محمد بن يوسف السنوسي

al-Sanusi (RH)

Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi

Also known as: Imam Sanusi

c. 832–895 AH · c. 1428–1490 CE

Sufism & Theology Maliki Theology

Ash'ari theologian of Tlemcen whose short creed underlies the 'twenty attributes' taught in the Malay world.

Al-Sanusi lived in Tlemcen in present-day Algeria and was known for his asceticism and his teaching of theology. He wrote a series of creeds of increasing length for students at different levels.

The shortest, Umm al-Barahin (al-Sanusiyyah al-Sughra), explains what must, may and cannot be true of Allah and His messengers. It became one of the most widely taught creeds in the Muslim world, and its scheme of twenty necessary attributes of Allah is the basis of the 'Sifat Dua Puluh' taught in Malay and Indonesian religious schools.

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