this research i much more concerned on the religion’s economic and educational issues, simply because the development in
the region are mainly through the activities of Trade and Business transaction, migration of the scholars as well as the efforts
of the preachers, the research problem is that many people have no idea on how the religion reaches their father lands in the
history. The aims and objectives is to find out the factors responsible for the spread of Islam in west Africa.

I. INTRODUCTION Musa bin Nasser and his sons had worked harder for
the spread of Islam in Africa. He sent his people to
Abbul Hassan Ali, Assammaniy proclaimed that Western Sudan and to the clan of Bar-Bar with
Islam spread in West Africa through the activities and subjective instructions to accept Islam long before the
efforts of Al Murabidun( strugglers) i.e. Almurabids activities of Al Murabidun. Ibn Nasser has further
who intended to open the cities of Andulus but later instructed Berber tribes to learn Qur’an, Fiqh and
changed their mission to the activities of extending Hadith, and with the assistance of these Berber tribes,
Islam in to West Africa. he and his subordinate, Ismail bin Abdullah bin Ubay
According to Ali, the first tribes who accepted Islam Al-Muhajir, opened the Bilad of Andulus and their
in West Africa from the hand of Almurabids were neighboring states.3
Kanem, Hausa and Fulani of northern Nigeria and Trade and business:-The trade and business has
Yoruba in Southern Nigeria1. greatly changed from the trans Saharan desert trade
In Northern Nigeria, Almurabids have started their routes to the inter-West African trade routes, mainly
propagation with the old city of Daura, from there to the Western and the Northern Sudan. These changes
Sokoto and Kanem Bornu. had brought a great business activity with an
extension of Islamic activities from Western Sudan to
The Emirs of these Emirates have accepted Islam and Kanem Bornu Empire. The routes mainly used for
Instructed their Subordinates to do the same. It is spreading Islam through trade activities were many,
from these Emirates that the Da'awah and preaching among which include:
of Al Murabidun was extended to the large area of Ways from West Africa to the Northern Sudan
West Africa.2 through Qairawani, Gadama and other important
The power of Almurabids was very great to the extent areas. Another way was through Sajalmasa to
of waging wars against any attempt to revert the Tawwab up to some important towns of Northern
people who accepted Islam. These people i.e. Sudan. This was through Samara areas of Northern
Murabids had successfully achieved their ambition Sudan and Senegal.4 With trade activities the Muslim
and mission for propagating Islam through the scholars had extensively promoted the spread of
following ways: Islam and its trailing to the larger area of West
Jihad and Islamic militant:-The opening of West Africa.
Africa by the Islamic militant led by Uqbah bin Nafiu Migration (Hijrah) :-With migration of Arab
was very successful, because they opened the western Muslims, thousands of people have migrated from
Sudan and the cities of Tukruru, that is Sokoto, one place to another in-order-to propagate Islam.
Daura, Kano, Katsina, Zazzau, Hadejia etc in North Muhammad Abdullah Al-Naqeera said that
Nigeria; Gao and Timbuktu in Mali. thousands of Arabs and Bar-Bar Muslims had flown
A part from these, they also opened Ghana, Kanem into West Africa and settled therein with the intention
Bornu and some Bilad of Western Sudan who had to propagate Islam. 5 This was in line with religious,
already accepted Islam and propagated it in their educational, economic and political reasons.
domain to the extent of building some mosques, even Although there was no any authentic historical
before the coming of the successors of Uqbah bin account about the first Muslims who migrated to west
Nafiu. Ibn Khaldun was Quoted to have said that Africa, but the Ghana empire has experienced the

1 3
Abbul Hassan Ali Assammaniy , Assiyasi Assammaniy, Ibid., P.24
4
al-Islami fi Daulat Sokoto P23. Ibid., P25.
2 5
Ibid P.23. Assammaniy, Ibid., P. 25
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 The Factors Responsible For The Spread of Islam in West Africa

