Scholar
Al-Qadi al-Aqib ibn Mahmud ibn Umar
Qadi and imam of the Sankoré Mosque in Timbuktu (1507/08–1583), from the Sanhaja (Berber) Aqit family of scholars. He studied under his father Mahmud ibn Umar and his uncle, then received ijaza from scholars such as al-Nasir al-Laqani in Cairo during his pilgrimage. In 1565 he succeeded his brother Qadi Muhammad as qadi of Timbuktu, becoming one of the city's most influential authorities. He is best known for demolishing and rebuilding the Sankoré Mosque (1578–1582) to the dimensions of the Kaaba. The renowned scholar Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti was his relative and student. He is a leading figure of the Aqit family that shaped the golden age of West African Islamic learning at Sankoré.
TimbuktuDied 991 AHView