Discourses of Muslim Scholars in Colonial Ghana
by John Hanson and Muhammad al-Munir Gibrill
Images
Mosque of Salaga
Date: 1892Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Engraving of the Mosque of Salaga in the late 19th century created for Louis Gustave Binger's book Du Niger au Golfe du Guinée par le pays de Kong et le Mossi.
Salaga in 1892
Date: 1892Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
An engraving of Salaga in the late 19th century for Louis Gustave Binger's book Du Niger au Golfe du Guinée par le pays de Kong et le Mossi
Salaga Market
Date: 1892Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Engraving of the Market of Salaga in the late 19th century created for Louis Gustave Binger's book Du Niger au Golfe du Guinée par le pays de Kong et le Mossi.
Al-hajj 'Umar
Date Range: Late 19th CenturyFormat: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Image reportedly of al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakri of Kete-Krachi. Taken in Ghana on September 19, 2013
Maps
Volta Basin
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegThe deep green color on this map illustrates the location of the Volta Basin
Poems
Muḥammad b. 'Uthmān (elegiac poem)
Date: 1895Format: Text/jpeg
This elegiac poem is composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) on the death of Muḥammad b. 'Uthmān. Muḥammad b. 'Uthmān was a leading Muslim scholar of the Mande-speaking Wangara diaspora. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi was connected to him through a close relationship with his son, Ṣāliḥ b. Muḥammad, a leading S Show More
Colonial Rule 1 (historical poem)
Date: 1899Format: Text/pdf
This historical poem is one of three composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr of Kete-Krachi (commonly al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi) to describe and comment on the European colonial rule in West Africa. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi was positioned well to provide commentary from a West African Muslim perspective on the European colonial advance into the Show More
Colonial Rule 2 (historical poem)
Date: 1900Format: Text/pdf
This historical poem is one of three composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr of Kete-Krachi (commonly al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi)) to describe and comment on European colonial rule in West Africa. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi was positioned well to provide commentary from a West African Muslim perspective on the European colonial advance into the re Show More
Ajami Script Example from Muslim Revival (historical poem)
Date: 1905Format: Text/jpeg
This is a close up of a section from the historical poem about Muslim Revival to provide you an example of `ajami Hausa
Muslim Revival (historical poem)
Date: 1905Format: Text/jpeg
This historical poem is composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) to describe and comment on a Muslim revival movement in northern Ghana in 1904-05. The Muslim revival had its origins outside of Ghana, and visiting Muslims arrived to stress the need for Muslim reform. The movement may have referenced the coming of the Show More
Colonial Rule 3 (historical poem)
Date: 1907Format: Text/pdf
This historical poem is one of three composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr of Kete-Krachi (commonly al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi) to describe and comment on European colonial rule in West Africa. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi was positioned well to provide commentary from a West African Muslim perspective on the European colonial advance into the reg Show More
Hosting Ramadan (praise poem)
Date: 1910Format: Text/pdf
This praise poem was composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) to thank the people of Tetemu for hosting him during the month of Ramadan. The poem reveals an instance of the widespread West African Muslim practice of hosting Muslim scholars during the month of Ramadan. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi visited the Muslim communi Show More
Malam Salaw 1 (praise poem)
Date: 1919Format: Text/pdf
This praise poem is one of several composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) in honor of Malam Ṣalaw (Ḥussain al-Kashnāwī). Malam Ṣalaw was a prominent Hausa scholar who assumed positions of influence in Kumase during the British colonial era. Malam Ṣalaw was born in Yendi (in today's northeastern Ghana); hi Show More
Tunkuyau Epidemic (historical poem)
Date: 1921Format: Text/pdf
This historical poem is composed by al-ḥājj ‘Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj ‘Umar ibn Abī Bakr) to describe and comment on an epidemic of an illness referenced as tunkuyau that afflicted the town of Krachi during the early twentieth century. The poem is available in Arabic and with an English translation. This poem is one of the most studied wo Show More
Malam Ṣalaw 2 (praise poem)
Date: 1923Format: Text/pdf
This praise poem is one of several composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) in honor of Malam Ṣalaw (Ḥussain al-Kashnāwī). Malam Ṣalaw was a prominent Hausa scholar who assumed positions of influence in Kumase during the British colonial era. Malam Ṣalaw was born in Yendi (in today's northeastern Ghana); hi Show More
Malam Ṣalaw 3 (praise poem)
Date: 1928Format: Text/pdf
This praise poem is one of several composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr), in honor of Malam Ṣalaw (Ḥussain al-Kashnāwī). Malam Ṣalaw was a prominent Hausa scholar who assumed positions of influence in Kumase during the British colonial era. Malam Ṣalaw was born in Yendi (in today's northeastern Ghana); h Show More
Labbo (elegiac poem)
Date: 1931Format: Text/pdf
This elegiac poem is composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) on the death of his son, Lobbo. Al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi had numerous children, but he was particularly close to Labbo, whom he hoped would succeed him as a Muslim scholar. Labbo was one of the few family members accompanying al-ḥājj 'Umar on his pilgrim Show More
Arabic Script - Poem Extract
Date: 1932Format: Text/jpeg
This is a close up of one poem section to provide an example of the Arabic script found in the original poem
Peaceful Coexistence (didactic poem)
Date: 1932Format: Text/pdf
This didactical poem was composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) to counsel for peaceful coexistence among Muslims in West Africa. It was written to Abī Bakr, whom John Hunwick argues was al-ḥājj 'Umar's son (Arabic Literature of Africa, Volume 4: Writings of Western Sudanic Africa, compiled by John O. Hunwick with Show More
Kete-Krachi Mosque (praise poem)
Date: 1933Format: Text/pdf
This praise poem is composed by al-ḥājj 'Umar Krachi (al-ḥājj 'Umar ibn Abī Bakr) to express thanks and gratitude to all those who assisted him in reconstructing his mosque. This poem was composed late in al-ḥājj 'Umar's life. It lists and praises those who contributed funds to the building of a mosque in Kete-Krachi. It mentions one o Show More
