Brahim Boushaki
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Brahim Boushaki ( ''Ibrahim ibn Ali al-Boushaki'') (1912 CE/1330 AH – 1997 CE/1418 AH) was an Algerian
Scholar A scholar is a person who is a researcher or has expertise in an academic discipline. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researcher at a university. An academic usually holds an advanced degree or a termina ...
,
Imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...
and
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
. He was born in the village of
Soumâa Soumâa or Thala Oufella is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meraldene River and Isser River, and also the town of Thenia in the Khachna mountain range. Zawiya * Zawiyet Sidi Boush ...
near the town of
Thénia Thénia (), sometimes written as Thenia, with around 40,000 inhabitants, is the chief town in the ''daïra'' of the same name, in the ''wilaya'' of Boumerdès, in northern Algeria. Historically, the name is a contraction of "Theniet Beni Aicha" ( ...
53 km east of
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
. He was raised in a very spiritual environment within
Zawiyet Sidi Boushaki Zawiyet Sidi Brahim Boushaki () or Zawiyet Thénia is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya of the Rahmaniyya Sufi brotherhood located at Boumerdès Province, in the lower Kabylia region of Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Soumâa was built in 1442 ...
with high Islamic values and ethics. He had great interpersonal skills and devoted his entire life in service of
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
and
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
according to the
Algerian Islamic reference The Algerian Islamic reference is the fundamentalist and legal framework for the practice of the religion of Islam in Algeria within Sunnism under the tutelage of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments. Reference elements Sunnism A ...
.


