A SHORT BIOGRAPHY ABOUT THE GREATEST TUTOR OF QUR’ANIC MEMORIZATION OF OUR GENERATION, SHAYKH BAH ISIAQ (MAY ALLAH FORGIVE HIM AND MAKE HIM DWELLER OF PARADISE).

      The death of the greatest tutor of Qur’anic memorization in cote’divoire, Shaykh Bah Isiaq who passed on in the Kingdom of Morocco, on 5 of this December, after a pain sickness. The Shaykh had more than 30 years experience in the service of the Glorious Qur’an in Sahel and he taught a large number of pupils how to recite the Qur’an. May Allah forgive him and make him dweller of the greatest paradise, and make his demise as lesson and warning for us and may He give us the fortitude to bear the loss. “Indeed we are from Allah and to Him we return”.

        SHORT BIOGRAPHY ABOUT THE DECEASED

His name, nickname and place of birth : He is a Shaykh, scholar, teacher and one of the reputable reciters of Qur’an in West Africa. Abu Salman Bah Isiaq Al Fulaati, Al Kuwabniy from the state of Hawd al-Garbi in Mauritania.

       HIS SEEKING FOR KNOWLEDGE

He was admitted into the School for Memorizing the Qur’an and he was able to memorize the whole Qur’an at an early age. His mother (May Allah have mercy on her) devoted a goat for his tutor in lieu of each chapter of the Qur’an being memorized by the deceased. The genesis and conclusion of his seeking for knowledge was limited to Mauritania, although he often had sets of journey to Mali during those times.

             HIS TEACHERS

  First : his teachers in the village of Mauritania from childhood to puberty.

* Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin Ad-Dawudi

* Shaykh Muhammad Jido Al-Ido’ishi

* Shaykh Muhammad Jido son of Shaykh Ibrahim Al-Habibi

Second : His teachers in Mali and the reason for his journey to them: He usually made journey in company of his afore-mentioned teachers during the season of harmattan to the nation of Mali. This is because they (his teachers) usually made journey to towns in Mali with the aim of visiting big scholars who were famous with knowledge. Through these sets of journey, the deceased was exposed to Mali and some of its scholars :

Among the reputable teachers of his in Mali are:

* Shaykh Ahmad Jalo in Bagino

* Shaykh Jido Tambado in village of Bala around Naraa

* Shaykh Nur Tal

* Shaykh Haadi Tal

* Shaykh Umar Sulayman

He was through with the Exegesis of Qur’an under the tutorship of Shaykh Haadi Tal more than one time, and he also recieved from him Sciences of Arabic Language and the Maliki Jurisprudence. Also in the localty of Kai in Mali, he was taught by following :

* Shaykh Umar Baba

* Shaykh Abubakr Baru; he is one of his teachers on Maliki Jurisprudence.

         Other teachers (which are not mentioned) only taught him the Glorious Qur’an.

HIS TEACHERS in NOUAKCHOTT CAPITAL OF MAURITANIA.

* Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin, son of Al-Hassan Al-Masumi. He recieved Ash-Shaatibiyyah, Usul al-Fiqh and Arabic Grammers from him.

*  Shaykh Badah son of Busayri. He was the teachers of Imams of that time.

*  Shaykh Saddaf, son of Muhammad Bashir Ash-Shinqiti.

*  Shaykh Marwan bn Muhammad Sayyid Muhammad Ad-Daawudi Al-Ja’fari Al-Walaati.

      EDUCATIONAL TESTIMONIES OF THE SHAYKH

*The first person to issue him (testimony to tutor) in the Naafi’ mode of recitation was Shaykh Nur Tal; followed by other scholars after him.

* Shaykh Saddaaf son of Muhammad Bashir issued him licence in the Seven and Ten Modes of Qur’anic recitation.

* Also Shaykh Marwaan Al-Wulaati issued him the license (in teaching) the two most authentic compilations in Islam and Abu Daud compilation. It is note-worthy that ( the father of Wulaati) was credited to have introduced the knowledge of hadith chain to the whole Mauritania.

  Shaykh Bah Isiaq was one of those Allah has used to preserve the Qur’an and Hadith ; and was made to be light emulated by people in the twin disciplines.

           HIS STUDENTS

It is infeasible to list the students of Shaykh in a bookform; the mentioned pupils here are those about i have personal information and relation with them during the days of study under Shaykh in his Qur’anic Academic Foundation. The reputable among them are:

1. Ustadh Sa’id Jalo

2. Ustadh Ibrahim bn Muhammad Bah, who is the son of Shaykh’s brother.

3. Ustadh Yusuf Jabati (of the blessed memory).

4. Ustadh ‘Uthman Jara : It is not far -fetched to assert that he is the most punctual student. He is to Shaykh like Ibn Qasim was to Imam Malik.

