Sultan’s bitter pill for flamboyant scholars

Speaking recently in Katsina at the opening ceremony of the 32nd National Qur’anic competition, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; cautioned Islamic clerics against flamboyant lifestyles. The Sultan expressed worry at how today’s scholars, with their predictable large followership, engage […]

Speaking recently in Katsina at the opening ceremony of the 32nd National Qur’anic competition, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; cautioned Islamic clerics against flamboyant lifestyles. The Sultan expressed worry at how today’s scholars, with their predictable large followership, engage in show of wealth by “riding in luxurious vehicles and sleeping on water beds”. 

Represented by the Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabi rUsman, the Sultan emphasized that a decent lifestyle is what was needed by scholars to demonstrate exemplary leadership. Islam, according to the Sultan, is a modest religion that encourages decency; adding that Muslims are enjoined to adhere strictly to Islamic teachings in order to create and sustain a virtuous society. Sultan’s comments have concisely captured what has sadly become characteristic of many scholars in modern times. 

While flamboyant scholars may find Sultan’s statements bitter and indicting, it is indeed the truth; and “truth”, they say, “is bitter”. Unlike the founding and foremost scholars of the 19th century Sokoto Caliphate and other early scholars in Katsina and Kano including Shaykh Muhammadubn al-Sabbagh (otherwise known as Dan Marina) and Shaykh Muhammadubn Abdulkarem al-Maghili, many scholars in contemporary Nigeria are a complete contradiction of their ancestors in nearly all ramifications.

Of course, the Sultan is not saying that scholars should wear tattered clothes or be tasteless in their food or indecent in shelter. The prime message from the Sultan is that scholars should allow modesty to practically permeate all that they say and do in their public as well as private life. To retain their name as traditional custodians of knowledge, the definition and interpretation of decent lifestyle by modern scholars, no matter how substantially modernized they have become, must be within the moral framework of modesty. 

For everyone who lays claim to knowledge and calls himself a scholar, there are basically three things to look for in him. They are scholarship, apathy to materialism and humility. If the last one is missing in a scholar, you do not have to bother, in my opinion, to look for the other two. We would elaborate on these three attributes in subsequent paragraphs; making comparative analyses between orthodox and modern or flamboyant scholars.

Scholarship or knowledge is the foremost trait of a scholar. A scholar is discerned with exceptional passion for knowledge as well as its dissemination in the simplest, friendliest and attractive manner. For instance, scholars of the Shehu Usmanu Dan Fodio-led Sokoto Caliphate demonstrated parching thirst for scholarship as they were routinely attached to their study rooms; addicted to their books; preoccupied with classical literary activities; and spent significant part of their time in teaching and preaching. Flamboyant scholars of today have, however, deserted their foyers (Zaure in Hausa) for the waiting rooms of distinguished lawmakers, honourable ministers and other political office holders. It has become usual of them to lurk around the corridors of power in government houses and local government secretariats. Genuine scholars have no need to loiter around government offices. 

During the formative years that led to the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate in the 19th century, scholars and leaders of the Caliphate had no electricity, let alone fan or air-condition; they had no typewriter let alone computer; they had no analogue telephone let alone mobile handsets; they had no biro let alone fountain pen. Their writing materials were pens made from cornstalks and ink extracted from shrubs. They used yarn coated with Shea-butter wax (Mankade in Hausa) as lantern; their laps as tables; and donkeys as their main means of transportation. Yet, they wrote several dozens of books.

With all the modern tools of science and technology available to our flamboyant scholars including customized tables, cushion chairs, electricity, computer machines, laptops, Laser Jet printers, the internet, GSM phones, air-conditioned rooms and cars; they have failed to even write commentaries on the works of the foremost scholars of Sokoto Caliphate let alone carry their intellectual legacies further by writing more books. If our flamboyant scholars cannot carry the intellectual heritage of the foremost scholars of Sokoto Caliphate further by authoring more books, they have a duty not to allow the literary legacy to perish. 

On apathy towards the material world, it is a virtue that is expediently in short supply in flamboyant scholars. Achieving this virtuous quality requires piety, which Allah (SWT) describes in Qur’an 35:28 to be traditionally symptomatic of scholars. So, if scholars are divinely believed to be pious, they should thus be in the front row of any gathering that is founded on apathy.

Unfortunately, the flamboyant lifestyles of some modern scholars have pushed them to the back rows in the congregation of virtuous and contented believers. Flamboyant scholars move in convoys of cars with pilot vehicles in front and behind them. For reasons I do not know, they prolong prayers when invited to conduct wedding and naming litanies (commonly referred to as “fatiha”). How would you describe a flamboyant scholar who relocates to Abuja for the mere coziness of life that defines Nigeria’s modern capital city? Others go to UK wearing clothes that are alien to the civilization they represent. Well, “Actions”, the Prophet (SAW) said, “will be judged by the motives that prompted them”. It’s time for flamboyant scholars to stop fetching excuses to justify their modern lifestyles.

Humility, the third virtue I consider typical of scholars, often earns respect for humble persons. This is also missing in some of our modern scholars. Indeed, those who cannot feel the littleness of great things in themselves are apt to overlook the greatness in the little things in others. Some flamboyant scholars, perhaps out of questionable scholarship, arrogate certain authorities that naturally do not belong to them. The Prophet (SAW) through whom the holy Qur’an reached humanity is described as the “City” of knowledge; yet, he never displayed an atom of superciliousness. Capitalizing on the ignorance or naivety of their followers, some modern scholars say and do certain things that are outrageous when placed on the scale of orthodox Islam.

Some of the idiosyncrasies of modern scholars identified in this discourse presumably account for their low esteem in the eyes of the public. Truly, flamboyant scholars no longer command due respect from people. Knowledge is one of the three deeds from which the Prophet (SAW) said a Muslim will continue to benefit even after his death. We expect scholars to be inspired by this hadith to ignore the transitory luxuries of life. May Allah (SWT) guide our contemporary scholars to appreciate the infinite treasures in knowledge in order to forsake flamboyant lifestyles, amin.