The famous Agadez Mosque in Niger
Did you know that the famous Agadez Mosque in northern Niger, visited by tourists, is a mosque that has existed for more than 500 years? It was built by the famous ruler Askia Muhammad, ruler of the Songhai Empire in northern Mali. Its minaret remains the tallest minaret of a mosque in the West African region.
It was recently discovered that Askia Soninke is from our lineage, and his title is Tauray, which is a Soninke title.
It is said that the warlords refused to appoint him as ruler, saying: "Askiya T" which means he will not be a ruler. Nevertheless, he became the ruler of the famous Islamic kingdom.
Hence, he was named Askia Muhammad Tauray, as Prime Minister Dr. Choguel Kokalla Maïga says.
I said to myself: Here, I understood that the Tauray family are the masters of Maïga, and therefore, the Soninke are the masters of the Songhai. 😅 "African jest."
This ruler welcomed many Andalusian refugees who fled to that region, opening his doors and kingdom to them. Therefore, even the mosques in Mali and elsewhere, their architecture is Andalusian, built by displaced Andalusians. Perhaps this mosque was designed by Abu Ishaq al-Andalusi, who built the mosque of Timbuktu, may Allah be pleased with him.
The prince Askia also performed Hajj, like Kankou Musa, known as the richest man in history, both emperors from Mali.
Askia did the same as Kankou Musa 200 years before, as he also purchased Waqf properties in the city, which are still present to this day, benefiting the Haktor family, who have been receiving its revenues for decades, unlike Kankou Musa's Waqf in Mecca.
I had the honor to visit his grave in Gao, and it is still there. I prayed for him and those with him, may Allah have mercy on them.
UNESCO has included this place in the world's heritage list.
The separatist terrorists came in 2012 and demolished this shrine, leveling it to the ground. May Allah curse them, without regard for history or the feelings of an entire nation.
They have instilled hatred for Islam in the hearts of Africans. In fact, I saw some weak-hearted people from Mali declare their apostasy from Islam, and many of my friends counted among them.
There is no power nor strength except with Allah.
Will these terrorists dare to demolish the shrines of the righteous in their own countries first, you criminals?
May Allah have mercy on these great leaders, whom we are proud of, and who left their mark on the history of Islam in the region of Niger and Mali, to keep Islam as a special symbol for the people of the region. Islam was present in Mali before the West and France knew that there were humans in this region.
May Allah be pleased with them all. This is part of history, let's preserve it, for the future is brighter and better.