Family

Brahim Boushaki was born in 1912 in the historic village of
Soumâa Soumâa or Thala Oufella is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meraldene River and Isser River, and also the town of Thenia in the Khachna mountain range. Zawiya * Zawiyet Sidi Boush ...
perched at the top of the
Col des Beni Aïcha A col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks; a mountain pass or saddle. COL, CoL or col may also refer to: Computers * Caldera OpenLinux, a defunct Linux distribution * , an HTML element specifying a column * A collision sig ...
in
Lower Kabylia Kabylia or Kabylie (; in Kabyle: Tamurt n leqbayel; in Tifinagh: ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵍⴻⵇⴱⴰⵢⴻⵍ; ), meaning "Land of the Tribes" is a mountainous coastal region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is ...
. He is part of the 16th generation of the descendants of the illustrious Algerian theologian
Sidi Boushaki Sidi Boushaki or Ibrahim Ibn Faïd Ez-Zaouaoui () (1394 CE/796 AH – 1453 CE/857 AH) was a Maliki theologian born near the town of Thenia, east of Algiers. He was raised in a very spiritual environment with high Islamic values and ethics with ...
(1394–1453) who was one of the colleagues of Sidi Abderrahmane Thaalibi (1384–1479) in his initiatory journey in Bejaïa and elsewhere at the beginning of the Gregorian 15th century. His father, Ali Boushaki (1855–1965) was the
muqaddam () is an Arabic title, adopted in other Islamic or Islamicate cultures, for various civil or religious officials. As per the Persian records of medieval India, muqaddams, along with khots and chowdhurys, acted as hereditary rural intermediaries ...
of the
Rahmaniyya The Raḥmâniyya (Arabic: الرحمانية) is an Algerian Sufi order (tariqa or brotherhood) founded by Kabyle religious scholar Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Azhari Bu Qabrayn in the 1770s. It was initially a branch of the Khalwat ...
Sufi order A ''tariqa'' () is a religious order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking , which translates as "ultimate truth". A tariqa has a (guide) who plays the r ...
east of Algiers, and the
Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
of
Zawiyet Sidi Boushaki Zawiyet Sidi Brahim Boushaki () or Zawiyet Thénia is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya of the Rahmaniyya Sufi brotherhood located at Boumerdès Province, in the lower Kabylia region of Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Soumâa was built in 1442 ...
south of
Thénia Thénia (), sometimes written as Thenia, with around 40,000 inhabitants, is the chief town in the ''daïra'' of the same name, in the ''wilaya'' of Boumerdès, in northern Algeria. Historically, the name is a contraction of "Theniet Beni Aicha" ( ...
. His grandfather, Cheikh Mohamed Boushaki (1834–1887) was one of the leaders of the
Mokrani Revolt The Mokrani Revolt (; ) was the most important local uprising against France in Algeria since the French conquest of Algeria, conquest in 1830. The revolt broke out on March 16, 1871, with the uprising of more than 250 tribes, around a third of ...
in 1871 with the marabout
Cheikh Boumerdassi Cheikh Mohamed El-Boumerdassi () was one of the principal leaders of the popular Mokrani Revolt uprising of 1871 against the French occupation of Algeria. Early life ''Mohamed ben Hamou ben Abdelkrim El-Boumerdassi'' was a descendant of the ma ...
of
Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi () or Zawiyet Ouled Boumerdès is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya located within Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Ouled Boumerdès was built in 1714 in the southern heights of the current town of ...
and the Cheikh Cherifi of
Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif (), or Zawiyet Sidi Daoud, is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya school located in Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya was built in 1745 in the eastern heights of the current town of Boumerdès in the Kab ...
as well as the other zawiyas of Kabylia under the leadership of
Cheikh Mokrani Sheikh Mohamed El-Mokrani (; ; d. 1871), also known as Mohand Amokrane, was one of the principal leaders and the namesake of the Mokrani Revolt of 1871 against the French Algeria, French occupation of Algeria. Early life El-Mokrani was a desce ...
. His great-grandfather Cheikh Ali Boushaki (1795–1846) was also one of the resistance fighters against the
French conquest of Algeria The French conquest of Algeria (; ) took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Regency of Algiers, and the French consul (representative), consul escalated into a blockade, following which the Jul ...
during his campaign against Kabylia which began in 1837, and he was an ally of Cheikh
Mohamed ben Zamoum } Mohamed ben Zamoum (born in Boghni on 1795 and died in Boghni in 1843) was a Kabyle marabout who participated in the Algerian resistance against the French conquest of Algeria. Family Mohamed ben Zamoum was in 1795 in Boghni region into the K ...
as well as of
Emir Abdelkader Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhyi al-Din (6 September 1808 – 26 May 1883; '), known as the Emir Abdelkader or Abd al-Qadir al-Hassani al-Jaza'iri, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggle against the French colonial invasion of ...
in the region of the
Khachna massif The Khachna Range (, ''Jibal Khashna''; Berber ''Adrar n Kheshna'') is a mountain range of the Tell Atlas, part of the Atlas Mountain System. It is located in Kabylie, Algeria. Geography The ''Khachna'' is a massif made up of two differentiate ...
.


Early life

The first years of Brahim Boushaki's education took place during the beginning of the 20th century in his native village under the spiritual authority of his father Ali in the zawiya of his ancestors. This period coincided with the outbreak of the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
in which his older brother, Abderrahmane Boushaki enlisted and from which he returned with the rank of
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
. Brahim thus learned the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
as well as the basic collections of the
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
religion in the zawiya of his village of Soumâa (
Thala Oufella Thala may refer to: Places * Thala Hills, Antarctica * Thala Island, Antarctica * Thala Rock, Antarctica * Thala, Tunisia, a town in Kasserine Governorate Other uses * ''Thala'' (2025 film), an Indian Telugu-language film * ''Thala'' (g ...
) before moving to the
Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi () or Zawiyet Ouled Boumerdès is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya located within Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Ouled Boumerdès was built in 1714 in the southern heights of the current town of ...
in the village of
Ouled Boumerdès Ouled Boumerdès is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meraldene River and Boumerdès River and the towns of Thénia and Tidjelabine in the ''Khachna'' mountain range. Religion *Zawiy ...
to perfect his knowledge and to deepen his initiatory journey. He then began training to pursue a career as an imam in the
Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif (), or Zawiyet Sidi Daoud, is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya school located in Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya was built in 1745 in the eastern heights of the current town of Boumerdès in the Kab ...
where he distinguished himself by his memorial prowess and his verbal eloquence which enabled him to obtain a
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
ic and scientific
Idjaza An ''ijazah'' (, "permission", "authorization", "license"; plural: ''ijazahs'' or ''ijazat'') is a license authorizing its holder to transmit a certain text or subject, which is issued by someone already possessing such authority. It is particul ...
.


