Maulana Sheikh Ahmed Abulfathi is believed to be among the descendants of our last prophet Mohammad (SAW) which is why he was called SHARIFF. He was also as believed by many to have reached the highest unique position in the Daairat Awliya (circle of the Saints) which is the GAUSIYYA throne (The Quthub al-Faard al-Jaamii). He was a prominent Islamic Scholar with students all over Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world. He wrote books in different aspects of Islam as I mentioned in the previous part. His students and companions are well known, his children are well trained in different aspects of life that include leadership, community development, propagation, business and of course Islamic scholarship. His Mentor was Maulana Sheikh Ibrahim Nyas (RTA), his educator was Sheikh Abubakar Atiku (RTA) and his Khalifa (successor) is his first son, Maulana Sheikh Aliyu Abulfati (the mentor of the Abulfathi Foundation (RTA)). The Imams of his mosque include the Khalifa (RTA), Sheikh Arabi Abulfathi (who also conducts translation of the Holy Quran during Ramadan and the Chairman of the Abulfathi Foundation as well as the National President Fityanul Islam of Nigeria (RTA)), Sheikh Abubakar Al-Miskin (who was the right hand companion of the Sheikh (RTA)) and Sheik Kaka Goni(the Imam of five daily prayers).

The history of the Sheikh lies in his personal life with his intimate companions and students, his wives and children, and the very people he associated with personally and daily. His kindness was astonishing; he lived with the poor, rich and even the kings with absolute respect and without any sense of distinction between them. He despised the charlatan and the liars, he respected scholars and teachers, he encouraged everybody to seek for knowledge as said and did by the prophet thus he initiated the Foundation and the schools. He ate humbly and with his children and close companions. I ate with him many times and I saw him eating exactly the way Prophet ate (as narrated in Hadiths).

Sheikh was such a charismatic personality that when seen, one may think he is one of the greatest kings. Appearing mostly in whites and greens, the Sheikh was not a rich person but he was wealthier than any man one can think of. He was such a cheerful giver that gave houses, cars, scholarships to study abroad, cloths and food just to mention a few to the people who are in need. He gave me money and I have seen him giving to others, people came to his place with bags of money as present and he gave it away without even opening to see what was inside!

Sheikh Abulfathi secluded himself, his family and some of his companions by building his city at the far end of Maiduguri. The city is named Madinatu Maiduguri where he built the largest mosque in Maiduguri and his guest house. It is said that his guest house is something you will not find in any other place in Nigeria. Meaning; it’s extremely large compound with many flat houses and single rooms full of basic equipments for the rich and the poor to reside in whenever the need arises. He could have made it a hotel to earn income, but he didn’t.

I mentioned names of the books he wrote previously. I attended and listened to his teachings, he taught normally in the morning and evening and during Ramadan. That doesn’t mean he did not attend to people any time they sought for any guidance for he never said no to that. His annual Maulid An-Nabi (birthday celebration of the holy Prophet) use to be the biggest and most distinguished of its kind in the whole country. Populaces attend the annual celebration from all over the world till date.

Among his children are great Islamic scholars, doctors, engineers, business men that give massive contribution to Nigerian society at local and national levels. His influence touched not only Nigeria but other countries for when the Darfur issue of Sudan persisted, the Sudan government sought intervention of the Khalifa to talk to the people for they will listen. Animals liked him, spirits obeyed him for one of his antelopes died on his grave the very moment he passed away. My father also told me that when spirits were disturbing the guards in one of his schools at night, Sheikh gave him a letter and told him to put it on ants’ house in the school compound, from that day they never disturbed them again. These are just a few among many of his miracles which I will discuss later.