Sheikh Abdul-Wahab Abdur-Rauf Tolohunlashe; Righteousness to Greatness

Sheikh Abdul-Wahab Abdur-Rauf Tolohunlashe was born in 1963 at Alasoro in Ifelodun Local Government of Kwara State. His journey to the position of leadership was earned with righteousness and never an easy one as recounted by him. He believed the parent intention and vision for their children have a lot to do with their future. According to him, his father as a Muslim loves Islam and ensures his children practice Islam and learn Al-Qur’an to the point of no doubt. The passion for Islam prompt his father quickly not only enrolled but adopted him to his uncle; Sheikh Yahya Alao, who is an Islamic Scholar and Chief Imam of Alasoro then to learn Al-Qur’an where he receive his first certificate in the learning of Al-Qur’an in 1976 at the age of 13 years; the beginning of the journey to becoming Islamic Scholar. The most interesting part of it was that not until then, he never knew his biological father not because he is dead or abandoned him, but because his uncle never showed or behaved that he is not the real father and his biological father too never show the sign. In other word he believes his uncle to be his father.

In 1977 after receiving his first certificate in Qur’an study, he started his primary education. His father, a lover of Islam never wanted him to go for the western education due to the fact that every student then was forced to change name and converted to Christianity before enrollment for western education. With good Islamic foundation, he is able to scale through and receive his first leaving certificate.

While planning to gain admission for secondary education, his father fell seriously sick; the sickness that eventually lead to death after moving from one hospital to another. But before his death, his father on his sick bed one day insisted he wanted to see him. When he arrived, he asked; “Are you studying your Qur’an and learning about Islam?” The father this way is trying to confirm his intention and vision for him.

After his father’s death, his uncle Alhaji Yahya Alao and Alhaji Mahmud sat him down to recall his father’s intention of ensuring he become an Islamic Scholar. During that period, he already gain admission into the newly established secondary school in a Akunji; a community close to Alasoro in Ifelodun Local Government in Kwara State even though he is unable to sat for the entrance examination during his fathers sickness but after being tested and found smart enough, he was given admission, but now that his father is not available to give him go ahead coupled with his last question and confirmation of the study of Al-Qur’an and Islam, he decided to follow his father’s intention and vision for him and has never regretted doing so.

Having submitted to his father’s intention to continue his Arabic and Islamic study, he relocated to Lagos to stay with his uncle Alhaji Yahyah AbdulRauf where he was enrolled at Darul-Falah Arabic and Islamic Institution Under the great Scholar Sheikh Yahyah Agboola. Sheikh AbdulWahab AbdulRauf Tolohunlashe recounted his several challenges during his course of study among which are accommodation and finance but never allow anyone of this challenges overcome his dream of being a scholar and eventually received his equivalent Bsc. Certificate in Arabic and Islamic Studies in 1990.

In his own words;

“During his course of studies, he come to realized that there are lots of challenges that come with learning and that there are even more challenges in using the knowledge acquired in a righteous way to become great”.

After graduating at Darul Falah Arabic and Islamic School, being one of the best students, he was retained as one of the lecture where he lecture and gain more experience for 5 years before starting his own Arabic and Islamic School (Darul Bayan Arabic and Islamic School) at Shibiri Ekunpa, a community under Ojo Local Government in Lagos State in a mosques owned by one of his brother, Alhaji Saka Alasoro where he spent 13 years teaching children about Islam and how to read Al-Qur’an, read and speaks in Arabic. Within the 13 years, he also started a western education along with it, being first Islamic Nursery and Primary School (western Education) within the community. That 13 years witness a lot of crisis that leads to vacating the premises he is using for both schools. He has no choice than to let go of the western education (Nursery and Primary School) while he focused on the Arabic and Islamic education; a decision few people will choose. In his own words;

“It was during this crisis I remember what my mentor; Sheikh Yahya Agboola use to tell us that every achievement big or small have behind it a man full of determination, patience and perseverance”.

The 13 years crisis is few among the challenges encountered by Darul Bayan Arabic and Islamic School before earning the fame within the community and beyond. Thanks to the man; Sheikh AbdulWahab AbdulRauf Tolohunlashe who believe in achieving greatness through righteousness with the support of other Muslim philanthropist among who Alhaji Tajudeen Bashorun aka Tenten Kobo who stand as a Guarantor for new premises after leaving her former location, Alhaji AbdulGafar Zubair; who gave the school the land for her permanent location and the school PTA Chairman; Alhaji Abdul Rafiu Ola-Anabi who gave the school the required materials to erect a structure on the land to commence learning among others.

Darul Bayan still need a befitting structure on the land hosting the school but the proprietor is not the type that compromise Islamic injunction to achieve it despite the fact that it is for the Islamic purpose. If he is ready to earn income receiving school fees from the students or use his spiritual prowess to cajole followers and general public as it is the order of the day, this would never have being a challenge.

Sheikh AbdulWahab AbdulRauf Tolohunlashe has conducted lots of researches, gave thousands of lectures and authored several poetry and books among which are; The Need to Return to Islam, marriage Through the Internet, The Future of a Child among others.