Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim al-Hamli and his cultural role in Algeria during the nineteenth century AD

Abstract

Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim al-Hamli contributed to enriching the cultural life in the Bousaada region. He took upon himself the task of spreading knowledge and teaching Islamic sciences. He founded the Zawiya of al-Hamel, whose fame extended beyond Algeria, and it became one of the largest scientific centers. It brought together the best scholars of the period, and students of knowledge and learning gathered in its presence from everywhere. Through it, he led a cultural resistance and confronted the French colonial project, which was to keep the Algerian people ignorant and Christian. Thus, he became one of the most prominent scholars of the nineteenth century in Algeria. This article aims to introduce the scholar Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim and to highlight the role he played on the cultural level.