Ahmad al-Alawi أحمد بن مصطفى العلاوي

Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi rahimahullah (1869-14 July 1934) was a celebrated Sufi master, scholar, and spiritual reformer from Mostaghanem in Algeria. He received his initial Islamic formation from his father, before seeking a deeper spiritual path and becoming a murid of Shaykh Muhammad al-Buzidi, himself a murid of the renowned Shaykh Moulay al-Arabi ad-Darqawi. Through Shaykh al-Alawi's influence, the Darqawi tariqa reached far beyond its Moroccan origins, spreading particularly throughout Algeria, France, and Syria. Beyond his role as a spiritual guide, he was a prolific author, producing a large number of books on Islamic spirituality and doctrine. He also established a newspaper, using it as a platform for Islamic renewal and outreach. He was active in dispatching his followers to re-establish the practice of the deen and to call people to Allah. His passing on 14 July 1934 marked the end of a life of extraordinary spiritual and intellectual influence across North Africa and Europe.