The continent of Africa undoubtedly has given birth to many illustrious sons and daughters but the like of Sheik Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory (of blessed memory) is not easy to come by. So also are many of his distinguished students and children alike. They have excelled in the various branches of Islamic and Arabic studies. They are equally not found wanting in other fields of human endeavours. Amongst them, there are university dons, top government officials, lawyers and internationally acclaimed Islamic preachers.
Amongt them also is the well-known lover of knowledge. His name his sheik Abdul Wahab Zubair Al-Gamawy . He was born in august 1947 in Ganmo in Ifelodun local government area in Ilorin, Kwara state.His father’s name is sheik Naibi Zubair.His mother’s name is Alhaja Halimat Sadiyat Zubair . He is from the great lineage of Afonja family.Historically,Afonja was a great warrior whose exploit to conquer more kingdom brought to Ilorin where he eventually settled down.
The great grandfather of sheik abdul wahab Al-ganmawy was the founder of Ganmo. His name is Uthman Okunoye. Uthman gave birth to Idris, Idris gave birth to Umar who then gave birth to Zubair who is the father of Sheikh Abdul wahab Zubair Al-Gamawiy. Sheikh Abdul Wahab Al Gamawiy and his elder brother are the only surviving of their mother’s twenty-four children. Because of his father’s constant travelling, he was always with his mother most of the time. She made sure he received the best of his training while he was with her. His father was the Mogaji of Ganmo till his death. He died on the 18th of march 1983.
Al Gamawiy as he is popularly called did not have the opportunity of starting formal schooling early in life. It was not until he became 17 years old that this opportunity came his way and he did not go beyond standard seven. His parents were skeptical about western education, they therefore sent him to Islamic and Arabic education school instead. After he had learnt how to read the holy Quran from his father, he then proceeded to Misbaudeen Arabic school in Ganmo from 1967 to 1973 where he got his elementary religious education. From there he moved to Darul uluum Arabic school- a popular school owned by the league of imams and alfas of Ilorin, he got his idadiyah, a certificate in Arabic and Islamic education.
Because of his profound love for knowledge, he went to enroll at Markaz Institute of Arabic and Islamic studies Agege. It was here he obtained his Thanawiyah certificate on the 25th of august 1977. He was enlisted as a classroom teacher when he got to Markaz, so, he continued his teaching job thereafter graduating from the institute. After ten years of teaching in the Arabic school, he was awarded scholarship in 1985 to attend a special course at Azhar university in cairo, Egypt. The course was organized for imams and Muadhins to refresh their knowledge on the teaching and principles of islam. The course lasted for three month. On his return from cairo together with his colleagues, a proficiency test was conducted for them at Markaz and haven passed the examinations, the late Sheikh Abdullah Al Ilory awarded him higher diploma of the institute. He was a brilliant student and soon acquired so much knowledge that endeared him to his teacher Sheikh Al Ilory. It was for this that his teacher used to take him along wherever he was going for a conference or seminar in the arab nation and in all other Islamic counries of the world. When his teacher died, he continued teaching at Markaz for a number of years before the management board of the school gave him permission to go and establish his own school.
When sheikh Al Gamawiy was asked about those who have touched his life positively, he mentioned the name of two people. They are Sheikh Adam Al Ilory- his teacher and Sheikh Abubakr Sidiq Al Miskeen Bi llah- his spiritual mentor. According to him, Sheikh Adam possessed all kinds of emulating character which include bravery, outspokenness, politeness, tolerance, independence of view. He could not find any fault or bad character in him.
He was exposed to a lot of Islamic scholarship by Sheikh Adam. As early mentioned, he has been to many conferences and seminar in Dakar, Senegal, Libya, Egypt, iran, amongst others; all sponsored by Sheikh Adam. The experiences he had gathered from these exposures made him what he his today academically. In Islamic world, he is highly respected for his depth of knowledge .His four books: At-Tariqah-al-Iloriyyah fil-Ilmil-Araby(Al-Ilory’s techniques in Arabic Education), Ara’ul-Ilory fil-ulmi walfununi(Al-ilory view on Science and Arts) Bahjatul-Tullab wa asaas-ul-Qurra wal Kutyab (Science of writing letters), Asraarul-balaagah wa asaasul-fasoohah ( The secrets of rhetorics and the foundation of eloquence), are classical books that are widely read in both the Madrasat and faculties of foreign languages of Nigeria universities as well as neighbouring African countries.
But his heart yearned for something else which was not available in the theoretical knowledge of enormous volumes which he came across in the literary circle of the Madrasat. He therefore resolved to seek for spiritual knowledge. He was introduced to Sufism by his father. Later in life, he came across many great men of tasowuf. But, the greatest of them all as algamawiy is concerned was Sheikh Abubakri Assideeq Al Miskeenu billah (R.T.A). it was through this Sheikh that he acquired deep knowledge of Sufism that completely changed his orientation and attitude to life. The mystical experience he got through this great man of God caused him to devote all his power to the search of absolute truth like Imam Ghazali, he came to realize that what is most peculiar to the Sufist cannot be learned from books, but can only be reached by immediate experience, ecstasy, and inward information- that is, by leading the mystical life. His intense prayers and devotion to Allah has purified his heart and revealed the divined secret hitherto unknown to him. Hence, he cries and feels shy whenever anybody is singing his praise. Because of this orientation of his, even though he has had course to wine and dine with people that matters in the society both at home and at abroad, his heart has always remained with the poor and down-trodden of the society. This also accounts for his lifestyle and an approachable manner or nature. He is the founder of Zawiyat Sofwat El-Islam of Nigeria with branches in many other branches of the world. He recently visited the branch in America located at 435, franklin avenue (corner of Madison Street) new York 11238. This Zawiyat in America is very unique amongst the branches of Zawiyat. They observe jumat service in their mosque every Friday, they also organize monthly lectures attracting great Islamic scholars both at home and abroad. Sheikh Muhammad Robiu Adebayo AbdulMalik (R.T.A) is among the great men of Islam that they do invite to come and deliver lecture in this mosque from time to time. They have a newsletter called “Hal Sufi”; it is released monthly by this great Zawiyat.
Algamawiy is also the proprietor cum principal of an Arabic and Islamic institute that goes by the name: Sofwatul Islam Arabic and Islamic institute. It is located at ajegunle ilo alakuko area, ifako-ijaiye local government with registration no. 11069.
