Senousiyya: Difference between revisions

'''Muhammad Ali Senousi was born in Mostaghanem and first studied in Fes, Morocco, and then for fourteen years (from 1830 AD to 1843 AD)he studied in Mecca under Ahmed ebn Idris Fasi. With the death of Ahmad, his followers were divided into two groups and Senousi became the leader of one of these two branches (Senousi) [3].'''

'''Muhammad, the son of Senousi, claimed  Mahdism and his movement found many followers in Raqqa (in the west of Egypt, located in present-day Libya) and the Algerian desert, and after a while, it spread to Sudan as well [5].'''

'''Senousiyya, like Tijaniyyah, its emergence was mostly the result of the revival of Sufism in Azhar at the end of the 18th century (12/13 AH). Also, it was an attempt to respond to the criticism of the Wahhabis by creating reforms in Sufism; Senusis remained Sufis, but they accepted many Wahhabi ideas and theories and made them their own beliefs. Like the Tijanis, the Senusis did not consider pure adherence to any of the religions as permissible. They defended ijtihad, the freedom of every Muslim to accept any of the four schools of Sunni sects  which people  likes. They also objected to the tradition of imitation and doubted the ancient belief of Sufism about the possibility of achieving unity with God through spiritual practices. Instead, they sought to achieve unity with the Prophet of Islam, but their Sufism was expressed both through active preaching and conversion of infidels to Islam, and through individual Sufism and withdrawal from traditional Sufis. The difference between them and the previous Sufi reformers of Western Sudan was that their goal was not limited to Sudan, but included North Africa, the Sahara, and even the Ottoman Empire. In fact, one of the main goals of Sanousi was to provide the means for the unity of Islam. Muhammad Ali Sanousi, despite his strong opinions about the political and religious affairs of his time, was a peaceful person who opposed violence. His teachings indicated that war is justified only when faced with an attack, although it must be admitted that not all of his followers were so peaceful [6].'''

'''The approach of traditional Islam, both in the level and field of Sharia and in Sufi circles and orders, continued in this period (during the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century A.H.), and there were cases of revival and modernization of purely traditional ways of life which  was very important, came true . Among these cases, for example, it is possible to mention the establishment of Darqawiyyah and Senousyyeh  orders in North Africa, which brought about religious changes and even important political developments in the case of Senousyyeh [7].'''

'''The Sanousiyya  order basically wanted to return to real Islam, based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The great Senousi, despite  the enmity of Ebne Timiyyeh  with Sufism, was influenced by his thoughts. Senousi's Zekr(invocation of God) does not aim to stimulate any kind of ecstasy and fascination, although he tries to align himself with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) [8].'''

'''Like Fulani Muslim reformers, Senousi  people were Mahdiists. Muhammad Ali Sanousi named one of his sons "Muhammad Mahdi", which was probably a clever attempt to attract the broad Mahdiist sentiments of Muslims throughout North Africa, the Sahara, and the Ottoman Empire to support his order. He made Mahdiism the center of his teachings and related it precisely to the political and international requirements of his time. For example, he carefully announced the progress of the European conquests in advance and taught his followers that those conquests should be considered as signs that bring the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (a.s.) closer and closer.'''

'''When Muhammad Ali Senousi passed away, the attention of the people, as he intended, was focused on his son "Mohammed Mahdi", and many of the followers of this order considered the choice of this name by the founder of the order as a clear proof that this Muhammad is really the same Mahdi which  they have been waiting for him for a long time. They considered this naming not a smart political calculation, but an extraordinary insight, moreover, the resulting excitement was more than these, because the year 1822-3 AD, corresponding to the year 1300 AH, was also the beginning of the new Hijri century. All the expectations in the year 1785/1200, when after all the hopes, Hazrat Mahdi (PBUH) did not appear, so converted to disappointment.  Did the year 1300 Hijri witness the fulfillment of this long expectation? [12]'''  

'''During the invasion of the French and Italian governments to North Africa, the Senousi movement was an obstacle in the way of those colonial powers because it called the Muslims of North Africa to unity and struggle. With the occupation of Libya by Italy in 1329 AH/ 1911 AD, the Senousian forces were also crushed [13].'''

'''In 1930-31, a large number of Senousis fled to Egypt. These people played an important role in the future during the war [20].  The Sanousi order was disbanded in 1930, but with the rise of Idris I (Sanousi leader) in Libya, they regained power [21]. Sanousiyya  order  had many followers in Cyrenaica [or Barqa] and its  activities finally led to the establishment and independence of Libya [22]. Sanousi's followers resisted the invasion of Italy and France and finally managed to establish the Sanousi government led by King Idris I in Libya in 1947. [23]'''

'''1) – Alddrarol  Alsunniah fi Akhabar Alsalalah Al- Idrisiyyah'''  

'''Finally,  when Muhammad Ali Sanousi,  saw that, Ottoman government was watching over him ,so he went to  the desert (Sahara) and resided  in area of ​​Jaghbub  and lived there until 1276 which he died. [25].'''