Al Fath Mosque

When Brahim obtained all the didactic skills to fully assume his obligations as
Imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...
, he joined his father Ali who had then been appointed
mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
in the Al-Fath mosque which was erected in the center of the city of
Thénia Thénia (), sometimes written as Thenia, with around 40,000 inhabitants, is the chief town in the ''daïra'' of the same name, in the ''wilaya'' of Boumerdès, in northern Algeria. Historically, the name is a contraction of "Theniet Beni Aicha" ( ...
in 1926. This period saw the advent of Algerian participation in the five-year elections which allowed villagers to send their votes to French colonial institutions after
Charles Jonnart Charles Célestin Auguste Jonnart (27 December 1857 – 30 December 1927) was a French politician. Early years Born into a bourgeois family in Fléchin, Pas-de-Calais, Charles Jonnart was educated at Saint-Omer, then in Paris. Interested in th ...
had opted for the gradual insertion of Algerians into elective and electoral representativeness. Indeed, the Algerian soldiers who came back alive from the
Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
asked to have access to public service employment positions and to be able to have Muslim places of worship (
Ibadah ''Ibadah'' (, ''‘ibādah'', also spelled ''ibada'') is an Arabic word meaning service or servitude. In Islam, ''ibadah'' is usually translated as “worship”, and ''ibadat''—the plural of ''ibadah''—refers to Islamic jurisprudence ( ...
) built in the French colonies erected after 1871, especially in
Lower Kabylia Kabylia or Kabylie (; in Kabyle: Tamurt n leqbayel; in Tifinagh: ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵍⴻⵇⴱⴰⵢⴻⵍ; ), meaning "Land of the Tribes" is a mountainous coastal region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is ...
.


