Biography of shehu uthman dan fodio biography

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In writing the foreword to this booklet The Biography of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio one cannot escape from the nagging consciousness that no matter how copiously one pays a deserving tribute to the memory of this great scholar and religious reformer one errs inadvertently on the side of fair play. In this modern age, what tribute could be more deserving than an attempt by an individual, at presenting to Nigeria in particular and the world in general, the vicissitudes of life as experienced by Shehu Usman (May the blessingbof Allah be upon him) during his span of life. He was abstemious,humble and pious. But in spite of these qualities and many other virtues associated with his name, his detractors (among whom were British administrators) left no stone unturned to cast a slur upon his character with the sole aim of belittling his achievements. In recent years the need has been felt for a comprehensive biography of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio whose name has become legendary not only in Nigeria but also on the West Coast of Africa. I hope an achievement has now been made in satisfying that need by writing the biography of this noble character through whose instrumentality the Fulani hegemony over the Hausaland was established more than a century ago.

I have no doubt in my mind that there is nothing more appropriate than to dedicate the biography of this revered cleric to the memory of his great grandson, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and the Vice President of the World Muslim League, who spent most of his life promoting the cause of Sardauna, like many other prominent leaders, paid the highest price of leadership and succumbed to the bullets of the assassin. He was brutally murdered in cold blood together with his wife, Hajja Hafsatu, the daughter of Waziri Macido of Sokoto in the early hours of January 15, (25th Ramadan, A.H.) in a military uprising. It is hoped that he died for a cause which he strongl

First Caliph of the Sokoto Caliphate

Shehu Usman dan Fodiopronunciation (Arabic: عثمان بن فودي, romanized:&#;ʿUthmān ibn Fūdī; full name; 15 December – 20 April ). (Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Saalih ibn Haarun ibn Muhammad Ghurdu ibn Muhammad Jubba ibn Muhammad Sambo ibn Maysiran ibn Ayyub ibn Buba Baba ibn Musa Jokolli ibn Imam Dembube`) was a Fulani scholar, Islamic religious teacher, poet, revolutionary and a philosopher who founded the Sokoto Caliphate and ruled as its first caliph.

After the successful revolution, the "Jama'a" gave him the title Amir al-Mu'minin (commander of the faithful). He rejected the throne and continued calling to Islam.

Born in Gobir, Usman was a descendant of the Torodbe clans of urbanized ethnic Fulani people living in the Hausa Kingdoms since the early s. In early life, Usman became well educated in Islamic studies and soon, he began to preach Sunni Islam throughout territories that would later become parts of independent Nigeria and Cameroon. He wrote more than a hundred books concerning religion, government, culture and society. He developed a critique of existing African Muslim elites for what he saw as their greed, paganism, violation of the standards of the Sharia.

Usman formed and began an Islamic religious and social revolution which spread from Gobir throughout modern Nigeria and Cameroon. This revolution influenced other rebellions across West Africa and beyond. In , he founded the Sokoto Caliphate and his followers pledged allegiance to him as the Commander of the Faithful (Amīr al-Muʾminīn). Usman declared jihad against the tyrannical kings and defeated the kings. Under Usman's leadership, the caliphate expanded into present-day Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Southern Niger and most of Northern Nigeria. Ɗan Fodio declined much of the pomp of rulership, and while developing contacts with religious reformists and jihad lea

What was Usman dan Fodio's background?

Usman dan Fodio was born on December 15, in the village of Maratta, in the Hausa-speaking city state of Gobir, in what is today northern Nigeria. He studied law, theology and philosophy in Agadez (in what is today Niger Republic) under Islamic scholar Jibril Ibn Umar. Because of his religious knowledge and authority, he later came to be referred to respectfully as Sheikh Usman.

How come Usman dan Fodio opposed the ruling system?

After completing his studies, he went back to Gobir and began to preach Islam to the people, who at that time mixed paganism with Islam. His popularity grew in Gobir and got to a stage where the then King of Gobir, Rimfa, saw Usman dan Fodio as a threat and attempted to assassinate him. Usman escaped and started moving among rural communities preaching, teaching and writing.

In the year , Sheikh Usman and hundreds of his followers migrated to Gudu where he continued to propagate Islam. While at Gudu, Usman dan Fodio declared a holy war (jihad) against King Yunfa of Gobir (Rimfa's son and successor) and his people as he felt their way of life did not correspond with the teaching of Islam.

How did Usman dan Fodio establish the Sokoto Caliphate?

The declaration of the holy war spread across the Hausaland and many people volunteered to join his army. In , he formally declared a holy war on the whole of Hausaland. In , Usman and his followers conquered Gobir, Kano, and other Hausa city-states. He retired from battle in and returned to teaching and writing but his armies continued their conquests until

This religious revolution united the Hausa states under Islamic law, and in , led to the establishment of an empire called the Sokoto Caliphate, composed of emirates and sub-emirates, many of which were built on the sites of previous Hausa states. The Sokoto Caliphate became the most powerful economic and po