Al-Zayla`i
| Abd Al-Rahman bin Ahmad al-Zayla'i | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shaykh |
| Born | 1820 |
| Died | 1882 |
| Ethnicity | Somali |
| Era | 19th century |
| Region | East Africa |
| Religion | Islam |
| Main interest(s) | Islamic philosophy, Islamic Jurisprudence |
Al-Zayla`i (`Abd Al-Rahman bin Ahmad al-Zayla`i عبد الرحمن بن أحمد الزيلعي) ( 1820–1882) was a Somali scholar who played a crucial role in the spread of the Qadiriyyah movement in Somalia and East Africa.
Born in the rural village of Kedilai northwest of Mogadishu, he studied elementary ilm under the supervision of the local Ulema, He later moved to Mogadishu, studying under Sheikh Isma'il b. Umar al-Maqdishi.
Al-Zayla'i traveled to various Islamic centers in the Horn of Africa. Upon returning to his home village, he established a community of pupils near Qulunquul, setting out to spread the Qadiriyyah order throughout the upper Shebelle region. This enhanced his reputation and also helped the order gain considerable success amongst the region's pastoralists, the religious elite, and the villagers of the interior.
See also
References
- Samatar, S.S. (1992). In the Shadow of Conquest: Islam in Colonial Northeast Africa. Red Sea Press. p. 13. ISBN 9780932415707. Retrieved 2015-06-20.