The Unique Methodology in Knowing the Science of Divine Unity
Al-Manhaj Al -Fareed Fee Ma`arifat `Ilm at-tawheed
Shaykh Muhammad Al – Waali Ibn Sulayman Al – Fulani 1760
The period in which this illuminating work on Divine Unity was composed was during the height of the Atlantic Slave Trade; when enslaved Africans in the western hemisphere were being forced to accept the status sub-human chattel. On the other side of the Atlantic, an, as of yet, unknown Fulani scholar composed a commentary upon the famous Umm al-Baraaheen or Aqeedat as-Sughra of the immense wali and knower of GOD, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yusef as-Sanusi. Although the Fulani author is still unknown, the work shows the range and depth of the Fulani language to convey the deep technical terminologies of `ilm al-kalaam as well as comment upon and explain them.
Around the 1750’s, Shaykh Muhammad al-Wali, came an translated this Fulani text into Arabic and added his own additional words and explanations; and then named this final text: al-Manhaj al-Fareed.
In this edition of the al-Manhaj al-Fareed, I typed the original matin of the as-Sughra in red ink; the Fulani explanation and commentary in black ink; and finally Shaykh Muhammad al-Wali’s additional commentary in green ink. I did this to make it easy to see the three different scholars from three different regions of the world to engage one another in what Muslim scholars agree is the most important science in Islam `ILM AT-TAWHEED Its importance to the Umma of Muhammad, is that it gives them a picture of African Muslim views on the science of Divine Unity; and shows that Knowledge of GOD well versed and deeply understood by African Muslims.
Its significance for Africans, and especially those of the western diaspora; is that their African Muslim ancestors had an indepth understanding of Allah; and had completely disengaged themselves from fetish, pagan ancestral worship. This work by Shaykh Muhammad al-Wali, is Black African proof against the strange fruit of “Islam” that emerged with the likes of Timothy Drew, Elijah Muhammad, Clarence 13X, Dwight York and others.
Shaykh Muhammad Shareef bin Farid