5. Dr. Muhammad Amin Jarasuba( ph.D in Qur’anic Recitation)

6. Dr. Dokuri ‘Abdus-Samad (Ph.d in Islamic Judicial and Political Science).

7. Imam Yusuf Bamba ; the famous reciter( B.A in recitation).

8. Imam Zakariyyah Kuni (B.A in recitation)

9. Imam Musa Jara (B.A in recitation)

10. Ustadh Muhammad Kamara (Ph.D Student at Turkey in Islamic Jurisprudence)

11. Ustadh Uthman Muhammad Idris (Ph.D in History) Madinah.

12. Ustadh Habeebullahi Muhammad Kareem Bah (Postgraduate Student in Madinah).

13. Ustadh AbdulHamed Wadrawogo (Postgraduate Student in Qatar).

14. Imam Isma’il Badra Jakati ( University Student in Furqan University, Coted’ovouir)

15. Ustadh ‘Abdullahi Jarsuba (B.A in Islamic Theology, Al-Azhar University). The latter participated in various international competitions on Qur’anic recitation before being admitted into Al-Azhar University.

16. Ustadh ‘Abdul Kareem Jarasoba. ( A university student in Riyadh). He had also participated in International Qur’an Competition before being admitted into the university.

17. Abubakr Kayati (He has an academic chair in the Prophetic Mosque for tutoring the ten Qur’anic modes of recitation).

   There are also students that i intentionally skip their names due to the limit of this communication. I pray Allah for them and us with good end.

       HIS CHILDREN

Allah gives the deceased good descendants spread across males and females who have all concluded the memorization of the Qur’an.

* Brother Salman with whose name the deceased is nicknamed .

* And also sister A’ishah .

   These two children are extra brilliant with memorization and understanding. They have both after memorizing the whole Qur’an at a very tender age, memorized various beneficial texts of Islamic literatures.

     HIS PUBLICATIONS

1. Fathu Dhi al -‘Arshi

2. Mufradat al- Makkiy

3. Ad-Darb al- Ma’mun

4. Sullam al-wusuul

       HIS EFFORTS IN TEACHING THE QUR’AN AND EDUCATIONAL STATUS.

* As for his effort : The deceased devoted his time to tutoring (people)about the memorization of Qur’an ; learning the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and teaching the subjects that help in understanding the twin disciplines. Thus he chose Anyama in Coted’ivouire as place of residence where he established his centre in 1981. The centre later in 1996 transformed to a school and institute known as Daar al-Qur’an al-Kareem. He later founded another institute beside the former known as The Higher Institute for Training the Qur’anic Memorizers. Many batches of pupils graduated from the institute and were lucky to get admission in Islamic Universities like Islamic University of Niger; that of Madinah; Al-Azhar University and Al-Imam University and others..People from West African countries spread across : Mali, Burkinafaso, Guinea, Mauritania, Congo, Niger and people of Coted’ovouire came to learn from him.

* His educational status: Any one who studies under Shaykh will testify to his worth, giancy and groundedness in all disciplines. The Shaykh did not only focus on Qur’an and modes of recitation, he also had efforts in teaching all sets of disciplines spread across prose and poem. It is note-worthy here that i mention some basic books that Shaykh usually took his students beside the (teaching) of Qur’anic recitation.

* In Qur’anic Science : Tuhfat al-Atfaal, Matn al-Juzri, Ad-Durar al-Lawaam’i and Tibat an-Nashr.

* In Hadith : At-Taaj al-Jaami’ Lil Usuul, Muwatta Maalik and Sahih al-Bukhaari.

* In Islamic Jurisprudence and Principles : Matn al-Akhdari, Ath-Thamar ad-Daani, Mukhtasar Khalil, Al-Waraqaat, Maraaqi as-Su’uud and others.

* In Grammer Aspect: Alfiyyah Ibn Malik, Laamiyyat al-‘Af’aal, Maqaamat al-Hariri, Milhat al-‘Iiraab, Qatar an-Nada, Shudhuur adh-Dhahab and Maqsurat bn ad-Durayd.

      The educational contributions and marks of the deceased (May Allah forgive him) spans the globe.This is evident in the fact that there is no international competition on Qur’anic recitation in the muslim world except that one of his students or students of his students who have founded institutes of Qur’anic memorizations in Ivory Coast and neighbouring countries participated in it. The Shaykh after Allah should be credited for this.

          Despite this grounded knowledge, the Shaykh was never arrogant; dictator and self decieved; rather he was very humble with all and sundry and was (regarded by all as) epitome and model in Sunnah.

     Oh Allah, indeed You know that which we nurse (in our mind) and that which we display; forgive our Shaykh; the mentor of the generation; make Qur’an his interceder; and make him dweller of spacious paradise in company of the Prophets, steadfast, matyrs and honest people. Indeed, the (afore-mentioned) are the best neighbours.

       We also beseech You to takeover the affairs of his family and the institutiom he left behind. Don’t leave him on his own; indeed You are the best of inheritors.

  The blessing and mercy of Allah be on our boss; Muhammad; his households and entire companions.

Written by

Dr. Abdus Samad Dakuri.