Islamic Manuscript Culture in Northern Nigeria : Sheikh Adamu Katibi and the copy of Raudhul Qollob for his Master Sheikh Atiku Sanka

Sheikh Adamu Katibi RTA is one of the most talent copyist of Books in 20th Century in Northern Nigeria, He was the best among Sheikh Atiku's copyist, he got the nickname KATIBI from his works as scriber and copyier, in anoyher saying he was named Alkatib by Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse when he did some works for him, you can see one of his handwriting below. 

 The two Manuscript herewith is a book called "Raudh Alquloob Almustatab" he produced two copies for his master Sheikh Atiq the first one contain 500 pages while the scond has 417 pages, the subject of the book is Sufism, containing ten thousand forty-one verses from Bahr Arrajaz composed by the Egyptian twelve century Sufi Scholar Sheikh Hasan Radwan.

Sheikh Adamu Katibi d. 1999 

When Sheikh Adamu Katibi finished the copy he took them to Sheikh Atiku, Atiku ask him how much I will pay,?

Katibi replied : I will not accept anything, i did it for the sake of Allah as a Murid, just pray for me.

Sheikh Atiku was very happy with his disciple and immediately he took one clean sheet from the Manuscript and attached the picture of Adamu Katibi appeared in the picture with his pen sitting together with Sheikh Balarabe Jega - a wright hand disciple of Atiku and his secretary- and composed poem of thank and pray for Adamu Katibi, he wrote:

"... This is the picture of the copier of this blessed book, the owner of the most blessed pen, Malam Adamu b. Muhammad nicknamed The scriber, together with his brother in Allah, Ibrahim known as Balarabe bin Kadhi Jega Haruna, my special servent and my deputy in my all important tasks. I just put this picture here as memorial for these two blessed and sincere servents, what I seek from anyone who read this book to pray for this copier with what he he will gainit in bothe this word and hereafter..." then Atiku composed a song in which he prayed extensively for Adamu Katibi.

Adamu Katibi Died on Tuesday 5th January 1999 in his home at Rijiyar Lemo ward Kano city. 

 The page which Atiku wrote this alongside the picture is still in the Manuscript kept in his home at Sanka ward Kano city. 

Copy 1. Page of Atiku poem and prayer with his handwriting 

Page of Content from Manuscript copy 1

By the time Sheikh Katibi copied probably in 1949 there  no one has this book in Nigeria except Sheikh Atiku, he obtained a copy from Morocco so he can copy. So all Kano scholars used to come to Sheikh Atiku to read it in his house. One day Sheikh Muhammad Rabiu Dan Tinki the father of Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu sent his boy to to tell Sheikh atiku he will visit him to read the book, Atiku said no he is above to come to me for this, so he gave the book to the messenger. After Sheikh Rabiu finished reading the manuscripts he return it attached with some verses in which he eulogies Atiku describing him as a Young scholar and highly motivated person whose his existence in the city of Kano is a blessing from Allah. The page in which Sheikh Rabiu wrote this short poem can also be found inside the Manuscript in Atiku Library at Sanka ward Kano city of Northern Nigeria.

Page 205 from Manuscript copy 2

May Allah bless our ancestors for their sincere efforts toward Islam and its sciences.

Tahir Lawan Muaz Attijaneey

Kano city

Nigeria

Wednesday 09th September 2020 .