By Zainab Rauf, Abuja On Saturday, 26th April, 2025, the leader of the Islamic movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, officially launched his a...
By Zainab Rauf, Abuja
On Saturday, 26th April, 2025, the leader of the Islamic movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, officially launched his autobiography, titled RAYUWATA, in Abuja.
The announcement was made on Sunday through the Sheikh’s official Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
During his speech at the event, Sheikh Zakzaky stated, “I briefly mentioned this in the book’s foreword — this work is the result of reflections that came to us while we were in detention following what is known as the Buhari massacre. We realised that Almighty Allah spared our lives, despite their clear intention to kill us. There was no human explanation for surviving that situation; it was purely by the mercy of God, the giver of life. Just as God protected Moses (peace be upon him) in Pharaoh’s house, He also protected us — they intended to kill, but ended up taking care of us instead."
He continued, “We thought, since we were granted this opportunity, it was important to document our experiences — otherwise, they might be lost forever. Malama (my wife) took on the task of recording them. She first authored her own book in English, titled A Brief History of the Islamic Movement. Meanwhile, I narrated my story verbally while she recorded it. It was more like a conversation — she would ask questions, and I would answer. Later, her questions were removed in the final editing, resulting in a continuous narrative. But if one listens to the original audio, it still feels like a dialogue.”
Sheikh Zakzaky explained that the autobiography is a condensed account of his life. “Each stage of my life could have become a full book on its own. For example, if I were to narrate only my early education in traditional Islamic study circles (zaure), it would fill an entire volume. My experiences in modern education, as well as each of my prison experiences, could also each be turned into separate books. However, they were briefly summarised here.”
He also touched on the lessons to be drawn from his life experiences and discussed various internal crises that the Islamic movement faced, often fueled by conspiracies from external enemies. He cited instances such as the conflicts among some sisters after his first release from Port Harcourt Prison, the ordeal caused by the Zuhud followers, and the Tawayiyya crisis.
“The enemies never stopped trying to create turmoil," he said. "When they failed from outside, they tried to sow discord within. Over time, we learned to recognise these patterns. Whenever a new crisis emerged, we could immediately see the familiar tactics at play. Indeed, history repeats itself."
Concluding his speech, Sheikh Zakzaky remarked, “If you believe every problem must be eliminated and everything must be perfect, you are chasing an illusion. You would only waste your time. What we must do is to continue pushing forward until we achieve victory.”
Prior to Sheikh Zakzaky’s address, Dr. Hussaini Hassan presented a review of the book. After the leader’s speech, members of the Islamic movement and representatives of various affiliated forums were invited to purchase copies of the autobiography.
According to the launching committee, RAYUWATA will be unveiled in various chapters across the country in the coming weeks.
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