DR. MUSTAPHA BELLO CELEBRATES MENTOR SHAKH HABEEBULLAH ADAM ABDULLAH
Like President Muhammad Buhari, Like Mudiru-l-Markaz: Allah is Great at All Times
I have never hidden my love and admiration for the household of Shaykh Adam Abdullah al-Iluri not only because of the profundity of his learning which has been acclaimed worldwide but the Grace of Allah on his illustrious personage in producing eminent heirs led by Shaykh Habibullah Adam Abdullah al-Iluri, the Mudiru-l-Markaz. So when the news broke of his indisposition last year, it was received by me with disbelief and a fervent prayer that it would turn out to be a mere rumour that will be pleasantly dispelled off later. My dismissive attitude even when his sickness had become a common knowledge is akin to Umar bn al-Khattab’s disposition to the Prophet’s transmission even when he knew that the Prophet had breath his last. As the days transited into months without seeing him in public, my apprehension grew into fear particularly because of the fact that much of the information in the public space (even from the official quarters of Markaz) about his indisposition was more of hearsay than exactitude that anyone could hold on to. Yes, I was praying fervently for Allah to return him to us all hale and hearty yet I wasn’t sure whether I was saying the right prayer since his health condition was unknown. Could it be that he truly slumped and has since become demobilized physically and mentally or that he has been revived but just taken out of circulation in order for him to fully recuperate? These and similar thoughts were dominating my mind as I make efforts to scoop for information about his whereabouts and well being. It was while in this state of unimaginable fear for the life of someone so precious to millions of Muslims and religious enthusiast world over that I stumbled on the fact he was actually being hospitalized in Abuja. I immediately connected my big brother and mentor in Abuja who confirmed to me that he had actually visited him where he was been treated and he can confirm to me that he is responding considerably well. This was the biggest relief I had been scooping for and I bellowed on phone with him “Alhamdu li Llahi Rabi-l-Aalamin!”
From then on, my prayer point was clear “O Allah, bring back our Mudir hale and hearty”. And indeed Allah brought him back to the delight of us all as he appeared on the first Sunday of Ramadan to set the tone for the annual Tafsir session which he yielded to his siblings and teachers of Markaz. Even though he was visibly fatigued as he addressed the enthusiastic audience on the nature of his sickness and the clear path for Markaz moving forward, it was clear to us that he was still sound intellectually in spite of the sickness. What followed was another long period of lull and the desperation by many of us to know how he was fairing. By the time he appeared in Markaz exactly on November 17 his birthday, it was clear to all and sundry that the sickness had taken a toll on his physique. I cried seeing the one I called “Egbon mi” so emaciated and fatigued but my sadness did not delude me from thanking Allah for bringing him back fully to us in spite of the machinations of evil people. Do I need anyone to tell me that the case of my “egbon” is that of the proverbial dog that went in and return from the den of the lion safely? In fact, much worse than that he actually went into the den of death and by the Special Grace of Allah, the Creator of death, he returned alive! So I told myself why should I bemoan his lean physique when I know for sure that there are those who wished him dead in the first instance? There are others already planning leadership succession for Markaz in anticipation of his expected transition but “they plotted, and Allah plotted too and Allah is the Best of those who plot” Alhamdu li Llah Rabi-l-Aalamin! Our Mudir is alive; he is back at the helm of affairs at Markaz hale and hearty!
Just like I had mentioned in my earlier writing on him, perhaps the only sin of Mudiru-l- Markaz is his refusal not to embellish the truth or glamorize falsehood. Saying it the way it is without minding whose ox is gored is also the reason why his traducers are demonizing him. Is it not true that except for the Qur’an, no other book is flawless and perfect? Is it not true that no Hadith can contradict the Qur’an if truly it emanates from the Prophet? Has it not been accepted by scholars that Tafwiid and Taawil are acceptable theological tools in understanding religious truth in Islam? Is it not being said now by many scholars that the doctrine of exclusivity of Salafiyyah is injurious to the attainment of unity of purpose amongst Nigerian Muslims? Are the signs not visible enough that the theological warfare particularly on the social media may snowball into terrorism considering the undue intolerance of dissenting positions by the ultra conservative Salafi scholars? Even turncoat scholars amongst them are today calling for the closing of ranks amongst Muslims of different theological orientations, something they could not bear hearing from him then more out of pathological hatred than any altruistic reason. Many of those who joined others in unnecessarily vilifying him are themselves today at the receiving end of verbal attacks by the same people he warned Muslims to be weary of their excessiveness. Yes, Mudiru-l-Markaz has been vindicated even if his enemies failed to acknowledge it! It is now getting clearer to earlier misinformed Muslims that the reason why he was being haunted was not because he abused the companions as being falsely peddled but because he alone frontally attacked the expansionist agenda of the Wahabiyyah/Salafiyyah movement which everyone now agrees is a time bomb waiting to explode.
Just like President Muhammad Buhari whose sickness was celebrated by the opposition and the enemies of the State to the extent of publishing his obituary and declaring him a cloned Jubril of Sudan when his recovery confounded them, Mudiru-l-Markaz was at the eye of the storm because in his own words “I inherited my father’s enemies and I got my own enemies”. Just like Allah perfected the recovery of President Muhammad Buhari that he became fitter, healthier and stronger than he was before the sickness, Allah is working wonders on our Mudir. We are happy that the recovery rate is improving everyday to the delight of us all but to the chagrin of detractors. He is still the ever resourceful, articulate, intellectually inclined and amiable scholar and leader that we knew before the indisposition. We are assured that Allah, the Owner of everything will perfect all His plans on him as we glorify Him and thank Him. Allahu Akbar wa li Llahi-l-Hamdu! None would reflect over this and thank Allah except those with understanding!
IMAM MUSTAPHA ADEBAYO BELLO (PhD)
Director, Center of Theology and Spiritual Intelligence,
Nigeria.
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