Safir Mosque

His paternal uncle
Mohamed Seghir Boushaki Mohamed Seghir Boushaki (), (born 27 November 1869 in Thénia, Boumerdès Province, Kabylie, Algeria; died 1959 in Thenia, Algeria) was an Algerian Kabyles, Kabyle politician after the French conquest of Algeria. Presentation Mohamed Segh ...
(1869–1959), who had been elected in the meantime as a municipal councilor to represent the dozens of villages of the
Col des Beni Aïcha A col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks; a mountain pass or saddle. COL, CoL or col may also refer to: Computers * Caldera OpenLinux, a defunct Linux distribution * , an HTML element specifying a column * A collision sig ...
in administrative institutions, worked for the introduction of his scholar nephew, Brahim in the large
mosques A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple p ...
of the city from
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
. This is how Imam Brahim Boushaki was recruited in 1947 as
Hezzab The Hezzab () is the Hafiz (Quran), hafiz or qāriʾ supervising or participating in the Hizb Rateb in Mosques in Algeria, mosques and zawiyas in Algeria according to the Algerian Islamic reference under the supervision of the Ministry of Religi ...
in the
Safir Mosque Safir Mosque ( or ) is an old mosque in the city of Algiers, Algeria. It is located inside the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed medina quarter Casbah of Algiers. The design follows the Moorish architecture. Etymology The mosque was initially call ...
within the
Casbah of Algiers The Casbah of Algiers, commonly referred to as the Casbah (Arabic: القصبة, Al-qaṣabah, meaning "citadel"), corresponds to the old town or Medina quarter, medina of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is a historic district that has been l ...
under the authority of the then
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
. Indeed, the Safir Mosque was then a center of
Algerian nationalism Algerian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Algeria * Algerian people, a person or people from Algeria, or of Algerian descent * Algerian cuisine * Algerian culture The culture of Algeria encompasses literature, music, religion, cuisi ...
which brought together four powerful Imams who stirred the entire periphery of
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
, Sheikh Brahim Boushaki represented
Kabylia Kabylia or Kabylie (; in Kabyle: Tamurt n leqbayel; in Tifinagh: ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵍⴻⵇⴱⴰⵢⴻⵍ; ), meaning "Land of the Tribes" is a mountainous coastal region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is ...
, Sheikh
Mohamed Charef Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
represented the valley of
Khemis Miliana Khemis Miliana () is a town in northern Algeria of around 210000 inhabitants. It is a university town located 120 kilometers west of Algiers. It was known as Malliana in Roman Empire, Roman times, then Affreville during the French colonial empir ...
, Sheikh Mohamed Douakh represented the
Titteri The Titteri (, ) is a historical region in Algeria. It is located in the mountainous area of the southern Tell Atlas in the Atlas Mountains. Geography The Titteri was a former administrative division of the Regency of Algiers. It is located in ...
, while the Sheikh Ahmed Benchicou meanwhile was the representative of the
Algérois Algérois is a cultural region of the Maghreb, located in north-central Algeria. Geography The region corresponds roughly to the following wilayas: *Algiers Province *Blida Province *Médéa Province *Boumerdès Province *Tipaza Province *Aïn D ...
and
Mitidja Mitidja, (Arabic: ) is a plain stretching along the outskirts of Algiers in northern Algeria. It is about long, with a width of . Traditionally devoted largely to agriculture and serving as the breadbasket of Algiers, the area has in recent decad ...
. When Brahim was Hezzab in this mosque, his nephews
Yahia Boushaki Yahia Boushaki (Shahid), Yahia Boushaki (, ) is an Algiers residential, administrative and commercial neighbourhood located in the commune of Bab Ezzouar in Algeria. Description The neighbourhood "Yahia Boushaki", also known to be a Chinatown, ...
, Boualem Boushaki and Bouzid Boushaki periodically visited him to inquire about his situation and his needs, and they were then integrated into the revolutionary independentist networks before the outbreak of the uprising of 1 November 1954. The faithful and practitioners who frequented this mosque were initiated into religious precepts according to the
Algerian Islamic reference The Algerian Islamic reference is the fundamentalist and legal framework for the practice of the religion of Islam in Algeria within Sunnism under the tutelage of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments. Reference elements Sunnism A ...
, based on the books and books approved and certified. The daily Quranic recitation of the
Hizb Rateb The Hizb Rateb () is a collective recitation of Quran or dhikr or dua or wird done by murids and saliks in islamic sufism. Presentation The ''Hizb Rateb'' is a group tilawa of the Quran with one voice, in mosques, zawiyas, kuttabs and Qu ...
, and also periodically of the
Salka Salka () is a village and municipality in the Nové Zámky District in the Nitra Region of south-west Slovakia. History In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1156. Geography The municipality lies at an altitude of 110 metres ...
, was on the menu of the spiritual services of this illustrious Algiers mosque. This is how the serene and velvety voice of Sheikh Brahim Boushaki gave an imprint and a melodious cachet to these circles of divine Holy Book recitation according to the
Warsh recitation The Warsh recitation or riwāyat Warsh ʿan Nāfiʿ' () is a qiraʿah of the Quran in Islam. It is, alongside the tradition which represents the recitation tradition of Kufa, one of the two main oral transmissions of the Quran in the Muslim ...
. File:Mowata.jpg,
Muwatta Imam Malik ''Al-Muwaṭṭaʾ'' (, 'the approved') or ''Muwatta Imam Malik'' () of Malik ibn Anas, Imam Malik (711–795) written in the 8th-century, is one of the earliest collections of hadith texts comprising the subjects of Sharia, Islamic law, compile ...
File:مختصر خليل.jpg, Mukhtasar Khalil File:Ajārūmīya book cover.jpg,
Al-Ajurrumiyya ''al-Ājurrūmiyyah'' () in full ' is a 13th-century book of Arabic grammar (). Very concise for easy memorization, it formed the foundation of a beginner's education in Classical Arabic learning in Arab societies at the time and was one of the ...
File:شرح ألفية ابن مالك.jpg,
Al-Alfiyya of Ibn Malik ''(The) Alfiya of Ibn Malik'' () is a rhymed poetic book of Arabic grammar written by the Imam Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Malik Al-Tai Al-Jiani, Ibn Malik in the 13th century. This book is one of the most important grammatical and linguistic sys ...


