Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla y Centro Cultural Islámico de Sevilla®
In commemoration of the 900 anniversary of the birth of Abu Madyam, one of the most important figures in the Andalusian world, the Cantillana Town Council has organized an International Conference on the life and work of the Sufi Abu Madyam. The consistory, the Three Cultures Foundation and the University of Seville participate in these conferences that will take place on November 24th, 25th and the 26th at Cantillana Casa de la Cultura (Culture House).
The seminars are academic caracter and free registration period is open on the website: www.cantillana.es.
The attendance to these conferences will count as credits for the university and in the seminars, expertise to the philosophers of the Sufi world will share their knoleage.
In order to reach all citizenship, the organization will fill the November agenda with concerts, theater and an exhibition of 300 pieces related to Abu Madyam, given by Dr. Mohamed Baghli under the name of ‘The Path of a Lowly Shepherd’ . This exhibition aims to take a tour of the most important passages of his life, ranging from his childhood in Cantillana to his pilgrimage to the heat of knowledge, the teachers who marked his work and his philosophy to reach Tlemcen and Bugia in Algeria, Country where he place his based. Abu Madyam is now the Saint of Algeria and there is his tomb, which is a place of pilgrimage in an architectural complex of Andalusian style with mausoleum, mosque, madrasah and baths.
If you want to know the content of the conferences and the different activities programmed you can consult the following link. enlace.
Biography ABU MADYAM (Cantillana, 1116- Tremecén, 1198)
Abu Madyan was a Sufi of Andalusian origin, born in Cantillana in 1116, in the bosom of a modest family in al-Andalus. He was orphaned as a child, having to work for his brothers as a shepherd. The truth is that since young he felt a desire for knowledge, fleeing from home to embark in Algeciras to the other shore of the Mediterranean.
In Ceuta he was a fisherman and in Marrakech he was forced to join the sultan’s personal guard. When he could, he went to Fez, initiating Koranic studies. There he was formed with great scholars of the Islamic sciences, among them Ibn Hirzihim o Abu Galib.
Later on he knew Abu Ya’za, with whom he reached the full spiritual realization, becoming master of other Sufis.
At the death of his master Abu Ya’za he left to the East, but he settled in Beja (1177), where there was an important community of Andalusian emigrants, showing his wisdom and sanctity among his disciples and the people, especially among those who approached his admonition sessions, dealing with various issues related to doctrinal or political issues.
Abu Madyan was not well regarded by religious and political authorities ever since he defended social justice and claimed the need for sincerity in social and political leaders. For him the real sultans were the poor or Sufis. Such was his repercussion that his fame spread throughout the Maghreb and al-Andalus. In Tremecén considers him since his death his Saint, after his death in 1198.
For more information visit the website of ayuntamiento de Cantillana.
