On the second day of Muharram, which coincided with August 1, 2022, the renowned Islamic sage, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, clocked 98 years. Daily Trust on Sunday dived into his life history and extracted some key traits that have shaped the lifetime of the legendary Sheikh.
His birth and genealogy
Sheikh Usman Bauchi, who was born almost a century ago, is one of the prominent Islamic scholars ever produced in Nigeria. He is also a pillar in Tijjaniya creed in Africa. He is also the deputy chairman of the Fatwa Committee of the National Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
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In an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday in Bauchi, the revered Sheikh recounted a brief history of his lifetime, thus: “I am a Fulani man, likewise my four grandparents, being that every human being has four grandparents: two each from their paternal and maternal roots. In my own case, all of them were Fulani. So I have no lineage to any other ethnic group.
We happened to be Fulani from the old Bauchi State before Gombe was carved out of it. From my paternal side, I am a Fulani from Bauchi State, Konkiyel, a community in Darazo Local Government Area, while from my maternal progeny I am a Fulani man from Nafada in Gombe State. So I am from both states. I was born in June 1927, which corresponds to 1st of Muharram 1346H on Wednesday.”
Islamic theology and exegesis of Quran
The Sheikh further narrated: “I had my basic Islamic education under the tutelage of my father until I committed the complete Quran to memory. He was the one who initiated me to the Tijjaniya Sufi order. My father was initiated to Tijjaniya through one Alhaji Gwani Abba. Thereafter, he permitted me to traverse anywhere in the world in advancing my Islamic theology, as well as the memorisation of the Holy Quran.
“My father, Alhaji Usman, a son to Alhaji Adamu, had also committed the complete Quran to memory. My mother’s name is Hajiya Maryam.
“I went all over the world and Allah facilitated me in proficiency in Quranic recitation that some people label me as Gwani (equivalent to professorship) while some even went further to say I am Gangaran (akin to emeritus) in the field of committing the Quran to memory.
“Afterwards, my father again asked me to go about the earth for extensive theology; then I came to Bauchi. When I delved into theology, though with paucity knowledge, the Faila (the flood) of Sheikh Ibrahim Kaulaha was introduced. Before then, my father was an expediter/facilitator in the Tijjaniya Sufi order, who was facilitated into the order through the line of Sheikh Umarul Futi from one Muhammadu Ghali. So, after we got enlisted into the Faila of Sheikh Inyass, every move of my life must have some smidgeons to the Sheikh. Alhamdulillahi, I have gotten countless blessings in his affairs. I started holding tafseer sessions around 1950.”
Marriage and family
The Sheikh also revealed, “I had my first marriage in 1948. One of Allah’s blessings bestowed to me is that my children can commit the complete Quran at a tender age. Initially, my children used to commit the Quran at 11; then at 10 and 9. Thereafter, it goes down to some of them having committed the Quran at seven.
“What fascinates me most is how I make the Holy Quran as my art and how I embraced Tijaniyya Sufi order as part and parcel of my life. And I adore meeting anyone who has affection for Allah and the prophet (SAW). My pastime is always for recitation of the Holy Quran, Salatul Fatihi, glorifying of Allah, seeking forgiveness and other forms of remembrance of Allah.”
Apart from his children, the Sheikh also has many grandchildren and great grandchildren who committed the Quran to memory.
Expertise in Islamic theology
Asked if there’s any subdivision of Islamic theology he is more conversant with against others, he responded, “I am more proficient in the Quran, then Tafseer. Tafseer scholars attested to my expertise in the field; then Ma’arifa (interior or mystical knowledge of God), otherwise known as Tarbiyya (one of the greatest means to start a spiritual journey to Allah). This one too was affirmed by those possessing the knowledge. “I am an expert in the field. I have knowledge in other aspects in Islamic theology, such as Hadith, Lugga (Arabic vocabulary), Li’irabi (Arabic grammar) Tasrifi (Arabic Morphology) Fikhu (Islamic jurisprudence,” he stated
Asked why he doesn’t normally give direct responses to questions as he mostly cites examples, he said, “Citing examples is akin to Allah’s force that instils knowledge into human brains. You need to cite an example after providing an answer for people to have a better understanding of the matter. It makes people to understand the message easily. It is a strategy for responding to questions.”
