AL-TAQRIB BAINAL MADHAHIB AL-ISLAMIYYAH IN TANZANIA AND THE ROLE OF ALLAMAH RIZVI (RA) IN ITS REVIVAL

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim

Assalam Alaikum.

INTRODUCTION

From earliest times historically Muslims along the Coastal Region of Eastern Africa have lived together as one Community with various Madhahib in their homes.

Later on this style went up to the Lakes Regions of Eastern Africa when New Settlers came to East Africa. In fact, one major tool that took Islam to be accepted easily by many Tribal Chiefs in East Africa is its Unity amongst its Members, like in Uganda, Tanganyika, Rwanda and Zanzibar, etc.

THE UNITY OF EAST AFRICA MUSLIM COMMUNITIES

Before the coming of Western Colonial Imperialists to Eastern Africa, people (here in East Africa) lived as one UNITY with many Beliefs and faiths and attachments amongst themselves, but all those differences did not stop them to intermingle and stayed together.

Early settlers  from Arabia, India  and Persia-Iran when they came to  Africa in early 1800s  came with their Religion-Islam and Madhahib-School of Thoughts but these Sectarian Beliefs did not stop them to be accepted by the locals-Africans (Waswahili) people here and who later  on themselves converted into these New Sects easily and whole heartedly. Like what happened in Zanzibar and other Islands in the Indian Ocean and at various towns along the Coastal strip of East Africa. Therefore Taqriib Bayna Madhahibil-Muslimeena in East Africa is historical and geographical and Islamic.

PRESENT AND FUTURE TAQRIIB BAYNAL MADHAAHIB

From 1950s up to 2010 activities to build strong links between the Muslims in East Africa were spread and formulated by various Ahlul-Bayt (AS) Ulamaa like: Sayyid Ahmad Naqawi, Sayyid Mar’ashi Muhammad Hussein, Sheikh Tijani, Sheikh Haidar Ali Lucknowi and  Sayyid Saeed Akhtari Rizvi (RA). On  the side of Sunnis  Sheikh Ali Ahmad Nabahani, Sheikh Nassir Kullatayni, Sheikh Abdallah Bakaathiri  and Sheikh Abdallah Swaleh al-Farsy (1912-1982) -Ex-Chief Kadhi Zanzibar and Kenya-Ibaadhii Madh’habii and others.

Many of these actions were personal and short forecast as there was  no one institution  that carried  the Flag Stick of AT-TAQRIIB BAINAL MUSLIMEENA, until  the  coming  of Maulanaa Sayyed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi  (RA) in early  1970s  up to  his  death  in 2002.

Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi (RA)  due to his plan of action and  his robust intermingling with various followers managed to build  strong bonds with members of all Faiths – Muslims and Non-Muslims and he managed to build very good relationships with these people which today are known by the Government in Tanzania as Baraza la Amani Tanzania where members of all Religions sit down together to  discuss various national and international issues as one platform.

At-taqriib platform is still there but now at a very low platform with activities, now centered on Milaadun-Nabii (saww) programs mainly and on a very low scale at other Areas. In fact, the slow death of At-Taqriib is making inwards cracks of misunderstanding between the Muslims, now especially with the speedy growth of Salafi-Wahhabi-Ansaari Sunnah Madrasah in Tanzania with a heavy State-Funded support from Arab countries as well as within.

The Stage platform of At-taqriib needs to be refurbished and added  new  energy  to  take it to higher  stages  as  envisaged  by  its  founders and  patrons-UNITY-PEACE-LOVE.

Ahlul-Bayt (AS) Schools need to be assisted to awaken this Institution and make it working and not just as a platform for Milaadun-Nabii (saww) ceremonies and festivals, but to be a daily Meeting Point of Muslims in Tanzania and East Africa as a whole.

The  At-taqriib platform needs to be given new face and tools  to work  hard to be that much awaited Unity working and  workable for our  National  interests etc.

At-taqriib needs Ulamaa – Sheikhs and Scholars as well as a Centre to be its staging platform, because since the death of Maulana Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi (RA) that Office ceased to be operational at where it was before (BMM TZ DAR-ES- SALAM).

Without At-taqriib Centre which  fortunately was initiated in Tanzania  through the World Assembly of Ahlul-Bait (AS) and through the Iran Cultural Centre in 1990s, but  later on died a slow poisoned death, no Tabligh  work can be achieved and done properly here because of  lack of Unity.

All these Ahlul-Bayt (AS) centers  here cannot do anything to bring about that Close-Relationship because most of the centers are not centered on UNITY but each and every institute is self-planned and opinionated and  with a short scale budget and focus and plan of  action.

And for Ahlu-Bayt (AS) Schools to grow here (in Tanzania) we  need AT-TAQRIIB Centre under a very powerful Aalim and with an Office and a  strong Funding  to help the growth of At-taqriib Centre in Tanzania  which can also collect all Ahlul-Bayt (AS)  Schools and Hawzah and Madrasah under one FLAG and later  on united and  working  with other Muslims in East Africa.

Our efforts now are many but are all scattered and are unfruitful due  to lack of the At-taqriib Centre and this  Centre is the only House which  can unify Muslims as what we see amongst the Christians here.

The Milaadun-Nabi (saw) occasions are a once in a year festivals and are many and  they are  mainly venues  of Qaswiidah and Recitations  and Sermons  etc,  which bear very little  fruits after the functions. But  the At-taqriib Centre can be a pool of many resources and efforts  where we can have Library, Media Centers, Studios, Scholars  Forums, Offices for group discussions, Research Centers, Books-Shows, and Correction and encouragement points amongst the scholars on various  touchy issues etc.

As at now there is no other possible institute which can do that work and role better than the MIU Dar-es-Salaam – Tanzania due to its robustly talents and manpower and resources at it’s doors, therefore we call upon JMI TZ to take over the mantle and duties to organize the At-taqrib Baynal Muslimeena in Tanzania due to a wide range of skills and experiences MIU has over the years.

We hope through this Article this Home will once again be born and made active and bear the required fruits as taught by our Prophet Muhammad (saw) when he made the first Islamic City State in Madina  after his immigration.

Written by:

Sheikh Mohamed Mubaraka Shahbal

Email: [email protected]

Tel. No: 0713830780

Address: Al-Mustafa (S) International University.

Dar -es- Salaam, Tanzania.