By Aboo Aamir
"Whoever was not trained properly will be trained by the passing of days."
The 20th of Jumaada al-Aakhirah, 1446 AH (equivalent to the 22nd of December, 2024), will remain a day the young boys and girls associated with the ostentatious "Pristine Methodology" and its offshoots in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria, would wish had never happened.
That day revealed the bitter consequences of a vile and cult-like methodology that these young individuals had adopted in their approach to Da'wah.
Habeeb Arikeuyo, also known as "Abu Anwar," the de facto leader of the group, had recently traveled to Saudi Arabia. During his trip, he sent reports of his experiences at places. It was during this month-long journey that he sent a message to his followers in Ilorin claiming that a respected scholar of Sunnah in Ilorin, Shaykh Abdulwahhab Ajia (may Allah preserve him), had falsely claimed to have a designated teaching seat in the Prophet's Masjid. Habeeb claimed to have "evidence" proving the Shaykh wrong and even shared a photo of a covered seat, asserting it was being shielded from people like Shaykh Ajia, whom he accused of hijacking scholars’ seats to present lessons to students.
Back home, his lieutenants—such as Sofiyullahi Ibn Ishaq (currently in prison custody at the time of writing), Mubaarak Olayemi, Temitope Olatinwo, and others—began maligning and slandering the reputation of Shaykh Ajia (though not their first time, an online interview the Shaykh granted recently triggered the latest attack on his personality by the boys). Habeeb went as far as branding the Shaykh a "Fayawo" teacher, meaning a seat hijacker, and his followers widely spread this baseless accusation.
Some of Shaykh Ajia’s concerned students felt it was necessary to report Habeeb and his associates to the appropriate authorities, demanding that they either substantiate their claims or face the consequences of their actions.
When Habeeb learned of these plans, he arrogantly boasted from Saudi Arabia that if arrested upon his return, he would ensure the authorities at the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah took action. Such confidence seemed both audacious and delusional.
Sofiyullahi narrated what is below from him:
Upon his return, Habeeb and his associates were appropriately summoned. Over the next three weeks, despite multiple opportunities to retract their false accusations and apologize, Habeeb remained defiant. He even bragged at the police station about having international scholars supporting him.
This overconfidence is symptomatic of individuals like Habeeb, who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, were exposed to hyper-zealous online influences such as "Salafi Publications" (led by Abu Khadeejah SP), known for their divisive approach to Da'wah and harsh criticism of even reputable scholars. Habeeb and his group adopted this "fire-them-all" methodology, which led them to dismiss every scholar of Sunnah in Nigeria, including their own immediate teachers in Arabic grammar, Tawheed, and Aqeedah.
Shaykh Abdulwahhab Ajia, who spent years learning from eminent scholars in Saudi Arabia—such as Ash-Shaykh al-Allaamah al-Usooli Muhammad Mukhtar ash-Shinqeeti (may Allah preserve him)—became their primary target. Another victim of their slander was Dr. Sharaf Gbadebo (may Allah preserve him), a scholar of international acclaim in translation, along with numerous other respected scholars whom they reduced to subjects of ridicule.
In late November 2024, Habeeb and Sofiyullahi were arrested and arraigned in court to either prove their claims against Shaykh Ajia or retract them. They refused to backtrack initially. However, as the days in detention passed, their followers began to delete incriminating evidence against them from social media. Unfortunately for them, the damage had already been documented.
Eventually, unable to withstand the pressure and sensing the looming threat of a lengthy prison sentence, Habeeb relented. With the intervention of relatives, he publicly retracted his accusations and sought Shaykh Ajia’s forgiveness. This occurred just days ago, on December 22, 2024. Click here for the second session of his public retraction and apology, you can skip to the 27th minute in the video for his retraction in English Language.
Some of Habeeb's followers grumbled about his retraction. Habeeb himself admitted that, had some of them been present at the venue of his public apology, they might have caused trouble. However, he quickly backtracked when confronted.
Meanwhile, his associate, Sofiyullahi Ibn Ishaq—who often acted as the group’s spokesperson—remains in prison custody at the time of writing. It is expected that he too will soon apologize publicly for his actions.
The coming weeks, months, or even years will reveal whether these individuals have truly learned their lesson. They have often been reminded that no scholar of Sunnah is perfect, and any errors should be addressed with respect, not through slander and defamation.
We hope that Habeeb Arikeuyo’s repentance on December 22 was sincere and that he is ready to adopt a more constructive approach to Da'wah in the future.
For the evil these boys stand up, read up this.
