E-Proceeding of the 4Th World

E-PROCEEDING OF THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARABIC STUDIES & ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION 2020

TIMBUKTU: A FORGOTTEN ISLAMIC LEGENDARY CITY!

Soufiana Salim DRAMÉ The Department of Curriculum and Instruction_ Islamic Education, Kulliyyah of Education International Islamic University Malaysia, 53100 Gombak Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT Over the past thousand years, the Islamic civilisation had been shining and made immense contributions to the global civilisation. The early development of Islamic civilisation started in Madinah in the mid-7th century, and then it spread to all the Muslim world. The Muslim scientists and thinkers were the mastermind and original source of several modern sciences and numerous innovations. Muslim civilisation gave birth to the first university alongside the first mental health hospital in the world. That greatest contribution was made by Muslims from all over the continents. Despite this ethnical diversity and geographical distance between Muslims, the Islamic faith (Tawhid) was the strongest link that connected them. In fact, that universality was the great secret of the true success of Islamic civilisation. Unfortunately, the reality shows that all these wonderful and priceless Islamic heritages and legacies seem to be forgotten by our today’s Muslims society, especially, among Muslim youth. Therefore, this paper aims to revive one of those forgotten Islamic legacies, which is the legendary city of Timbuktu. It is also the vision of this paper to call and recall the Muslims to turn back to those Islamic heritages and legacies. This study highlights considerable achievements of Islamic civilisation and as well as some significant contributions of Muslim Scientists around the world. The writer used the document research method by analysis and evaluation with an argumentative as well as narrative approach.

Keywords: Islamic civilisation, forgotten legacy, revive Islamic heritage, Muslim youth, Timbuktu, Mali.

1. INTRODUCTION

For the past millennium years, from the 7th century to the modern period, the Islamic civilisation has revolutionised and made greatest contributions to the world civilisation. Yet, the Islamic civilisation is defined by scholars as the values and principles that Islam has offered to humanity, which benefit people in this life and the Hereafter. Then, too, one of the significances of Islamic civilisation is it was made together by all Muslims around the world, throughout different eras and continents. It was made possible by Arabs, Africans, Persians, Chinese, Indians, Indonesians, Malays, Turks, and as well other Muslim and non-Muslim communities. In fact, this universality of Islamic civilisation has distinguished it from other earlier civilisations. No civilisation on earth has been built in such a way. The uniqueness of Muslim civilisation is through its universality and oneness of God (as-Siba’ee, 2005). The innovations and contributions made by Muslim civilisation to the development of human civilisation and modern sciences are a lot. For example, the first university in the world was founded by this Muslim civilisation that is the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco (859 CE).

Figure 1: The University of al-Qarawiyin’’ in Fez, Morocco (859 CE). Source: Retrieved from http://onlineresize.club/pictures-club.html

The Baghdad mental hospital was also the first of its kind, and it was established in 705 CE (Syed IB, 2002). Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi (Albucasis, 936- 1013 CE) for instance, a genius physician and surgeon of Muslim Spain who invented over 150 surgical tools, which are still used in the medical field nowadays. Moreover, Zahrawi’s remarkable contribution to modern surgery is his encyclopaedic book 'Al-Tasrif' (The Method of Medicine), which was used in the field of surgical practices as the first reference in the West for many centuries (Syed IB, 2002; Bakar, 2014). The founders of Algebra and Sociology are Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (780–850) and Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) respectively. It may be impossible to talk about the history of modern medicine without mentioning the name of Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037) who is also recognised as the “father” of modern medicine. Apart from that, Jabir Ibn Hayyan (Geber) is considered as the inventor of chemistry. On the other side, the Islamic Khilafat (Islamic Empire) ruled Spain and Portugal for more than 700 years. Therefore, this Muslim rule in Spain did not only benefit the Islamic civilisation, but it had also helped medieval Europe to wake up from its long intellectual and civilisational darkness (Bakar, 2014). Next, we have Ibn Battuta (1304-1369), who is known as one the greatest explorers and geographers in human history. Hence, imagine how different would the world of today be without the contribution of Muslim civilisation? Without doubt or exaggeration, the modern world would look much different than it does today. Indeed, Islamic Civilisation has contributed to the building of human civilisation by gave birth to innumerable modern sciences throughout years and years.

