Sufi And Scholar On The Desert Edge

Al-Sanusi (1787-1859) founded the Sufi brotherhood of the Sanusiya in Cyrenaica (Libya), which organized the Bedouin of the desert and its littoral for religious piety and trade and development. It grew into one of the most influential Islamic movements in North Africa and the Sahara, and later played a key role in resisting French and Italian imperialism. Vikor examines the scholarly tradition in which Al-Sanusi was educated as a Sufi teacher and scholar of Islamic Law, and its influence on his intentions and methods. Slightly revised from his 1992 thesis for the University of Bergen. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR