Al-Mursi Abu'l-'Abbas (1219 in

Murcia Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...

– 1287 CE) ( ar, المرسي أبو العباس) was a

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

saint from

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus DIN 31635, translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label=Berber languages, Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, ...

during the Nasrid period and who later in his life moved to

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

in Egypt. His complete name is Shahab al-Din Abu'l-'Abbas Ahmad ibn 'Umar ibn Mohammad al-Ansari al-Mursi. Al-Mursi Abul-'Abbas, as he is now commonly called, is one of the four master saints of Egypt, the other three being

Ahmad al-Badawi Aḥmad al-Badawī ( ar, أحمد البدوى ), also known as Al-Sayyid al-Badawī (, ), or as al-Badawī for short, or reverentially as Shaykh al-Badawī by all those Sunni Muslims who venerate saints, was a 13th-century Arab Sunni Musl ...

, al-Dessouqi and al-Haggag. His legacy and reverence in Egypt were such that Mursi became a common name in the country.

In al-Andalus

Shahab was born in

al-Andalus Al-Andalus DIN 31635, translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label=Berber languages, Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, ...

, in 616 H (1219 CE) to a wealthy family in the trading business and was well educated in religious sciences. He grew up helping his father in the trading business. He was known for his honesty and for his many contributions to the needy. He left Spain with his family in 640 H (1242 CE) in the face of increasing Christian control over Spain. He was accompanied by his father, brother, and his mother. However, his parents did not make it to

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

, their destination.

Meeting al-Shadhili

In Tunisia, Shahab heard about Shaykh Abu’l-Hassan ash-Shadhili, founder of the

Shadhiliyya The Shadhili Order ( ar, الطريقة الشاذلية) is a tariqah or Sufi order of Sunni Islam founded by al-Shadhili in the 13th century and is followed by millions of people around the world. Many followers (Arabic ''murids'', "seekers") ...

brotherhood Brotherhood or The Brotherhood may refer to: Family, relationships, and organizations * Fraternity (philosophy) or brotherhood, an ethical relationship between people, which is based on love and solidarity * Fraternity or brotherhood, a mal ...

, and he accompanied him when the latter moved to

in Egypt. Many Muslim scholars from Spain chose to live in

as Muslim Spain gradually fell under the domination of hostile Christian forces. Al-Shadhili was fond of Shahab who was becoming one of his best students. Abu'l-'Abbas al-Mursi (the Murcian) - as Shahab became known in Alexandria - married al Shadhili's daughter and had two daughters and a son from her. He lived 43 years in Alexandria as a Muslim teacher until he died in 686 H (1287 AD).

Meeting Ibn 'Ata' Allah

As a young man Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah did not hold this view, and only later came to see Sufism as being integral to Islam. Ibn 'Ata' Allah's early opposition to Sufism manifested itself in arguments with the students of Abu’l ‘Abbas al-Mursi. This was until 674 AH/1276 CE when Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah attended a public lecture given by Abu’l ‘Abbas al-Mursi, whereupon he changed from an opponent to Sufism to one of Abu’l ‘Abbas al-Mursi’s most serious and promising students. This change of heart came as a result of Abu’l Abbas’ knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence (''fiqh'') which forced Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah to reassess the judgement of his fellow students.

His mosque in Alexandria

mosque 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, ...

was built over his tomb in the

Anfoushi Anfoushi ( ar, الأنفوشي) is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is considered one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and is home to many old landmarks, including the famous Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi Mosque. See also * Neighborhoods ...

district of Alexandria, which over time became the most famous of all of Alexandria's mosques, the

El-Mursi Abul Abbas Mosque The Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque ( ar, جامع أبو العباس المرسي) is an Egyptian mosque in the city of Alexandria. It is dedicated to the 13th century Murcian Andalusi Sufi saint Abul Abbas al-Mursi, whose tomb it contains. It is ...

Bibliography

*D. M. Dunlop, "A Spanish Muslim Saint: Abul-'Abbas al-Mursi", in: ''The Muslim World'', Volume 35 Issue 3, P. 181 - 196 *Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari, ''The Subtle Blessings in the Saintly Lives of Abul Al-Abbas Al-Mursi & His Master Abu Al-Hasan Al-Shadhili'', translated by Nancy Roberts, ed. Fons Vitae, 2005 *Hizb Abul 'Abbas al Mursi: "The Litany of Abul 'Abbas al Mursi", in: ''Awrad Book- English Invocations of the Shadhili Order'', compiled by Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller Cairo, Egypt 2006 p. 59;

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbas al-Mursi, Abu 1219 births 1287 deaths People from Murcia Sufi mystics Egyptian Sufis Shadhili order 13th-century Al-Andalus people