However, all these priceless Islamic civilisations are slowly being forgotten by most of today’s Muslim society, especially the Muslim youth. It is very devastating to see that most 21st- century Muslim youth do not know much about Islamic history. Hence, this article aims to revive one of those forgotten legacies, which is the city of Timbuktu.

2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIMBUKTU

Figure 2: View_of_Timbuktu, 9th century_illustration_by_Martin_Barnatz

Timbuktu (English: Timbuktu, French: Tombouctou, Koyra Chiini: Tumbutu) is a city in the Mali Republic in West Africa. The city of Timbuktu is known by several nicknames such as “the pearl of the desert”, “the land of million manuscripts” or “the old woman’s city”, but the most popular one is probably “the city of 333 saints”. According to the cultural Mission of Timbuktu and Yale University archaeologists (2010), Timbuktu’s first occupation dated back to the 5th century BC. Nevertheless, it was until the end of the 6th century that the city of Timbuktu began as a temporary seasonal settlement from the trade in salt, gold, and camels before it prospered and became a permanent commercial site by early in the 8th century. Apart from being a simple Trans-Saharan trade spot, the city has quickly become a meeting place of intellectualism and cultures during the 14th century. The city became a magnet that attracted both businessmen and as well as scholars and gracefully wove both activities together.

3. THE ARRIVAL OF ISLAM IN TIMBUKTU: HOW AND WHEN?

Figure 3: Dessert in Timbuktu

As early as the eleventh century CE, Islam reached Timbuktu by the Berber and Tuareg merchants via the trans-Saharan trade, and it had naturally and gradually spread all over the city. Meanwhile, some resources have argued with historical and documentary evidence that Islam was brought to the city by the same Muslim traders since during the 9th century. It can be summarised from both views by saying that Islam was introduced to Timbuktu through trading between the 9th and the 11th century.

4. TIMBUKTU’S EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Figure 4: Timbuktu

From the fourteenth to sixteenth century, Islamic teaching and learning had been well-developed and largely spread in Timbuktu. At that period, the quality of scholarship in the city of Timbuktu was very high and standard. According to the Tarikh al-Fattash, written by the sixteenth-century historian Mahmud Kati,

‘‘Timbuktu had reached the pinnacle of beauty and splendour; religion flourished within its confines, and the Sunna inspired every aspect of not only religious but also worldly affairs, although these two fields are apparently incompatible by definition. At the time Timbuktu was unrivalled among the cities of Bilād al-Sudan from Mali to the outer fringes of the Maghreb for the soundness of its institutions, its political freedoms, the purity of its morals, the safety of people and property, its clemency and compassion towards the poor and strangers, its courtesy to students and men of science and the assistance provided to the latter.’’ (as cited in Ali, Thiam, & Talib, 2016, p. 61).

An example of the city’s intellectual brilliance, it is said that a famed Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al- Tamimi from Hedjaz (Arabia) was invited by Mansa Musa to give lecturers. But upon his arrival to Timbuktu and discussing with some of the students and realizing their level of knowledge, he was humbled and decided to travel to Fez to strengthen his jurisprudence studies (The Lost Libraries of Timbuktu, n.d; Hunwick, 1999). This example indicates how excellent the scholarship of Timbuktu was at the time.

By the beginning of the fourteenth century, under the reign of the very eminent ruler and the tenth emperor of Mali Empire, Mansa Musa (Mansa means "king of kings" or "emperor"), the legendary city of Timbuktu has become one of the most prestigious Islamic learning centres, and it became home to remarkable scholars from around the world. During Musa’s era, Islam became the dominant religion in the city (Islamization of the Mali Empire and Timbuktu), and as well as the Arabic became the language of scholarship.

