Ibn al-Arif () or Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Mohammed ibn Musa ibn Ata Allah al-Mariyyi al-Sanhaji, also known as Al-Urruf (July 24, 1088September 27, 1141) was a famous

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 ...

. He is especially well known as the founder of a Sufi school or

tariqa 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 ...

, which was based on the teachings of Ibn Masarra, and as the author of ''Mahasin al-Majalis'' (''The Attractions of Mystical Sessions'').

Biography

Ibn al-Arif was born in

Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities, autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of th ...

, and spent most of his life in Almeria in

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...

at the height of the Almoravid power. His father had once been arif in''

Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...

, that is to say he was employed as head of the guard responsible for keeping watch in the town at night. From this circumstance came his surname Ibn al-Arif. His father came from Tangier and his family belonged to the Berber tribe of the

Sanhaja The Sanhaja (, or زناگة ''Znāga''; , pl. Iẓnagen, and also Aẓnaj, pl. Iẓnajen) were once one of the largest Berbers, Berber tribal confederations, along with the Zenata, Zanata and Masmuda confederations. Many tribes in Algeria, Libya ...

. Almeria was a center of

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 ...

at that time. He and

Ibn Barrajan Abū al-Ḥakam ʿAbd al-Salām b. ʿAbd al Raḥmān b. Abī al-Rijāl Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Lakhmī al-Ifrīqī al-Ishbīlī (Arabic: عبد السلام بن عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن برجان اللخمي; died ...

, another Andalusian Sufi based in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

, gathered around themselves a large number of followers, which attracted the attention of the Almoravid authorities. In 1141 both men were called to

Marrakesh Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mounta ...

by the sultan

Ali ibn Yusuf Ali ibn Yusuf (also known as "Ali Ben Youssef") () (c. 1084 – 28 January 1143) was the 5th Almoravid emir. He reigned from 1106 to 1143. Early life Ali ibn Yusuf was born in 1084–1085 (477 AH) in Ceuta. He was the son of Yusuf ibn Tashf ...

, where they were accused of "professing heterodox doctrines." Ibn al-Arif defended himself and was released, but died shortly after. According to Ibn al-Abbar, either "the sultan was convinced of Ibn al-Arif's excellence and piety and ordered him to be released and escorted to Ceuta" where he died of an illness, or by some accounts "Ibn al-Arif was poisoned on his return journey, while making the sea crossing."Claude Addas, ''Quest for the Red Sulphur'', trans. Peter Kingsley (Cambridge: The Islamic Texts Society 2005), p. 53 His tomb is in Marrakech.

References

External links

*Dar Sirr.co

(The name al-Tanji is not referenced)

Bibliography

*A. J. Arberry, "Notes on the 'Mahasin al-majalis' of Ibn al-'Arif", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 12, No. 3/4, Oriental and African Studies Presented to Lionel David Barnett by His Colleagues, Past and Present (1948), pp. 524–532 *Mahasin al-Majalis: The attractions of mystical sessions. Ibn al-'Arif. Translated by William Elliot and Adnan K. Abdulla, England:Avebury, 1980. *Juan Antonio Pacheco Paniagua: "El Mahasin al-Mayalis de Ibn al-Arif y la Etica de Spinoza." ''La Ciudad de Dios.'' 1990. Pag. 671-687 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ibn Arif 1088 births 1141 deaths 11th-century Berber people 12th-century Berber people Berber writers Sufis from al-Andalus 12th-century writers from al-Andalus Moroccan Sufi writers Sanhaja People from Ceuta Writers under the Almoravid dynasty