Sidi Abd As-Salam Al-Asmar ( ar, عبد السلام الأسمر, ''Al-Lasmar `Abd as-Salām'') was a renowned religious Libyan

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

saint who lived and died during the 15th century (1455–1575 CE). He is called al-Asmar because he stayed up most of the night in prayer.

Life

Sidi Abd As-Salam Al-Asmar was born as Salim Al-Fayturi in 1455 (ca. 859 AH) in the small city of Zliten, Libya, which is located roughly east of

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

near

Leptis Magna Leptis or Lepcis Magna, also known by other names Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent fil ...

. He belonged to the Fawatir tribe, while the nickname al-Asmar was given to him by his mother, who is believed to have been ordered to do so in a dream.Bosworth, Clifford Edmund, ''The Encyclopedia of Islam'', New Edition: Supplement, Volumes 7-8, p.93. He received his early mystical training from Abd al-Wahid al-Dukali, a khalifa of the Shadhili 'Arusi order who initiated him into the tariqa. Al-Asmar lived as a ''zahid'' (ascetic), alone in Libya's vast desert performing various types of miracles for those in need. Later in life he became a ''

mujahid ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term th ...

'' (holy warrior), taking up arms in defense of his city. He died in 1575 at the age of 120 and his tomb became a place of pilgrimage, a large ''

masjid A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...

'' was constructed in his remembrance at the location surrounding his grave. Not far from the ''masjid'' is one of the most respected and renowned Quranic educational institutions (''

madrasah Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

'') in Libya, named Al-Jamiaa Al-Asmariya ( i.e.

Al-Asmariya Islamic University Al-Jāmi’a Alasmarya ( ar, الجامعة الاسمرية) ( en, Alasmarya Islamic University) is a public university in the city of Zliten, Libya, specializing in Islamic sciences such as Islamic theology and Islamic jurisprudence. Founded ...

). A small

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

museum contains various frescoes from the villa of Dar Buc Ammera and a collection of ceramic Roman artifacts belonging to the various tombs found on the peripheries. On the anniversary of the destruction of tombs of the

Al-Baqi' ''Jannat al-Baqīʿ'' ( ar, ٱلْبَقِيْع, "The Baqi'") is the oldest and the first Islamic cemetery of Medina in the Hejazi region of present-day Saudi Arabia. It is located to the southeast of the Prophet's Mosque, which contains the g ...

graveyard, the mosque and grave of Al-Asmar was reportedly destroyed on August 24, 2012 by

Salafi The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a reform branch movement within Sunni Islam that originated during the nineteenth century. The name refers to advocacy of a return to the traditions of the "pious predecessors" (), the first three generat ...

s and Wahhabis on the pretext that Islam does not allow worshipping graves and the dead
Reuters
.

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Zliten “Cities of the Saints”Autre Libye
Libyan Muslims 15th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Libyan scholars 15th-century Libyan people 16th-century Libyan people People from Zliten 1455 births 1575 deaths 16th-century Muslim scholars of Islam {{Islam-bio-stub

Life

See also

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External links