The Department of Islamic Studies was established in the 1963/1964 academic session as a component of the then Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Teaching began in January, 1964 at the Kano old Airport Hotel buildings under what was then known as the Abdullahi Bayero College of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The Department was first headed by Professor Shehu Ahmad Sa’id Galadanci and later by Professor M.A. Zaki Badawi who was a distinguished scholar of Islamic Studies and a graduate of the famous al-Azhar University in Cairo. Before he came to Nigeria, Professor Badawi served as reader and Head of Department of Islamic Studies for many years at the National University of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. Other lecturers who taught in the Department from 1964 to 1967 included Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Gwarzo (Late Grand Kadi, Kano State), Dr. Muhammad Ali Rayyah Hashim from Sudan, Dr. Bakir Dushain from Sudan, and Muiz el-Dusogi from the Sudan. Later on, from 1970-1976 the staɡ included Professor M.A. Zaki Badawi, Dr. Ahmad Ghorab (from Egypt), Dr. Muhammad Salim al-Awa (from Egypt), Dr. I. Sharma, Dr. Ma'mun AbdulQayyum (the immediate President of the MaldiveIslands), Professor Muhammad Sani Zahradeen, Professor Abubakar Aliyu Gwandu, Dr. Umar Faruk Malumfashi and Dr. Omar Jah. Among the first set of graduates from the Department who graduated in 1966 are:
1) Professor Dandatti AbdulKadir, a one time Vice-Chancellor Bayero University Kano, and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the great Socialist Arab Jamahiriyyah, Libya.
2) Professor Muhammad Sani Zahradeen, OFR, a one time Vice-Chancellor Bayero University, Kano, and currently the Chairman Shari’ah Commission, Kano State.
3) Late Professor Abdullahi Muhammad, a one time Dean of Education ABU and formerly Director of ABU Centre of Adult Education.
4) Late Professor Abubakar Aliyu Gwandu, a one time Vice-Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and the former Chairman National Pilgrim Board and former adviser to the Sultan of Sokoto.
5) Professor Abubakar Balarabe, former DVC, Bayero University, Kano former Director of Arabic Village, Maiduguri
6) Professor Abubakar Mustapha, mni, OFR, was also the former Vice- Chancellor of University of Maiduguri.
7) Ibrahim Abdulhamid a onetime Registrar, Bayero University, Kano.
8) Alhaji Hadi Gwadabe is another graduate of this Department who was former Provost of Kano State College of Education, Kumbotso.
9) Dr. Ibrahim Muazzam Maibushira former Commander General, Kano State Hisbah Board
10) Late Kadi Muhammad Khalil was a Deputy Kadi, Kano State Shari’ah Appeal Court.
11) Dr. Muhammad Tukur Aliyu former Provost, College of Education Jalingo. Since its inception, the Department has been growing from strength to strength. In the first few years most of its graduates were male. However, in the early seventies women began to join the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies. The first woman who enrolled in Islamic studies Department was Mrs. Hajiya Hamrah Imam a one time Commissioner with the Borno State Government, and Director General with the Federal Government. From that date onward, there has been steady increase of students in the Department both male and female. The current total enrolment figure of students oɡering Islamic Studies as their main course is 830 (Male: 598, Female: 232) while that taking it as subsidiary course is 945.
The Department also runs postgraduate programmes leading to the award of M. A., PhD degrees and Post Graduate diploma. Most of the teaching staɡ have beneɤted from these programmes. We have so far graduated many M. A. and PhD candidates from within the country and beyond. Some of our foreign students come from Ghana, Niger Republic, Uganda, Jordan, Turkey, Palestine, Mali, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Turkey, etc. Recipients of these higher degrees are now working as lecturers in Nigerian and foreign Universities. Some work in other establishments abroad. The Department is in constant touch with its graduates who come in from time to time to consult their lecturers, borrow books or seek advice in the development of their individual careers. We also have products who work as civil servants at various capacities and in various segments such as the Judiciary, the Police, the Military, etc. While some products served at foreign capacities as government functionaries others run their private businesses.