Sheikh Dahiru bagged a number of awards in Tafseer. He also bagged many honorary doctorate degrees, both locally and internationally, one of which is from the Federal University, Lafiya, Nasarawa State. The federal government had conferred on him the prestigious award of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Landmark accomplishments
Some of the feats the Sheikh achieved in his almost a century sojourn on earth include proselytisation of thousands of people to Islam. According to him, he recites the Holy Quran so that he can complete a round of the holy book within two days.
Initiation of thousands into Tijjaniya
More than 140,924 people have committed the Quran into memory in more than 1,500 memorisation centres he established across Nigeria and Africa.
Under his foundation, there are no fewer than 13,000 classes in the North.
Three years ago, Professor Khalid Abdullahi Zaria, who authored a book in Hausa about him, titled, ‘Shehu Dahiru Bauchi Ginin Allah and loosely translated Sheikh Dahiru as the edifice of Allah’, said, “He has 95 biological children, 48 female and 47 male. Amongst them, 77 had committed the complete Quran to memory. Of the 95 children, 13 had died and 82 alive.”
He has 406 grandchildren, of which 188 committed the Quran to memory. Of these 406 grandchildren, 236 are his grandsons through his male children, while 170 are from his daughters.
For his great grandchildren, who are 100 in number, 10 have committed the Quran to memory so far. And he has so far spent 72 years delivering the Tafseer of the Holy Quran.
Sheikh Dahiru has been to pilgrimage for over 50 times and more than 210 lesser hajj rounds.
Testimonies from disciples
One of his disciples, Malam Ahmad Tijjani Kolo, told Daily Trust on Sunday that the number of both his grandchildren and their children who committed the Quran to memory had surpassed 200. Again, the number of his grandsons has hit over 500 now. “It is safe to say that from his own children down to the great grandchildren, his family constitutes more than 700 members. With this huge family, it is very rare and difficult to have an Islamic scholar with such a volume of family.”
According to the chairman of the Markaz Old Boys Association, which houses students from his Islamic schools, Malam Ibrahim Imam Isma’il is only the Sheikh privileged to have begotten over 300 children – great grandchildren who had committed the Holy Quran. He, therefore, prayed to Allah to increase him with sound health and long life in peace and tranquillity.
Malam Muhammad Jibril Sogiji, another disciple of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, said he had achieved a giant stride in terms of uniting the Muslim community, especially looking at the five events he organises annually, including closing his tafseer at the end of Ramadan, Prophet’s Maulud, commemoration of both Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani and that of Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass (two spiritual leaders of Tijjaniya Sufi order) and the annual Zikirin Juma’a at the beginning of the Islamic year.
The director of ‘Wakaf’ Board (financial endowment) of Bauchi State, Malam Ahmad Tijjani Sa’id said, “The whole of Shekh’s live is a school on its own that shapes the moral guide of the society. He is the only one that is alive among those malams who trekked from Potiskum to Plateau to spread Islam. He had also journeyed from the North to South on a donkey to propagate Islam. Again, he rode on bicycle to places like Tafawa Balewa, Gindiri, North Central and South West for the same purpose. With the emergence of vehicles and aeroplanes, the Sheikh is able maintain the tempo despite his old age; he continued spreading Islam and the Tariqa.
“He has more than 1,000 houses across the country; however, none of them is on lease or hired as he gives them as free accommodation to his disciples. Only the almighty Allah knows the number of people who get free feeding under him. On a daily basis, if he is outdoors he can bid farewell to more than 3,000 visitors on courtesy calls within and outside Nigeria. He has also facilitated and paid for both the first and second marriages of most of his disciples, and when they gave birth he would provide the sacrificial animal, as well as shoulder their responsibilities assiduously. Such characteristics are uncommon.
“May Allah increase him with sound health and shower him with blessings and increase his lifespan with glory,” he said.