Observation

This was a fairly popularquestion. Only a few of the candidates got it right while a large number of them could not establish the role of Hajj in the spread of Islam in West Africa. It is basically on historical facts and to get good mark, candidates were expected to mention the following points:

• hajj is the 5th pillar of Islam which is incumbent on Muslims who can afford it, at least once in a life time.
• pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah was a major factor that attracted some West-Africa people to Islam.
• some as a result of cheap materials available in Arabia embraced Islam so as to explore the opportunity of Hajj to buy such materials.
• special privileges accorded pilgrims contributed to the spread of Islam among the people of West Africa.
• these special privileges included the religious titles of Alhaji and Alhaja/Hajjiah given to male and female pilgrims respectively.
• another privileges were the farewell and welcome parties organized in their honour.
•  the preaching activities of scholars who passed through the desert of West Africa while returning from Hajj, played a significant role in the spread of Islam.
• the famous historic pilgrimage of Mansa Musa was a landmark in the spread of Islam in West Africa.
• some people genuinely embraced Islam in West Africa so as to benefit from the spiritual transformation attached to the performance of Hajj.
• The commercial activities of the Arabia attracted some in west Africa to embraced Islam so as to perform Hajj and thereafter engage in trade.
• notable Muslim chiefs returned to West Africa after Hajj with Muslim scholars to reform Islam in their kingdoms or empires.
• Mansa Musa, for instance, returned from Hajj with an architect (Abū Ibrahim as- Sahili at-Tuwajjin) who designed mosques and palaces in Mali to conform to that of the Muslim World.