Mustafa al-Sibai
- Died
- 1384 AH
- Born in
- Homs
Mustafa al-Sibai (1333–1384 AH / 1915–1964 CE) was a Syrian Islamic scholar, jurist, and educator who founded the Faculty of Sharia at Damascus University and authored al-Sunna wa-Makanatuha fi al-Tashri' al-Islami (The Sunna and Its Status in Islamic Legislation) .
Early Life and Education
Mustafa ibn Husni al-Sibai, also known by the kunya Abu Hassan, was born in Homs, Syria, in 1915 (1333 AH) into a scholarly family whose members had long served as preachers at the city's Grand Mosque . He began his early education by memorizing the Quran and studying primary Islamic sciences under his father, Shaykh Husni al-Sibai . He attended al-Mas'udiyya primary school and then the Sharia secondary school, completing his studies there in 1930, while simultaneously attending scholarly assemblies held by his father and other scholars in Homs . In his youth, he occasionally delivered Friday sermons at the Grand Mosque on behalf of his father; his public speeches against French mandatory rule led to his arrest in 1931 and 1932 .
In 1933, al-Sibai moved to Cairo to pursue higher education at al-Azhar University, where he studied Islamic jurisprudence and graduated from the Faculty of Usul al-Din . During his time in Egypt, he established close ties with Hasan al-Banna . British authorities arrested him on charges of anti-colonial incitement and held him in Egypt for two months before transferring him to the Sarafand detention center in Palestine for four months . Upon his release and return to Syria, French authorities arrested him and imprisoned him in Lebanon for thirty months . In 1949, he earned his doctorate with distinction from al-Azhar in Islamic legislation and its history for his dissertation al-Sunna wa-Makanatuha fi al-Tashri' al-Islami .
Political and Academic Career
In 1945, al-Sibai announced the establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, serving as its General Controller . In 1948, he led a volunteer battalion to fight in the Palestine War in defense of Jerusalem .
He entered parliamentary politics and was elected as a representative for Damascus in the Syrian Constituent Assembly and Parliament between 1949 and 1954, serving as deputy speaker of parliament and participating as one of nine members who drafted the Syrian constitution .
In academia, al-Sibai was appointed professor at the Faculty of Law in Damascus in 1950, and became the founding dean of the Faculty of Sharia at Damascus University in 1955 . He also headed the Department of Islamic Jurisprudence, oversaw the project to establish the Encyclopedia of Islamic Fiqh, and founded the monthly journal Hadarat al-Islam . He headed the Syrian delegation to the World Islamic Conference in Pakistan in 1951 and the Muslim-Christian Conference in Bhamdoun in 1954, and in 1956 he was dispatched by the Syrian University on a study tour across several European countries to examine Orientalist programs of Islamic studies .
Standing and Controversies
In early 1956, al-Sibai survived an assassination attempt in Damascus . His socio-political writings generated public discussion, notably his book Ishtirakiyyat al-Islam (The Socialism of Islam) . Scholar Ali al-Tantawi recorded that he attended a lecture by al-Sibai alongside Mustafa al-Zarqa and publicly objected whenever al-Sibai cited weak juristic opinions to align Islamic law with socialist concepts; al-Tantawi nonetheless testified to al-Sibai's religious integrity and explained that his intention had been to draw socialists toward Islam .
Illness and Death
Al-Sibai was stricken with hemiplegia (partial paralysis) in 1957 . He died in Damascus on Saturday, 3 October 1964 (1384 AH; another report gives 1967 CE) .
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List of Works
Muqtatafat min Kitab min Rawa'i Hadaratina is a collection of selected passages from the book Min Rawa'i Hadaratina, highlighting notable achievements and features of Islamic civilization. Originating as a series of radio lectures delivered in Damascus beginning in 1375 AH (1955 CE), the work presents illustrative examples of Islamic civilization to a general audience to demonstrate the Muslim community's historical accomplishments and enduring civilizational capacity.
al-Mar'a bayn al-Fiqh wa al-Qanun is a treatise examining the status, legal rights, and social role of women in Islamic law in comparison with Western systems. Developed from a public lecture delivered at Damascus University during its 1961–1962 cultural season, the work analyzes women's position in human society, presenting Islamic legislation as having established female dignity, legal protections, and family-oriented responsibilities.
al-Istishraq wa al-Mustashriqun: Ma Lahum wa Ma Alayhim is a critical treatise analyzing the origins, motives, methods, and scholarly shortcomings of Western Orientalist studies on Islam. The work traces the historical development of Orientalism from medieval European translations through modern academic institutions, evaluating its religious, colonial, political, and scholarly drivers while providing a balanced critique of its methodologies and key figures.
Hakatha Allamatni al-Hayah is a collection of ethical aphorisms, personal reflections, and social counsel. Drawn from direct life experiences rather than other texts, its concise maxims and paragraphs address diverse matters of faith, ethics, family life, and human behavior without following a rigid topical arrangement.
Al-Sunna wa-Makanatuha fi al-Tashri' al-Islami is a treatise in hadith studies dedicated to establishing the authoritative status of the Prophetic tradition in Islamic law and systematically refuting classical and contemporary criticisms directed against it. Originating as a doctoral dissertation completed in 1949 at al-Azhar University, it examines the transmission and codification of the Sunna, addresses historical and modern doubts, and analyzes its relationship to the Quran.
al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah: Durūs wa-ʿIbar (The Prophetic Biography: Lessons and Morals) is a concise study of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, focusing on analytical reflection, practical lessons, and religious guidance derived from prophetic history. Rather than presenting exhaustive narrative detail, the work highlights the practical aspects of exemplary conduct embedded in the prophetic narrative to inspire moral lessons and revive uprightness across the community.