Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi was born in 1778 A.D. in an area near the Lake Chad in Borno. His father belonged to the tribe of Kanembu and his mother was an Arab. His father sent him to Egypt on scholarship where proved to be hard-working, intelligent and full of potentiality of good leadership.

When he completed his studies in Egypt, he returned home and soon after his return, his father took him to Makkah in order perform Hajj. However, his father died in Medinah while performing the Hajj. Muhammad Al-Amin therefore decided to return home through North Africa where he remained for sometime in order to further his studies of the Holy Qur’an.

At the time of his return to Borno, a wide of jihad, reform and revolution of Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio had begun to reach Hausa States and approaching Borno. As soon as he returned to Borno, the Mai of Borno appointed him as Chief of the Kanembu tribe where, in addition to his position as the Chief, he undertook to preaching of Islam with establishment of his own school at Diffu, with branches in many areas. Many scholars from the Kanembu, the Shua Arab and the Tubu tribes came to him to learn.

When the Fulanis living in Borno answered the call to jihad by Sheu Uthman Dan Fodio and rose against the Mia of Borno, it was Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi who came to the rescueof the Mai from the uprising of the Fulanis. It was through this that the Maiof Borno came to have confidence in Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi who gave them protection whenever they were in trouble. In the meantime, Al-Kanemi continued with his scholarly work by establishing more schools of learning to which people came from everywhere for scholarship.

It was this way that Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi became so popular that in the end he secured the title of the Shehu of Borno. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi was a devout Muslim disciplinarian. Though he was not a jihadist like Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio, he fought his campaigns to protect the territory of Borno. However, he certainly tried to enforce Shari’ah more strictly. In Ngala he was the centre of a group of ‘ulamaa (scholars) who had specially dedicated themselves to Islam and Shari’ah. Moreover, he was a sufi and was widely believed to be a ‘wali’.

Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi’s importance lies chiefly in the fact that his career demonstrates how effective ideas were well armed and strong and they fought hard against the jihadists, yet in the end they were overwhelmed because they lacked the of a powerful ideology to unite their people and fire their hearts. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi, on the other hand, used many of the jihadists’ own spiritual weapons against them. This was sufficient to unite the Borno Muslims behind him and to inspire them with their belief in the cause of religion.

In actual fact, Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi replied not only on Kanembu spears but on the sword of faith and it was this that made him a match for the Fulani jihadists. It was in this way that he managed to stand in the way of the Fulani jihadists conquering Borno but at the same time through scholarship he was able to achieve what the Fulani jihadists wanted to achieve of establishing the proper Shari’ah for the Muslims in Born. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi passed away in 1835 and was succeeded by his son ‘Umar as the Shehu of Borno.

By Bashir Sambo, B.A. (Hons) London; Dip. O.A.S. London

Sheikh Mohammed Higab, Alimiyah (Azhar) Cairo
Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi was born in 1778 A.D. in an area near the Lake Chad in Borno. His father belonged to the tribe of Kanembu and his mother was an Arab. His father sent him to Egypt on scholarship where proved to be hard-working, intelligent and full of potentiality of good leadership.

When he completed his studies in Egypt, he returned home and soon after his return, his father took him to Makkah in order perform Hajj. However, his father died in Medinah while performing the Hajj. Muhammad Al-Amin therefore decided to return home through North Africa where he remained for sometime in order to further his studies of the Holy Qur’an.

At the time of his return to Borno, a wide of jihad, reform and revolution of Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio had begun to reach Hausa States and approaching Borno. As soon as he returned to Borno, the Mai of Borno appointed him as Chief of the Kanembu tribe where, in addition to his position as the Chief, he undertook to preaching of Islam with establishment of his own school at Diffu, with branches in many areas. Many scholars from the Kanembu, the Shua Arab and the Tubu tribes came to him to learn.

When the Fulanis living in Borno answered the call to jihad by Sheu Uthman Dan Fodio and rose against the Mia of Borno, it was Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi who came to the rescueof the Mai from the uprising of the Fulanis. It was through this that the Maiof Borno came to have confidence in Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi who gave them protection whenever they were in trouble. In the meantime, Al-Kanemi continued with his scholarly work by establishing more schools of learning to which people came from everywhere for scholarship.

It was this way that Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi became so popular that in the end he secured the title of the Shehu of Borno. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi was a devout Muslim disciplinarian. Though he was not a jihadist like Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio, he fought his campaigns to protect the territory of Borno. However, he certainly tried to enforce Shari’ah more strictly. In Ngala he was the centre of a group of ‘ulamaa (scholars) who had specially dedicated themselves to Islam and Shari’ah. Moreover, he was a sufi and was widely believed to be a ‘wali’.

Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi’s importance lies chiefly in the fact that his career demonstrates how effective ideas were well armed and strong and they fought hard against the jihadists, yet in the end they were overwhelmed because they lacked the of a powerful ideology to unite their people and fire their hearts. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi, on the other hand, used many of the jihadists’ own spiritual weapons against them. This was sufficient to unite the Borno Muslims behind him and to inspire them with their belief in the cause of religion.

In actual fact, Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi replied not only on Kanembu spears but on the sword of faith and it was this that made him a match for the Fulani jihadists. It was in this way that he managed to stand in the way of the Fulani jihadists conquering Borno but at the same time through scholarship he was able to achieve what the Fulani jihadists wanted to achieve of establishing the proper Shari’ah for the Muslims in Born. Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Kanemi passed away in 1835 and was succeeded by his son ‘Umar as the Shehu of Borno.

By Bashir Sambo, B.A. (Hons) London; Dip. O.A.S. London

Sheikh Mohammed Higab, Alimiyah (Azhar) Cairo
http://www.musnect.com/who-is-sheikh-muhammad-al-amin-al-kanemi/

His name was household name since my childhood.

We used to sing names of prominent Muslims end with "Al-Kanemi ti Borno"

May Allah forgive him.

Amin.

Interesting, never heard about him until I met someone from borno talking about El-kenemi school which had students fluent in Arabic, French and English. I don't know if the school was named after him or he was the founder.

May Allah Bless his soul ameen