presence of Muslims long ago. Also Muhammad Al- verses of the glorious Quran and Sunnah of the
Bukhari (179 A.H.) posited that there were some prophet (S.A.W.) in his efforts to guide the rulers on
people who are called Al-Hunaiyin from the clan of how to use the government Treasury judiciously 10 ,
Banu Umayyad, who migrated from Baghdad to Abdullah al-Balbaliy, who was one of the famous
Ghana area. It was also felt that large number of Imams in the largest Masjid of Timbuktu where he
Arab Muslims were said to have migrated to the city always used to summon the people on the current
of Zagari and Timbuktu all in Mali and settled for issues of religious affairs 11 . Doctor Muhammad
Islamic propagation. Furthermore, some group of Abdullah Al-Naqiriy - Who wrote a book of Al-
Sanhaj Muslims had migrated to Niger republic for Da'awah in Islam, p/393 is quoted, where he
Islamic propagation.6. encouraged the people to enroll their children in the
Consequently, large number of Arabs and Berber Quranic schools with the intention and mission of
Muslims were said to have migrated to koko in Sudan memorizing its verses and getting some additional
and built some mosques and centers for Islamic knowledge in Hadith and Fiqh. With these
propagation. Ibn Batuta added that some group of contributions, Abdurrahman As.Sa'diy, was
Arabs and Berber immigrants have once settled in considered to be one of the greatest scholar in the
various cities and towns of west Africa and mixed field of instruction for learning both the Qur’an,
with dwellers to the extent of having inter marriage Hadith, and Luggah in the Bilad as Sudan in
with each other.7 particular and West Africa in general. In recent time,
Preachers:-The position of Ulama’u , Fuqaha’u and Abu-Bakr Mahmud Gumi of Nigeria brought a
Qurra'u was very great as far as the spread of Islam revolutionary stand in the Qur’anic exegesis. Scholars
in west Africa is concerned. They were the founders, like Mallam Isah Wazirin Kano, Mallam Ja’far
the authorities and the tutors who gained the ground Mahmud Adam , Ibn Usman Kano, Muhammad
of Islamic activities in West Africa. The Ulama'u i.e. Auwal Ahmad Albany Zaria, Ibrahim Daurawa Kano,
scholars were the back - bone who insisted the people Imam Yusuf Abdurrahman Ya’u Hadejia, e.t.c. will
to follow all the codifications, rules and regulations not be forgotten due to their efforts for propagating
there in the Shariah and Islamic law in west African Islam in Nigeria by using the simple methods of
region. It is the scholars who planned for the Qur’anic exegesis i.e. Tafsir.
systematic way of learning both Qur’an, Sunnah, According to professor S.A.S Galadanchi (1993), in
Fiqh, Tarbiyyah and all other related Islamic courses his book -Harkat al Luggah al-Arabiyyah Wa
for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah in West Africa. Adabuha fi Nigeria, Islam entered and spread in to
It is they who laid the foundation stones for learning Nigeria in-between eleventh to fourteenth centuries.
Arabic, Islamic studies, Literature, Fiqh and its Usul, The first King of Kanem – Bornu who embraced
as well as Balagha, Nahwu, Sarf and all other Arabic Islam was Ummi Jilmi (1085-1097) the twelfth king
/ Islamic related subjects in the west African sub- of Kanem Bornu who had changed his name to
region. 8 The Ulama'u were said to have introduced Muhammad bin Suleiman and ordered all his
some arrangements amongst themselves on how they subordinates and rulers to accept Islam. Galadanchi
could be attending the emir's parliaments, judges also said that Islam entered into Hausa land through
courts and even the Emirs in their palace , in –order- Kano in the fourteenth century; and the first Emir of
to consult and give them some guidance on how each Kano who embraced Islam was Aliyyu Yaji (1385-
and every legal and business transactions could be 1349). From there it spread all over the areas of
done and exercises in accordance with the Islamic Kano. It then spread into its neighboring emirates
rules and regulations in the Shariah codifications such as Hadejia, Kazaure, Gumel, Katagum and
extracted from the Qur’an and Sunnah of the prophet Bauchi emirates.12
(S.A.W.)9 This is because in the west African states, However, some Arab writers gave another assertion
emirs and judges as well as the rulers were taking that Islam entered into North Africa and firstly
inspirations from the guidance of the Ulama'u, i.e. accepted by the then powerful traditional rulers from
scholars. an Islamic militant. 13
Abdurrahman Al-Sa'adiy even went to mention the Secondly, the Arab writers also posited that the
names of some Ulama'u who contributed immensely religion of Islam entered and spread into Africa
for the propagation of Islam in West Africa. These through its northern part, by the support of travelers,
include: Kadi Muhammad of Timbuktu of Mali who traders and crusaders. This second way of entering
used to be the judge with final rulings on any case Islam into Africa is likely older than the first one,
brought to him. Abu Ubaid Al-Bukhari Al-Maghreb
was another scholar who used to be reciting from the 10
Ibid., P.32
11
Ibid., p.32.
6 12
Ibid ., p 26 Sheikh, A. S. Galadenchi (professor)
7
Ibid., p. 27 Harkat allugah Al-Arabiyyah Wa Adabuha
8
Ibid., P.30 fi Nigeria. Altiba'a at thaniya 1993.p34
9 13
Ibid., P30 Ibid., P. 34
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 The Factors Responsible For The Spread of Islam in West Africa

