Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi

Full name Sayyid Muhammad al -Mahdi bin Sayyid Muhammad as- Senussi (also Sayyid Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad al -Mahdi Ali al - Sanusi, Arabic محمد المهدي بن سيدي محمد السنوسي, * 1844 in al - Bayda, † June 1 1902 in al - Kufra ) was from 1859 until his death, the leader of the Libyan Sanussiya Order.

Origin

Muhammad al -Mahdi was the son of the Founder Muhammad al- Sanusi. He was born in al - Bayda in Cyrenaica in the northeast of Libya, where his father had founded a religious oriented highly prosperous monastic state since 1843. 1856 were the Senussi had been forced by the Ottoman governor of Cyrenaica to leave their previous religious center in al - Bayda and move into the 500 km southeast idyllic oasis al - Jaghbub.

The Order State in al - Jaghbub (1859-1895)

Muhammad al -Mahdi took over after his father's death in 1859 the leadership of the Sanussiya Order. He had al - Jaghbub the new religious and political center of the Brotherhood to expand, as developed in the following years, an Islamic university, a ruler's palace and many mosques. Muhammad al- Mahdi's fifth wife Aisha bint Ahmad al - Sidra gave birth here in 1890 his son Sidi Muhammad Idris al -Mahdi al - Senussi, who was later identified as Idris I. King of Libya.

In Jaghbub the Order of the rival Ottoman administration was freed and could use this material to the extension of his religious and political influence. Here, Muhammad al -Mahdi benefited from the fact that he was revered by many of his followers as the coming of the Mahdi, even though he probably does not actively promoted this yourself. When he was in 1883, prompted by Muhammad Ahmad, who had proclaimed himself Mahdi in Sudan to join the local Mahdi rebellion, he refused.

In 1895, Muhammad al -Mahdi was the religious center embarrassed again, because he feared new hostilities of the Ottoman governor. In addition, a greater proximity to the local mission areas should be achieved by the relocation to the south.

The Order State in Kufra (1895-1902)

In the Kufra oases, which are deposited in the eastern Sahara, was the new religious and political center of the Brotherhood. Muhammad al -Mahdi was above the oasis of the fort built by al - tag that includes a zaouia and a mosque.

From Kufra out they controlled almost the entire Libyan Desert and much of the Eastern Sahara. During this time was the Sanussiya for the cultivation and Islamization of Southeast Sahara and adjacent Sahel of utmost importance. Especially in these areas created numerous new religious houses, which functioned as regional centers of religious and economic development, such as in Wadai and Darfur but also as far as Kanem and Lake Chad. The number of branches increased from 121 in 1884 to over 150 at the beginning of the 20th century.

Kufra was the most important trading center in the region for the caravan trade. This was the control of the major caravan route from Benghazi on Kufra after Wadai which completely was the only significant trans-Saharan route beyond the control of the European powers of great importance. Therefore mainly slaves from the Sahel were brought to the Mediterranean, while in return, especially older European firearm could be negotiated to the south on this road.

As a 1900 French colonial troops advanced into Kanem, the Order saw threatened its religious, economic and political interests there. Therefore, Muhammad al -Mahdi instructed his nephew Ahmad al-Sharif with the leadership of the Order of troops there. Among other things, fought Omar Mukhtar, who later became leader of the Libyan resistance movement against the Italian colonial troops there in its ranks.

As Mohammad al -Mahdi died on June 1, 1902, he appointed Ahmad al-Sharif as his successor, as his son Mohammad Idris was at that time only 12 years old.

The grave of Muhammad Al Mahdi is in al - day and is revered as a sacred place of Sanussiya.