Sheikh Abubakar Gumi (1924–1992) is considered one of the influential figures in the religious and political history of modern Nigeria, particularly in its predominantly Muslim north. He was a social reformer, a high-ranking judge, and an intellectual theorist who contributed to reshaping Islamic identity in West Africa during the 20th century. As the first Grand Khadi (Chief Justice) of northern Nigeria, he combined state authority with religious influence, leaving a legacy that continues to spark scholarly and intellectual debate to this day.
Abubakar Mahmud Gumi was born in 1924 in the village of Gummi, now part of Zamfara State in northern Nigeria. He came from a family with a long tradition of Islamic scholarship; his father, Mahmud Gumi, was a prominent judge and teacher in the region. He received his early education in traditional Quranic schools (kuttab), where he memorized the Quran and studied the principles of Maliki jurisprudence and Arabic.
In the 1930s and 40s, Gumi transitioned to formal education under British administrative control of Nigeria, attending an educational institution in Sokoto and later in Kano. He traveled to Sudan to study law in Khartoum, where he specialized in Islamic jurisprudence and Arabic. There, he was exposed to modern Islamic intellectual currents and became acquainted with the reform movements sweeping the Arab world, which formed the seeds of his thought that he brought back to Nigeria.
Gumi began his career as a teacher of Arabic and Islamic studies in government colleges, quickly distinguishing himself as a rare administrative and legal expert. He was appointed in 1962 to the position of “Khadhi al-Akbar,” or Chief Justice of the Northern Region, the highest Sharia judicial post at the time.
Gumi played a crucial role in organizing the Sharia courts and standardizing legal procedures to align with the requirements of the modern state without compromising Islamic jurisprudence. He believed in the necessity of developing the judiciary to be able to address the complexities of contemporary life.
The influence of Abubakar Gumi cannot be understood without considering his close relationship with Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto), the First Minister of Northern Nigeria and the most powerful political figure in the country before the 1966 coup. Gumi was Bello’s religious advisor and confidant, accompanying him on most of his trips abroad to the Arab world, particularly Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Gumi contributed to the formulation of Ahmadu Bello’s “Northern Policy,” which aimed to unite northern Nigeria under the banner of Islamic identity and the Hausa language to counter the political influence emanating from the south. He believed that political unity among Muslims was essential to protecting their interests, but he consistently emphasized that this unity must be based on “correct doctrine” and must transcend tribalism.
One of the important projects in relation to Gumi’s life was “purifying the faith of heresies and superstitions.” At that time, Sufi orders (especially the Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya) dominated the religious landscape in northern Nigeria and were closely linked to the traditional ruling families (emirs).
Gumi engaged in sharp intellectual clashes with the sheikhs of the Sufi orders, strongly criticizing practices such as supplication to saints, extravagant celebrations, and rigid religious hierarchies. He saw these practices as obstacles to the scientific and social advancement of Muslims.
Although Gumi did not initially lead a formal organization, his ideas and teachings sparked the founding of the Izala Movement (Jama’at Izalat al-Bid’a wa Iqamat as-Sunna = JIBWIS) in 1978. His students, most notably Sheikh Ismail Idris, adopted Gumi’s approach to preaching and teaching, and the movement spread throughout Nigeria and neighboring countries (Niger, Cameroon, and Chad).
Abubakar Gumi recognized early on the power of media in disseminating ideas. He utilized Radio Nigeria in Kaduna to broadcast a program explaining the Quran in Hausa, which became the most popular program in West Africa at the time. His broadcast Islamic lessons and teachings were characterized by their simplicity, clarity, appeal to reason, and focus on contemporary social issues.
His greatest literary and scholarly achievement is considered to be his translation of the meanings of the Quran into Hausa. This translation became the primary reference for millions of Hausa speakers, enabling the average person to understand the Quranic text directly without complex intermediaries.
Gumi authored a book in Arabic entitled “Returning Minds to the Meanings of the Quran” (رد الأذهان إلى معاني القرآن), which is still studied in scholarly circles.
In 1987, he was awarded the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam. This accolade was an international recognition of Gumi’s role in disseminating Islamic understanding, translating the Quran, and his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence.
According to the King Faisal Prize’s website:
“Shaikh Gumi effectively illustrated the true Sharia through his publications such as: his translation of the Holy Quran meanings, and authoring Al-Aqidah Al-Sahihah Bi Muwafaqat Al-Shariah, and Radd Al-Athhan Ela Ma’ani Al-Quran.
Shaikh Gumi had a long history of struggle against colonialism in his country and was closely associated with the Nigerian leader Ahmadu Bello. The two men formed the Organization for Support of Islam, which played a significant role in fighting superstition and ignorance and in promulgating Islamic values among Nigerian Muslims.”
He used the prize money to support educational and charitable projects in Nigeria.
Sheikh Abubakar Gumi passed away in London on September 11, 1992, and was buried in Kaduna, with a large crowd in attendance, reflecting his immense stature.
