THE CONTRIBUTION OF HAUSA OR FULANI SCHOLARS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAM IN ILORIN METROPOLIS (SLAMIC AND ARABIC PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In the name of Allah the most beneficent and most merciful all praise is due to Allah who is the most Gracious. He created with his absolute power the earth and the heavens and set right the affairs of the universe with his exclusive wisdom. May the salutations and blessing of Allah be upon the last Prophet Muhammad, (S.A.W) his family and relatives and all those who followed his Sunnah rightly to the day of resurrection.
Islam is a religion of peace and tranquility, a religion that gives emphasis to knowledge. Allah told the Prophet (S.A.W) to seek from the increase in knowledge in the following verse;
And say oh! My lord advances me in
knowledge1.
Verily, the basic need of anyone who desire salvation from worship of Allah is to acquire knowledge and acquaintance as this is the origin of everything on which depends all success knowledge is required before worship, this is because worship without knowledge is just like tree without fruits. Knowledge is superior to worship because the Prophet (S.A.W) had said in a Hadith:
An Alim (a learned man) is superior to a
worshipper, just as I am superior to you2.
This is so, considering the first five verses of the Qur’an revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) where he was directed to read.
Proclaim! (or read!) In the name of thy
lord and cherisher, who created
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of
congealed blood
Proclaim! And thy lord is most bountiful
He who taught (the use of) the pen,
Taught man that which he knew not
The Qur’an has in many places indicates the superiority of men of knowledge
