CHAPTER I
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF AS-SANŰSÎ

  1. Sources referred to:
    1. Principal
    2. Secondary
  2. The historical background against which he lived
  3. Events of his life:
    1. Name, dates and family
    2. Indications of character
  4. His intellectual contacts:
    1. His masters
    2. His contemporaries
    3. His students
    4. The spread of his works to West Africa
  5. His works

A. Sources referred to

a. Principal

1) Al-Mallâlî. The major source for the life of as-Sanűsî is the work of his student M. b. `U. b. I. al-Mallâlî, al-Mawâhib al-quddűsiyya fî l-manâqib as-sanűsiyya, finished at the beginning of Jum. II 899/ March 1494. It is a long work the Bibliothčque Nationale manuscript 6897, used for this thesis, contains 122 folios at 31 lines per page but is so filled with excursuses on all topics of Islamic learning and selections from as-Sanűsî's works that little room is left for biography. The biographical material itself is rather a description of the model shaykh, illustrated by incidents cast by the admiring disciple into ideal shapes where facts are few and hard to discern.

An idea of the book's contents can be had from the chapter titles, with the folio references of the Paris manuscript:

  1. His masters (5a-16a)
  2. His discernments and wonders (16a-24b)
  3. His learning, asceticism, preaching, piety, zeal, kindness, patience, propriety of action and character
  4. (24b-74b)
  5. His writings (74b-79b)
  6. His explanations of various Qur'ân verses (79b-95b)
  7. His explanation of various Śadîths (95b-108b)
  8. His explanation of certain sufic verses (108b-112a)
  9. Various wirds which he wrote for people (112a-116a)
  10. His last illness and death (116a-b)
  11. Poems written by him or about him (116b-121b)

2) Ibn-`Askar. The only other independent Arabic source is a. `Al. M. b. `A. b. `U. b. al-Ąu. b. MiŞb⌠al-Ąasanî, known as Ibn-`Askar, DawŚat an-nâshir li-maŚâsin man kân min al-Maghrib min ahl al-qarn al-`âshir, written in 985/ 1577. The Bibliothčque Nationale manuscript 5025, used in this thesis, contains 76 folios, of which ff. 67b to 68a are dedicated to as-Sanűsî. This work was loosely translated by T.H. Weir, in The shaikhs of Morocco in the sixteenth century (Edinburgh: Morton, 1904); the section on as-Sanűsî is on pp. 34-38.

3) Brosselard, Charles, "Tombeau du Cid Mohammed es-Senouci et son frčre le Cid Ali et-Tallouti," Revue africaine, v. 3, n. 16 (April 1859), pp. 245-248. This work settles the date of as-Sanűsî's death from the evidence of his tombstone.

4) GAL, that is, Brockelmann, Carl, Geschichte der Arabischen Litteratur (Leiden: Brill, finished 1942). The sections on as-Sanűsî, II, pp. 250-252, and SII, pp. 352-356, however inadequate, are yet valuable for locating not only works long known to be of as-Sanűsî, but also other works not mentioned in his biographies.

b. Secondary

1) A. al-`Ubbâdî wrote a brief biography of as-Sanűsî in 991/ 1583, which was translated by Charles Brosselard in "Retour ŕ Sidi Senouci - Inscriptions de ses deux mosquées," Revue africaine, v. 5, n. 28 (July 1861), pp. 241-260; the translation occupies pp. 243-248. The manuscript, as Brosselard describes it, consists of four folios bound with a collection of other works, and, to judge from the materials it contains and a reference to al-Mallâlî, is merely an abridgement of al-Mallâlî, except for adding another possible date of birth.

2) AB, that is, a. l-`Abbâs AŚmad Bâbâ b. A. b. A. b. `U. b. M. Aqît b. `U b. `A. b. Yy. aŞ-Ŕinhâjî l-Mâsinî t-Tinbuktî. He wrote an abridgement of al-Mallâlî, called al-La'âlî s-sundusiyya fî l-fa˛â'il as-sanűsiyya, not used in this thesis.

The work referred to as "AB" is his voluminous collection of biographies entitled Nayl al-ibtihâj bi-tałrîz ad-Dîbâj, completed "after 7 Jum. I 1005"/ 28 Dec. 1596. It is itself a supplement to ad-Dîbâj al-mudhahhab fî ma`rifa a`yân `ulamâ' al-madhhab of I. b. `A. b. M. b. FarŚűn. In the printed edition (Cairo: `Abbâs b. `Abdassalâm b. Shaqrűn, 1351/ 1932-3) the section on as-Sanűsî goes from p. 325 to p. 329. This work is also a primary source for many of the contemporaries of as-Sanűsî.

A third work, not used in this thesis, is Kifâyat al-muŚtâj li-ma`rifa man lays fî d-Dîbâj. It also touches upon as-Sanűsî, but is only a popular abridgement of the preceding work.

3) IM, that is, M. b. M. b. A. ash-Sharîf, known as Ibn-Maryam, al-Bustân fî dhikr al-awliyâ' wa-l-`ulamâ' bi-Tilimsân, completed in 1011/ 1602-3. In the edition by Ben Cheneb (Algiers: al-Małba`a ath-tha`âlibiyya, 1326/ 1908), pages 237-248 copy, with some few variants, the section on as-Sanűsî in AB. This work gives information on many individuals not included in AB.

4) Bargčs, J.J.L., in his Complément de l'histoire des Beni-Zeiyan (Paris, 1887), pp. 366-379, gives a resumé of the life of as-Sanűsî which contains nothing new. The book is useful, however, for information on the times in which he lived.

5) Ben Cheneb, Mohammed, wrote the article "al-Sanűsî" for the first Encyclopaedia of Islam, which adds nothing new.

More important is his "Étude sur les personnages mentionnés dans l'idjâza du cheikh `Abd el Qâdir al-Fâsy," in Actes du XIVe congrčs internatioal des orientalistes, Alger 1905, troisičme partie, suite (Paris: Leroux, 1908), pp. 168-560. Besides giving 360 biographies as-Sanűsî is n. 55 this work describes an ijâza which gives information on how as-Sanűsî's works were transmitted through his principal students.

B. The historical background against which he lived

As-Sanűsî's works and al-Mallâlî's biography tell us very little about the political situation of the city of Tilimsân, where he was born, lived and die. As-Sanűsî only gives a hint when he speaks of "this difficult time wherein the sea of ignorance overflows, and falsehood has spread beyond limits and thrown in every direction of the earth waves of denial of the truth, hatred for those who hold the truth, and coloring over of falsehood with deceptive trappings." Although these words apply strictly to the state of religious learning, in an Islamic state this is inseparable from political well-being.

The dynasty Banű-Zayyân, of the tribe Banű-`Abd-al-Wâd, ruled Tilimsân throughout the lifetime of as-Sanűsî. To begin with the years of turmoil just preceding his birth, we have the following members of the dynasty who would have closely affected his life:

1) Abű-Mâlik `AbdalwâŚid b. a. Ąammű Műsâ, with the help of the Sultan of Fez, overthrew his brother on 16 Rajab 814/ 3 Nov. 1411. His rule went rather well until Abű-Fâris, the ĄafŞid Sultan of Tunis, who regarded Tilimsân as his dependency, deposed him on the grounds of fiscal maladministration. Abű-Fâris entered Tilimsân on 13 Jum. II 827/ 12 May 1424, and appointed Abű-Mâlik's nephew to his place.