Algerian Revolution

The outbreak of the Algerian independence revolution took place after
Lyès Deriche Lyes Derriche (, (1928 – 2001) was an Algerian politician. Algerian War Lyès Deriche, the son of Mouhamed Deriche, housed in his villa in the Algerian commune of El Madania, Clos-Salembier the meeting of the Group of 22 baptized Revoluti ...
hosted the meeting of 22 veterans in his home in
El Madania El Madania () is a municipality in Algiers Province, Algeria. It is administratively part of Sidi M'Hamed district. Its municipal code is 1603 and postal code is 16075. It has a population of 51,404 as of the 1998 census, which gives it 15 seats ...
, and journalist
Mohamed Aïchaoui Mohamed Aïchaoui (29 January 1921 - 1959) was an Algerian journalist and militant in the nationalist movement against French Algeria. Aïchaoui wrote the ''Declaration of 1 November 1954'', the National Liberation Front's first appeal to the A ...
wrote the proclamation of the start of the revolutionary struggle. This is how the
Casbah of Algiers The Casbah of Algiers, commonly referred to as the Casbah (Arabic: القصبة, Al-qaṣabah, meaning "citadel"), corresponds to the old town or Medina quarter, medina of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is a historic district that has been l ...
was the place where
Mohamed Boudiaf Mohamed Boudiaf (23 June 1919 – 29 June 1992, ; ALA-LC: ''Muḥammad Bū-Ḍiyāf''), also called Si Tayeb el Watani, was an Algerian politician and statesman, and one of the founders of the revolutionary National Liberation Front (FLN) t ...
and Didouche Mourad met with journalist Mohamed Aïchaoui not far from the Safir Mosque to dictate the draft of the revolutionary proclamation. During the two years preceding the great battle of Algiers in 1957, Imam Brahim Boushaki participated in the propaganda to support popular activism in Algiers in the company of two Imams who were close to him, and . But after the eight-day strike in 1957, the French response was very violent and the imams of Algiers mosques were imprisoned in the
Villa Susini The villa Sésini (often improperly spelt Susini) is a former torture center established in El Biar during the Algerian war in the city of Algiers. History The villa was built in El Biar by Alexandre Sésini, notary at rue Bab Azzoun in Algiers. ...
and in other torture centers. Brahim Boushaki was then captured by French soldiers and taken to the Susini villa where he was savagely tortured before being imprisoned with his friend, Ahmed Chekkar in the same cell.


