What is senusiyya?

Senusiyya is a Sunni Islamic order or a Sufi brotherhood founded in 1837 by Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi, a Berber religious leader from Libya. The movement, also known as the Senussi movement, gained significant influence throughout North Africa and the Arab world, particularly in Libya, Egypt, Sudan, and the Ottoman Empire.

The Senusiyya order emphasized a puritanical interpretation of Islam, based on the Quran and Sunnah, and focused on the cultivation of moral and spiritual virtues through strict adherence to Islamic law and ascetic practices. The order also stressed the importance of education and self-sufficiency.

The Senusiyya played a significant role in the political and social upheavals of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in North Africa and the Middle East. They were involved in anti-colonial resistance movements against European powers, including the French in Algeria and Tunisia, and British in Egypt and Sudan. The order also supported the Ottoman Empire during World War I, and later the Libyan resistance against Italian colonialism.

Today, the Senusiyya order remains active in Libya and other parts of North Africa, with a focus on religious education, social welfare, and charitable works. However, its political influence has diminished in the post-colonial era.