2) Abű-`Abdallâh M. b. a. Tâshufîn, the new ruler, soon became estranged with his master Abű-Fâris, who was occupied with war with the Europeans. In the meantime, the deposed Abű-Mâlik failed to get help from Fez, and turned to Abű-Fâris, sending him emissaries and letters to sell his cause. Abű-Fâris was won over, and gave him a small army to send against Abű-`Abdallâh. In the engagement Abű-Mâlik lost, and as he had foreseen, Abű-Fâris himself came out to defend his honor. Abű-Fâris place Abű-Mâlik back in power over Tilimsân in Rajab 831/ April-May 1428.

Abű-Fâris had no sooner departed than Abű-`Abdallâh raised an army in the mountains, came down and retook Tilimsân on 4 Dhű-l-Q. 833/ 25 July 1430. The next day Abű-Mâlik was discovered and killed. Abű-`Abdallâh's was a short victory. On hearing the news, Abű-Fâris sent his army back, and besieged Abű-`Abdallâh in the mountain fortress to which he had fled only eighty-four days after his restoration. Abű-`Abdallâh gave himself up, and was brought a prisoner to Tunis, where he died in 840/ 1436-7. In his place it seems that Abű-Fâris appointed a European mercenary, whom he left to govern for seven months before appointing a man from the traditional ruling house.

3) Abű-l-`Abbâs A. b. a. Ąammű Műsâ took over Tilimsân on 1 Rajab 834/ 15 March 1431. The beginning of his reign was marked with energy in endowing religious schools, punishing criminals, and establishing order and security in his domains. In 837/ 1433-4, seeing Tunis threatened by the Europeans, Abű-l-`Abbâs declared himself independent. Abű-Fâris started off against him, but died before he could get there.

Another threat came from Abű-l-`Abbâs' brother Abu-YaŚyâ. In 838/ 1434-5 the latter mustered a force and marched upon Tilimsân. Failing to take it, he established himself in Wahrân (Oran). There were many battles between him and his brother until the month of Sha`bân 851/ Oct. 1448, when Abű-l`Abbâs' army took Wahrân by storm.

In the meantime, a member of another branch of the family, Abű-Zayyân M. al-Musta`în bi-llâh, left Tunis with an army and took Algiers on 19 Rajab 842/ 4 Jan. 1439. Abű-Zayyân was assassinated by the population of Algiers on 2 Shawwâl 843/ 7 March 1440, but his son al-Mutawakkil continued the conquest as far west as Wahrân. Tilimsân was weakening. Although an insurrection which took place in the city on 27 Ram. 850/ 16 Dec. 1446 was unsuccessful, the regional chiefs and nomadic Arabs dependent on Tilimsân proceeded to revolt, leaving the region in anarchy. Into this situation al-Mutawakkil moved his army, and took Tilimsân on 1 Jum. I 866/ 1 Feb. 1462. Abű-l-`Abbâs was exiled to Granada.

4) Abű-`Al. M. al-Mutawakkil `alâ llâh b. a. Zayyân M. b. a. Thâbit b. a. Tâshufîn b. a. Ąammű Műsâ (II) b. a. Yq. b. a. Zayd b. Zk. b. a. Yy. Yaghmurâsan, only a few months after taking over Tilimsân, had to face a. `Amr `Uthmân of Tunis before the gates of Tilimsân. He accepted the overlordship of `Uthmân, who then went away.

Soon afterwards the deposed Abű-l-`Abbâs returned from Spain with an army and besieged Tilimsân for fourteen days before he was killed, on 13 Dhű-l-Ą. 867/ 29 Aug. 1463. The partisans of Abű-l-`Abbâs then rallied around another leader, M. b. `Ar. b. a. `Uth. b. a. Tâshufîn, and tried again to take Tilimsân, but failed. Another rebellious and marauding chieftain, M. b. Ghâliya, was defeated on 13 Shawwâl 868/ 19 June 1465, and his head brought to Tilimsân.

Al-Mutawakkil tried to rule as independently as he could, but trembled and showed submission any time `Uthmân seemed to be on the move. At the end of Jum. II 868/ mid-Feb. 1464, the Qâ˛î of Tilimsân, M. b. A. al-`Uqbânî arrived on one of his missions to Tunis, bringing a present from al-Mutawakkil to `Uthmân. In Dhű-l-A./ July-Aug. of the same year `Uthmân sent a gift in return.

Then, towards the middle of 870/ early 1466, a deputation of Arabs from the country of Tilimsân came to Tunis and alleged that al-Mutawakkil had thrown off his allegiance and was plotting with certain nomadic tribes. They asked to have Abű-Jamîl Zayyân b. `AbdalwâŚid b. a. Ąammű as their ruler instead. The caliph agreed, and equipped the new leader with an army, which went victoriously westward until it began the siege of Tilimsân in Rabî` II 871/ Nov.-Dec. 1466. The first day a violent battle ensued, which was stopped by nightfall. The besiegers planned to take the city the next day, but were prevented from acting by a heavy rain. Then the Shaykh al-Ą. Abarkân and the qâ˛î came out with a document of submission signed by al-Mutawakkil. The treaty made was reinforced by al-Mutawakkil's giving his daughter to `Uthmân's son. `Uthmân then turned back, leaving on 7 Sha`bân 871/ 14 March 1467.

Perhaps associated with the massacre of Jews in Fez at the end of 870/ July 1466, on the occasion of the overthrow of `Abdal-Śaqq b. Sa`îd, who had favored them and given them positions of authority, is the supposed bloody persecution of the Jews of Tilimsân in 1467. No other event is noted until the death of al-Mutawakkil in Ŕafar 873/ July-Aug. 1468.

5) Abű-Tâshufîn (II), the elder son of al-Mutawakkil, succeeded him, but help power only forty days, or four months according to others, when he was deposed by his brother. 6) Abű-`Al. M. ath-Thâbitî b. al-Mutawakkil, the brother of the former, continued in power until 910/ 1504. In the first year of his reign he compelled the famous writer al-Wansharîsî to flee from Tilimsân. No other events are recorded for his rule while as-Sanűsî lived. Yet it can only have been one of gradual decline, with the advance of the Spanish and Portuguese from the West, and of the Turks from the East.

C. Events of his life

a. Name, dates and family

Abű-`Abdallâh MuŚammad b. Yűsuf b. `Umar b. Shu`ayb as-Sanűsî l-Ąasanî died at the hour al-`aŞr on Sunday, 18 Jum. II 895/ 10 May 1490.

As for his birth, al-Mallâlî says that as-Sanűsî told him a year or two before his death that he was fifty-five, which gives the year 838 or 839/ 1435-6. Al-`Ubbâdî, however, says that as-Sanűsî died at the age of sixty-three, which gives the year 832/ 1428-9. AŚmad Bâbâ also, after quoting from al-Mallâlî, says that he saw it asserted by someone (al-`Ubbâdî?) who asked al-Mallâlî and received the answer that as-Sanűsî died at sixty-three. Therefore he gives the date of as-Sanűsî's birth as "after 830". As-Sanűsî's relation to Ibn-Marzűq al-Śafîd suggests the later date as the more likely.

Of his relations, we hear only of his father, his half-brother `Alî, his wife, his daughter, the son of his brother, and a small grandson, the son of his daughter. Ibn-Maryam gives the biographies of a string of as-Sanűsîs whose academic chains go back to our as-Sanűsî, but there is no indication of any blood relationship to him.

