Scholars from the 12th and 19th cen turies made use of the written word from timbuktu to guide leaders of multiethnic states that spanned vast areas of africa. Timbuktu was a thriving centre of scholarship instrumental to the spread of islam in africa. In beyond timbuktu, ousmane oumar kane offers a survey of the existing scholarship on west african islam and he compellingly demonstrates that the extraordinary richness of timbuktu s intellectual heritage represents not an exception, but rather, the norm across the region. Timbuktu, city in the western african country of mali, historically important as a trading. This fantastical history is appropriate for this city of 333 saints as it is the location of many major sacred sufi sites. Sufi writers, like rumi and alghazali, were instrumental in the spread of islam. It later flourished in trade and as one of the early african centres of islamic culture. According to ibn khaldun, one of the best known sources for 14th. It became part of the mali empire early in the 14th century. According to the tarikh al fettash, a 17thcentury history of the region.
Sufism, chemistry, history, geography, islamic sciences, and government legislations and treaties. Islam was accepted in the 10th century, ghana stretched from the atlantic ocean to where timbuktu is. After a shift in trading routes, the town flourished from the trade in salt, gold, ivory and slaves. Timbuktu can be seen as an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of islam throughout africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. He also discusses recognizing pious and holy mystics as saints and the value of their intercession on behalf of believers. A major part of timbuktu s culture revolved around education and sophistication.
The journal of islamic faith and practice volume 2, issue 2. Beyond timbuktu ousmane oumar kane harvard university. By the 12th century, timbuktu was already a wellknown center of islamic learning. Islam and revolution in songhay reconsidered, 14641493, journal of african history 25, no. On his return from mecca, mans mussa brought with him an egyptian architect by the name of abu es haq es saheli. The famous contribution of timbuktu to islam and world civilization is its scholarship and the books that were. Ousmane kane charts the rise of muslim learning in west africa from the beginning of islam to the present day and corrects lingering misconceptions about africas muslim heritage and its influence. By studying and translating these texts, scholars and students of islamic studies, sudanic african history, anthropology, historiography, middle east studies, and african literature have an opportunity to play a unique. Timbuktu s reputation as a centre of learning needs to be viewed in the context of an established tradition of islamic learning throughout the whole of the west african and sudanic region.
Beyond timbuktu charts the rise of muslim learning in west africa from the beginning of islam to the present day, examining the shifting contexts that have influenced the production and dissemination of islamic knowledge. Islam spread through northern africa in the 8th century. One cannot count either the virtues or the qualities of askiya muhammad i, such are his excellent politics, his kindness towards his subjects and his solicitude towards the poor. Sufism, a mystical form of islam, greatly influenced islamic thought, particularly its literature. Timbuktu, mali, are obviously the best known, thanks to the pioneering work of john. Timbuktu civilization began as a seasonal settlement for trade caravans in the early 11th century. Mohammad bagayogo es sudane al wangari al timbukti his ancestors were the black scholars wangari of the blessed city of jenne. The author provides an explanation of their mystical doctrine and practice. The malian government and ngos have been working to catalog and restore the remnants of this scholarly legacy.
Rethinking the place of timbuktu in the intellectual history of muslim. Mansa musabuilt a great mosque, or islamic temple, in timbuktu. Timbuktu is famous as a center of learning from islam s golden age. The town experienced a golden age in the 15 th and 16 th centuries. An intellectual history of muslim west africa consists of nine. The history of timbuktu timeline timetoast timelines. Timbuktu s history the niger river, timbuktu although the city of timbuktu was established in the 12th century and became an important commercial centre, it only gained widespread prominence as an intellectual capital in the 15th century.
