INTRODUCTION AND CLARIFICATION (تقديم و توضيح)

In the name of Allah, the one whom we succour, and on him we depend. And blessing and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the best of the great-grandchildren of Adnan, and also upon his family, companions and their noble followers.

And yet, the call to Islam was moving in a single direction in what is known today as West Africa, including what is also known today as Nigeria.

And it was in a particular pattern in North Africa that comprises of the doctrines of jurisprudence, ideological beliefs and devotional mysticism.

Possibly, if there are glossy ideas reflecting at times from other doctrines. Note that it is just like a flash of lightning that sparks and then disappears, it does not change the atmosphere or air and does not embitter the water or course.

If there is competition and vie of superiority among the followers of the aforementioned doctrines, then there is no outright animosity and obsolete war between them, till the country became independent in the 1960s and embassies were opened in Nigeria and scholarships were distributed and people were invited to conferences and seminars, and books were published, and malicious propaganda was broadcasted.

Then a mental disorder strikes, followed by the disagreement of thoughts, and association of the preachers became chaotic, and doubts fluctuated in the minds of the common people.

All of this was spread and disseminated from the mouths of the delegates preachers who came to the country and those who were invited, and envoys from different countries, governments, organizations, and mercenaries;claimed that what the people of this country had been doing in terms of belief is invalid, and what they had been adding to it in terms of worship is a heresy, and what they had been practising in asceticism, for centuries, is disbelief and polytheism.

That, it is quite anti-slam, and it is closer to delusion from guidance and to polytheism from monotheism and to heresy from Sunnah(orthodox) because these envoys who call themselves Salafis take people with distress, violence, misinformation and disqualification of believers occasionally.

Then all eyes converged on me, as one of those who were raised at the hands of African scholars until I was weaned from breastfeeding and became a recognised preacher of Islam, then Allah blessed me to came in contact with notable scholars in Islamic countries since the end of the Second World War and I participated in Islamic conferences in Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab countries till today.

I have a comprehensive understanding with the African scholars, the Maliki, the Ash'ari, Sufis, Qadriyians and the Tijanis from whom I took Islamic education and Arabic sciences from the beginning, then I was also in full understanding with the Arab scholars from the Shafi’ites and Hanbali Salafis until one day a friend of mine among the African scholars asked me about How I was able to combine these opposite sects, was it hypocrisy? I told him, No, but for the sake of harmony, because African scholars have their imperfections “the known and the unknown”. They are my teachers that taught me the first education in Islam, and if not for them, I would not have been guided by the knowledge, gratitude, faith, and perfection.

As for the Arab scholars of different educational backgrounds, some of them were also my teachers, I have been educated by their culture that revealed the veil on my face and removed the sting from my tongue. The only thing I can do is to give gratitude to those that guided me.

I do benefit from each of them politely and reverently, and I do disagree with all of them without denial or recklessness.

A good example is our first predecessors among the great imams, where it is reported that Imam Malik had learnt from Rabiaa theory and then disagreed with him with respect. And also, Imam Al-Shafi’i learnt from Malik and did not against him from establishing his own ideology. And Imam Ahmad took from Al-Shafi’i and with that, he did not compulsory his ideological doctrine on him.

Categorically, Imam Al-Shafi’i had two doctrines; the old in Iraq and the new in Egypt.

Every researchers does mistakes and rights and every imam can be approved and disapproved except the infallible.

As for the issues on which the dispute has been berated between the preachers in this country today, it should not be the source of enmity and hatred between them. And before them are those that are antagonizing with enmity and hatred among the foes that had been ambushed for the Muslims, lying in wait for the turns of a sudden evil attack.

When a number of friends and students asked me to indicate a closer one to righteousness or to present what will be a veritable speech.

There is no alternative for me, than to grip the tip of my pen, moving the ballpoint on my papers that I had previously published in four roles under the title (What Nigerian Scholars Are Not to Be Blamed for and What They Should Be Blamed On).

Then I undertook to collect those publications in one booklet, and it was titled as: (Preaching guide and orientation of Preachers). And my determination on this work was strengthened, by what I am seeing as a waste of efforts in negativities among workers in the Islamic field in front of anti-Islam movements in every field.

And my hope is that the preachers should realise what will call for the taking of the causes of harmony and cooperation, and it has been said: “The world would have perished if not because of cooperation".

With this cooperation, we will become a simplistic nation, not negligent, overbearing, not haughty, nor excessive, as Allah Almighty has described us by saying: -

(And also we made you a just nation, to be bearers of a witness of the people and the Messenger will be a witness for you) Surat Al-Baqara.

Ramadan 1398 AH

August 1978.

WRITTEN IN ARABIC BY: SHEIKH ADAM ABDULLAH AL-ILORY.

TRANSLATED BY: S.A KOLAYO.

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