Mosques of Algiers

After Algeria's independence in 1962, Imam Brahim Boushaki was rehabilitated in his religious functions in the Safir mosque along with the other Imams who had survived imprisonment and torture during the Algerian revolution which lasted almost eight years since 1954. He then participated in the influence of the mosques of the Casbah of Algiers by promoting the assiduous recitation of the
Hizb Rateb The Hizb Rateb () is a collective recitation of Quran or dhikr or dua or wird done by murids and saliks in islamic sufism. Presentation The ''Hizb Rateb'' is a group tilawa of the Quran with one voice, in mosques, zawiyas, kuttabs and Qu ...
and the reading of
Sahih Bukhari () is the first hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. Compiled by Islamic scholar al-Bukhari () in the format, the work is valued by Sunni Muslims, alongside , as the most authentic after the Qur'an. Al-Bukhari organized the bo ...
in the
Djamaa el Djedid Djamaa el Djedid (الجامع الجديد), also rendered Djamaa al-Djedid, or ''Jamaa El Jedid'' (meaning New Mosque) is a mosque in Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is dated to 1660/1070 AH by an inscription over its main entrance portal. ...
and
Djamaa el Kebir Djamaa el Kebir (), also known as the Great Mosque of Algiers (), is a historic mosque in Algiers, Algeria. It is located within the Casbah of Algiers, Casbah (old city), near the city's harbor. Dating to 1097, it is one of the few remaining exam ...
with his friend, the illustrious Imam and mufti . In the meantime, Imam Brahim became a religious inspector affiliated with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in 1976 and his mission was to raise the professional and ethical level of Imams working in the
Algérois Algérois is a cultural region of the Maghreb, located in north-central Algeria. Geography The region corresponds roughly to the following wilayas: *Algiers Province *Blida Province *Médéa Province *Boumerdès Province *Tipaza Province *Aïn D ...
region. He also periodically supervised groups of Algerian pilgrims during the
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
as a guide and
mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
according to the
madhhab A ''madhhab'' (, , pl. , ) refers to any school of thought within fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence. The major Sunni Islam, Sunni ''madhhab'' are Hanafi school, Hanafi, Maliki school, Maliki, Shafi'i school, Shafi'i and Hanbali school, Hanbali. They ...
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
te.


Return to Thénia

After the death of Ahmed Saad Chaouch in 1978, who had been Imam
Khatib In Islam, a khatib or khateeb ( ''khaṭīb'') is a person who delivers the sermon (''khuṭbah'') (literally "narration"), during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers. The ''khateeb'' is usually the prayer leader (''imam''), but the two roles can ...
of the Al Fath Mosque in Thénia since 1962, Sheikh Brahim Boushaki replaced him in this religious post when he was 66 years old. He then reorganized the Quranic and jurisprudential teaching in the Al Fath mosque according to a class regime for the evening teaching of schoolchildren in the city. He was pursuing in his action the directives of the then minister
Mouloud Kacem Naît Belkacem Mouloud Kacem Naît Belkacem (6 January 1927 in Belaâyane, Ighil Ali - 27 August 1992) was an Algerian politician, philosopher, historian, and writer. He was a noted defender of the Arabic language, Islam and Algerian nationalism, and stressed ...
who favored the fact that mosques should also be places of teaching and intellectual emancipation in addition to the performance of the rites of Muslim worship. As soon as he returned to Thénia, he set up a committee to rebuild and extend the Al Fath mosque in order to allow women to attend
Friday prayer Friday prayer, or congregational prayer (), is the meeting together of Muslims for communal prayer and service at midday every Friday. In Islam, the day itself is called ''Yawm al-Jum'ah'' (shortened to ''Jum'ah''), which translated from Arabic me ...
s,
Tarawih Tarawih (), also spelled Taraweeh, refers to special Sunnah prayers performed exclusively during the Islamic month of Ramadan. The prayers involve the recitation of long portions of the Quran, consist of any number of even rak'a (cycles of p ...
and
Eid prayers Eid prayers, also referred to as Salat al-Eid (), are holy holiday prayers in the Islamic tradition. The literal translation of the word "Eid" in Arabic is "festival" or "feast" and is a time when Muslims congregate with family and the larger ...
. Before the end of 1982, the area of the mosque was tripled and a first floor was built, as well as an ablution room in the basement, and the place of prayer was handed over to Muslim believers and practitioners. Imam Brahim welcomed in this mosque visiting Imams who preached the good word in its
mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...
and its
minbar A minbar (; sometimes romanized as ''mimber'') is a pulpit in a mosque where the imam (leader of prayers) stands to deliver sermons (, ''khutbah''). It is also used in other similar contexts, such as in a Hussainiya where the speaker sits and le ...
, while locally he encouraged the young
murid In Sufism, a (Arabic ) is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title , or . A or Sufi follower only becomes a when he makes a pledge () to a . The equivalent Pers ...
s to righteousness and morality. His function as inspector of religious affairs helped him in his mission to build mosques throughout the new
Boumerdès Province Boumerdès (, Kabyle language, Kabyle: Tanebḍit n Bumerdas) is a provinces of Algeria, province (''wilaya'') of northern Algeria, located in the Kabylia region, between Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou, with its capital at the coastal city of Boumerdès ...
created in 1984, and this is how he was at the origin of the construction of the first mosque of the administrative city of
Boumerdès Boumerdès (; ; formerly ''Rocher Noir'') is the capital city of Boumerdès Province, Algeria. It is located on the Mediterranean Sea. It had a population of 15,000 in 1987 and 28,500 in 1998. Boumerdès is a seaside city located in the north o ...
, which was then baptized
Jabir ibn Hayyan Abū Mūsā Jābir ibn Ḥayyān (Arabic: , variously called al-Ṣūfī, al-Azdī, al-Kūfī, or al-Ṭūsī), died 806−816, is the purported author of a large number of works in Arabic, often called the Jabirian corpus. The treatises that ...
Mosque.


