Epistemology of the Minhaj
The valiant Amir al-Hajj Tahir Abdallah ordered me to put together for him and the Jama`at of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, a methodology of beneficial education regarding the sciences which are obligatory upon him and them to learn; and to innumerate for them the most important books of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, as well as the Shuyuukh of his Jama`at which comprise these sciences.
After seeking istikhaara of Allah, I answered his request, mainly for four reasons;
- The first being that I desired for myself and for him an immense correct course of action and general good from the Generous Lord.
- Secondly, in order to abide by the order of the Amir, based upon his words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:
“Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah. Whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah. Whoever obeys my Amir has obeyed me. Whoever disobeys my Amir has disobeyed me.”
- Third, in order to abstain from the severe threat that has been established in the firm prophetic tradition:
“Whoever is asked about some knowledge and then conceals it, Allah will bridle him with a bridle of fire.”
- Finally, in order to be included among that group about whom he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said:
“The most beloved action to Allah `azza wa jalla is causing genuine joy to enter into the heart of a Muslim.”
I have named it:The Assistance to the Valiant Amir Regarding A Methodology of Beneficial Education
It will be of benefit, if Allah wills to those who rely upon it from the members of the Jama`at and the rest of the Muslims.
Shaykh Muhammad Shareef
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ALsalamu Alykom Shaykh Muhammad, I am Abdelkarim Allababneh. I am interested Omar Ibn Saed’s autobiography. I have read your translation of Omar Ibn Said’s autobiography. I need to know more about the source text of your translation. As you know there are more than one translation. But, I want to know if there is more than one Arabic version as one Arabic version is posted on the Library of Congress website. Is it the same Arabic version that is the reference of your translation? Thank you very much. I am looking forward to you your response.
wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma Brother Abdelkarim
I doubt if the Autobiography of Umar ibn Sayyid at the Library of Congress is my translation, because my translation is politicized and contextualizes the autobiography within the rights of self-determination for African American Muslims in the United States.
However, I was the first to translate it after its recovery in 1996.
I received a color copy of this rare manuscript from Yushua Rabah, who purchased it in 1996 for $22,000.00 at a public
auction. Yushua Rabah, contacted me that same year, because of my capacity to read and access Sudanic Sahelian calligraphic styles; and he sent me color photos of each folio of the Autobiography. I translated it and sent my translation to Yushua Rabah, the Autobiography’s original owner. I am not sure what he did with it.
But I published twice: [1] as an independent study of Umar ibn Sayyid [https://www.academia.edu/16525599/The_Autobiography_of_Alfa_Umar_ibn_Sayyid_t_Turuudi_As_Anthropological_Evidence_of_the_Rights_for_Self_Determination_for_Enslaved_African_Muslims]
[2] I published again in my Lost and Found Children of Abraham [https://www.academia.edu/8092379/The_Lost_and_Found_Children_of_Abraham_In_Africa_and_the_American_Diaspora]
According to Allen Austin the manuscript had been lost since 1924. It was last known to be in the hands of Howland Wood the curator of the American Numismatic Society in New York. The first translation of Umar ibn Sa`id’s autobiography was done in 1848 by Alexander I. Cotheal, the treasurer of the American Ethnological Society. J. Franklin Jameson, editor of the American Historical Review, later annotated it. It was published in the same journal in July 1925, Vol. XXX, no. 4, pp. 787-795. Allen Austin in his African Muslims in Antebellum America, published a translation, which had been accomplished by Rev. Isaac Bird. Dr. F.M. Moussa later revised this translation.
Thank you very much brother Shaykh Muhammad. Your answer is highly appreciated. I meant that the Library of Congress published an English translation translated by Isaac Bird. There are many English translations for the same autobiography. The Arabic version is also published on the website of the Library of Congress. But again, I do not if the Arabic version is manipulated in its lost-found journey. I know that a Jordanian writer named ” Ayman AL-Otoom” has Omar Bin Said’s original autobiography which he got from Sengal. He based his novel ” God’s Land” on Said’s autobiography. I am sure of this as I met the author and he talked about the novel and its story more than one time publiclly. I am courious to know if your translation is contextualized in instituional translation activity or you influenced by your idiology as a muslim individual. I am asking because I want to conduct a study from a ” Translation Studies’ Perspective” on the different translations produced by different translators. I have access to Bird’s, Cotheal’s and your translations. I am familiar with Bird’s, Cotheal’s incentives and backgrounds, But I need more about you as a translator, if possible. I also have a difficulty to access Alaa Alryess’s book which includes another translation by himself. Thank you brother for taking the time to read my messages.
My translation of Umar ibn Sayyid’s Autobiography was induced and informed by the internationally recognized right of self-determination enshrined in Article 27 of the UN Resolution of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The Autobiography of Umar ibn Sayyid and other new world Arabic manuscripts composed by enslaved African Muslims constitute authentic quantifiable anthropological evidence for the rights of self-determination as defined in international.
As for my bio, see [https://siiasi.org/digital-archive/shaykh-muhammad-shareef/islamic-education/?replytocom=5073#respond]
Thank you very much my brother Shaykh Muhammad. Your response is highly appreciated.
wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma
Thank you Sidi for your kind words,please do not forget me in your sincere supplications. I am in Africa continuing the work I have always been doing with the help of Allah and the baraka of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`. Nothing has changed,except that one brother who came out of Solano,became renegade and has broke his oath with the Sultan.You knowhim,sohatever you doholdtoyour oath of allegiance and help desseminate the minhaj of the Shehu.
As Salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,
Yaa Shaykh Muhammad, may Allah grant enormous increase in Imaan and Deen and may HE ta’ala grant you paradise.
To continue, this is Aswad , the one from whom you freed from ignorance of deen, by Allahs permission, in Solano. I know that it has been a long time, but I must say that your presence and voice of conviction has never left my ears nor my heart. I am grateful to Allah for placing you as my guide ISLAM because I am one who can bear witness that you never lied, spied or tried to do those things which had been done by those who came before you.
Yaa Shaykh, you us DEEN at the darkest part and points of our lives and for that I know ALLAH has favored you with great Rahmah and may you only increase in that. Ameen.
I just wanted to let you know that I am still holding on and I ask Allah to grant you excellence in this life and in the next and may you never touch or see the fire. Ameen.
Barakallah fi,
Aswad Farajullah Mahmud
8 Dhul Hijjah 1437
wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma…may Allah ta`ala increase you in Imaan and Taqwa
salamu alikum sidi Umar Muhammad Shareef bin Farid.Can you give me some more info on the jama’ah and tariqah info and the masters.I read what you have posted and downloaded the silsahah of Shehu.JazakumAllah Yaa Shaykh
wasalaam
wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma
Just a small correction, my name is Muhammad Shareef the son of Farid Shareef. My kunya is Abu Alfa Umar, which means the father of Alfa Umar, the eldest of my sons. I am not sure what more I can say than what has been posted here on the site. I would suggest reading my introduction to the Ihya’s-Sunna wa Ikhmad l-Bida` for more details about the Shehu, his jama`at and spiritual methodology. For more information about the Jama`at of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` in the US, I would suggest reading the Decisive Solution.