(Ismail Mukhtar)Zailai and Jabarti Scholars: Islam’s presence in the Horn of Africa dates back to the early days of Islam’s appearance in Arabia. The first wave of Muslim immigrants came to Abyssinia from Mecca five years after the emergence of Islam. They came in two waves to escape the persecution they were subjected to by the Meccan pagans. Their total number is estimated in the hundreds. Most of them later returned to Arabia after staying in Abyssinia for approximately 13 years. As confirmed by Muslim historian and scholars of hadith, Negashi – the king of Abyssinia - was among the first Africans to accept Islam. It is plausible, given the length of time that these migrants stayed in Abyssinia, their relatively large number and the support they received from Negashi, that there might have been other locals who accepted Islam at this early stage. In subsequent years, Islam spread steadily across the Horn of Africa; transforming the lives of its people and profoundly shaping their values and cultures. Over a period of centuries, Islam became an integral component of the cultures, traditions, civilization and history of the Horn of Africa.

Islam’s emphasis on acquiring knowledge and the high regard it gave to learned people, had a transformational impact on the people of the Horn. Driven by the desire to recite and understand Quran, various elementary learning schools were established in mosques across villages and towns to teach people Quran, Arabic and fundamentals of Islam. Advanced learning institutions were also established to train Qadis (judges), Imams and preachers. Many towns became known locally as centers of learning. The city of Harar stood in prominence as one of the centers of learning. Abu Al-Khair, a Saudi intellectual, describes the city of Harar as the “Qairawan equivalent of East Africa”.

Many of the young men traveled abroad seeking higher and more advanced knowledge. For centuries, Hijaz and Yemen were among their favorite destinations. Some of them even went as far as Deoband in India! Later, Al-Azhar in Egypt became a magnet of attraction for many of them. The number of these students in Al-Azhar became so significant that –similar to students from other regions- a compartment (rwaq) was designated for them within Al-Azhar compound. Further, endowments (waqf) were established to provide financial assistance specifically to these students. This designated rwaq came to be known as Rwaq Az-zyalia (in reference to the port of Zaila in Somalia); later it was re-named Rwaq Al-Jabarta (possibly in reference to the largest Muslim Sultanate in Eastern Abyssinia known as Jabra). Al-Azhar graduates who came from the Horn of African or trace their origins to the Horn were commonly referred to as Az-zailai or Al-Jabarti. Over the course of years, many prominent scholars and personalities came to be identified by the title of Zailai or Jabarti.

Among the well recognized classical scholars and historians, two Zailai and Jabarti scholars are noted for their important contributions to the fields of Hadith and history. The first among the two is: Al-Hafiz Jamaladin Abdullah Ibn Yusuf Az-zailai (died 762 Hijrah). He was a prominent authority in Islamic sciences and in particular hadith. He was given the title of Al-Hafiz (one of the highest title designations among scholars of hadith) in recognition for his primacy in hadith. The late Mufti, Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Mukhtar describes him as the “equivalent of Al-Hafiz Al-Iraqi”- a highly regarded Iraqi scholar of hadith-. Al-Hafiz Jamaladin authored various books. Among them are: Nasb Ar-Raya takhreej Ahadeeth Al-Hidaya made up of four volumes. In this book, he reviewed and commented on the authenticity of the hadith contained in the book of Al-Hidaya, an important Hanafi jurisprudence reference book authored by Al-Mirghinani. As well, Al-Hafiz did a similar work on the book of Al-Kashaf, a well known book on the Tafseer of the Quran (exegesis) authored by Al-Zamakashri. Al-Hafiz Az-zailai himself was a student of another prominent Zailai scholar known as Fakhraddin Az-zaila, who was also an accomplished author

The second scholar is: Abdulrahman Ibn Hassan Al-Jabarti (‎1753-1825 AD). He was a prominent historian whose ancestors migrated from the Horn of Africa. His family produced a number of scholars; his father and grand father were noted scholars. He was educated in Al-Azhar University and is the author of numerous books. The most celebrated of his books is : Aja'ib al-athar fi al-tarajim wal-akhbar (Wondrous seeds of men and their deeds) in four volumes. This book covers the history of Egypt from 1688 to 1821 AD. It provides a vital eye witness account of Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt (1798-1801) and the subsequent seizure of power by Muhammad Ali. Al-Jabarti’s works remain as one of the principal sources for historians interested in the history of Egypt.

The wave of students from the Horn of Africa pursuing advanced learning opportunities continued unabated for centuries. Some of these students went back to their countries of origin and enriched the Islamic scholarship in their regions; others chose to settle in the countries in which they studied or elsewhere; serving in various scholarly and judicial capacities. This scholarly legacy remains the source of inspiration and guidance for many of the young in the region today.

References:
Al-Jabarti Abdulrahman, Aja'ib al-athar fi al-tarajim wal-akhbar (Arabic)
Ibn Kathir, Albidaya wa Nihaya, (Arabic)
Al-Islam Wal Habasha, (Arabic)
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