However, in order to promote and introduce the city’s name to the world, and made people start asking: ‘’Where is Timbuktu?!’’ That was made due to the famous Hajj of Mansa Musa to Mecca, passing by through Cairo (Egypt) in 1324. On his return from Mecca to Timbuktu, Musa brought with him a number of scholars and architects from the Arabian Peninsula and across Africa who then played an important role (spread knowledge and built Mosques) in the development of the city. Soon afterwards Musa furthered diplomatic ties with the Muslim world. As he (Mansa Musa) used to send students and teachers to Fez and Cairo to pursue their studies.

Fiqure 5: The Hajj of Mansa Musa to Mecca through Cairo in 1324

It was the Hajj event that awakened the world to the scholarship and wealth of Timbuktu. The city then became known and it has since attracted scholars from throughout the Muslim world and western countries. As a result, many scholars visited Timbuktu, such as Ibn Battuta. Moreover, the historical pilgrimage of Mansa Musa also put the name of Timbuktu on the 14th century World Map.

Figure 6: Musa is depicted in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, holding a gold nugget, signifying the wealth of Mali. The Catalan Atlas was drawn by Abraham Cresques, and the original is preserved in the ‘’Bibliothèque Nationale de France’’. Retrieved from https://ibw21.org/reparations/africas-lost-forgotten-kingdoms/

In the late 15th century, under the Askia Dynasty, the “City of the 333 Saints” has continued to flourish, spiritually, intellectually, and economically (Hunwick, 1999). For hundreds of years, Timbuktu had played a very important role in the widespread of Islam and Islamic teachings in Africa, precisely, in West Africa through its eminent scholars and prestigious educational centres. Throughout its history, Timbuktu had been blessed for having some greatest rulers, such as the emperor Abu Bakar II (he was the ninth emperor of the Mali Empire, and he is believed to have travelled to America around 100 years before Columbus [Ahmed, Nazeer], n.d.), Mansa Musa I (the BBC described him as “the richest man who ever lived”), and the emperor Askia Mohammad I (also known as Askia the Great). The city was very lucky to have also a countless number of the most distinguished intellectuals. Among them were; Ahmad Baba al-Massufi al-Timbukti al-Sudani (1556 –1627 AD), the final Chancellor of Sankore University in Timbuktu, and the author of over 40 books in several different fields (Hunwick, 1999). Through the Moroccan conquest of Timbuktu in 1591 (at the time of the Songhai Empire), Ahmad Baba was deported to Marrakesh where he was ordered by the Sultan Mulay Ahmad Al-Mansur of Morocco to teach people there. At the moment, the Moroccan scholars used to call him (Ahmad Baba) the "Standard of Standards". During his 14 years of exile there, he dedicated his time between teaching and writing, before he was released to return to his beloved hometown (Timbuktu) in 1608, where he continued to teach until his death in 1627. The second

E-PROCEEDING OF THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARABIC STUDIES & ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION 2020 (ICASIC 2020). (e-ISBN 978-967-0792-37-8). 10 June 2020. Organized by https://worldconferences.net Page 22 E-PROCEEDING OF THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARABIC STUDIES & ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION 2020 illustrious scholar was Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di (1594- 1656), the author of famous book “Tarikh al- Sudan” (History of the Sudan), written in Arabic in the seventeenth century. His book (Tarikh al- Sudan) is probably one of the most important sources for the history of Timbuktu. Mohammed Bagayogo al-Timbukti al-Jinnawi (1523- 1593) was another outstanding scholar of the city, who was the Sheik (master teacher) and professor of Ahmed Baba at Sankore University. It can be concluded that the city was home to one of the earliest universities in the world, that is the University of Timbuktu. Timbuktu University was composed of three main academic learning centres (Mosques):

1. Sankore Mosque/ learning centre (founded in 989 AD, by the al-Qadi Ibn Mahmoud Ibn Umar) 2. The department of Jingarey Ber Mosque (built-in 1327 AD, by Mansa Musa I) 3. And Sidi Yahya Madrasah/ Masjid (built in 1440 AD, by Mohamed Naddah).

