Scholar of Riyadha Mosque
Sayyid Abubakar bin Abdulrahman bin Abubakar bin Abdulrahman bin Abubakar bin Ahmad bin Abubakar bin Abdallah bin Shaykhan bin Al-Hussein bin Sheikh Abubakar bin Salim was born in Lamu in 1828. His mother, Hafswah bint Ahmad bin Abdulrahman bin Abubakar bin Ahmad Al - Hussein
Mwenye Manswabu began his studies in Lamu and later travelled with Habib Abubakar Ashatry (Mwenye wa Maka) to Hejaz ( Saudi Arabia) where he learnt under many scholars including the then Mufti of Mecca Sayyid Ahmad Zain Dahlan for a number of years.
To satisfy his immense quest for knowledge, Mwenye Manswabu ,then, travelled to Hadhramout where he spent time learning under one of the most celebrated Hadhrami scholars of the time Sayyid Aidarus bin Umar Al-Habshy. There are reports that he also spent time studying in Jerusalem.
Before travelling to Hadhramout :
- Mwenye Manswabu was first appointed by Sultan Majid of Zanzibar (d. 1870) to serve as the Qadhi of the town of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
- After Sultan Majid’s death, Sultan Barghash (d. 1888) appointed him to be the Qadhi of Lamu.
- Later on, during the reign of Sultan Hamud (d. 1902) he was appointed the Qadhi of Chwaka, one of the districts of Zanzibar.
At Chwaka, Mwenye Manswabu built a mosque and donated part of his properties as waqf to carter for the maintenance of the mosque.
After a long service in Tanzania and Zanzibar, Mwenye Maswabu returned to Lamu to concentrate in teaching. He established Islamic educational circles at Masjid Rawdha which is situated at the sea front next to Lamu’s harbour
Mwenye Manswabu was also a talented poet and writer. He wrote many treatises which include the following poetic master pieces:
- Tafsir ya Hamziya
- Tafsir ya Burdah
- Tafsiri ya Tabaraka dhul Ula
- Ahlul Kisaa.
At Masjid Rawdha, one of Mwenye Manswabu’s many students was Habib Swaleh. Mwenye Manswabu was very impressed by Habib Swaleh’s academic excellence and integrity such that he decided to offer him a large piece of his farmland at Dari ya Mtanga so that Habib Swaleh could establish an academic centre.
Mwenye Manswabu’s generosity knew no bounds. He also donated much in kind and materials during the construction of the Riyadha Mosque . In fact, Mwenye Maswabu was the main sponsor and financier of Habib Swaleh’s projects both in economic, social and spiritual aspects; during Habib Swaleh’s tribulations with the people of Lamu when he introduced the using of tambourines inside the mosque during maulid celebrations – a tradition never done before by the people of Lamu – it was Mwenye Manswabu’s scholarly response in defense of Habib Swaleh that ensured the people of Lamu accepted the tradition
During his sunset years, Mwenye Manswabu rarely got out of Masjid Rawdha so that he is able to punctually observe all fardh prayers and academic sessions, he even ordered his bed to be brought inside the mosque due to old age
Mwenye Manswabu was blessed with piety, knowledge, wealth and long life. He died in 1922 at the age of 94 years in Lamu. He was buried at the Langoni graveyard in Lamu.