He wrote excellent books on theology, grammar, history and jurisprudence. Islamist insurgents retreating from timbuktu set fire to a library containing thousands of priceless historic manuscripts, according to the saharan towns mayor, in an incident he described as a. Timbuktu civilization and its influence in shaping west african islamic history has it stem rooted from the fortuitous placement of timbuktu at the crossing of the niger river and major caravan route that continuous to morocco in the north and swings towards the modern day state of sudan across the sahara desert. Timbuktu began as a trading city, but in time it developed into the educational and spiritual center of west africa. From the 12 th through the 17 th centuries, timbuktu fostered a reputation of an intellectual and spiritual capital even as it thrived as a trading outpost. Explain 3 contributions that timbuktu contributed to islam. Its design is accredited to abu es haq es saheli who was paid 200 kg 40,000 mithqals of gold by musa i of mali, emperor of the mali empire. Nestorian christianity bedouins were desert dwellers known for their great survival ability. Timbuktu manuscripts, evidence of africas glorious past. Film fragment of the imam of timbuktu speaking about jihad with one of the sheikhs of the mujahideen. Timbuktu, the ancient town in the northwest of mali, one of africas largest. Timbuktu was a center of islamic scholarship under several african empires, home to a 25,000student university and other madrasahs that served as wellsprings for the spread of islam. Home of the prestigious koranic sankore university and other madrasas, timbuktu was an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of islam throughout africa in the 15th. Ancient manuscripts from the desert libraries of timbuktu.
By 30, timbuktu became part of the kingdom of mali. At the university of ghana, there is a collection of photocopies of islamic manuscripts written by local scholars. The treasures of timbuktu history smithsonian magazine. Mansa musa visited the city and built a mosque and university in his own honor, which remained a reminder for the religion he brought to the society in 24. Muhammad was not the founder of islam but he is a significant prophet in the islamic faith. As a muslim, mansa mussa was impressed with the islamic legacy of timbuktu. Yet it was one among many scholarly centers to exist in precolonial west africa. As islam spread in the savannah region, it was quite. Timbuktu s evolution was one of the most sustainable social epic in the ancient world. This west african city, long synonymous with the uttermost end of the earth, was added to the world heritage list in 1988, many centuries after its apex.
Timbuktu is located in the west african nation mali. In the 15th and 16th centuries timbuktu became an intellectual and spiritual capital of islam. The history of timbuktu timeline created by dlevine22. Islam also spread in the region by the founders of sufi brotherhoods. Timbuktu civilization and its significance in islamic history. The books extended prologue more an introduction sets forth the aims of the book and its place in the field. Muslims believe that allah gave the words of the koran to the prophet muhammad. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. Timbuktu s most famous and long lasting contribution to islamic and worldcivilization is its scholarship and the books that were written and copied there beginning from at least the 14 th century. Kane also bridges the often bifurcated history of islam in north and. The role of timbuktu accademics and its commercial centers in african islamic history the ancient west african city of timbuktu was once a vibrant centre of scholarly activities, known throughout the islamic world. Their writings in arabic were influenced by tradi tional african thought and islamic faith. Get an answer for explain 3 contributions that timbuktu contributed to islam in history, in details.
The brilliance of the university of timbuktu was without equal in all of subsaharan africa and was known throughout the islamic world. Pdf timbuktu civilization and its significance in islamic history. Timbuktu civilization and its significance in islamic. Which factor, geography or islam, contributed more to the development of states, towns, and trade in the empires of ghana, mali and songhai between the 10th and 15th centuries. This book is an important contribution to the field, as it ties trends in muslim west african thought to the development and role of islamic. Islam reached the savannah region in the 8th century c. Manuscript culture, arabic literacy and intellectual history in muslim africa, 11. Sufis islamic mystics form an important element in islamic society. The manuscripts show that islam is a religion of tolerance, says abdel kader haidara, who owns one of the largest private collections of manuscripts in timbuktu, including the letter from albakkay.
The architect was paid 200 kg of gold to built jingaray ber or the friday prayers mosque. Timbuktu, west africa, preservation, manuscripts, cultural. Timbuktu benefited under the reign of the askiya kings. A short history of timbuktu outlook india magazine. Conversion to islam linked the west african savannah through belief in one god and. It is located on the southern edge of the sahara desert on the bend of the great niger river which traverses west africa. The famous scholar ibn munabbah wrote as early as 738 c. Starting out as a seasonal settlement, timbuktu in mali became a permanent settlement early in the 12th century. Timbuktu, french tombouctou, city in the western african country of mali, historically important as a trading post on the transsaharan caravan route and as a centre of islamic culture c. He was the sheik and professor of ahmed baba es sudan. Spread of islam in west africa all parts the religion.
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