| The University was organized around three
great Masajids or Mosques. The Masajid of Jingaray Ber, The Masajid of
Sidi Yahya, The Masajid of Sankore. Masajids are places of worship for
Muslims. Not only did students seek knowledge, but they also purified
their souls through the sciences of Islam. Islam breeds leaders that are
God fearing, just, honest, trustworthy and of excellent moral character.
Graduate students were the embodiment of the teachings of the Holy Qur'an
and the traditions of the Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam.
Around the 12th century, the University of Timbuktu had an attendance
of 25, 000 students in a city which had a population of 100, 000 people.
The students came from all corners of the African continent in search
of excellence in knowledge and trade. On graduation day, students were
given Turbans. The turban symbolizes Divine light, wisdom, knowledge and
excellent moral conduct. The turban represents the demarcation line between
knowledge and ignorance. The knots and circles of the turban represent
the name Allah. This means that the graduate students know the Divine
obligations and responsibilities to be discharge honorably in their communities
and toward their fellowmen.
The University curriculum had four degrees or levels:
1. The primary degree
At this level the students memorized the Holy Qur'an, perfected their
mastery of the Arabic language and learned to communicate and write effectively.
The students were also introduced to the basics in other sciences. This
level is also called Qur'anic school.
2. The secondary degree
Now the students have committed the Holy Qur'an to memory. This is very
important because all the Islamic sciences are routed and derived from
the Qur'an which constitute the source of authentic and authority. Any
teachings or narrations that are not supported by the verses of the Qur'an
are rejected and constitute an innovation. This level may be called the
General Studies level. Here the students are introduced to the different
branches of Islamic knowledge. These Islamic sciences are: grammar, commentaries
of the Qur'an, the Hadiths or the Prophetic narrations, jurisprudence,
mathematics, geography, history, Islamic schools of thoughts, physics,
astronomy, chemistry, sciences of the purification of the heart and soul,
etc. The students also spend time in learning a trade and the Islamic
business code and ethics. The university trade shops offered classes in
business, carpentry, farming, fishing, construction, shoe making, tailoring,
navigation etc. This is very important because as an Imam or Islamic scholar
one has to impart honest and unbiased judgments in settling legal issues.
This integrity will be compromised if the Imam or the scholar living expenses
are being supplied by the rich people. In order the Imam or scholar to
be just and fair in discharging legal decrees, he has to earn his own
halal (permissible) income.
3. The superior degree
The curriculum was highly specialized. The students sat in classes of
renowned professors. Sankore was one of the most important departments
of the University in this regard. At this level, the studies were of higher
learning and mastery and are comparable to any university in the Islamic
world. The students did more of the research work. For instance, the professors
of the different branches of Islamic knowledge would give the students
questions on different subjects and topics to be researched. Each student
would then present, argue and defend his position in front of the professors
and other students who would storm him with a flow of tough questions.
Students go from one department to the others and from one professor to
the others in search of knowledge. Most students at this stage would find
a Shayk or master and study under his guidance. The Shayk would purge
the student of all his Shaytanic characteristics and tendencies, and then
would ensure that the same graduate student be a good Islamic model for
the generation to come. Graduation was based upon a student's excellent
Islamic character and his mastery of Islamic knowledge.
4. The circle of knowledge
This is the club of Muslim Imams, Scholars and Professors. It here that
most of the important and crutial issues of Islam are being discussed.
The caliphs or Muslims state leaders such as Askia Mohammed of the Songhai
Empire, Mansa Musa of the Malian Empire, Shayk Amadu of the Fulani caliphate
of Massina, The Amirs and sultans of the provinces of the Sudan would
send crutial questions to the Ulemas or scholars of Timbuktu. The scholar
who received the questions will make copies of these question or issues
and distribute them among the members of the circle of knowledge. Each
scholar will research the issue and then they all get together to share
their answers and thus put together a manuscripts dealing in detail with
the questions or issues and then issue a Fatwa or legal Islamic ruling
by the government authorities will abide.
There was also the case of one Muslim who was wealthy and generous. Whoever
was in need in Timbuktu approached him and secured a loan. As time went
by, the Imam ofJingare Ber noticed that the number of attendance of Mosque
was decreasing each Friday. (Jingare Ber, up to the present day, is the
only Masjid open on Fridays in Timbuktu. The entire population converges
to this famous Mosque). The Imam inquired about the cause of the lowered
attendance at the Masjid and discovered that most people of Timbuktu owed
money to the generous wealthy man. The people who owed him money were
unable to pay their debt so they decided to stay home for fear and embarassment
of running into the man. The dilemma now is what to do. The matter was
submitted to the circle of knowledge who decided that the wealthy man
should stayed home or forgive the debt. The wealthy man was called in.
He forgave the debtees and said he had no idea that the lower attendance
was because of him.
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Sankore University
Jingaray Ber university campus
Classical Calligraphy |
