Who is a Mallam?

When you look at current happenings in the world, you would realize some countries have had to go to war because of religious differences. Religion is so much a sensitive spot that moves people to act passionately in the spirit of defending what they hold sacred.

 Karl Marx, one of the greatest sociologists of all time is quoted to have said “Religion is the opium of the masses”. 

Ghana is not far from countries within the West African sub region which have been caught in religious violence, the evidence is in what is happening in our sister African countries like Nigeria, Mali, Kenya, Somalia, Central Africa Republic and in other parts of the world.

Most of these wars are borne out of petty misunderstandings of each other’s religion. A little reading on the other’s religion would help a lot in clearing this misunderstanding. My issue is with the usage of the term “Mallam” to connote the activities of a ritualist or a spiritual healer. It is common to hear people say they are going to a Mallam to seek for one spiritual help or another. I have no worries in seeking super natural help from people who claim to have such powers. My worry is when these people are referred to as “Mallams”- an otherwise respected figure in the Islamic religion.

The word “Mallam” has been given different meanings in the Ghanaian context for a very long time. Most Ghanaians have come to understand the word “Mallam” differently from its original context. I will take time to explain the word “Mallam” with the hope that misconception and abuse of that holistic word would stop.

The word “Mallam”, is a distorted Arabic word rightly pronounced "Mu'allim" which means "teacher". The word “Ulama” is the plural of “Alim”, Arabic for "Man of knowledge," teacher or authority. “Alim” is derived from the term “Elm”, (knowledge) but, the word Mallam soon became generally referred to a man with deep knowledge about Islamic religion.

The opposite of Elm is jahl, meaning ignorance, “Jahilia” or “Jahiliyah” refers, usually derisively, to the period before Islam - the period of ignorance, in Islamic teaching. Both terms, “Alim” and “Jahil” appear frequently in the Holy Quran. Therefore “Ulama” are guardians against a return to “Jahiliyah”. Interestingly, the word “Alim” literarily and generally means men of secular science or, simply, a Scientist.

The “Ulama” as a class are men of knowledge in Sunni Islam who have been trained in the religious sciences, such as the Quran, Hadith and other Islamic Religious Knowledge thus qualifying them to exercise authority in the mosque or in the “Madrassas” (Islamic schools). Therefore, an “Alim” may lead prayers and deliver the Friday sermon, perform rituals at marriage, birth and deaths ceremonies and other religious occasions.

I would like to discuss the role of the “Ulama” (Islamic scholars) in Islamic society based on the Al-Qur’an and the Sunnah.

In Islam, no person has the religious authority that require others to submit to his personal view and interpretation. We do have Islamic scholars who are well-versed in the Qur’an and Sunnah and Islamic Jurisprudence (Shariah) in general. We know of the national Chief Imam who is regarded as a father and teacher to all Muslims in Ghana.

The excellence of learned people (Ulama) in the Qur’an is manifest in: “Allah (Himself) proffers evidence: and so do the angels and all who are endowed with knowledge - that there is no deity save Him ... “ 3:16.

Imam Ghazali commented on this “Ayah” (Verse) by saying “See then, how Allah has mentioned Himself first, the angels second, then men endowed with knowledge third. In knowledge is honor, excellence, distinction and rank. And again, Allah says: ”Allah will raise up to (suitable) rank (and degree) those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge.” 58:11

In “Surat al-Tawba” where Jihad was declared as an obligation, Allah said that even in this circumstance there should be a group of people who should stay behind and study and teach - source people – “Ulama”. The Qur’an referred to them by saying “Li yata faqqahu fildeen.”

“...It is not desirable that all of the believers take the field in time of war: From within every group, in their midst. Some shall refrain from going forth to war, and shall devote themselves instead to acquiring a deeper knowledge of the faith, and thus be able to teach their home-coming brethren, so that these too might guard themselves against evil.” 9:122

This Quranic verse is very clear that there should be a class of people who devote themselves to study and who also teach what they have learned to others.

The Holy Quran had said: “Innama yakhsha Allaha min ibadihi al Ulama…”. This means: ”Of all of His servants, only such as are endowed with knowledge stand truly in awe of God; for they alone comprehend that verily, God is almighty, much-forgiving.” 35:28.:

Our Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) emphasized the excellence of the “Ulama” in many Hadith: Abu Umama al Bahili reported that two persons were mentioned to the Messenger - one being “Abid” (a devout worshipper), the other being “Alim” (a scholar). The Prophet then said: ”The superiority of a scholar (Alim) over the devout (Abid) is like my superiority over a worshiper or like that of the moon in the night when it is full over the rest of the stars, and truly the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and truly the Prophets do not leave behind them gold or silver, they only leave knowledge as their heritage. So whosoever acquires knowledge acquires a huge fortune.” Transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

In other Hadith, Imam Ahmad bin Hambal is quoted to have said that the need for these scholars is more important “than air and water”.

Another narration by Tirmidhi is said to be that Ibn Abbas reported the Prophet as saying: “A single “Faqih” (scholar of religion) is more formidable against a devil than a thousand devout persons”.

