Abd al-Aziz al-Ghumari
Abd al-Aziz bin Muhammad bin al-Siddiq al-Ghumari (; November 1920 in Tangier – November 6, 1997, in Tangier) was a Muslim scholar from Morocco. He is from the Idrissite branch of Moroccan Sayyids that trace themselves back to Idris I, who led a Shiite revolt against the Abbasid dynasty. Among practitioners of Sufism, he was sometimes referred to as "the Muhammad al-Bukhari of the modern era." Life. Family. Ben Sediq's father Sayyid Muhammad (b. 1887 d. November 6, 1935, in Tangier) was among prominent scholars such as his contemporary Sayyid al-Harrak . He used to teach the works of Ibn Abi Zayd and the book Sahih al-Bukhari. Among the scholars who wrote about him are his oldest son Ahmad Ben Sediq in a book called Subhat al Aqeek (سبحة العقيق) and the scholar Sheikh Muhammad al Ayachi in a book called Nubthat al Tahqeek (نبذة التحقيق). He also has a biography in the prominent Moroccan scholars encyclopaedia. Death. After a long life of research excellence, Sayyid Abdelaziz Ben Sediq died in Tangier on Friday November 6, 1997. He was buried after a funeral in which the number of mourners set a  record in Tangier's biggest ever gatherings. Career. It was not a coincidence that Abdelaziz Ben Sediq's mother as well comes from family of known scholars. Her grandfather indeed was Imam Ahmad ibn Ajiba. He started his early education in Tangier and traveled to Cairo and was a student of Azhar scholars such as Mahmoud Imam and Abdul Muuti Sharshimi. Among his works, the book Mujam al Shuyukh (معجم الشيوخ) and Fath al Aziz Bi Asaanid Sayyid Abdelaziz (فتح العزيز باسانيد لسيد عبد العزيز). He wrote several articles in the "Khadra" (الخضراء) and "al-Balagh" newspaper in Tangier and  al-Islam magazine in Cairo. Ghumari was one of the teachers of Saudi Arabian Sufi leader Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, as well as fellow Moroccan preacher Hassan al-Kattani. Like his older brothers Ahmad and Abdullah, Abd al-Aziz al-Ghumari was famous for his intellectual sparring with fellow hadith scholar Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani. View. Although Ghumari studied in a Sunni Islamic university, he registered his own critical thinking and came up with views that were unpopular with his teachers in the Azhar University. He used to adopt views based on research even if they were outside the sect  or the popular religious culture. Among such views are the following: Also like the rest of his family, Ghumari's exact theological viewpoints were difficult to pin down. Although a practitioner of Sufism, he was also critical of other Sufis. Though a Sunni, he and his brothers also held views in juristprudence and dogmatics outside of the mainstream. It is most likely that the Ghumaris had a unique viewpoint of their own. Works. and more.