Reflections on the Intellectual Education of Abū Ya‛zà and al-Yuḥānisī: Two Models of Sainthood in the Islamic West

Reflections on the Intellectual Education of Abū Ya‛zà and al-Yuḥānisī: Two Models of Sainthood in the Islamic West

This article studies the figures of Abū Ya῾zà and al-Yuḥānisī taking into consideration their education and intellectual training. The two cases under analysis allow us, not just to understand the characteristics of the so called awliyā’, “friends of God”, but also to suggest the existence of two possible models of sainthood in the Islamic West: a Maghrebi model of sainthood and an Andalusi model. These two models share common elements but also reveal clear differences, particularly regarding education and training. The present study will therefore analyse Abū Ya῾zà’s and al-Yuḥānisī’s intellectual development, paying close attention to aspects such as the role of teaching and teachers, the presence of the Berber language in teaching practices and riḥla to the Eastern territories, as an essential part of scholarly training.

http://al-qantara.revistas.csic.es/index.php/al-qantara/article/view/577