Abu Ali al-Hassan al-Yusi
Encyclopedia
Abu Ali al-Hassan ibn Masud al-Yusi (1631-1691) was a Moroccan
Sufi writer. He is considered to be the greatest Moroccan scholar of the seventeenth century and was a close associate of the first Alaouite
sultan Rashid
. Al-Yusi was born in a Berber tribe, the Ait Yusi, in the Middle Atlas
mountains. He was married to Zahra bint Muhammad b. Musa al-Fasi. Al-Yusi left his native village on a very young age for a lifelong pilgrimage. He received his barakah
from Sheikh Mohammed Ben Nasir
of the tariqa Nasiriyya
of Tamegroute
.
Of his autobiography, Al-Fahrasa (literally: academic journey), only the introduction and first section have survived and these were, until recently, unpublished. His better known text Al-Muharat also contains many autobiographical passages. Both texts are remarkable for the author's frank discussions of childhood misdeeds, the pleasures of his conjugal sex life, and other intimate details of his personal life. Al-Yusi's Daliyya (poem of praise) of his shaikh Muhammad b.Nasir al-Dari of the Zawiya Nasiriyya
of Tamegroute
, is famous both in Morocco and West Africa.
Al-Yusi overtly criticised the reign of the Alouite sultan Moulay Ismael. This criticism was expressed in 'open' letters, some of which remain today.
Al-Yusi is especially well-known because he founded the cult of the seven saints of Marrakech
at the request of Moulay Ismael.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
Sufi writer. He is considered to be the greatest Moroccan scholar of the seventeenth century and was a close associate of the first Alaouite
Alaouite Dynasty
The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of its founder Moulay Ali Cherif who became Prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay r-Rshid was able to unite and pacify the country...
sultan Rashid
Al-Rashid of Morocco
Moulay al-Rashid was Sultan of Morocco from 1666 to 1672. He has been called the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty.It was his father Moulay Ali Cherif who took power in Tafilalt around 1630. In 1635 al-Rashid's brother Moulay Mohammed ould Moulay Cherif succeeded their still living father...
. Al-Yusi was born in a Berber tribe, the Ait Yusi, in the Middle Atlas
Middle Atlas
The Middle Atlas is part of the Atlas mountain range lying in Morocco, a mountainous country with more than 100,000 km² or 15% of its landmass rising above 2,000 metres. The Middle Atlas is the northernmost of three Atlas Mountains chains that define a large plateaued basin extending eastward...
mountains. He was married to Zahra bint Muhammad b. Musa al-Fasi. Al-Yusi left his native village on a very young age for a lifelong pilgrimage. He received his barakah
Barakah
In Islam, Barakah is the beneficent force from God that flows through the physical and spiritual spheres as prosperity, protection, and happiness. Baraka is the continuity of spiritual presence and revelation that begins with God and flows through that and those closest to God. Baraka can be found...
from Sheikh Mohammed Ben Nasir
Mohammed ibn Nasir
Sidi Mohammed ibn Nasir or Mohammed ibn Mohammed ibn Ahmed ibn Mohammed ibn al-Hussayn ibn Nasir ibn Amr abu Bakr al-Drawi al-Aghlabi was a Moroccan Sufi and founder of the Nasiriyya zawiyya of Tamegroute. Sidi Muhammad bin Nasir was a theologian, scholar and physician, especially interested in...
of the tariqa Nasiriyya
Nasiriyya
The Nasiriyya is a Sufi order founded by Sidi Mohammed ibn Nasir al-Drawi whose centre was Tamegroute-Bibliography:* Ph.D. Thesis: by David Gutelius. Johns Hopkins University, 2001....
of Tamegroute
Tamegroute
Tamegroute is a village in the south of Morocco, in the valley of the Draa River. It has a history as an important center of learning and religion through its famous Sufi zawiya, historical center of the Nasiriyya Sufi order, one of the most influential - and at one time one of the largest - Sufi...
.
Of his autobiography, Al-Fahrasa (literally: academic journey), only the introduction and first section have survived and these were, until recently, unpublished. His better known text Al-Muharat also contains many autobiographical passages. Both texts are remarkable for the author's frank discussions of childhood misdeeds, the pleasures of his conjugal sex life, and other intimate details of his personal life. Al-Yusi's Daliyya (poem of praise) of his shaikh Muhammad b.Nasir al-Dari of the Zawiya Nasiriyya
Nasiriyya
The Nasiriyya is a Sufi order founded by Sidi Mohammed ibn Nasir al-Drawi whose centre was Tamegroute-Bibliography:* Ph.D. Thesis: by David Gutelius. Johns Hopkins University, 2001....
of Tamegroute
Tamegroute
Tamegroute is a village in the south of Morocco, in the valley of the Draa River. It has a history as an important center of learning and religion through its famous Sufi zawiya, historical center of the Nasiriyya Sufi order, one of the most influential - and at one time one of the largest - Sufi...
, is famous both in Morocco and West Africa.
Al-Yusi overtly criticised the reign of the Alouite sultan Moulay Ismael. This criticism was expressed in 'open' letters, some of which remain today.
Al-Yusi is especially well-known because he founded the cult of the seven saints of Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
at the request of Moulay Ismael.
External links
- Kenneth l. Honerkamp, al-Hassan ibn Mas'ud al-YUSI, in Roger M. A. Allen, Joseph E. Lowry, Terri DeYoung, Devin J. Stewart, Essays in Arabic literary biography, Volume 2, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, 2009, p. 410-428 Online Google books http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ds4IFuJDl-QC&pg=PA410&dq=al-yusi&hl=en&ei=MsQkTcbtJITsOa6QvawC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=al-yusi&f=false (retrieved , january 4, 2011)
- Fatima Ghoulaichi , Of Saints and Sharifian Kings in Morocco: Three Examples of Reimagining History through Reinventing King/Saint Relationship (thesis), 2005, Chapter II "Moulay Ismail and Lyusi: The politics of baraka and sharifism", p. 18-28 https://drum.umd.edu/dspace/bitstream/1903/2649/1/umi-umd-2561.pdf