Ibn-Maryam also mentions an a.-Zayd `Ar. as-Sanűsî r-Rafâ`î (alternatively "ar-Raqâ`î") dâran who, with one Bűyadîr (?) b. as-Sanűsî, recounts many of the tales in as-Sanűsî's biography of al-Ghamârî, reproduced in Ibn-Maryam's work. In as-Sanűsî's biography of Abarkân, this `Ar. as-Sanűsî is said to have urged Abarkân to join him in begging Abű-Fâris' clemency during the siege of Tilimsân in the reign of a. `Al. M. b. a. Tâshufîn (Rajab 831/ April-May 1428). There is no indication of a relationship between our as-Sanűsî and these two.

b. Indications of character

Ibn-`Askar remarks that the learned men of Tilimsân admire as-Sanűsî for his perfection, holiness, and being withdrawn to God, but Ibn-Zakrî for the depth and extent of his learning. Al-Mallâlî too, without minimizing as-Sanűsî's erudition, places greater emphasis on his holiness and mystic knowledge ('ulűmu-hu l-bâłiniyya al-Śaqîqiyya). Much of what al-Mallâlî says is stereotyped panegyric: how much he prayed, fasted, and stayed up nights, how kind he was, and how he possessed every virtue to the fullest. But some details allow the individual character of as-Sanűsî to stand out.

Once the Sultan Abű-`Abdallâh sent his vizier a. `Al. M. al-`Ubbâdî to as-Sanűsî, offering him a benefice from the revenues of al-Madras al-Jadîdiyya. As-Sanűsî's letter of refusal, given in full by al-Mallâlî, politely explains that he does not need the benefice, that God takes care of him while he sets his mind on the riches of the next world, and, more pertinently, that he has no right to the revenues of the school, since he neither works there, nor lives there, nor provides it any service; to accept would be to rob others of their due. May God give the Sultan a mind for the good things of the next world.

Other stories tell how as-Sanűsî went out of his way to avoid meeting the Sultan, refused gifts from him, his son, and his officers, even while protestingly accepting gifts from ordinary people, and refused to present a tafsîr of the Qur'ân in his presence, although he consented to write to him whenever he was requested. The impression these incidents give is that as-Sanűsî avoided high political circles not merely from a sense of other-worldliness, but also because he disapproved of the holders of the political power.

This impression is confirmed by other acts of as-Sanűsî which were not revolutionary, but certainly were calculated acts of disobedience. "Anyone who committed a crime and feared from the Sultan or anyone else for his life or property fled to as-Sanűsî and stayed in his private quarters. No one dared to take the person out; even if the Sultan ordered, the Shaykh would not hand him over." As for al-Mallâlî's use of the word "crime", we must remember that he was writing while al-Mutawakkil was still reigning, and would hardly accuse him overtly of punishing non-crimes. As-Sanűsî would hardly harbor a real criminal, at least against a fair process. Al-Mallâlî continued with a story of how as-Sanűsî refused to hand over a terrified woman to the Sultan's messenger, even when the messenger had been sent three times to arrest the woman.

Such incidents reflect the powerful social position of a shaykh or walî as portrayed in as-Sanűsî's Manâqib al-arba`a al-muta'akhkhirîn. Sultans and princes humbly sought the advice and blessing of these holy men, and feared their curse, because of their access to divine secrets and power. Another aspect of as-Sanűsî's character was his attitude towards his opponents and critics. Al-Mallâlî says that he treated even his enemies as his beloved friends, so that you could not distinguish his friends from his enemies by the way he treated them. In particular, as-Sanűsî's creeds drew a storm of opposition from many of his contemporaries, who considered them an outrageous innovation (min akbar al-bid`a). He was at first greatly disheartened by this opposition, but then gathered the strength to endure the opposition and win over his enemies by kindness and the exemplarity of his life.

One of those won over was Ibn-Zakrî. In as-Sanűsî's commentary on his first theological work, al-`Aqîda al-kubrâ, with the pedantic flush of a new scholar he indelicately attacked Ibn-Zakrî on some minor points, not giving his name, but referring to him as "a certain present-day Tilimsânian, in his commentary on the `Aqîda of Ibn-Ąâjib". Ibn-`Askar also explains that "between Ibn-Zakrî and as-Sanűsî there were arguments and discussions (muŚâwarât wa-mubâŚathât) concerning the science of kalâm. Ibn-Zakrî maintained that as-Sanűsî was one of his students, and when someone told that to as-Sanűsî, he said, 'By God, I did not learn more than one question from him.'" AŚmad Bâbâ speaks of "contention and ill-will" (munâza`a wa-mushâŚana) between them on various points, "each one answering the other; were it not for fear of length, we would mention some of them." Another point which may have discolored as-Sanűsî's view of Ibn-Zakrî is, as Ibn-`Askar remarks, that Ibn-Zakrî had a far spread reputation and great honor with kings and such like.

In as-Sanűsî's al-`Aqîda al-wusłâ and subsequent theological works he makes no further mention, directly or indirectly of Ibn-Zakrî. The relations between the two men must have then begun to improve, so that we hear from al-Mallâlî of "a learned man contemporary to as-Sanűsî" coming to him in his last illness to beg pardon. Having received it, he mourned for as-Sanűsî a long time after his death. Since al-Mallâlî was writing in the lifetime of Ibn-Zakrî, he does not mention him by name. Ibn-`Askar, however, identifies Ibn-Zakrî as having mourned as-Sanűsî in poems, in spite of what had gone on between them.

A point of contention involving several of as-Sanűsî's contemporaries was M. b. `Abdalkarîm al-Maghîlî's action against the Jews of Tuwât. He had "brought upon them humiliation and degradation; moreover he had fallen upon them, fought them, and knocked down their synagogues." `Al. al-'UŞműnî, Qâ˛î of Tuwât, condemned this action. Al-Maghîlî thereupon wrote for opinions on the question to a. 'Al. at-Tanasî, a. 'Al. ar-RaŞŞâ`, Muftî of Tunis, a.Mahdî `Îsâ l-Mâwâsî, Muftî of Fez, A. b. Zakrî, Muftî of Tilimsân, al-Qâ˛î a. Zk. Yy. b. a. l-Barakât al-Ghamârî t-Tilimsânî, `Ar. b. Sab` at-Tilimsânî, and as-Sanűsî.

As-Sanűsî replied praising at-Tansasî, who alone, among the others consulted, sustained al-Maghîlî's action. On receiving the replies of as-Sanűsî and at-Tanasî, al-Maghîlî went ahead and ordered his band to demolish the synagogues, killing anyone who opposed them. No one opposed them. Then he said, "Anyone who kills a Jew will have seven weights of gold from me;" and this was done. Whether as-Sanűsî approved of the murders, we do not know. In any case, the incident reflects his bigotry against any but Ash`arite Sunnite Muslims, at least in his earlier works.

As-Sanűsî's fame spread to the East and the West in his own lifetime. He remained active until the end, expressing the desire two days before his final illness to retire from teaching in the mosque because it was too distracting. He was bedridden ten days before dying.

