Malam Ahmad Bello

Malam Ahmad was born on Friday 1st October,
1949 (7th Dhul Hijjah, 1368, for which reason he
was nicknamed and addressed as ‘Alhaji’). He
completed learning and recitation of the Noble
Qur’an in his 12th year in 1961. For the next ten
years he would study Islamic jurisprudence at the
revered feet of his dad, the late Malam
Muhammadu Bello Kagara, MBE, the Walin
Katsina, and continue doing so to date under other
scholars. As the best student in every subject in his
school days, Malam Ahmad sat the ‘O’ Level and ‘A’
Level examinations in 1968 and 1970. He was the
best in the Hausa Language Essay Competition
organised in 1967 for the twelve states of northern
Nigeria, and a prize winner in the President John F Kennedy Memorial Essay
Competition organised by the US Embassy in 1970.
He taught mathematics in the Katsina Teachers Training College before commencing
his university education at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1971. The General
Secretary, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Mal. Ibrahim Dasuki, then Baraden, but later the
Sultan of Sokoto, invited him in 1972 to serve as the university students’ representative
at the JNI, where he also served as a member of its Finance Committee, under the
chairmanship of Sir Usman Nagogo, the Emir of Katsina, along with Mal. Aminu Kano
and Mal. Yusufu Maitama Sule as other members, and the Baraden Sokoto as the
secretary. The World Muslim League had embarked on the laudable project of
translating the Noble Qur’ān into major world languages of which Hausa was one, and
Shaykh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, the Grand Qadi of Northern Nigeria, has underaken
this task. However, he had made a humble request to the JNI to arrange a review of his
translation by other scholars. The issue was presented at a meeting of the JNI, whilst
Shaykh Gumi was away at a meeting of the Rābitā in KSA. A heated and inconclusive
debate ensued. Malam Ahmad, on being given the floor (or so he thought) by the Sultan
of Sokoto, Sir Abubakar, the Chair, advised that as the House was unfortunately
divided, Shaykh Gumi’s translation must not be tampered with by the proposed review
committee of learned and trusted scholars. He argued that would be unfair to the Malam
for a review that he might not agree with and yet later carry his name as the author.
Rather, JNI should charge the now chosen review committee of trusted experts to come
up with an approved translation.

The House was divided on his advice. It was alleged that he had spoken without prior
permission and, therefore, ordered to be taken out of the meeting by the police. His
uncle, Dr Abubakar Imam, was utterly impressed by the logic of his argument but
otherwise chose to remain silent. Several members said that if the young Mal. Ahmad
was taken out of the meeting, they too should be taken out along with him. The matter
ended there; it had to. Therefore, the publication of Malam’s translation had to go
ahead without the review he had sought, even though he had later privately requested
Dr Abubakar Imam to undertake a review of it for him, albeit under very limited and
insufficient time.
In 1975, Malam Ahmad proceeded to the UK to study professional accountancy at the
Slough College of Higher Education (now Thames Valley University) and the London
School of Accountancy. A copy of Shaykh Gumi’s Hausa translation of the Noble Qur’ān
came out and Mal. Muhtar Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, then studying at King Abdul’aziz
University in Makkah, procured and sent a copy to Mal. Ahmad in London.
Mal. Ahmad took a holistic and extensive review of the work and forwarded it, in
instalments, to Shaykh Gumi, who approved the review and acknowledged this in
subsequent edition of the translation. He would, to the utter surprise of his students
seated around him, openly address Mal. Ahmad as “Mai gyara mani tarjamar AlƘur’āni”.
Gifted with a flair for writing, Malam Ahmad has so far authored close to twenty books,
notable among which are: “Time in the Life of a Muslim” [1998], a translation of Prof.
Yusuf bin ‘Abdillāh Al-Qaraḍāwī’s, “Al-Waqtu fī Hayātil Mu’lim’, which, with his approval
has been published by TaHa Publishers in London; “Time Utilisation” [2001], being
originally a paper presented, as Guest Speaker, at a Management Development
Training Workshop organised by the Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah, KSA;
“Priorities in the Light of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah” [2003]; being a translation of Dr.
Al-Qaradāwī’s ‘Fī Fiqhil Awlawiyyāt: Darāsatun Jadīdah fī Dau’il Qur’ān was Sunnah’;
“Interest-Free Banking? Yes!” [2003]; originally a paper presented at the Annual
NTA/MKO Abiola Memorial Lecture organised by NTA Channel 10, Lagos and at a
meeting of Chief Inspectors of Banks in Nigeria; and “A Step Guide on the Acquisition
of Knowledge” [2007]; being a work commissioned by a Think-Tank to advise the new
Sultān of Sokoto on Acquisition of Knowledge. Malam Ahmad served as Bursar,
Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic. He subsequently had several years of merchant
and commercial banking exposure, which was crowned with a special award, in 1994,
for meritorious and selfless service by the Committee of Chief Inspectors of Banks in
Nigeria. He has served in the capacity of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of
Penman Pensions Ltd, a pension fund administrator. He has also served, after
retirement, in the capacity of Bursar at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina.
Malam Ahmad currently serves as the Chairman, Majlis Al-Shūrā of National Islamic
Centre, Zaria and delivers lessons between Maghrib and Ishā’ in mosques in Katsina