Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi

Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi
محمد بن يوسف السنوسي
TitleNāṣir al-Sunnah
Muḥyī al-Dīn
Personal life
Born1426
Died1490 (aged 63–64)
EraTlemcen Kingdom period
RegionMaghreb
Main interest(s)Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic theology, Tafsir, Hadith, Arabic grammar, Qur'anic recitation, Medicine, Astronomy, Algebra, Logic
Notable work(s)Umm al-Barahin
OccupationScholar, Jurist, Theologian, Mufti, Logician
Religious life
ReligionIslam
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceMaliki
CreedAsh'ari
Muslim leader

Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi (Arabic: محمد بن يوسف السنوسي; 895–830 AH/ 1426–1490 AD) was a Maghribi Sunni polymath from what is now Algeria. He was an Ash'arī theologian, Mālikī jurist, Sufi saint and mufti centred in Tlemcen. He is best known for his foundational contributions to Islamic creed ('aqīdah) and theology (kalām), with his works being highly regarded in Sunni Islam, particularly within the Ash'ari tradition. Imam Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi is widely credited with systematizing and popularizing an accessible, rationally argued presentation of Sunni kalām, thereby safeguarding orthodox creed against heterodox influences and countering the claims of pseudo-Sufi figures who promoted innovations and spurious forms of asceticism.