D. His intellectual contacts

Although as-Sanűsî praises traveling in search of knowledge, the only travel we know he made was to Algiers and Wahrân, where he met I. at-Tâzî. The only other indirect reference to any travel is al-Mallâlî's remark that as-Sanűsî wore black shoes instead of his usual sandals when he was going far. Except for I. at-Tâzî, it can be presumed that all those listed below had contact with as-Sanűsî only in Tilimsân.

a. His masters

The order here followed is that of al-Mallâlî, chapter 1. In their biographies of as-Sanűsî, AŚmad Bâbâ and Ibn-Maryam give the same names but in different order. Ibn-`Askar gives only some of these names, and some others of his own, placed at the end of this list.

  1. Abű-Yq. Yűsuf b. `U. b. Shu`ayb as-Sanűsî l-Ąasanî taught his son when he was small how to recite part of the Qur'ân.
  2. NaŞr az-Zawâwî, one of the greatest students of M. b. Marzűq (al-Śafîd), but not originally of Tilimsân, taught him Arabic.
  3. Abű-`Al. M. b. Q. b. Tűnart a-Ŕinhâjî t-Tilimsânî taught him arithmetic (Śisâb) and inheritance laws (farâ`i˛). As-Sanűsî said that he could not understand his lectures, and received private tutoring from him at night.
  4. Abű-l-Ą. `A. b. M. b. M. b. `A. al-Qurashî l-Basałî, known as al-QalaŞâdî, moved from Spain to Tilimsân before 831/ 1427-8, from there to Tunis before 17 Jum. 851/ 1 Aug. 1447, from Tunis to Cairo and Mecca, then back to Granada, and finally to Bâja, in Tunisia, where he died in the middle of Dhű-l-Ą. 891/ dearly Dec. 1486. The author of fifty-three works, which AŚmad Bâbâ lists, he taught as-Sanűsî arithmetic and inheritance laws, possibly during his stay in Tilimsân on the way to Tunis.
  5. Abű-l-Ąajjâj Yűsuf b. a. l-`Abbâs A. b. M. ash-Sharîf al-Ąasanî taught him the seven readings of the Qur'ân, completing with him two recitations and a good part of a third. As-Sanűsî mentions this master in the commentary he began on the Qur'ân.
  6. Abű-`Al. M. b. A. b. `Îsâ l-Maghîlî t-Tilimsânî, known as al-Jallâb, whose specialty was legal opinions (fatâw), died in 875/ 1470-1. He taught as-Sanűsî the Mudawwana.
  7. Abű-`Al. M. b. A. b. Yy. b. al-Ąabbâk at-Tilimsânî, one of whose specialties was the astrolabe, died in 867/ 1482. Having studied this under him, as-Sanűsî wrote a commentary on his treatise on this instrument.
  8. Abű-`Al. M. b. al-`Abbâs b. M. b. `Îsâ l-`Ubbâdî t-Tilimsânî, author of three works listed by AŚmad Bâbâ, died in 871/ 1466-7. He taught as-Sanűsî a bit of the fundamentals of religious science (uŞűl), and covered with him the Jumal of al-Khűnajî from beginning to end.
  9. Abű-l-Ą. `Alî b. M. at=Talűtî l-AnŞârî, a half-brother of as-Sanűsî on his mother's side, died on Tuesday night, 5 Ŕafar 895/ 29 Dec. 1489. He taught as-Sanűsî in the latter's youth the Risâla of Ibn-a. Zayd al-Qayrawânî.
  10. Al-Ą. b. Makhlűq b. Mas`űd b. Sa`d b. Sa`îd al-Mazîlî r-Râshidî, known as Abarkân, and famous primarily as a holy man, died at the end of Shawwâl 857/ the beginning of Nov. 1453, at the age of nearly one hundred years. As-Sanűsî attended his teaching without studying any particular book, although his half-brother `Alî studied the Risâla of Ibn-a. Zayd al-Qayrawânî under Abarkân.
    As-Sanűsî's biography of Abarkân relates incidents which as-Sanűsî no doubt admired as typifying the social position of a shaykh: Abarkân refused gifts from the Sultans Abű-`Abdallâh and Abű-Fâris. By his prayer and divine intervention, a man was freed from Abű-`Abdallâh's prison and gained sanctuary with Abű-Fâris. Again by his prayer, Abű-Fâris had a dream deterring him from his plan to deliver Tilimsân to pillage for three days because it did not open its gates to him in time.The Sultan Abű-l-`Abbâs also sought him out, but when he came to see Abarkân during his teaching, Abarkân paid no attention to his visitor, and made him wait.
  11. Abű-l-Q. al-Kanbâshî l-Bijâ`î t-Tilimsânî taught as-Sanűsî and his half brother `Alî tawŚîd, specifically, the Irshâd of Imâm-al-Ąaramayn, and gave them an ijâza for all that he had to pass on. It is too bad we know so little of this source of as-Sanűsî's knowledge of theology.
  12. Abű-Zayd `Ar. b. M. b. Makhlűf ath-Tha`âlibî l-Jazâ'irî was born, according to AŚmad Bâbâ's calculations, in 786 or 787/ between Feb. 1384 and Jan. 1386. He studied under various masters, whom AŚmad Bâbâ lists, going from Algiers to Bijâya (Bougie) in 802/ 1399-1400, from there to Tunis in 809 or the beginning of 810/ 1407, then to Egypt, and back to Tunis in 819/ 1416-7, dying in 875/ 1470-1. The author of seventeen works, listed by al-Mallâlî and AŚmad Bâbâ, he taught as-Sanűsî the ŔaŚîŚ of al-Bukhârî, that of Muslim, and other works of Śadîth, giving him an ijâza. Al-Mallâlî remarks that he was also interested in medicine, as was as-Sanűsî.
  13. Abű-Sâlim a. IsŚâq I. b. M. b. `A. al-Lanatî t-Tâzî l-Wahrânî was one of the leading sufis of his time. He had various sufic and academic masters in his home town of Tâzâ, on pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina in 831/ 1427, then in Tunis, in Tilimsân before 14 Sha`bân 842/ 30 Jan. 1439, and in Wahrân before 843/ 1439-40, dying on Sunday, 9 Sha`bân 866/ 9 May 1462. Al-Mallâlî says that when as-Sanűsî came from Algiers, he entered the city of Wahrân, and sat by the Shaykh I. at-Tâzî for about twenty-five days; during these days the Shaykh I. at-Tâzî robed as-Sanűsî with the noble, bright and purified khirqa. Al-Mallâlî then reports the chain of men from whom at-Tâzî received the khirqa, all the way back to MuŚammad, and gives similar chains with Śadîth explanations, for other sufic blessings given to as-Sanűsî, such as a˛-˛iyâfa (which consists in giving the guest Murîd dates and water), al-muŞâfaŚa (the clasping of hands), al-mushâbaka (the passing of a rosary), talqîn adh-dhikr (the transmission of a sufic prayer), and finally, the spitting into his mouth.
  14. Al-Mallâlî says that there are other alleged masters of as-Sanűsî, but that he omitted mentioning them because there is no certainty about them, whereas the previous were mentioned and praised by as-Sanűsî and his half-brother `Alî. Ibn-`Askar names some others as masters of as-Sanűsî:
    "Al-`âlim ar-raŚŚâl al-Ubbalî, who was the first to introduce the science of kalâm to the Maghrib in recent times," that is, M. b. I. b. A. al-`Abdarî t-Tilimsânî, known as al-Ubbalî. He could not have taught as-Sanűsî, since he died in 757/ 1356.
  15. "Abű-`Al. Marzűq, the commentator of the Burda," that is, a. `Al. M. b. A. b. M. b. A. b. M. b. M. b. a. B. b. Marzűq al-Śafîd al-`Ajîsî t-Tilimsânî, who wrote three commentaries on the Burda, and died on 14 Sah`bân 842/ 30 Jan. 1439. Ibn-Marzűq's `Aqîda was the unacknowledged model and basis of as-Sanűsî's al-`Aqîda al-kubrâ, and one of his commentaries on the Burda is quoted in as-Sanűsî's commentary on the poem of al-Jazâ'irî. As-Sanűsî could have heard him as a boy of ten years old if he were born in 832, but in none of his theological works does he claim this famous name among his teachers. It is probable, therefore, that as-Sanűsî was born rather in 838-9.
  16. "Ash-shaykh a. l-`Abbâs A. b. Zâ`." I haven't a clue who he may be.
  17. "Ash-shaykh a. `Al. Qarqâr." Nor have I any idea who this person may be.