Our Prophet warned the Muslim nation “Ummah” that knowledge would be extinguished from the earth and that people would be misled by ignorant leaders and mushroom scholars.

Abdulla bin Umar (ra) reported the Prophet saying: ”Allah will not cause extinction of knowledge by taking it away from the servants, but He will cause extinction of knowledge by taking away the learned ones. When no learned man remains, the people will then take the illiterate as their leaders. They will seek religious verdicts from them and they will deliver those verdicts without knowledge and the people will go astray and lead each other into error.” Bukhari and Muslim.

In view of the above references, Islamic scholars in the society are:

·         The learned people (Ulama).

·          Those who lead Muslim people and who must be followed by the Muslim people.

·         Those endowed with sound knowledge to guide people to the right path.

·          Those who are necessary for the community’s benefit.

Today, the Muslim Ummah is in virtual ignorance. Therefore many mushroom Islamic scholars act as Imams and Sheikhs (Muslim Scholars) without sound knowledge of the Qur’an, the Hadith, the (Fiqh) Islamic jurisprudence and the “Ijma” (consensus of opinion). When such unqualified scholars give religious verdicts, people are led astray. In order to save the Ummah from this predicament, there must be an umbrella of qualified and accredited Ulama who specialize in Islamic Sciences, for the masses to seek their guidance and opinion on Islamic religious matters.

Religious knowledge is more delicate and tougher than for example knowledge of fixing a car or a table. The knowledge of worshiping Allah and knowing his dos and don’ts is the obligatory upon every Muslim. But, if a Muslim does not have the necessary knowledge to make a religious, social or financial decision in a specific instance, then he must ask the Ulama. If that makes them a class of learned people, it is not an evil class.

If you have traveled to some notable regions in Ghana, you will have noticed advertisement on notice boards about persons claiming to have spiritual powers, thus conferring the titles of “Mallam” upon themselves. But digging deep into their knowledge capacity you will be surprised to know that they cannot even read the “Fatiha” (The opening chapter of the holy Quran), which is the commonest chapter in the Muslims’ holy book. How then do you call these people Mallam's?

In Ghana, most people have disrespected Islam and Muslims from time immemorial. Just look at it this way, the word “Mallam”, by definitions provided by the holy Quran and Hadith, is someone who is a teacher and or a learned person. The prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) is quoted to have said that the Ulama (Mlalam's) are his representatives on earth.

In recent developments, some religious leaders and Journalists from other religious faiths have made mention of the word “MALLAM” in bad taste, I have read a publication in a respected news medium in Ghana, written by a journalist, whom I believe has gone through the pre-requisite training and is fully aware of how journalism has caused countries to go to war. The journalist was quoting a pastor who was advising the family of the missing Ghanaian musician, “Castro”, not to visit any “Mallam” to know the where about of their son, which I believe was very insulting to all Muslims in Ghana. (Castro went missing when he went jet-skiing on the Ada River in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana).

Well, you can’t really blame any of them because even most Muslims do not understand the word “Mallam” in its real sense as it has been adulterated, misinterpreted and misconceived for many years now.

We have seen how sensitive journalism write ups and vituperations from radio and TV programs had stirred up troubles leading to bloodshed between people of different faith, ethnicity or race. At least, the sad memory of the blood bath manifested in the Rwandan genocide is still fresh in our minds.

I remember what I heard and read about the Biafran war in Nigeria which killed and maimed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, scarring Nigeria up to date. That senseless war was based on religion and ethnicity. Religion is one of the most sensitive issues, which we must handle with great care and mutual respect to ensure peace, tranquility and peaceful coexistence, so that our dear Ghana would continue to enjoy the peace, stability, development and progress that made her the envy of all other African states.

I believe prejudice, lose talks, misconception and insensitivity to the culture of others, are some of the main reasons why some countries encountered war that led to bloodshed, pain and anguish. This should not be allowed to happen in our dear motherland, Ghana.

I am not inciting violence against anyone. I’m rather using this platform to urge Muslims and non-Muslims alike to have respect for the word “Mallam” and to clear the misconceptions and misunderstanding that has for a long time now shrouded this noble word and work. I feel very disappointed when I see my Muslim brothers also being misled or misleading others in the understanding or misunderstanding of the name.

I believe that, as one nation, one people with one common destiny, we must make it a point to read more about each other’s religion and to avoid the intentional or deliberate use of certain words or phrases out of context just to make fun of others.

We thank God for the peace our dear country Ghana is enjoying and for the peaceful nature of its people. I believe it’s high time the media houses, who run adverts of fetish priest who call themselves “Mallam this and Mallam that” synchronize the kind of ads they put through their channels. It speaks less of a reputable organization to let ads which speaks less of other religions go through their channel because of the money involved.

Dear reader, please note that “Mallam” is not synonymous to a ritualist. These so-called “Mallam's” who claim to have super natural healing powers have no place in Islam and must be condemned and dismissed by all.