SHAYKH AHMAD LABEEB MUHAMMAD JAAMIU ALABI (ALFA TAJU L ADAB)

SHAYKH AHMAD LABEEB MUHAMMAD JAAMIU ALABI (ALFA TAJU L ADAB)

By: Mallam Ibrahim Sulaiman Al-Gamawi

In the article titled;
Brief History of Selected Arabic Poets among the 'Ulamah in Yoruba Land

Download Link;
https://www.academia.edu/2345524/BRIEF_HISTORY_OF_SELECTED_ARABIC_POETS_OF_EARLY_YORUBA_ULAMAH

He was Jum’ah b. Abdul Quadri b, Salih born in Ilorin in 1885. His father was a deputy to the then Imam Fulani. He started his education from his father's compound. Thereafter, he suddenly left his native town seeking for knowledge and did not return until after ten years.

He was the first scholar to introduce syllabus system, prescribed text books periodising in learning in the field of Arabic teaching in Yoruba land.

Among his students are: Shaikh Zakariyya b. Busairi, Yahya Qalansuwi, Muzamilu from Agbaji and Muhammad Kamaludin who later continued the work of his teacher and upgraded the school to a modern taste.

Tajul Adab had many prose and poetry works in Arabic. He had composed didactic poem on sarf (morphology) and his magnum-opus is known as Shagrab or ‘Adid.

He died in 1922. He is mentioned in Lam'hatul baluri of Shaikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory.

Additional Facts about Alfa Taju l Adab;

~He was referred to as 'Alfa Agba (Grand Scholar)'

~There are speculations that he died @ 33yrs old (to be confirmed).

~He was an enigmatic mystic, and renowned for numerous miracles.

~After graduation, he gave special names to his students, for example;
*Taju l Mu'min
*Taju l Aarifeen
*Taju d Deen
*Taju s Saaliheen
*Mufti d Deen
*Zaynu d Deen
*Kamaaludeen, etc

~Sheikh Kamaludeen (one of his students) later became the Grand Scholar of Ilorin, and immortalised his teacher's legacy (i.e. Adabiyyah Islamic Institute).

~Alfa Taju later moved out of Ilorin, and was buried at the palace of Ake at Abeokuta, Ogun state.

~Alfa Taju, whom brought the modern system of Islamic education tutored both young and old...day and night (the old men would come at night, so that people don't notice them).

~According to Shaikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory, the Islamic sciences were all learnt/taught on sand in the old days. But, Alfa Taju introduced learning on sheet of paper. And that included illustrations with diagrams.

~Alfa Taju teaches to the extent that he coughs out blood (i.e. After long hours of teaching).

~He knew many branches of esoteric and exoteric knowledge, and was brave with it.

~ He belonged to the Uwaysi classification of scholars and sufis. He wasn't known to have any teacher.

~ It is said that Shaykh Abdul-Qadir Al-Jaylani was his teacher (in the ghayb/unseen).


May Allah sanctify their secrets (Qadassa-llahu sirrahum)...Ameen!