Reading time:4 min read

What happened to us?

Yesterday, I felt sad and bad. Last week and this week, I prayed at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque. After the Jumuat prayer, as usual, I went to their makeshift market for my "reconnaissance" (search for books to buy).

Unfortunately, things are no more like we had in the past. Only one Hajia was selling books (Islamic literatures). Others were either selling honey, habbatu-saudaah, abaayah, jalabia, caps, slippers, prayer mats, dabinu or biscuits.

Let me go back to the Hajia that sells books: 95% of the books on her stand was about prayers, marriage and adhkaar (99 Names of Allah, Marital Bliss, Tete Damilohun, Yah Lateef Oba Aanu and others).

What happened??? What happened to those classy and thought-provoking books we read in the past? What happened to those mind-edifying books? Where are the books of Sayyid Qutb, Abul Aa'la Mawduudiy, Ismail Raji Al-Faruuqiy, Ali Nadwiy, Hasan Al-Banna, Yusuf Al-qaradawi, Abdul-Qodri Awdah, Fathi Yakan and others???

Allahu Akbar! They have all disappeared from our book stands. I'm sure they have practically disappeared from the consciousness of the Muslim youth? How would you call yourself a Muslim student without having and reading "Towards Understanding Islam, Islam And The World, Return of The Pharaoh, Islam: The Religion of The Future, In The Shade of The Qur'an, Milestone and others?

Also, we read and kept many books on psychology and philosophy, like How To Win Friends And Influence People (Dale Carnegie), Think And Grow Rich (Oliver Hill), Think Big (Ben Carson) and others. We had all of these books in our mini libraries. Yes, we all had our respective libraries.

In the 90s and early 2000s, while we were in the university, these were the books that helped shape our thoughts, minds and lives. They assisted in lifting and upgrading our writing skills and presentations. They were must-read for all of us.

Then, these were books that exposed us to the real purpose and intents of Islam in the world. These books created indelible imprints in our minds. They gave us clear vision on how to navigate this life. They were our havens, that we sought refuge for spiritual and intellectual safety.

On our campuses, we listened to classic Islamic lectures from brilliant and erudite teachers. They came from all parts of the country (Mansur Zakariyyah, Abdul-Hameed Abdur-Rasheed, Zafaran Adeniyi, Nurudeen Olaleye, Abdul-Hafeez Oladosu, Abdul-Hakeem Abayomi, Bashir Galadanci, Asunogie Nurudeen, Olaiya Abideen Olaitan etc).

In those days, go to UNILAG, OAU, UI, LAUTECH, UNILORIN, LASU and other campuses, the Muslim students were "scholars" in their own rights. We took joy in healthy competition about books we had read. We were fond of writing articles and thoughtful poems.

Each student had favourite Qur'an reciters we emulated. Some were for Sudais, some for Shuraim. Others were for Matruud, Hazaifiy, Shatri, Husoriy, Minshawi, Abdul-Baasit and others.

All these have eroded and faded away among our Muslim students. My dear brothers and sisters, what really happened to Muslim students on our campuses? I'm sure that what I saw at UI Mosque is a replica of what we have on other campuses.

The past awareness must be brought back. The culture of reading and writing must be re-awakened in the minds of our students. There's no shortcut to scholarship except through steady and conscious reading. This is the only way to our psychological, mental and spiritual development.