Questions & Answers in Islamic Theology by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem

WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF UMM AL-BARAHIN?

Shaykh Ramzy Ajem answered:

The Mother of Proofs is a primer text, also known ‫ة ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫أم ا ا‬

as The Succint Sanusi Creed, witten by Imam Abu ‫ا‬ ٔ‫ا ى ٕ م ا‬
Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬
al-Hasani (832 - 895 AH), may Allah have
mercy on him, and bring us benefit by him and
‫(و‬ ‫ا‬ ) ‫ا‬ ‫و‬
his knowledge. It has been translated into ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ٕ ‫إ ا ا‬ ‫م‬
English by Ramzy Ajem, may Allah forgive him. . ‫ا‬ ‫ري‬
The Text of Study

○ Name: Umm al-Barahin (The Mother of Proofs)

○ AKA: Matn al-Sanusiya or al-Aqida al-Sanusiya
○ Length: 10-15 pages
○ Content: Al-Ilahiyat, Al-Nubuwat, Sam`iyat
○ Curriculum Level: Intermediate study and relied upon text in Islamic theology for the past 500
years within the Sunni world (Azhar, Zaytuna, Qarawiyin, and institutions throughout Africa,
Middle East and Malaysia).
○ Translation: The Succinct Sanusi Creed: Umm al-Barahin
○ Translator: Ramzy Ajem

The Author of the Text

○ Teknonymy (kunya): Abu Abd Allah

○ Name: Muhammad
○ Father’s Name: Yusuf ibn Umar ibn Shu`ayb
○ Last Name: Al-Sanusi (attributed to a Moroccan tribe Bani Sanus)
○ Lineage: Hasani (from father’s mother)
○ Date of Birth: ~830 AH / ~1430 AD
○ Region: Tlemcan, Algeria
○ Jurisprudential School: Maliki
○ Theological School: Ashari
○ Scholarly Status: Recognized as among leading theological scholars of Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama`a
○ Published Works in: Theology, Fiqh, Tasawwuf, Legal Theory, Astronomy, Logic, The Seven
Variants of Quranic Readings, & Commentaries on Hadith
○ Political Context: Zayyanid dynasty (Ziyānyūn ‫ )زﯾﺎﻧﯾون‬in Tlemcen & Ottoman Empire in the East
○ Contemporaries: Al-Sharif Al-Jurjani, Al-Qastallani, Al-Suyut, 'Ala' al-Din al-Bukhari
○ Prominent Teachers: Among many is Imam Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn al-Abbas al-Abbadi
(d.871 AH)
○ Prominent Students: Among many is Imam Sayid Ahmad “Zarruq” ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad
ibn Isa Al-Barnusi Al-Fasi (d. 899 A

Notes from the Sanusiya Course 2022 by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem