Translating the literary works of Sheikh Yahaya Amin, making their profound insights and spiritual guidance accessible to English-speaking audiences worldwide.
Our mission is to bridge the linguistic gap and facilitate a deeper understanding of Islamic spirituality and knowledge among English-speaking readers.
The translation of Tuhfatul Ushaq (A Unique Gift to Lovers), authored by Sheikh Yahaya Amin (Khalifa), is the first translation work of the Khalifa Project Team.
The Khalifa Project was founded by a team of passionate students of knowledge committed to sharing the rich literary heritage of Islamic scholarship. The founding members are:
Narrators:
Text Editors:
Reviewers:
This English rendition of A Unique Gift to Lovers in Eulogising Aba Ishaq (Maulana Al-Sheikhul Islam Alhaji Ibrahim Niasse) aims to faithfully preserve the poetic, spiritual, and emotional power of the original Arabic composition authored by Sheikh Yahaya Amin.
Translating such spiritually rich and poetic texts presents unique challenges. Arabic, particularly in the context of praise and eulogy, carries profound layers of meaning, rhythm, and cultural nuance. While every effort was made to convey the original meaning and tone, certain expressions and metaphors may naturally shift in flavour when brought into English.
Where necessary, explanatory endnotes and appendices have been provided to clarify references to Qur'anic verses, hadith, and historical or spiritual concepts specific to the Tijaniyya order and broader Islamic tradition.
This translation is not meant to replace the beauty of the original Arabic but to serve as a bridge for seekers, admirers, and students who long to connect with the spiritual fragrance of the Awliya through the universal language of love and reverence.
May Allah accept this humble endeavour and make it a light for all who read it.
Sheikh Yahaya Amin (born 15 June 1940) is a Ghanaian Islamic leader and a student of Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. He is an ardent mureed of Sheikh Alhaji Ibrahim Niass and leader of the Tijānī Sufi order of Islam in Ghana. He has served as the Coordinator of the Office of the National Chief Imam since its establishment and currently serves in an advisory role to the Office. He is the Founder and Leader of the Islamic Foundation for Peace and Development.
Sheikh Yahaya Amin was born in Pakro, a small village in Ghana's Eastern Region, to Alfa Mohammed Aminu and Hajia Halimatu Sadia — both highly respected figures in the Islamic community. His father, was among the earliest group of Islamic clerics propagating Islam to the people of Ghana's interior. He also combined his work as a merchant with teaching and preaching.
At six, Sheikh Yahaya Amin began his education under his father, learning the rudiments of Arabic studies, Quranic recitation, and Islamic jurisprudence. At ten, his father took him to Accra to continue his studies under Mallam Sharubutu, a close friend of his father — a common practice among Islamic clerics of the time. This brought him into close, lifelong contact with the young Sheikh Osman, who would later become the National Chief Imam of Ghana; Sheikh Yahaya Amin went on to become one of his closest and most trusted confidantes and advisors.
Under Sheikh Osman's direction and tutelage, Sheikh Yahaya Amin mastered the recitation and memorisation of the entire Quran at a young age, becoming a Hafiz. He also enrolled in a Western educational institute in Accra when the Ghanaian government introduced Western education to the Zongo communities, becoming proficient in English and able to engage more effectively with a wider audience.
By twelve, Sheikh Yahaya Amin had demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to learning, placing him among the elite scholars in Ghana and beyond. At twenty-three, in 1963, he completed his first written work, Tuhfatul Ushaq, published in 1969 and endorsed by the late Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse. It is regarded today as one of the global classics of Sufi literature, re-published many times and read by millions across the world.
In 1964 he founded the Faila Stars soccer team, active until 1980, as a way to reach more young adults and encourage their participation in Arabic studies. Many Islamic scholars across Africa, Europe, America, and Asia trace their roots back to his teachings.
From 1961 he began to feature prominently in the leadership of various Islamic associations, and was appointed the first National Coordinator of the Office of the National Chief Imam, a role he was pivotal in establishing. In 1969 he renamed the Madarasatu Arabiya — a school founded by the father of the National Chief Imam — to the Ansarudeen Islamic Complex School, which became an important centre for Islamic education in Ghana.
| Arabic Title | English Translation |
|---|---|
| تحفة العشاق في مدح أبا إسحاق | A Unique Gift to Lovers in Praise of Abi Isḥāq (Shaykh Ibrāhīm Niasse) |
| تحفة الأحرار في مدح نور الأنوار | A Unique Gift to the Free Ones' in Praise of the Light of Lights |
| أرجوزة الولدان فى معرفة الإسلام والإيمان والإحسان | The Children's Poem on Understanding Islam, Faith, and Spiritual Excellence |
| الكنز الأعظم فى مدح النور المطلسم | The Greatest Treasure in Praise of the Veiled Light |
| العرى الأقوى فى مدح الغوث ذى الجدوى | The Strongest Rope in Praise of the Succoring Saint of Benefit |
| الدر النفيس في مدح سيدي علي سيس | The Precious Pearl in Praise of Sayyid Ali Cisse |
| روح اللبيب فى ذكر الوجود الحبيب | The Thoughtful One's Joy in Mentioning the Presence of the Beloved |
| إرشاد الإخوان في معرفة الإسلام والإيمان والإحسان | Guidance for Compatriots on Understanding Islam, Faith, and Spiritual Excellence |
| فيوضات الرحمن في مدح الشيخ عثمان | The Floods of the Most Merciful in Praise of Sheikh Uthman |
| دخول الإسلام في غرب أفريقيا | The Entrance of Islam into West Africa |
| نَيْلُ الأمانِي في مَدْحِ الشَّيْخ أَحْمَد التِّجَانِى | Attainment of Wishes in Praise of Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani |