Arewa House Kaduna in conjunction with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, International Research Center for Islamic History, Culture and Arts (IRCICA), Turkey and Al Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano., expressed readiness to host a conference on “History of Islamic Learning and Scholarship in Africa”.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar , Governors of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Zamfara states would join Islamic scholars from across the world to attend the conference in Kaduna.
The Director of Arewa House, Dr. Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu, who disclosed this in Kaduna on Friday, said that the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero would also grace the three-day conference scheduled for June 13th to 15th, 2023 and organised by Arewa House in conjunction with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, International Research Center for Islamic History, Culture and Arts (IRCICA), Turkey and Al Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano.
“The introduction of Islam in Africa since the 9th century has greatly contributed to the formation and development of early centrifugal states as well as evolution of a solid tradition of learning and scholarship within the continent. Learning and scholarship had become the most important legacy of Islam, especially in the area of Arabic and Qur’anic science.”
“However, despite the existence of various writings on the multiple aspects of the history of Islam in Africa, there have been minimal attempts to systematically engage the changing dynamics of Islamic scholarship in the history of Africa. In view of this, we invite well researched papers that offer critical reflections on the history of learning and Islamic scholarship in Africa.
“The opening ceremony will be officiated by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, HRH, the Emir of Zazzau and Emir of Kano, the Governors of Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and Zamfara states among other dignitaries. For the technical session, 30 speakers are expected to attend and present papers. We have speakers from USA, Canada, Britain, Kenya, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Egypt, South Africa, Cameroon, Middle East and Central America.”
Dr. Aliyu said the scholars and speakers are expected to interrogate critical issues such as; the current trends concerning the learning and scholarship in Africa; what are the historical forces that birthed or justify such trends; what are the contributions of African Islamic scholars in developing intellectual cultures in different African societies?
“The conference offers a rare opportunity for scholars across different disciplines to meet, deliberate and rethink their understanding of the nature and dynamics of Islamic learning and scholarship in Africa,” he said.