simply because the activities of the Berber and other obligation of princes. 19 Al-Maghili later went to
Muslim traders had started right from the beginning Katsina which had also became a center of Islamic
of eleventh century.14 learning during the fifteenth century. Most of the
According to professor A. Babs Fafunwa (1974) in pilgrims from Mecca used to visit Katsina, similarly,
his book- History of education in Nigeria. Islam was a number of scholars from Sankore University, of
first accepted by the Kanem ruler Ummi Jilime who Timbuktu, visited the city of Katsina bringing with
ruled between 1083 and 1097 at the hand of an them some books on divinity and etymology. In the
eminent Muslim scholar Hamid Muhammad Mani. seventeenth century, Katsina produced native
Ummi jilime’s son Mai Dunama (1097-1150), also scholars like Wali Muhammad Dan- Masani (d. 1667)
continued with his father's interest in learning and and Wali Muhammad Dan- Marina (d.1655).
practicing Islam, and went on pilgrimage to Mecca. Learning developed among these Ulama’u (learned
During the reign of Dunama II (1221-1259), contacts men), says Hamid Alkali, through contacts with
were developed through correspondence with Tunisia centers of learning such as Timbuktu.20
in Maghreb and in 1257 a Kanem embassy was A group of these Mu’allimeen, most of whom seem
established in Tunisia, as mentioned by the famous to be interrelated from an intellectual harmony have
historian Ibn Khaldun (d.1406).15 flourished in to Hausa land, and among them the state
Around this period, a college and a hostel was of learning was much higher. They were organized
established in Kano (the seat of Islamic learning ) for into a sort of guild, and a master would grant a
the scholars from the Kanem Bornu region, who went recognized certificate (Ijazah) to those students who
there in search of knowledge. The college was named satisfactorily passed the prescribed course of study
Madarasah Al-Rashiq. Towards the end of the under him. This system continued until the coming of
thirteenth century, Kanem Bornu became a centre for the British to Nigeria. 21 However, the coming of
Islamic learning, and famous teachers came from colonial leaders does not stop Muslim scholars from
Mali to teach Islamic jurisprudence. By the middle of teaching their students some knowledge of Qur’anic
the thirteenth century, Kanem established further sciences and other related subjects.
relations with the Muslim countries. 16 During the Conclusion: The responsible factors for the spread of
fourteenth century Kanem scholars and poets Islam in west Africa are: jihad and Islamic militant,
achieved a very high standard in the writing of the trade and business men, migration and Islamic
classical Arabic language.17 The real Islamization of preachers.
Bornu took place during the reign of Mai Idris
Alooma, (1570-1602). REFERENCE
Hausa land:-According to Hamid Alkali, Islam was
brought to Hausa land in the early fourteenth century
[1] Sheikh, A. S. Galadenchi (professor) Harkat allugah Al-
by traders and scholars. About forty wangarawa Arabiyyah Wa Adabuha fi Nigeria. Altiba'a at thaniya
traders were thought to be responsible for introducing 1993.( The movement of Arabic Language and its culture in
Islam to Kano during the reign of Ali Yaji, who ruled Nigeria).
[2] Abbul Hassan Ali Assammaniy , Assiyasi al-Islami fi
Kano from 1349 to 1385. A.H. Masjid was built, and
Daulat Sokoto( The Islamic politics in Sokoto caliphate.)
an Imam, Muezzin and Kadi were appointed. 18 [3] Fafunwa A. B. history of Education in Nigeria George Allen
During the reign of Yaqub (1452-1463) some Fulani and Unwin, London (1974)
scholars migrated to bring with them Books on [4] Hamid Alkali, A note on Arabic teaching in Northern
Nigeria, Kano studies No3 (June 1967)
Islamic theology and jurisprudence. During the reign
of Muhammad Rumfa (1463-1499) Islam became
firmly rooted and Islamic principles were practiced in
different places. It was during this period that Muslim

scholars from Timbuktu came to Kano to teach and
preach Islam.
Muhammad Rumfa used to consult the Muslim
scholars about government affairs. It was he who
used the famous Muslim scholars and theologian, Al-
Maghili to write a book on Islamic government
during the latter visit to Kano in the fifteenth century.
The book is a celebrated masterpiece called: The

14
Ibid., P. 35
15
Fafunwa A. B. history of Education in Nigeria
George Allen and Unwin, London (1974) p.p 53-54.
16
Ibid.,
17 19
Ibid., Hamid Alkali, ibid., P.11
18 20
Hamid Alkali, A note on Arabic teaching in Ibid., P.11
21
Northern Nigeria, Kano studies No3 (June 1967) p.11 Ibid., P. 12.
Proceedings of 72nd The IRES International Conference, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 23rd-24th June 2017
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