  18. "Ash-shaykh a. `Uth. Q. al-`Uqbânî," who should be a. l-Fa˛l a. l-Q. Q. b. Sa`îd b. M. al-`Uqbânî t-Tilimsânî; "Abű-`Uth." is the kunya of his father Sa`îd. Qâsim al-`Uqbânî was a muftî and qâ˛î in Tilimsân who held some opinions differing from Mâlikî law, and was opposed by Ibn-Marzűq al-Śafîd; he died in Dhű-l-Q. 854/ Dec. 1450- Jan. 1451. As-Sanűsî certainly had the opportunity to study under him, but perhaps did not claim him as one of his masters because of his unorthodox opinions.
  19. One who can be presumed to have been a master of as-Sanűsî, even though he is not mentioned by al-Mallâlî or Ibn-`Askar is:
    A. b. al-Ą. al-Ghamârî, a sufi, the wonders of whose life as-Sanűsî relates in his Manâqib al-arba`a al-muta'akhkhirîn. He died on 12 Shawwâl 874/ 14 April 1470.
b. His contemporaries
  1. Abű-l-`Abbâs A. b. M. b. Zakrî l-Mi`râwî, muftî of Tilimsân, died at the beginning of Ŕafar 900/ the beginning of Nov. 1494. His Bughyat ał-łâlib fî sharŚ `Aqîdat Ibn-Ąâjib was attacked by as-Sanűsî.
  2. Abű-`Al. M. b. `Abdalkarîm b. M. al-Maghîlî t-Tilimsânî, the author of twenty-three works, traveled as far as Kano, and died at Tuwât in 909/ 1503-4. His correspondence with as-Sanűsî concerning the Jews of Tuwât has already been mentioned.
  3. Abű-`Al. M. b. `Al. b. `Abdaljalîl at-Tanasî t-Tilimsânî, author of several works, including the historical work noted above, died in Jum. I 899/ Feb.-March 1494. AŚmad Bâbâ quotes A. b. Dâwűd al-Andalusî as saying that "knowledge is with at-Tanasî, goodness (ŞalâŚ) with as-Sanűsî, and leadership (ri'âsa) with Ibn-Zakrî."
  4. Abű-l-`Abbâs A. b. `Al. al-Jazâ'irî z-Zawâwî wrote a theological and sufic poem in basîł meter rhyming in lâm, on which, at his request, as-Sanűsî wrote a commentary. Al-Mallâlî remarks that al-Jazâ'irî was pleased with the commentary and praised as-Sanűsî for it, and adds that the outward meaning of some of its expressions was incorrect, but was interpreted in a correct sense by as-Sanűsî. Al-Jazâ'irî died in 884/ 1479-80.
  5. Abű-`Al. M. b. `Ar. al-Ąaw˛î wrote a creed in rajaz meter, on which, at his request, as-Sanűsî wrote a commentary. He died in Tilimsân in Dhű-l-Q. 910/ April-May 1505.
    There remain a few names who are not recorded in connection with as-Sanűsî, but whom he inevitably knew and had contact with, since they were in Tilimsân with him and had many masters and students in common with him:
  6. A. b. Yy. b. M. b. `AbdalwâŚid b. `A. al-Wansharîsî studied under the masters of Tilimsân until the beginning of MuŚ. 874/ 11 July 1469, when he fell out with the Sultan (a. `Al. ath-Thâbîtî b. al-Mutawakkil) and his house was confiscated. He fled to Fez, where he wrote a number of works, including al-Mi'yar al-mu`arrab `an fatâwî `ulamâ' Ifrîqiya wa-l-Andalus wa-l-Maghrib, an important source for the biographies of AŚmad Bâbâ. He died on 20 Ŕafar 914/ 19 June 1508, at the approximate age of eighty.
  7. Abű-`Al. M. b. M. b. A. b. M. b. A. b. M. b. M. b. a. B. b. Marzűq al-kafîf al-`Ajîsî t-Tilimsanî, born on 1 Dhű-l-Q. 824/ 28 Oct. 421, was the son of Ibn-Marzűq al-Śafîd, and continued the family reputation for learning. He died in 901/ 1495-6.
  8. M. b. A. b. Q. b. Sa`îd b. M. al-`Uqbânî t-Tilimsânî seems to have directly succeeded his grandfather as qâ˛î of Tilimsân. He was still qâ˛î in 868/ 1463-4, when he brought a present from al-Mutawakkil to the Sultan of Tunis, but shortly thereafter was removed from office. He died on 23 Dhű-l-Ą. 871/ 26 July 1467.
  9. Abű-Sâlim I. b. Q. b. Sa`îd b. M. al-`Uqbânî t-Tilimsânî, born in 808/ 1405-6, he became qâ˛î of Tilimsân "after the removal (`azl) of his brother's son M. b. A. b. Q." He died in 880/ 1475-6.
c. His students (alphabetically by ism)
  1. `Ar. al-Majdűlî, known as at-Tűnusî, is said to have taught Zarrűq the creeds of as-Sanűsî.
  2. Abű-l-`Abbâs A. b. M. b. `Îsâ l-Burnusî l-Fâsî, known as Zarrűq, was born on 28 MuŚ. 846/ 8 June 1442. Besides learning directly from as-Sanűsî, he studied as-Sanűsî's creeds under `Ar. al-Majdűlî. He went to Cairo to study and teach, and died in Ŕafar 899/ Nov.-Dec. 1551.
  3. a. B. m. B. m. B. a. B. m. B. a. B. m. B. m. B. A. b. b. Marzűq Śafîd al-Śafîd continued the tradition of learning of his father and grandfather, dying in 925/ 1519.
  4. Abű-l-`Abbâs A. b. M. b. M. b. M. b. Yy. al-Madiyűnî l-Wahrânî, known as Ibn-Jayyida, studied under as-Sanűsî his Muqaddimat aŞ-Ŕughrâ, and died in 951/ 1544-5.
  5. A. b. M. b. M. b. `Uth. b. Yq. b. Sa`îd b. `Al. al-Manâwafî (aŞlan wa-nijâran) al-Warnîdî (mawlidan wa-dâran) al-Yabdarî, known as Ibn-al-Ąâjj, having studied under as-Sanűsî, wrote a versification of his al-`Aqîda aŞ-Şughrâ and his Ŕughrâ-Ş-Ŕughrâ. He died around 930/ 1523-4.
  6. I. al-Wajdîjî t-Tilimsânî died in the fourth decade of the tenth century/ 1523-1534.
  7. Ibn-Malűka is said by Ibn-`Askar to have led the people during the Turkish persecution, and to have died in 1530.
  8. M. b. A. b. a. l-Fa˛l b. Sa`îd b. Sa`d at-Tilimsânî wrote two historical works: an-Najm ath-thâqib fî mâ li-awliyâ' Allâh min al-manâqib, frequently quoted by AŚmad Bâbâ, and Raw˛at an-nisrîn fî manâqib al-arba`a al-muta'akhkhirîn. As will be discussed later, the latter work is likely an editing of the work of as-Sanűsî. Ibn-Sa`d died in Rajab 901/ March-April 1496.
  9. M. b. `Îsâ is merely mentioned without further detail.
  10. Abű-`Al. M. b. a. Madyan at-Tilimsânî is an important teacher of as-Sanűsî's works. According to Ibn-Maryam, he died in Jum. II 915/ Sept.-Oct. 1509, but AŚmad Bâbâ says he was still living in 920/ 1514-5.
  11. Abű-`Al. M. b. M. b. al-`Abbâs aŞ-Şaghîr at-Tilimsânî, the son of as-Sanűsî's master, studied as-Sanűsî's works under M. b. a. Madyan and directly under as-Sanűsî. He was still living after 920/ 1514-5.
  12. M. b. Műsâ l-Wajdîjî t-Tajînî t-Tilimsânî, himself the master of many students, was still living around 930/ 1523-4.
  13. M. al-Qal`î died before as-Sanűsî and was buried by him.
  14. M. b. `U. b. I. al-Mallâlî, the author of as-Sanűsî's biography and a commentary on his Ŕughrâ, is otherwise unknown.
  15. M. b. Yy. b. Műsâ l-Maghrâwî t-Tilimsânî r-Râshidî learned from as-Sanűsî tawŚîd, fiqh, uŞűl, exposition (bayân), logic arithmetic, inheritance laws and grammar. The date of his death is unknown.
  16. Abű-l-Q. b. M. az-Zawâwî died in 922/ 1516.
  17. `U. al-`Ałâfî is mentioned as a companion of al-Maghrâwî in studying under as-Sanűsî.
  18. Abű-s-Sâdât Yy. b. M. al-Madiyűnî t-Tilimsânî studied fiqh, uŞűl, exposition and logic under as-Sanűsî. There is no record of his death.
  19. Abű-Zk. Yy. as-Sűsî is mentioned as a student of al-Wansharîsî in the biographies of the latter by AŚmad Bâbâ and Ibn-Maryam, and as a master of al-Yasîtinî in AŚmad Bâbâ's biography of the latter. His connection with as-Sanűsî is verified by the isnâd of the ijâza of `Abdalqâdir al-Fâsî.
  20. Abű-Yq. Yűsuf al-`Ałâfî is mentioned as a student of as-Sanűsî in Ibn-Maryam's biography of M. al-Jadîrî.
  21. Abű-`Uth. Sa`îd al-kafîf al-Manawî, presumably a descendant of a. `Uth. Sa`îd al-`Uqbânî, and possibly to be identified with Sa`îd al-kafîf ar-Râshidî, who taught tawŚîd to M. b. M., grandson of Yy. b. M. al-Madiyűnî, is reported as a student of as-Sanűsî in the ijâzas of `Abdalqâdir al-Fâsî and al-Manjűr.
d. The spread of his works to West Africa

