This research focuses on the historical and social aspects of Sufism in
Tunisia by centering on the Medeniyya (Alāwiyye) order and its founder,
Muhammad al-Madanī. It emphasizes that Sufism functioned not
only as a path of individual spiritual training but also as an institution
that transformed social structures; and that in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries, against French colonialism, the orders undertook roles
such as the preservation of identity, religious education, and solidarity.
The qualities of knowledge, wisdom, and leadership, which stood out in
the personality of Shaykh Muhammad al-Madanī, are noteworthy both
in terms of the spirituality of the society he belonged to and its stance
against colonialism. In this context, the Medeniyye (ʿAlāwiyye) order
he established made significant contributions to identity formation and
social resistance during the colonial period.
The research, in addition to historical data, also adopts a sociological
perspective by relating al-Madanī’s understanding of Sufism to the classical
literature; it reveals his holistic approach that combines individual
purification with social revival. Shaped within the framework of Ahl
al-Sunna, this order also gained noteworthy visibility through its activities
in Tunisia as well as in France and Italy. Conducted with a qualitative
method, the study comprehensively evaluates both the intellectual
world of the figure and the social effects of the order, drawing upon
classical Sufi texts, modern literature, and al-Madanī’s works.
As one of the first comprehensive studies undertaken in Turkiye in this
field, the research aims to add a new dimension to the history of Sufism
and to introduce the Medeniyye order and its founder from a scholarly
perspective. In this way, the Sufi tradition of Tunisia is presented as a
distinctive example within the religious and cultural structure of the
Islamic world.
Keywords: Sufism; Tunisia; Sufi Orders; Colonialism; Sheikh Muhammad
al-Madanî; Medeniyya (Alawiya)