Tijaniyyah Leader Decries Campus Challenges for Sufi Muslim Students

The general secretary of the International Organisation of Tijaniyyah Brotherhood (IOTB), Prof. Mohammed Mustapha Gwadabe, has expressed concern over the difficulties faced by members of the Tijaniyyah Muslim Students’ Association of Nigeria (TIMSAN) across university campuses in the country.

At a joint annual national conference of IOTB and TIMSAN in Abuja, Gwadabe said Tijaniyyah students often encounter resistance while practising Islamic traditions such as Zikr, Wazifah, and Maulid celebrations. He attributed these challenges to the influence of some leaders within Muslim Students’ Societies on campuses who, according to him, promote Wahhabism and oppose Sufi practices.

Despite these challenges, Gwadabe noted that the organisation has recorded significant progress.

He cited the formal recognition of TIMSAN by the authorities of Bayero University, Kano, as well as the growing acceptance of Tijaniyyah activities in several institutions nationwide.

He also highlighted recent honours given to the Tijaniyyah community, including the renaming of the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Azare, by President Bola Tinubu in honour of the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi. Similarly, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, named the Centre for Qur’an Studies at Kaduna State University after the renowned Islamic scholar.

The IOTB scribe outlined some of the organisation’s key initiatives, including vacation training programs for secondary school students, entrepreneurship development, medical outreach, Qur’an memorisation and science programs, Almajiri feeding, and both national and international visits.

He urged members to remain active and committed, stressing that the organisation relies mainly on member contributions to fund its activities.