Shittola

The Abuja Meeting: A Call on Professor Ibrahim Maqari  قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ Say: "Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition. Quran 39:9 From the above quoted verse, it could be deduced that great premium is placed on people with knowledge. Thus, a Muslim is expected to seek for knowledge that would profit him in this life and the hereafter. In the same vein, seeking  for knowledge is  a sure means of attaining closeness to Allah in Islam . No wonder, the first verses to be revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW centre on knowledge(Qur'an 96:1-5). Premised upon these, One should not take the quest of its acquisition for granted. The period of its acquisition they say is from cradle to grave, hence, nothing should debar one from acquiring. It is imperative to state at this juncture that one of t...

The Commencement: Setting out to Abuja  عَن أَنَس عَن النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ مُسْلِمٍ أَتَى أَخًا لَهُ يَزُورُهُ فِي اللَّهِ إلاَّ نَادَاهُ مُنَادٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَنْ طِبْتَ وَطَابَتْ لَكَ الْجَنَّةُ وَإِلَّا قَالَ اللَّهُ فِي مَلَكُوتِ عَرْشِهِ عَبْدِي زَارَ فِيَّ وَعَلَيَّ قِرَاهُ فَلَمْ يَرْضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِثَوَابٍ دُونَ الْجَنَّةِ 6466 مسند البزار Translation   Anas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ No Muslim servant visits his brother for the sake of Allah but that a caller from the heavens announces: You are purified and Paradise is purified for you! Otherwise, Allah says in the realms of His throne: My servant has visited Me and his guest for My sake, so I am not pleased for him to have any reward other than Paradise . ” Source: Musnad al-Bazzār 6466 The above quoted Hadith led credence on the permissibility and reward accrued to paying Ziyārah to a beloved. Though the technical connotation in...

  Introduction   لَّا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِم  وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا Translation : "Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.), and those who strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward(Qur'an 4:95) " Going out in the cause of Allah is considered as one of the sacred acts in Islam as could be glea...

Prologue   "A scholar's education is greatly improved by traveling in quest of knowledge and meeting authoritative teachers of his time" ~Ibn Khaldun The above quotation amongst others to be quoted will later serve as a yardstick for my decision. Meanwhile, my decision to delve upon this subject is not unconnected to the various reactions that have trailed my recent sojourn to the North West of Nigeria. To believe that everyone will be comfortable with one's act is to state the impossible. A litmus test of this is depicted from the comments of my online community most especially my social media followers.  Premised upon this, I have decided to chronicle my adventure in a form of travelogue, hoping it will inspire at least a soul in quest of Scholarship and as well spiritualism. My name is Shittu Olanipekun and you are welcome to my world of experience as a Ṣūfī Adventurer.🤗