As-Sanűsî's works spread in many different directions according to many complicated lines of transmission. One line of interest is that through the family of AŚmad Bâbâ, to West Africa. Tracing upwards from AŚmad Bâbâ, the biographer from Timbuktoo, we have:

Westward of Timbuktoo, there is evidence that at least as-Sanűsî's Kubrâ, Wusłâ, Ŕughrâ, Ŕighrat aŞ-Ŕughrâ, and Muqaddima were well known in what is now northern Nigeria in the second half of the eighteenth century, where they have remained standard works. The details of this transmission demand further research.

E. His works

This enumeration of as-Sanűsî's works follows that of al-Mallâlî in chapter 4 of his biography. Works not included in his list are placed after. Roman numerals indicate the numeration of GAL, SII, where it differs from II. To avoid further reference to AŚmad Bâbâ, it may be noted here that he testifies to having seen copies of numbers 1-11, 13-20, 24, 26-28, 39 and 40.

  1. = V and XXIX) SharŚ fî farâ`i˛ al-Ąawfî, a commentary on the work on inheritance laws of A. b. M. b. Khalaf al-Ąawfî l-Qalâ`î (d. 588/ 1192). As-Sanűsî composed this when he was eighteen or nineteen years old, and won the praise of Abarkân for it.
  2. = I) Al-`Aqîda al-kubrâ, the larger creed, whose official title is `Aqîdat ahl at-tawŚîd al-mukhrija bi-`awn Allâh min ąulamât al-jahl wa-ruqbat at-taqlîd al-murghima be-fa˛l Allâh ta`âlâ anf kull mubtadi` wa-`anîd. This was as-Sanűsî's first work on tawŚîd. Although he does not say, a comparison makes it obvious that he modeled his creed after, and to a large extent copied from the creed of Ibn-Marzűq al-Śafîd, entitled `Aqîdat ahl at-tawŚîd al-mukhrija minąulamât at-taqlîd. Nevertheless as-Sanűsî's version is considerably expanded, enough to grant him the title of originality.
  3. = I) A commentary on the preceding, entitled `Umdat ahl at-tawfîq wa-t-tasdîd fî sharŚ `Aqîdat ahl at-tawŚîd. This, with the preceding, has been published in a number of editions. The one used in this thesis is that published in Cairo by MuŞłafâ l-Ąalabî, 1354/ 1936, with the gloss (Śawâsh) of Ismâ`îl b. Műsâ b. `Uth. al-Ąâmidî.
  4. = III) Al-`Aqîda al-wusłâ, the intermediate creed.
  5. = III) Its commentary. This and the preceding are discussed in detail in Chapter II, A.
  6. = II, including VII and XVIII?) Al-`âqîda aŞ-Şughrâ, the smaller creed. As-Sanűsî does not give it any title, but in his commentary on it refers to it simply as "a creed small in volume" (`aqîda Şaghîrat al-jirm). In printed editions and popular references it is called Umm al-barâhîn, or simply as-Sanűsiyya. There are a number of European translations and studies of this work.
  7. = II) Its commentary ,which bears no special name. The edition of the creed and its commentary used for this thesis is that published in Cairo by MuŞłafâ l-Ąalabî, 1358/ 1939, under the title Ąâshiya `alâ SharŚ Umm al-barâhîn; the Śâshiya is by M. b. A. b. `Arafa ad-Dasűqî.
    While the Ŕughrâ with its commentary is of a lesser scale altogether than the Kubrâ or the Wusłâ, in as-Sanűsî's estimation and its widespread popular use it is his most important work. The commentary says of the creed, "Although it is small in volume, it is large in knowledge, containing all the articles of tawŚîd, together with decisive demonstrations adapted to anyone who has a proper use of reason. Besides, I have concluded it with something I have not seen any of the older or recent theologians do: I have explained the two statements of the shahâda... to show how they include all the articles of faith. You have here a creed without parallel, as far as I know."
  8. = II.A) A yet smaller creed, called Ŕighrat aŞ-Ŕighra (or Ŕughrâ Ş-Ŕughrâ, or yet Ŕighrat aŞ-Ŕughrâ), composed espeicially for al-Mallâlî's father, who found the Ŕughrâ too difficult.
  9. = II.A) Its commentary, which has no special title. There is an edition of the creed and commentary printed in Cairo by Małba`at at-taqaddum al-`ilmiyya, 1322/ 1904-5, which is used in this thesis with the control of the Escorial manuscript n .697, ff. 252b-277a.
  10. = VI) Al-Muqaddima (or al-Muqaddimât), which was meant to explain terms and presuppositions in the Ŕughrâ.
  11. = VI) Its commentary, which bears no special title. There is an edition of ti by J.l-D. Luciani, Les prolégomčnes théologiques de Senoussi, texte arabe et traduction française (Algiers, 1908), but this thesis generally uses in preference the Escorial manuscript n. 697, ff. 194b-224b.
  12. Another `aqîda, written at the request of one of his students. In it, al-Mallâlî says, are cogent reasons against those who assert that ordinary activating-links produce effects. This work seems to have perished.
  13. = XXVIII) SharŚ asmâ' Allâh al-Śusnâ, a commentary on the divine names. From a look at an incomplete copy of this in the Bibliothčque Nationale manuscript n. 6480, it seems more of sufic than of theological interest.
  14. SharŚ at-tasbîŚ, on the practice of saying at the end of the canonical prayers "SubŚân Allâh", "Al-Śamdu li-llâh", and "Allâhu akbar" thirty-three times each, and a final "Lâ ilâha illâ llâh". The text of this is given in chapter 6 of al-Mallâlî's biography.
