Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sanusi facts for kids

Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi (1787–1859) was an important Arab Muslim leader and teacher. He started a special group called the Senussi mystical order in 1837. This group became very strong and helped Libya gain its freedom from Italy in 1947. A famous leader named Omar Mukhtar was part of the Senussi movement. Muhammad as-Senussi's grandson, Idris I, later became the first king of Libya, ruling from 1951 to 1969.

Early Life and Studies

Muhammad as-Senussi was born in 1787 in a place called al-Wasita. This area was near Mostaganem, in what is now Algeria. He was named al-Senussi after a respected Muslim teacher. His family was part of the Walad Sidi Abdalla tribe. His family history also connected him to Fatimah, who was the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

He studied at a religious school, known as a madrassa, in Fez, Morocco. There, he learned about religious orders. After his studies, he traveled across the Sahara desert. He preached about making the faith purer in Tunisia and Tripoli. Many people joined him and became his followers.

Building the Senussi Movement

Muhammad as-Senussi then moved to Cairo to study at Al-Azhar University. Because the French had taken over Algeria, he could not go back that way. So, he started his work in Jebel Akhdar in Cyrenaica, Libya. He built a mosque in Bayda and named it after himself.

Later, he moved to Jaghbub in Cyrenaica. From there, his mosques spread to other cities in Barqa and Tripoli. He built a large mosque and a university in Jaghbub. This university was later closed down in 1984.

Legacy and Descendants

After Muhammad as-Senussi died in 1859, his son, Sayyid Muhammad al-Mahdi bin Sayyid Muhammad as-Senussi (1859–1902), became the new leader of the Senussi order. He moved the center of the order further south to Kufra.

Muhammad as-Senussi's grandson, Idris I, became the only King of Libya. This shows how important Muhammad as-Senussi's work was for the future of Libya.