Salafist terrorism

From the onset of
Salafist The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a fundamentalist revival movement within Sunni Islam, originating in the late 19th century and influential in the Islamic world to this day. The name "''Salafiyya''" is a self-designation, claiming a retur ...
extremism in
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
, the
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
Imams were first targeted by the harassment of flocks and followers of fundamentalist
Wahhabism Wahhabism is an exonym for a Salafi revivalist movement within Sunni Islam named after the 18th-century Hanbali scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. It was initially established in the central Arabian region of Najd and later spread to oth ...
in mosques in order to recover these places of worship and convert them into bases for the overthrow of Algerian social values. This is how the harassment of Imam Brahim began in the Al Fath mosque in
Thénia Thénia (), sometimes written as Thenia, with around 40,000 inhabitants, is the chief town in the ''daïra'' of the same name, in the ''wilaya'' of Boumerdès, in northern Algeria. Historically, the name is a contraction of "Theniet Beni Aicha" ( ...
during prayers, Friday sermons and religious lessons and teachings to stop his emancipatory activity in the mosque so that the whole society tumbles into terrorist horror without a benchmark of middle ground and moderation. With the accentuation of the terrorist threats of death which fell on him in Thénia, he, who had assumed all the prayers of Salat Fadjr until Salat Isha, Imam Brahim had to leave the city of Thenia and go into exile in the heights of Kouba in the city of Algiers in April 1993. He was replaced in the mosque of Thénia by Imam Omar Arar, a native of the village
Soumâa Soumâa or Thala Oufella is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meraldene River and Isser River, and also the town of Thenia in the Khachna mountain range. Zawiya * Zawiyet Sidi Boush ...
, in a climate of terror and recurring assassinations, and he was fatally murdered in front of his home on 13 October 1993 after Salat Icha. The Salafist terrorists then took advantage of the curfew established during the night to break up Imam Brahim's home and to steal his imposing library containing book jewels. Sheikh Brahim did not return to Thénia for four times while assassinations and terrorist massacres fell throughout the
Boumerdès Province Boumerdès (, Kabyle language, Kabyle: Tanebḍit n Bumerdas) is a provinces of Algeria, province (''wilaya'') of northern Algeria, located in the Kabylia region, between Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou, with its capital at the coastal city of Boumerdès ...
and left families and tribes in mourning. Despite his old age and his forced exile in Algiers, Imam Brahim continued with the proven religious notabilities of the capital to weave fans of hope despite the calamities that bloodied the country.


