DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Abstract
This paper attempts to highlight on the decolonization of African Historiography on
Islamic perspective. It aimed to challenge the dominant Eurocentric western views and
promote a more balanced understanding of African Islamic Historiography and culture.
The study scrutinizes the historical context of African Islamic historiography and
analyzes the European intrusion into Islamic Historiography. It also explores the roles of
Muslim historians in developing and maintaining sound historical narratives written by
native African scholars. The research adopted a qualitative method, which includes
descriptive, historical and analytical approaches. It found out that, the Glorious Qur’an
and Sunnah provide divine legitimacy for moral and historical truth in narrative
construction. Therefore, Ajami literature mirrors original Islamic Historiographies, often
ignored and misrepresented in the Western/colonial academic circles. Moreover,
decolonizing African Historiography needs to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, this
means to study African History, particularly Islamic History and its culture through the
divine sources and literature interpreted by the indigenous works of Muslim scholars in
the region. It also explores that Islamic Historiography in Africa preexisted colonialism
and must be recognized as an authentic intellectual tradition. The paper concludes that
decolonizing African historiography is a ladder towards promoting a more inclusive and
equitable representations of African histories and culture. Finally, it recommends the
integration of Afrocentric historical narratives into African History curricula and
research as long as they met the criteria for Islamic principles, so that national,
Ministries of education and universities can integrate African-centered material, oral
sources and indigenous knowledge into history curricula.
Cite this Article
Click "Copy" on any standard format to copy the full citation.
MUHAMMAD, I. A. I. &. A. B. (2026). DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS. Rumfa Journal of Arts, Vol. 4(No. 2), 11–27. https://doi.org/Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges
DR. IBRAHIM ALHAJI ISA & ALHAJI BABA MUHAMMAD. "DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS." Rumfa Journal of Arts, vol. Vol. 4, no. No. 2, 2026, pp. 11–27, https://doi.org/Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges
DR. IBRAHIM ALHAJI ISA & ALHAJI BABA MUHAMMAD. "DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS." Rumfa Journal of Arts Vol. 4, no. No. 2 (2026): 11–27. https://doi.org/Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges
MUHAMMAD, I. A. I. &. A. B. 2026, 'DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS', Rumfa Journal of Arts, vol. Vol. 4, no. No. 2, pp. 11–27, available at:
DR. IBRAHIM ALHAJI ISA & ALHAJI BABA MUHAMMAD, "DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS," Rumfa Journal of Arts, vol. Vol. 4, no. No. 2, pp. 11–27, 2026, doi: Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges
@article{dr2026DECOLONI,
title={{DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS}},
author={{DR. IBRAHIM ALHAJI ISA & ALHAJI BABA MUHAMMAD}},
journal={{Rumfa Journal of Arts}},
volume={{Vol. 4}},
number={{No. 2}},
pages={{11–27}},
year={{2026}},
publisher={{Department of Arts and Humanities, School of Continuing Education, Bayero University, Kano}},
doi={{Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges}}
}
TY - JOUR AU - DR. IBRAHIM ALHAJI ISA & ALHAJI BABA MUHAMMAD TI - DECOLONIZING AFRICAN ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY: ITS CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS JO - Rumfa Journal of Arts VL - Vol. 4 IS - No. 2 SP - 11 EP - 27 PY - 2026 DO - Islam, Historiography, Africa, Decolonizing and Challenges ER -