Sidi Abder Rahman El Thaelebi
Sidi Abdul-Rahman (1384 ce/785 ah – 1479 ce/875 ah) was born near the town of Isser 86 km south east of Algiers. He was raised in a very spiritual environment with high Islamic values and ethics.[1]
When 15 years old, Sidi Abdul-Rahman, with his father Sidi Mohamed Ben Makhlouf, went to Morocco for studies where he met the Muslim scholar Sidi Mohamed Ibn Marzoug Al Adrissi. In 1392, he made another trip to Bejaia (200 km east of Algiers) seeking knowledge where his father died. He stayed in Bejaia for 7 years studying Islamic sciences.
He then travelled to Tunis in 1406, Cairo in 1414 and Bursa in Turkey, where he was well received and a shrine was erected in his honour which remains an endowment for this saint man.
From Turkey, Sidi Abdul-Rahman went to perform Hajj to Mecca, after which he returned to his native Algeria after a 20 years. He taught in the Great Mosque of Algiers until he died on the Friday of 23rd of Ramadan 875 AH, the 15th of March 1479 after dedicating 95 years of his life to serve Islam and Muslims.
Legacy
He left a legacy of more than 100 books, among which the most important was Al Jawahir Al Hissane fi Tafsir Al Koran (the fine pearls in the exegesis of the Koran). He was buried near the quarter of "Bab El Oued" in the heart of Algiers.
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sidi Abder Rahman El Thaelebi. |