The Authorship of Sayyidī Shaykh Muhammad ʿUthmān ʾal-Burhāni (d. 1403/1983) and the Impact of his Religious Dissemination through Divine Proximity

Abstract

In researching the rich and diverse Sufi culture of the Arab world, I came across the unpublished work of Sayyidī Shaykh Muhammad ʿUthmān ʾal-Burhāni. (d. 1403/1983). This was surprisingly unexplored in previous research, and no formal publication capturing this fascinating work has been released yet. Sayyidī through these teachings significantly contributed to the development of religious dissemination, which gained a massive following in Sudan and Egypt and ultimately reached followers all over the world. His teachings go beyond emphasizing mere divine proximity for Muslims but they also provide a profound sense of purpose for individuals who still hold onto their ancestor's religion, inspiring them to embrace Islam. This serves as a guiding light, directing followers towards the path of divine legislation (sharīʿah) through the power of divine love (ʾal-ḥubb), while the cultivation of this love propels individuals towards the ultimate divine reality (ḥaqīqa). In addition, he answered questions in his sermons (durūs) from various fields of knowledge, and for this reason, many scholars of his time including from ʾal-ʾAzhar sought to attend his gatherings, where he spoke about the sciences of the Qurʾan from different aspects. This research intended to unveil the impact of his religious dissemination and the introduction of his authorship, which has yet to be documented.