Abdulfattah Abdussalam
Being the person with the most descendants who memorized Al-Qur’an in the history of the world Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi was born in Nafada under the then Bauchi State, but now in Gombe State, Nigeria, on 28th June 1927, corresponding to the 1346 A.H Islamic year. He currently lives in Kofar Gombe, Bauchi State, Nigeria.
He started his Islamic education studies under the tutelage of his father, where he became a HafizulQur-ān (he learned to recite the entire Qur’an from memory as could his father.) before the age of 20. He studied under Islamic Scholars like Shaykh Tijani Usman, Zangon-Bare-bari, Shaykh Abdulqadir and Sheikh Ibrāhīm Niass of Senegal, who had a lasting influence on him while searching for Islamic knowledge. His proficiency in Quranic recitation and memorization is beyond ordinary. He has 95 children, 406 grandchildren and 100 Great-grandchildren of which 77 of his children, 199 grandchildren and some of his Great grandchildren have memorized the Qur’an. Also have about 300 friends who memorized the Qur’an. For this rare achievement, some people call him Gwani (equivalent to a professor), while others call him Gangaran (akin to emeritus). Sheikh Bauchi, according to the Cholan Book of World Records, has the record of being the person with the most descendants who memorized Al-Qur’an in the history of the world. He was the first person to receive such a gift. An International Islamic Organisation awarded him as one of the greatest Mufassirun (translators of the Glorious Qur-ān). He is an expert in other fields of Islamic theology, such as Hadith, Lugga (Arabic vocabulary), Li’irabi (Arabic grammar) Tafsir (Arabic Morphology) Figh-ul, (Islamic jurisprudence, Ma’arifa (interior or mystical knowledge of God), otherwise known as Tarbiyya.
He started his Tafsīr in Bauchi State in the year 1950. In 1976, the Bauchi Radio Corporation started airing his Tafsīr on the radio and in 1980; he relocated his Tafsīr to Kaduna State. In that same year, Radio Nigeria Kaduna started airing his Tafsīr. And now, most radio stations in northern Nigeria usually air his preaching, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadān. Under his watch, there are no fewer than 1,500 Quran memorization centres and Islamic schools built with 13,000 classes across the country alone, and others in some African countries like Niger, Cameroon, and Ghana. Over 140,924 people have committed the Quran into memory. Sheikh Bauchi’s wisdom in terms of preaching has made an uncountable number of unbelievers accept Islam through him. He always encourages people to worship only one God (Allāh), to seek forgiveness, praises and thank Almighty Allāh for all the uncountable blessings he showered on us and send salutations to the beloved Prophet Muhammad (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam).Sheikh Bauchi has performed Hajj 50 times and Umrah (lesser hajj) 203 times. He is a multimillionaire with more than 1000 houses in Bauchi State and Kaduna State as well as some other States in northern Nigeria for his children and students to live free of charge.
He is currently the deputy-chair of the Fatwa Committee of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and a leading figure in the Tijjaniya group in Nigeria and Africa. The Federal government of Nigeria conferred on him the prestigious rank of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR and CON). In addition, he has many honorary doctorate degrees, both locally and internationally, one of which is from the Federal University, Lafiya, Nasarawa State.
May Allāh (Sub-haanahuwata’aala) increase his beneficial knowledge and health and grant him more years in His service Ameen