Famous Islamic scholar Sheikh ABubakar Giro Argungu (1962-2023) granted this interview to DCL Hausa, talking about his life and preaching career. The interview has been translated and reproduced here by Dateline Nigeria
Tell us about yourself
My name is Abubakar Abdullahi Giro, but journalists used to call me Abubakar Giro Argungu because they believe I hailed from Giro. But in reality, I was not born in Giro. I was born in a town called Suru in 1962. What actually happened was that after my father died, his elder brother of the same mother by name Abdullahi took me to Giro, which is about 13 kilometers from Suru. That was where he first got me enrolled into Allo (Islamic) school, under the care of Liman Abubakar Sabo, and that was how I came to be known as Abubakar Giro, wiping off Abubakar Suru completely. And since Abdullahi was the one who took me to school, I was being called Abubakar Abdullahi Giro, instead of Abubakar Sa’ad, because Sa’ad was my father’s name. My father was also a traditional title holder, he was Mai Dajin Suru.
What about education?
There were also quite a number of scholars in Giro who taught me Qur’an and other religious books, before we moved to Argungu, to a town called Gulma, where most of my first teachers resided. There was Shehi Adamu, he was a famous Darika scholar, there were also Shehin Goro, Malam Hassan Doye, Malam Adamu Sabon Gari, Malam Umar Giro and Shehi Ustaz, among others.
I studied under various scholars in Argungu and other places, before I went to Lailaba where I also studied under Malam Sulaiman Mai Uwan Miya Tungar Zazzagawa, Malam Salisu, Malam Adamu and others. All that was before my first marriage. We then returned to Argungu around 1988 and I started studying under Malam Bala Donkal. Even while staying in Gulma, Sauwa, Dabire and Lailaba, I used to visit Argungu for the weekend, where I was studying under Malam Bala Donkal. I also attended Teachers Training College in Bunza, after my primary education.
Was that in Sokoto State?
We used to be part of Sokoto before Kebbi State was created in 1991. Our activities then returned to Kebbi. But we were under Sokoto when we did most of our studies, including primary and secondary schools. That was why most of the interviews we did for school enrolment were at Turaki model primary school in Sokoto. I furthered my education up to NCE level in Sokoto during the time of Dr Liman Soro as provost of College of Education, but da’awa (preaching) took us back to Argungu when my mother died. I also once lived close to the Haram in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ijlan, I used to spend time with him, learning from him. But I never had the opportunity of studying outside Nigeria. However, I was able to engage in various endeavors and the one that makes me happy is that an association I started now has presence even here in Makkah.
So when did you start preaching and conducting Tafsir?
I started preaching as a young man, around 1980. I think I was 19 because I finished secondary school at the age of 18. And I have been in it ever since. So I have been preaching for over 40 years. As for Ramadan Tafsir, I started in Dakingari around 1983, from there I was moved to Ilela after the creation of Kebbi State in 1991. From there I was taken to Niger State and Emir of Borgu demanded that I be posted to his palace. I spent 10 years in his palace conducting the Tafsir and was able to cover the whole Qur’an from Baqara to Nasi. After his death, his son Ishaq took over and we were together for four years before he was removed. Senator Haliru Dan Toro was given the throne by the court and we spent two years. I was them posted to Adamawa State under Murtala Nyako (Baba Mai Mangwaro) where I spent between four and five years. When Qadi Sambo died in Niger State, I was redeployed to Minna where I spent another four to five years. In Borgu, Halliru Dan Toro died and I was posted there where I spent three years with the new emir. Then the Sarkin Sudan Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Namaska, requested that I be posted to Kontagora under his emirate. After three years and I was not redeployed, the new emir in Kontagora asked that I be retained by Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and our movement Jamaatu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), especially Sheikh Aliyu Adarawa, so I have been there for five years, including the year when coronavirus stopped us from doing the Tafsir. That year we did it secretly in Argungu. So I am still doing Ramadan Tafsir in Kontagora.
How old were you when first got married?
Like I said earlier, I grew up as an orphan. So because of that I could not marry early. I eventually got married in 1988 long after finishing secondary school in 1982.
Who among your teachers equipped you with the knowledge you use in preaching?
The first person that taught me was Liman Abubakar Sabo, like I said earlier. He was the chief Imam of Giro Juma’ah mosque. Even now, any time people accompany me to Giro, I used to show them the Allo school where I learnt ba sin mi ara. There were also Malam Yakubu Illela, Malam Umar Gero, Malam Umar Kalabanga, who hailed from Tambuwal, and then Sheikh Bala Donkal, who is proud to call me one of his students. There were others I mentioned in Gulma about 10 of them. I also benefitted from lectures, particularly here in Makkah under Sheikh Abdurrahman Ijlan.
So you studied under Darika scholars?
Most of those who taught me were from the Darika sect. It is not an exaggeration to say they constitute 70%. This is so because when Sunnah came, it met us as students. That was why we embraced it and started preaching. But we learnt from others before the advent of Sunnah. And like I said, save for Sheikh Bala Donkal and few others, most of them were Darika scholars. But some were neither Darika nor Izala.