Sidi Yahya along with Jingarey Ber and Sankore built the University of Timbuktu. The university offers various academic subjects such as language, literature, medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, history, and law, but the priority was given to Islamic subjects. What is known for sure is, the University of Timbuktu was renowned for its excellence and without equal in all of sub-Saharan Africa. To date, all these fourteenth-century buildings are still standing strong in the city of Timbuktu, and about 80 private libraries and Ahmad Baba Public Library still exist in the city, storing over 700,000 invaluable manuscripts. Those manuscripts of Timbuktu are mostly written in Arabic or local languages, and are dated from pre-Islamic period and the early twentieth century.

Figure 7: Sankore Mosque built in 989 CE

Figure 8: Sidi Yahya Madrasah/ Masjid built in 1440 CE

Figure 9: Jingarey Ber Mosque built in 1327 CE

Figure 10: A private library manuscript Timbuktu

Figure 11: Timbuktu Manuscripts on Mathematics and Astronomy 12th Century CE Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Timbuktu-manuscripts-astronomy-mathematics.jpg [PUBLIC DOMAIN]

Figure 12: Institute Ahmad Baba_ Timbuktu

Figure 13: A Private Library Manuscripts Timbuktu. Source: Stephanie Diakité. Retrieved from https://pulitzercenter.org/blog/week-review-escape-timbuktu

Figure 14: Timbuktu Manuscripts. Source: Mamma Haidara Library. Retrieved from https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/timbuktu-manuscripts-mali

5. THE INTELLECTUAL DECLINE OF TIMBUKTU By early 16th century, the city of Timbuktu reached the zenith of its intellectual and commercial development during the reign of Askia Dynasty, before its golden age came to an end with the collapse of the Songhai Empire following the Moroccan army invasion in 1591 (Levtzion, 1994). That invasion destroyed several learning centres and burned a thousand manuscripts of Timbuktu. Moreover, many scholars were then put to death or deported to Morocco, including the last Chancellor of Sankore University, Ahmed Baba, who was deported to Marrakesh along with his important collections. Because of this Moroccan force occupation and looting, the city could not regain its former intellectual brightness. As a consequence, the legendary city of Timbuktu went to deep intellectual sleep. Timbuktu as a world scholarly city, several notable scholars and historical writers have described it in various literature. Most notable are from Ibn Battuta, Ibn Faḍl Allāh al-‘Umarī, Shabeni, Ibn Khaldun, Leo Africanus, and René Caillié. In 1988, the city of Timbuktu had listed among the Top World Heritage sites by UNESCO. The mysterious city of Timbuktu is famous and memorable for many things, but its long-lasting contribution to Islamic and world civilisation is its intellectual patrimony.

6. CONCLUSION Many centuries ago, the city of Timbuktu began as a simple trans-Saharan gold and salt trading route that linked West Africa to the Arabian Peninsula throughout North Africa. By the 14th century, the city continued to flourish and became the world’s leading scholarship centre and economic capital, attracting scholars and business people from across the region. It is only right to say that Timbuktu was a true shining symbol of the Islamic World as well as the Global civilisation. In fact, it should not be forgotten neither by the world nor the Muslim ummah in any way. Furthermore, today’s Muslims (Muslim youth in particular) need to learn and understand well the Islamic history, to know how far Islam has come from, and to know that there was once a great Islamic civilisation. As tradition says that “Those who do not know their history do not understand their present and their future is not built!’’ Therefore, it is time for the ummah to turn back to those glorious Islamic legacies and heritages.

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