Re: Mourning Sister Bilkisu and Prof. El-Miskin
We are still in mourning. The death toll at the Mina Stampede continues to rise. Accusing fingers continue to be pointed. At the present time, we are non-the-wiser of the cause or causes of the stampede, and the Saudis are not on high speed to tell all as they did with such dispatch on the […]
We are still in mourning. The death toll at the Mina Stampede continues to rise. Accusing fingers continue to be pointed. At the present time, we are non-the-wiser of the cause or causes of the stampede, and the Saudis are not on high speed to tell all as they did with such dispatch on the crane matter at the Makka Ka’aba Haram just a few days earlier. All the five fingers of this Column are folded; they wait for the exact time and circumstance to point, accurately. But the truth will manifest itself – it usually does.
There’s only so much one can ever know about another – in fact, a philosopher once said there is only so much one can ever know even about oneself. That is our situation with the loss of Professor Tijjani el-Miskin and Hajiya Bilkisu. It would seem this Columnist knew the duo well. But only that much. Others also add their voices to the dirge:
One-time VC ABU Zaria and one-time Academic Provost NDA Kaduna): Salaam, Malam Bala, I hope you had a peaceful Sallah celebration. Allah Ya maimaita mana. I decided to send you this e-mail to thank you for writing about my late good friend, Professor Tijjani el-Miskin. His demise is a big loss to the Nigerian Muslims in particular and the nation in general. He was a great scholar. I first met Tijjani in 1976 during our NYSC year in old Anambra State. However, it was in the late 1990s that we became close to each other. As the Academy Provost of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), I was tasked with the job of establishing a new Department of Languages which would offer Bachelor of Arts in Arabic and Bachelor of Arts in French. Knowing how good Bayero University Kano (BUK) was in languages, my initial thinking was to get a BUK academic to start the new department. Consequently, I consulted my friend and predecessor [at NDA], Professor Munzali Jibril (at the time he was the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission). He immediately recommended Dr Tijjani el-Miskin of University of Maiduguri, a graduate of BUK. I immediately travelled to Maiduguri to meet Tijjani. I was all along doubtful that Tijjani would accept my offer of headship of our new Department of Languages. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised when he accepted the offer. He introduced me to his famous late father, Sheikh Abubakar e-Miskin. Clearly, Dr. Tijjani e-Miskin was the most qualified academic to head the new department. Here was a PhD holder in Arabic Language who could speak four important Nigerian languages (Kanuri, Shuwa Arab, Hausa and Fulfulde) as well as four important European languages (English, French, German and Spanish). How much more would one expect of a Head of a languages department? Dr. Tijjani, who later deservedly became a Professor of Arabic Language, did not disappoint me in establishing and nurturing the new department. Late Professor el-Miskin was a wonderful human being, a lover of knowledge and above all, a great Muslim. May Allah (SWT) grant him Jannatul Firdaus, amen.
Allah has said in the Qur’an: “Those who have said ‘Our Lord is Allah’, and then have become upright, the Angels will descend upon them saying ‘Do not fear nor be sad, but receive good news of the Paradise which you have been promised. We are your protectors in this life and in the hereafter: therein you shall have all that you desire; therein you shall have all that you ask for.”
PROF SHEHU ABDULLAHI, Zaria<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>
One-time subordinate of Hajiya Bilkisu at New Nigerian Newspapers, NNN, Kaduna): Hajiya Bilkisu was an extremely simple person; it is difficult for any writer to properly capture all her attributes in a few words of tribute. Perhaps a book is needed to accomplish such a herculean assignment. All the same, I wish to point out that she was everything any reasonable person would want to be. She could be described as a very successful woman in whatever she chose to do. She was the example of an almost perfect woman any man would be proud to be associated with. She was an exemplary person because of her honestly, loyalty, compassion, firmness, intelligence, inner energy, love and respect for her colleagues, love for poor women and love for the family and friends. Her generosity was legendary as could be seen from what she was doing at the IDP Camps throughout the country before she died. She gave support to the needy, the indigent, and the poor women and was also involved in many other worthy causes that came her way. It was therefore very easy for most people to like her at the first meeting. She stood tall when others were looking for places to hide and yet she played by the rules.
So their time had indeed come, even if in circumstances that are not pleasing at all – but of course circumstance leading to fatality should be pleasing. Allah said in the Qur’an (2:145): “But no soul shall die save by Allah’s leave, neither shall anyone die before his appointed time. And no person can ever die except by Allah’s leave and at an appointed term…” The Qur’an adds: “Every person (nafs) shall taste of death; and We try you with evil and good as a test, then unto Us you shall be returned.”
IBRAHIM BIU, Abuja <[email protected]>
It must be really a devastatingly great loss for you, our courageous journalist. It is more so for us, your avid readers. Even if we did not personally know these people before their demise, now we know them so personally through your pen. It is a national loss. May their gentle souls rest in Jannatul Firdaus and may Allah have mercy on them. Adieu Sister Bilkisu and Prof El-Miskin! And to you, please accept my personal condolences!
IBRAHIM GARBA: Accept my condolences. I know death is painful, but this kind of death is sweet, as it comes with direct admission to paradise. We pray and say Allah Ya jikansu, amin.
DR. ZAINAB TUKUR, Kano (Bayero University): Amin to your prayers in last Saturday’s Column. Allah Ya jikansu baki daya. Hajiya Bilki was a big sister to us as their house was next door to ours! She was a good woman and a good person! Allahu Akbar! May Allah accept their martyrdom!
RUKAIYA SAID, Abuja (University of Abuja): Salam Sir. We are all deeply touched by last Saturday’s Column. I interviewed Hajiya Bilkisu when I was writing my MSc thesis and I was looking forward to interview her as I am doing my PhD research now. Alas! It is not going to be! For ever! Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! May their souls rest in peace.
MUSLIM MAHMOOD: Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! Accept my condolences on this great loss of Aunty Bilkisu. May Allah forgive her and admit her to paradise. It is indeed an irreparable loss!
DR. AISHA SHEIKH, Zaria (ABUTH Shika): My condolences on the demise of Sister Bilkisu and Prof El Miskin. It is our prayer that they are in a better place than that which they left and we are still are.
So we invoke the prayer Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace, used to recite on the dead” “O Allah! Forgive them, bestow mercy upon them, pardon them, accord them a noble provision and make their graves spacious. Wash them with water, snow and hail, purify them from sins as You have purified the white garment from soiling…”
MUHAMMAD MUSTAPHA BINTUBE, (husband, now widower, of Hajiya Bilkisu and founding CEO of Jaiz Bank): Assalamu Alaikum Brother Bala. Thank you so very much for your beautiful piece about my late wife, Bilkisu. Apologies for not sending you her CV as you requested as we were really overwhelmed by continuous flow of sympathizers, friends and close relations. Reading your piece, I am glad we didn’t send the CV because yours was a fresh perspective and was very precise. Accept my thanks and again and jazakAllah khair.
AISHATU MUHAMMAD, Gombe <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>