Abd Al-Rahman bin Abdullah al Shashi (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله الشاشي) (b. 1829 - 1904), popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist.[1]

Abd Al-Rahman bin Abdallah al Shashi
The mosque of Sheikh Sufi (p. 1930)
Title	Sheikh Suufi
Personal
Born	1829 Mogadishu
Died	1904 (aged 74–75)
Religion	Islam
Era	19th century
Jurisprudence	Shafi'i
Creed	Sunni
Main interest(s)	Astrology, Poetry, Islamic philosophy, Islamic literature
Occupation	Muslim scholar
Muslim leader
Influenced by Abdul Qadir Gilani, Abadir Umar ar-Rida, Al-Zayla'i
Influenced Uways Al-Barawi

Life

Sheikh Sufi was born in Mogadishu, where he founded the Qadiriyyah congregation, an Islamic school of thought or tariqah whose disciples included colleagues of his such as Uways al-Barawi. He studied astrology and wrote extensively on the future of Mogadishu and religious sciences, and authored popular books such as Shadjarat al Yakim ("The Tree of Certitude").[2]

Besides his scholarly career, Sheikh Sufi was known as a great mediator between merchants and shop keepers in the coastal cities. As a reformist, he is credited with having put an end to what he considered to be the urbanites' immoral dancing rituals. In private, he also wrote many poems, which would eventually be taken up by fellow scholars such as Abdallah al-Qutbi in their books.

Pilgrimage to his mausoleum

After his death in 1904, Shaykh Sufi's mausoleum became a site of annual pilgrimage for the faithful from across Somalia and East Africa. A cemetery was eventually be constructed around his mausoleum, where prominent Somali ministers, entertainers and Presidents would also be buried.

See also

• Islam in Somalia
• Abdallah al-Qutbi

References