  15. A commentary on the `aqîda in rajaz meter by al-Ąaw˛î. I know of no copy of it.
  16. = IV and XXVI) A commentary on the theological poem of al-Jazâ'irî, often listed as al-Minhâj as-sadî fî sharŚ Kifâyat al-murîd. There are a good number more manuscripts of this work than Brockelmann mentions, especially in Tunis and Cairo. The manuscript used for this thesis is that of al-Azhar, n. 4388 (283), which is of 448 folios at 15 lines per page. References to it give not only the folio number of this manuscript, but also the number of the faŞl, and a small letter for the naŞŞ concerned in each faŞl; this is simply a matter of counting, and will facilitate reference to any manuscript at hand.
  17. = XX) Mukmil Ikmâl al-Ikmâl, an abridgement of the Ikmâl al-Ikmâl, on the ŔaŚîŚ of Muslim, by M. b. Khalîfa b. `U. al-Washtâtî l-Ubbî (d. 828/ 1424).
  18. = XXX) A commentary on the ŔaŚîŚ of al-Buhkârî, which as-Sanűsî did not finish.
  19. SharŚ li-mushkilât waqa`at fî âkhir al-Bukhârî, a commentary on problems occurring at the end of al-Bukhârî. At least part of this work is reproduced in chapter 6 of al-Mallâlî.
  20. MukhtaŞar az-Zarkashî, an abridgement of at-TanqîŚ li-alfâą al-jâmi` aŞ-ŞaŚîŚ, on al-Bukhârî, of M. b. Bahâdur b. `Al. at-Turkî l-MiŞrî z-Zarkashî (d. 3 Rajab 794/ 27 May 1392 in Cairo). I know of no copy of this work.
  21. MukhtaŞar Ąawâshî t-Taftâzânî `alâ Kashshâf az-Zamakhsharî, an abridgement of SharŚ al-Kashshâf by Sa`daddîn Mas`űd b. `U. at-Taftâzânî (d. 2 MuŚ. 792/ 10 Jan. 1390). The work of at-Taftâzânî is a commentary on al-Kashshâf `an Śaqâ'iq at-tanzîl wa-`uyűn al-aqâwîl fî wujűb at-ta'wîl, on the Qur'ân, by a. l-Q. MaŚműd b. `U. az-Zamakhsharî (d. 9 Dhű-l-Ą. 538/ 14 June 1144). I know of no copy of this work.
  22. A commentary on Muqaddimat al-jabr, on algebra, by a. M. `Al. b. M. al-Ąajjâj al-Adrînî b. al-Yâsimînî (d. 601/ 1204-5). The work commented upon is possibly al-Urjűza al-Yâsimîniyya, which Brockelmann mentions. Al-Mallâlî says that as-Sanűsî composed this work in his youth. I know of no extant copy.
  23. A commentary on al-Jumal (or al-MukhtaŞar), on logic, by Af˛aladdîn a. l-Fa˛â'il a. `Al. M. b. Namwar b. `Abdalmalik al-Khűnajî (d. 5 Ram. 646/ 23 Dec. 1249). Al-Mallâlî says he does not know if as-Sanűsî finished this work. I know of no existing copy.
  24. = XXXI) A commentary on the Muqaddima Îsâghűjî, on logic, by Burhânaddîn a. l-Ą. I. b. `U. b. al-Ą. ar-Rabâł b. `A. b. al-Biqâ`î sh-Shâfi`î (d. 885/ 1480 in Damascus).
  25. A commentary on the MukhtaŞar on logic of a. `Al. M. b. M. b. `Arafa al-Warghamî (d. 750/ 1350). Al-Mallâlî says that as-Sanűsî did not finish this work, because he was too busy and it was extremely difficult. Brockelmann has no reference to this work of Ibn-`Arafa. Nor have I seen any trace of the commentary.
  26. = VIII) MukhtaŞar fî l-manłiq, on logic.
  27. = VIII) A commentary on the preceding.
  28. = GAL on al-Ąabbâk) A commentary on the poem Bughyat ał-łullâb fî `ilm al-asłurlâb, on the astrolabe, by his teacher al-Ąabbâk.
  29. A commentary on the Urjűza fî ł-łibb, on medicine, of a. `Al. al-Ąu. b. `Al. b. Sînâ (d. 428/ 1037). Al-Mallâlî says this work was not finished. I know of no copy of it.
  30. An abridgement of "a book" on the seven readings (of the Qur'ân).
  31. A commentary on ash-Shâłibiyya al-kubrâ, that is, Ąirz al-amânî wa-wajh at-tahânî, or al-QaŞîda ash-Shâłibiyya, by a. l-Q. a. Ąamîd al-Q. b. Firruh b. a. l-Q. Khalaf b. A. ar-Ra`aynî sh-Shâłibî (d. 18 or 28 Jum. II 590/ 11 or 21 June 1194). Al-Mallâlî says this work was not finished when he saw it. I know of no copy.
  32. A commentary on the Áabł of Kharrâz on the orthography of the Qur'ân (rasm), that is, ad-Durar al-lawâmi` fî aŞl maqra' al-imâm Nâfi` or less likely a second work, Mawrid aą-ąam'ân fî rasm al-Qur'ân by M. b. M. b. I. b. `Al. al-Umawî sh-Sharîshî l-Kharrâzî, known as al-Kharrâz, who wrote around 703/ 1303. I know of no copy.
  33. A commentary on the Mudawwana, the long work on Mâlikî law by SaŚnűn `Abdassalâm b. Sa`d b. Ąabîb at-Tanűkhî (d. 6 or 7 Rajab 280/ 1 or 2 Dec. 854). Al-Mallâlî did not know whether this was finished. I know of no copy.
  34. A commentary on al-Waghlîsiyya, that is, al-Muqaddima, on law, by a. Zayd `Ar. b. A. al-Waghlîsî l-Maghrabî (d. 786/ 1384). This work was unfinished because as-Sanűsî was too busy. I know of no copy.
  35. a versification on inheritance laws (naąm fî l-farâ'i˛). Al-Mallâlî gives the first line of it, and says that as-Sanűsî composed it in his youth; he did not know whether it was completed.
  36. an abridgement of the Ri`âya, that is, ar-Ri`âya li-Śuqűq Allâh wa-l-qiyâm bi-hâ, on sufism, by a. `Al. al-Ąârith b. Asad al-MuŚâsibî l-BaŞrî l-`Anazî (d. 243/ 837). I know of no copy of this abridgement.
  37. An abridgement of ar-Raw˛ al-unuf wa-l-mashra` ar-riwâ fî tafsîr mâ yashtamil `alay-hi Śadîth as-sîra wa-Śtawâ, on the life of MuŚammad, by a. l-Q. `Ar. b. `Al. b. a. l-Ą. A. as-Suhaylî l-Khat`amî (d. 25 Sha`bân 581/ 12 Nov. 1285). I know of no copy of this abridgement.
