صفي الدين أحمد القشاشي

Ahmad al-Qushashi (RH)

Safi al-Din Ahmad al-Qushashi

Also known as: al-Qusyasyi, Qushashi

991–1071 AH · 1583–1661 CE

Sufism & Theology Sufism

Madinan Sufi master of the Shattari order and teacher of a generation of students from the Malay world.

Ahmad al-Qushashi was born in Madinah and became one of the leading scholars and Sufi masters of the city. He received the Shattari order from his teacher Ahmad al-Shinnawi, and he also taught hadith and fiqh.

Students came to him from across the Muslim world, including the students from Southeast Asia known in Arabia as the Jawi. 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-Singkili studied with him for years and received from him the Shattari initiation that he later spread across Sumatra and Java. His foremost disciple, Ibrahim al-Kurani, succeeded him as the leading teacher of Madinah. His al-Simt al-Majid sets out the Sufi pledge, the remembrance of Allah and the chains of the orders.

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Life journey

1583 CE Madinah المدينة
Died 1661 CE · 1071 AH
Taught in Madinah all his life; buried in al-Baqi'

Students

Abdul Rauf Singkel (RH) c. 1615–1693 CE
'Abd al-Ra'uf studied with al-Qushashi in Madinah and received the Shattari order from him.
Ibrahim al-Kurani (RH) 1616–1690 CE
Al-Kurani became al-Qushashi's closest disciple in Madinah and succeeded him as its leading teacher.
Shaykh Yusuf al-Maqassari (RH) 1626–1699 CE
Shaykh Yusuf studied with al-Qushashi during his years in Madinah.

Key works

al-Simt al-Majid السمط المجيد
The Glorious Necklace
On the Sufi pledge, remembrance and the chains of the orders.

Places in their life

Sources

Azyumardi Azra, The Origins of Islamic Reformism in Southeast Asia (2004)
al-Muhibbi, Khulasat al-Athar (entry on Ahmad al-Qushashi)

Draft, awaiting scholarly review.

Please check the account of his teachers and his madhhab, which is left out here.