Overview
Abdalqadir as-Sufi (born Ian Stewart Dallas; 1930 – 1 August 2021) was a Scottish Muslim leader and author. He was Shaykh of Instruction, leader of the Darqawi-Shadhili-Qadiri Tariqa, founder of the Murabitun World Movement and author of numerous books on Islam, Sufism and political theory. Born in Scotland, he was a playwright and actor before he converted to Islam in 1967 with the Imam of the Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez, Morocco.
Early life
Ian Dallas was born in Scotland in 1930 of a Highland family. He is a descendant of the literary critic and writer E. S. Dallas. He travelled extensively to Greece, France and Italy. In 1963 he acted in Federico Fellini's film 8½ as "Il partner della telepata".
Conversion
As-Sufi converted to Islam in 1967 in Fes, Morocco as Abdalqadir, witnessed by Abdalkarim Daudi, the Imam Khatib of the Qarawiyyin Mosque, and Alal al-Fasi. He then joined the Darqawi order as a student of Muhammad ibn al-Habib. He travelled to Morocco and Algeria with his Shaykh and was further instructed in Sufism by Sidi Hamud ibn al-Bashir of Blida and Sidi Fudul al-Huwari as-Sufi of Fes.
Teaching
Abdalqadir as-Sufi advocated adherence to the original legal school of Islam, the tradition of the people of Medina as recorded by Malik ibn Anas, since he considered this the primal formulation of Islamic society and a necessity for the re-establishment of Islam in the current age.
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