PROFILE: Sheikh Sheriff Hattab Bojang

Sheikh Sheriff Hattab Bojang was born in Gunjur, Kombo South, circa 1937, to Pa Sano Bojang, a religious merchant, and Mariama “Mba‑binki” Cham. At around age seven, he was sent to Mauritania to study under Abdullah Ibn Sheikh Siddiyah. He was to memorised the Holy Qur’an by around age 14, later mastering the ten recitation modes and attaining full proficiency in Arabic and Maliki jurisprudence.

Sheikh Sheriff Hattab Bojang was an outstanding Islamic Scholar known for speaking truth no matter what

By 1956, young Hattab earned his ijazah (certification to teach) in Qur’anic recitation and Arabic, after years of intensive study in Boutilimit. Having spent nearly two decades in Mauritania, Sheikh Hattab returned to The Gambia in 1960.

Education, Teaching & Institution Building

After completing studies Mauritania, he was admitted to the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia and later Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan. On returning to The Gambia, Sheikh Hattab taught Islamic and Arabic studies initially at the Muhammedan School in Banjul before setting up his own Islamic/Arabic school in Serekunda and in Gunjur. Sheikh Hattab went on to establish multiple schools across The Gambia and in Sierra Leone and Ghana. One of these schools became the well-known Khalid ibn Walid Islamic School in Serekunda.

The Life Story of Sheriff Hattab Bojang was authored by Sheikh Sulayman Dango

In 1970, venerable Sheikh Hattab founded the West African Islamic Solidarity Association and pioneered a weekly program on Radio Gambia from which ran from 1965 - 66. He also served as supervisor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the Ministry of Education before resigning in 1978 due to political tensions.

Leadership and Social Voice 

Sheikh Hattab was respected not only for his religious knowledge but also for his bold social commentary. He openly and fearlessly criticised social injustices, such as the controversial sale of food aid by the government in the 1980s. His outspoken nature led to his detention for 40 days in 1983 under allegations of providing misleading information to a Saudi reporter. He was later released without charge. 

The Gunjur-born scholar earned international recognition for his was work in the teachings of the Islamic religion. This led authorities in Saudi Arabia to invite him to engage in advocacy across the Middle East. He was also on multiple occations assigned by Al-Azhar University in Egypt as a religious delegate. 

Mentorship & Legacy

Sheikh Hattab cultivated a generation of Islamic scholars in Gunjur whose influence still resonates. Among his notable students are Muhammed Lamin Touray, Essa Darboe, late Dembo Touray and late Ismail Manjang, many of whom later studied at prestigious institutions like Islamic University of Madinah, Kuwait’s School of Education, and institutes in Libya  .

One of his student Sheikh Ismaila Manjang later  succeeded him as a head of his school in Gunjur and a respected teacher and preacher, reputed for his integrity and humility in his teachings of the religion.

Final Message & Passing

On 28 April 1984, Sheikh Hattab was to deliver a deeply moving sermon in Gunjur that became his last. In that sermon, he urged his people to embrace unity, to forgive past grievances, and reflected, “I planted trees in this township that will bear fruit… they will continue the path I started.” He named his distinguished students who would carry on his legacy. 

Sheikh Sheriff Hattab Bojang passed away on 30 April 1984, while performing the Dhuha prayer at his wife’s home in Serekunda. His passing gripped the nation and beyond. Thousands mourners gathered for his burial in his home town of Gunjur; he was to he buried near an African fig tree, an emotional testament to his deep impact on his community  .

The significance of his legacy

• Sheikh Hattab was pioneer of modern Islamic education in The Gambia, establishing numerous schools which shaped national Islamic education infrastructure.

  
  

• He was fearless voice for social justice, unafraid to challenge authority for wrongdoing. 

  
  

• A mentor whose students continue to contribute significantly to religious scholarship both locally and internationally 

  
  

• A cultural bridge-builder linking Gambia to Arab and wider West African Islamic communities, using scholarly influence to foster diplomatic and educational ties.

Sheikh Sheriff Hattab Bojang’s legacy remains in the annals of history, up and down the country and beyond the borders. May Allah reward him abundantly.