Justice

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...

Muhammed Ahmad Abu Rannat (, 1902 – 1977) was as a Sudanese jurist who served as the

chief justice of Sudan Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the bo ...

from Sudan's independence until 1964. His work influenced the development of legal systems in post-colonial Africa, particularly in Sudan and Nigeria, with efforts to reconcile Islamic, customary, and Western legal principles.

Biography

Abu Rannat was born in

En Nahud En Nahud () is a town in the desert of central Sudan. It is located within the state of West Kordofan. History In 2021, the Darsaya gold mine in the town collapsed, leading to the deaths of at least 38 people. During the Sudanese civil war ( ...

North Kordofan North Kordofan () is one of the 18 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 185,302 km2 and an estimated population of 3,174,029 people (2018 est). El-Obeid is the capital of the state. North Kordofan is generally arid and desert. ...

, in 1902, into the

Shaigiya tribe The Shaigiya (also rendered Shaiqiya, Shawayga or Shaykia; ) are an Arabized Nubians, Nubian tribe. They are part of the Sudanese Arabs and are also one of the three prominent Sudanese Arabs tribes in North Sudan, along with the Ja'alin tribe, Ja ...

. He was educated

Gordon Memorial College Gordon Memorial College was an educational institution in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. It was built between 1899 and 1902 as part of Lord Kitchener's wide-ranging educational reforms. Named for General Charles George Gordon of the British army, who wa ...

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum is the capital city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people, Greater Khartoum is the largest urban area in Sudan. Khartoum is located at the confluence of the White Nile – flo ...

between 1917 and 1920 as an accountant. He studied law in 1935 at Gordon Memorial College. and graduated in 1938. He was appointed a judge in 1943. Abu Rannat served as the

from July 1955 until 1964. Abu Rannat acted as the Sudan's Governor-General from 12 December 1955 until the independence on 1 January 1965. In 1973 he was chosen to be the chairman of the Civil Service Appeals Committee. In the late 1950s, Abu Rannat chaired a panel of jurists appointed by the Northern Region Government of Nigeria to examine and reform the region's legal and judicial systems. This panel's work culminated in the drafting of the 1958 Penal Code, which sought to harmonize Islamic, customary, and British colonial laws into a unified legal framework suitable for the Northern Region of Nigeria. On 17 November 1959, President

Ibrahim Abboud Ibrahim Abboud (; 26 October 1900 – 8 September 1983) was a Sudanese military officer and political figure who served as the head of state of Sudan between 1958 and 1964 and as President of Sudan in 1964; however, he soon resigned, ending S ...

announced a committee led by Abu Rannat to reform local government. Their recommendations were largely adopted in the 1960 Provincial Administration Act, which created rural, municipal, and provincial councils with advisory roles on local issues. On 1 July 1961, Abboud announced the formation of a second Constitutional Commission, again led by Abu Rannat, to propose elections for local councils and create a Central Legislative Council. The commission recommended expanding voting rights in local councils, lowering residency requirements, and limiting appointed members to no more than half of the total. Abu Ranant also help updating the Police Law. Abu Rannat authored scholarly works, including the article "The Relationship Between Islamic and Customary Law in the Sudan," published in the ''

Journal of African Law The ''Journal of African Law'' is a peer-reviewed law journal published three times a year by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS University of London; ) is a pu ...

'' in 1960. Abu Rannat was involved in international legal affairs. He was a member of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Abu Rannat died in 1977.

References

{{Reflist 1902 births 1977 deaths Sudanese judges Gordon Memorial College alumni People from En Nahud