So why did you dump Darika after learning from its scholars?
It will interest you to know that some of them were honest enough to tell us that there were some alien things introduced into Darika. For instance, the Tijjaniyya we knew in the past is not the same as with what we have now. Izala was not even there then, but they told us the truth as they knew it. There was one particular scholar who faulted sitting around white cloth to do zikr, but he was okay with spending hours doing zikr. There was also Malam Dangodiya of Argungu, we used to accompany our teachers to his house during Maulud. In his remarks, he would say new things had been introduced into Shehu Tijjani’s teaching, which contradict their original intention. There was one Sheikh Musa Argungu (now late). He would tell us that the beating of chest and involving women, especially those that are married, in procession were alien to their tradition. So they were the ones who showed us that there were certain things that were wrong. And after acquiring more knowledge, you will uncover more. However, there are many things that are good in Darika, which we did not stop doing, like zikr, but we are being guided by the teachings of the Prophet (SAW).
What will you describe as your biggest regret in the course of your preaching career?
I will never forget the division in the Izala movement. I feel pained anytime I remember this. I think only death can heal me of this worry because I don’t know how I can end the problem. I don’t like scholars throwing shades at one another, engaging in war of words, interpreting the Quran to favour your side and others, which can even lead one to apostasy. Or you will follow someone in prayer and feel uncomfortable even though he has satisfied all the conditions of leading the prayer.
Abdullah bn Masud went on Hajj along with others including Muawiya. In Mina, Muawiya was completing four raka’ats of prayer, instead of shortening it to two (Qasr). Abdullah bn Masud was not happy so his followers advised that they remain in their tent so they could be doing Qasr like the prophet did in Mina and Arfah, but Abdullahi bin Masud said they should continue to follow the leader because division among Muslims is bad. So I am afraid of this division because I don’t want us to return to our creator without any credible defence.
What will you say you have achieved in your preaching career?
Well, victory comes only from the Almighty Allah. But I don’t think anyone has recorded the feat I was able achieve through preaching. If you are looking for a man who has been to virtually all the nooks and cranny of Nigeria – from Lagos to Maiduguri, from Argungu to Mubi, preaching and calling people to Islam, it would be difficult to come across a personality that did more than me.
To meet someone that has been to Niger Republic like I did is very difficult. I have been to virtually everywhere in Niger Republic, from left to right. Most of the Sunnah movements there were started with me. If you go to Benin Republic, I was the one who started the Sunnah movement there. I have also played similar roles in Togo, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Cameroon, all these places and more. I don’t know any country where JIBWIS has reached without my role in it. This is why they named me as Africa’s Sunnah ambassador
Tell us more about the Islamic centre in Saudi Arabia which you helped to establish…
Jaliyat was established by the Saudi Ministry in charge of religious affairs. The fact is that I started preaching without seeking for any permission. I was going from mosque to mosque inside the town preaching…
Here in Makkah?
Yes, here in Makkah. I was always going to areas such as Khushun Bukr, Kullin Kwai, Waadiz Zagala, Mai Chizo, Haara Kabawa, Haara Gobirawa and others. They were sending security agents to monitor and record my activities. They found that I was not promoting anything illegal or inciting the people and forming mischief. Eventually, they even started reproducing my tapes and sharing to pilgrims. I also received a licence. So I preach even in this mosque…
Haram?
No, I have never preached inside the Haram mosque. But I preach in all the surrounding mosques. Not long ago, during the last Ramadan I was called to the Bin Laden mosque – the imam is an uncle of Osama bn Laden – where I preached. But things have changed since the covid-19 outbreak, and they are yet to return to normal.
Sometimes people share stories of your death even when you are still alive. How do you feel?
I really don’t know what answer to give you. I have also seen some of the posts. Sometimes the rumour will reach me when I am in the middle of a meeting, or in the best of health. Like I told you, because I travel a lot, once people fail to hear from me for a while, a rumour will start that I have died. People know me to travel a lot. If you see me today in Lagos, you may see me the following week in Damaturu, from there you will just see me in Niger State or Niamey. You know now we have advanced in age. And I suffer from periodic illness. There are those who also see me as being too hard on them, they will even call me and threaten me on the phone, may be they are the ones spreading the rumour. I really don’t know.
What message do you have for those who wish to follow in your footsteps?
They should not follow the route we took in the early days of Izala. When Izala started newly, the language was a bit harsh, probably due to unexpected reception. But today, things have changed; you will see Darika followers sending their children or wives to schools owned by Izala members. Yet still some will pick up microphone and be calling them unbelievers. If you do this, you are not helping your cause. So people need to be patient and diplomatic. Preaching should also be based on knowledge and wisdom. Arguments should only be advanced through presentation of evidence and proofs rather than shouting and using foul language. We should live with one another with understanding.