Death

Imam Brahim Boushaki died during the year 1997 in the family home of his relatives in the commune of
Kouba Kouba may refer to: Geography * Kouba, Algeria * Kouka, Banwa in Burkina Faso * Chamb The Chamb () is a river in Germany and the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Regen (river), Regen River. It flows through Bavaria and Plzeň Region. It i ...
in the
Algérois Algérois is a cultural region of the Maghreb, located in north-central Algeria. Geography The region corresponds roughly to the following wilayas: *Algiers Province *Blida Province *Médéa Province *Boumerdès Province *Tipaza Province *Aïn D ...
at the age of 85. He died of a sudden heart attack while doing his ablution (
Wudu ''Wuduʾ'' ( ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification, or ablution. The steps of wudu are washing the hands, rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face, then the forearms, then wiping the head, ...
) to perform his prayer (
Salah ''Salah'' (, also spelled ''salat'') is the practice of formal worship in Islam, consisting of a series of ritual prayers performed at prescribed times daily. These prayers, which consist of units known as ''rak'ah'', include a specific s ...
) as usual, as a Muslim and as an Imam. He was then buried in the Sidi Garidi Cemetery within the commune of Kouba in the presence of his relatives, friends and faithful, he who spent a large part of his life in the mosques of the capital
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
.


Gallery

File:Dam of Meraldene, Barrage de Merabtene, Thenia, Kabylie.jpg,
Meraldene Meraldene or Merabtene is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meraldene River, the Meraldene Dam and the town of Thénia in the Khachna mountain range. Zawiya * Zawiyet Sidi Boushak ...
Valley


See also

*
Algerian Islamic reference The Algerian Islamic reference is the fundamentalist and legal framework for the practice of the religion of Islam in Algeria within Sunnism under the tutelage of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments. Reference elements Sunnism A ...
*
Sufism in Algeria Sufism is considered as an essential part of Islam in Algeria, Islam In Algeria. Sufism was fought and oppressed by the Salafists, and now is again regaining its influence as it existed before the Algerian Civil War. Sufis have a considerable i ...
*
Rahmaniyya The Raḥmâniyya (Arabic: الرحمانية) is an Algerian Sufi order (tariqa or brotherhood) founded by Kabyle religious scholar Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Azhari Bu Qabrayn in the 1770s. It was initially a branch of the Khalwat ...
*
Zawiyas in Algeria The Zawiyas in Algeria are religious buildings located in Algeria honoring the memory of patron saints and dedicated to Quranic and religious education. They are associated with Sufism, with each affiliated to a tariqa (torouq) brotherhood un ...
*
Zawiyet Sidi Boushaki Zawiyet Sidi Brahim Boushaki () or Zawiyet Thénia is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya of the Rahmaniyya Sufi brotherhood located at Boumerdès Province, in the lower Kabylia region of Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Soumâa was built in 1442 ...
*
Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi () or Zawiyet Ouled Boumerdès is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya located within Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya of Ouled Boumerdès was built in 1714 in the southern heights of the current town of ...
*
Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif (), or Zawiyet Sidi Daoud, is a Zawiya (institution), zawiya school located in Boumerdès Province in Algeria. Construction The zawiya was built in 1745 in the eastern heights of the current town of Boumerdès in the Kab ...
*
Mosques in Algeria This is a list of mosques in Algeria. According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment in 2006, there are around 15,000 mosques in Algeria as a whole, of which 450 are in the capital city of Algiers. 90% of which are built after th ...
*
Safir Mosque Safir Mosque ( or ) is an old mosque in the city of Algiers, Algeria. It is located inside the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed medina quarter Casbah of Algiers. The design follows the Moorish architecture. Etymology The mosque was initially call ...


External links


Website "www.thenia.net" about Thénia

First Website "http://menerville.free.fr" about "Ménerville and Thénia" before 1962

Second Website "http://menerville2.free.fr" about "Ménerville and Thénia" before 1962


Bibliography

*


Videos

* * * * *


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brahim Boushaki 1912 births People from Thénia Kabyle people Boushaki family 1997 deaths Zawiyet Sidi Boushaki alumni Zawiyet El Hamel alumni Asharism in Algeria Algerian Sufis Algerian Maliki scholars Algerian imams People of the Algerian War Algerian torture victims Members of the National Liberation Front (Algeria) Political prisoners in Algeria