  38. An abridgement of Bughyat as-sâlik fî ashraf al-masâlik, on sufism, by a. `Al. M. b. M. b. A. b. `Ar. b. I. al-AnŞârî s-SâŚilî l-Mâlaqî l-Mu`ammam (d. 754/ 1353). This work was not finished, and is not known to have survived.
  39. = XXIII?) A commentary on verses on sufism by al-Imâm al-Albîrî. I have not been able to identify this person. The text of the verses and the commentary are given in chapter 7 of al-Mallâlî's work, in the third place.
  40. = XXIII?) A commentary on verses on sufism by "a sufi" (li-ba`˛ al-`ârifîn). The text of the verses and the commentary are given in chapter 7 of al-Mallâlî's work, in the first place.
  41. = XXIII?) A commentary on other verses on sufism by "a sufi". The text of the verses and the commentary are given in chapter 7 of al-Mallâlî's work, in the second place.
  42. A commentary on al-Murshida, that is, al-`Aqîda al-murshida by M. b. Tűmart, called "al-Mahdî" in the Maghrib, and "al-Mahdawî" in the East (d. 524/ 1130). The only copy of this which I know of is in the private collection of M. ash-Shâdhilî l-Naifar in Tunis. It consists of thirteen folios, without a date, but the copy is approximately from the eleventh century H. The second work in the volume is by "al-Jarbî" (from the island of Djerba), who possibly is the copyist. The incipit, after the blessings, is "wa-ba`d, kasâ-nâ llâh wa iyyâ-ka libâs at-taqwâ..."
  43. A commentary on al-Muqaddima al-Âjurrűmiyya, on grammar, by a. `Al. M. b. M. b. Dâ`űd aŞ-Ŕinhâjî b. Âjurrűm (d. Ŕafar 723/ Feb. 1323). I know of no copy.
  44. A commentary on Jawâhir al-`ulűm, that is, Jawâhir al-kalâm, mukhtaŞar al-Mawâfiq, by `A˛udaddîn `Ar. b. A. b. `Abdaljaffâr aŞ-Ŕidîqî l-Qâ˛î l-Îjî ą-Ĺafarî sh-Shirâzî (d. 756/ 1355). This work on kalâm was supposed to be modeled after the philosophical method of al-Bay˛âwî's ał-Ăawâli'. Al-Mallâlî remarks that this is an extraordinary work (kitâb `ajîb), but difficult. Unfortunately no copy of it is known to be extant.
  45. = XIX) A tafsîr of the Qur'ân up to Sűra 2, v. 5. Al-Mallâlî reproduces in chapter 5 of his work all of this, going up even to verse 7.
  46. A tafsîr of Sűra 38 (Ŕ) and the following. Al-Mallâlî did not know how far as-Sanűsî got in this work. It is not known to have survived.
    Besides the works listed above, AŚmad Bâbâ and Ibn-Maryam add the following two:
  47. = XXVII) Tafsîr Śadîth al-`umda, bayt "ad-dâ' wa-l-Śamiyya ra's ad-dawâ' wa-aŞl kull dâ' al-barda". I have not had the chance to check al-Mallâlî again to see if this is included in his chapter 6, in the miscellaneous passages between ff. 106a-108a.
  48. Ta`lîq `alâ far`ay Ibn-Ąajib, an observation on two sections of a work by Jamâladdîn a. `Amr `Uth. b. `U. b. a. B. b. al-Ąâjib (d. 646/ 1249).
    There must also be added:
  49. = XVI?) Two prayers (wird) reproduced in chapter 8 of al-Mallâlî's work.
  50. = IX-X) NuŞrat ahl ad-dîn wa-ahl al-Śaqq wa-l-yaqîn `alâ man ta`arra˛ fî ł-łarîq fî r-radd `alâ Abî-l-Ąasan aŞ-Şaghîr, a polemical work defending sufic practices. In this thesis, reference is made to the British Museum ms. Add. 9521, ff. 245a-258a.
  51. Manâqib al-arba`a al-muta'akhkhirîn, biographies of four recent sufic figures. Ibn-Maryam identifies these four as al-Hawârî, I. at-Tâzî, al-Ą Abarkân, and A. b. al-Ą al-Ghamârď. The work can be reconstructed by assembling the passages which Ibn-Maryam quotes from it. There is a quotation in Ibn-Maryam's introduction, pp. 6-8, which must have been from the introduction of as-Sanűsî's work. The biographies of M. b. `U. al-Hawârî (d. 843/ 1439-40), pp. 228-236, Abarkân, pp. 74-93, and al-Ghamârî, pp. 31-38, explicitly acknowledge quoting from this work of as-Sanűsî. That of I. at-Tâzî, pp. 58-63, does not; rather it simply follows AŚmad Bâbâ, who quotes from Ibn-Sa`d's an-Najm ath-thâqib and from al-Mallâlî. The quotations from an-Najam ath-thâqib are factual and objective, whereas al-Mallâlî's style matches the hagiographical legendary style of the other three biographies attributed to as-Sanűsî. I suggest that al-Mallâlî's section on I. at-Tâzî is based on as-Sanűsî's biography.
    Furthermore, until the Raw˛at an-nisrîn fî manâqib al-arba`a al-muta'akhkhirîn of Ibn-Sa`d is found, I suggest that it is an editing of written or oral information gathered from as-Sanűsî and that Ibn-Maryam is quoting not directly from a work of as-Sanűsî, but from this edition by Ibn-Sa`d. This seems the best explanation of the first person singular pronouns on p. 31, which cannot refer to a-Sanűsî, but fit Ibn-Sa`d well. This also explains AŚmad Bâbâ's ambivalence regarding the source of his information for Abarkân.
    Possibly associated with this work is the short biography of M. b. Q. b. Tűnart, which AŚmad Bâbâ and Ibn-Maryam attribute to as-Sanűsî.
  52. A letter (or fatwâ) to M. al-Maghîlî concerning his action against the Jews of Tuwât, found in AŚmad Bâbâ's and Ibn-Maryam's biographies of al-Maghîlî, and in a shorter form in their biographies of at-Tanasî.
  53. etc. I leave from consideration Brockelmann's numbers XII, XIII, XIV, XXI, XXII and XXV, since to identify them adequately would require an examination and comparison of the texts.