Department of Modern Languages
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Browsing Department of Modern Languages by Author "Hafiz, M."
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Item Arabic Manuscripts Production and Distribution in Ghana: A Close Study of Jumucat's al-Lāmiyyat al-Ṣughrā(2016-02-16) Hafiz, M.; Asunka, J.This study focuses on a manuscript entitled 'al-Lāmiyyat al-Ṣughra' composed by Malam Jumu'at in 1939 on the occasion of the death of his teacher and brother, 'Ustādh Muḥammad Bāko, who was then the Chief Imam of Accra. The manuscript appears to be an original one, with no accession number, albeit, it is not clear whether it was handwritten by Jumu'at himself or by another scribe. It was found accidentally among the manuscripts photocopied and preserved at Herskovits library in Northwestern from the collection of Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ghana, and therefore was sent back to IAS in 2007 by Dr. Andrea Brigaglia. In terms of content, the manuscript is quite similar to IAS/AR 195, but the hand-writings differ appreciably: IAS/AR 195 was collected from 'Ustādh Adam b. Uthman in Amakom Kumasi on October 5, 1963, while the manuscript under consideration was acquired from 'Ustādh Sacd 'Itan in Zango, Accra on July 7, 1971. The manuscript is written in thin central Sudanic script on a brownish white semi-thick paper with two sets of inks: local black ink and artificial blue ink. The black ink was used for writing the lines of the poem, while the blue ink was used for writing names of persons, places and dates cited in the poem, including the numerous marginal notes across the five folios. Overall, this manuscripts is by far more legible than IAS/AR/ 195. IAS/AR/ 195 has already been a subject of study by K.O. Odoom (1971) who sought to demonstrate the historical value of this manuscript, insisting it is unique in the sense that it is the only document by a Muslim scholar on pioneering Muslim communities in Accra. Far from this, this particular study seeks to explore this manuscript in order underscore some of the intricacies connected to manuscripts production in Ghana, ranging from the occasions that inspire the authorship of Arabic manuscripts, the choice of appropriate titles, mode and format of writing, the relevance of accompanying marginal notes, alterations in manuscripts by scribes, mode of distribution, and interconnectedness of manuscripts in terms of the subject matter they addressItem From Timbuktu to Salaga: A Critical Study of Intellectual Works of Ahmed Baba al-Timbukti and Umar Krache.(2018-03-14) Hafiz, M.; Quarshie, D.This paper explores the similarities between Timbuktu and Salaga as robust centers of Arabic and Islamic learning at different epochs in West African Arabic-Islamic intellectual history focusing on two eminent scholars of these cities. Timbuktu had flourished mainly between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, evolving to become the favorite destination of traders who sought to grow their business and multiply their returns, as well as students who aspired to acquire profound insight into the Arabic and Islamic disciplines. Likewise, Salaga became the ultimate and preferred destination of traders and students in Ghana in the nineteenth century. It was soon referred to as the Timbuktu of the South (Morris Johnson, 1965). There is no gainsaying Ahmed Baba al-Timbuktī stands tall among several distinguished luminaries who propelled Timbuktu into prominence and recognition. Through his teaching and intellectual productions within and beyond Timbuktu, he earned himself the accolade al-Timbukti. On the other hand, despite his late affiliation to Kete Krache, Umar b. Abu-Bakr earned his fame as an unrivalled Muslim scholar of the Gold Coast in Salaga, where he had a very rewarding and memorable academic career — which manifested in his active teaching and extensive scholarly writings. It is against this background that this paper highlights the close similarities between Timbuktu and Salaga through the intellectual lives and writings of these scholars. It will be established that notwithstanding the geographic stretch between Timbuktu and Salaga, and the nearly two centuries gap between these two illustrious scholars, there are some notable similarities in their lives and intellectual endeavors that ultimately reflect on their respective cities as well.