List of modern Sufi scholars

Last updated June 13, 2025

This article is a List of modern Sufi scholars. The Sufis in the list were known in the 20th century or later. They are grouped geographically.

Arabian Peninsula

Abdallah Bin Bayyah (born 1935) – Saudi Arabia
Habib Ali al-Jifri (born 1971) – Yemen
Habib Umar bin Hafiz (born 1962) – Yemen
Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki (1944–2004) – Saudi Arabia

Levant

Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri (1912–2004) – Syria
Mohamed Said Ramadan Al-Bouti (1929–2013) – Syria
Muhammad al-Yaqoubi (born 1963) – Syria
Nuh Ha Mim Keller (born 1954) – Jordan
Wahba Zuhayli (1932–2015) – Syria
Yusuf an-Nabhani (1849–1932) – Palestine

North Africa

Abd al-Aziz al-Ghumari (1920–1997) – Morocco
Abd al-Hamid Kishk (1933–1996) – Egypt
Abdul Baqi Miftah (born 1952) – Algeria
Ahmad al-Alawi (1869–1934) – Algeria
Ahmed el-Tayeb (born 1946) – Egypt
Ali Gomaa (born 1951) – Egypt
Lalla Zaynab (1850–1904) – Algeria
Hamza al Qadiri al Boutchichi (born 1922) – Morocco
Hamza Yusuf (born 1960) – United States
Muhammad ibn al-Habib (1876–1972) – Morocco
Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy (1928–2010) – Egypt
Shawki Allam (born 1961) – Egypt

West, Central and Southern Africa

Abdalqadir as-Sufi (1930–2021) – South Africa
Abdullah al-Harari (1910–2008) – Ethiopia
Ahmad Tijani Ali Cisse (born 1955) – Senegal
Ibrahim Niass (1900–1975) – Senegal
Amadou Bamba (1853–1927) – Senegal
Hassan Cissé (1945–2008) – Senegal
Sa'adu Abubakar (born 1954) – Nigeria
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (born 1961) – Nigeria
Osman Nuhu Sharubutu (born 1919) – Ghana

Western Europe

Abdal Hakim Murad (born 1960) – United Kingdom
Ahmed Saad Al-Azhari (born 1978) – United Kingdom
Frithjof Schuon (1907–1998) – Switzerland
Idries Shah (1924–1996) – United Kingdom
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (born 1953) – United Kingdom
Martin Lings (1909–2005) – United Kingdom
Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada (born 1946) – United Kingdom
Annemarie Schimmel (1922–2003) – Germany
Ivan Aguéli (1969–1917) – Sweden
Umar Al-Qadri – Ireland

Eastern Europe

Said Afandi al-Chirkawi (1937–2012) – Russia (Dagestan)
Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü (born 1965) – Turkey
Hüseyin Hilmi Işık (1911–2001) – Turkey
Mahmud Esad Coşan (1938–2001) – Turkey
Mahmut Ustaosmanoğlu (1929–2022) – Turkey
Mehmed Fatih Çıtlak (born 1967) – Turkey
Muzaffer Ozak (1916–1985) – Turkey
Nazim Al-Haqqani (1922–2014) – Turkey
Osman Nuri Topbaş (born 1942) – Turkey
Ömer Tuğrul İnançer (1946–2022) – Turkey
Said Nursî (1878–1960) – Turkey
Süleyman Ateş (born 1933) – Turkey

North America

Ali Kianfar (born 1944) – United States
Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar (born 1950) – United States
Faraz Rabbani (born 1974) – Canada
Feisal Abdul Rauf (born 1948) – United States
Hamza Yusuf (born 1960) – United States
Hisham Kabbani (born 1945) – United States
Hossein Nasr (born 1933) – United States
M. A. Muqtedar Khan (born 1966) – United States
Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy (born 1966) – United States
Nahid Angha (born 1945) – United States
Nooruddeen Durkee (1938–2020) – United States
Robert Darr (born 1951) – United States
Syed Soharwardy (born 1955) – Canada
Zaid Shakir (born 1956) – United States

South Asia

Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi - Karachi, Pakistan (1927-2025)
Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad - Kerala, India (1939 - )
Sayyid Ibrahim Khaleel Al Bukhari - Kerala, India (1960 - ))
Dr.Muhammed Abdul Hakkim Azhari - Kerala, India (1971- ))
Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique – West Bengal
Wasif Ali Wasif (1929–1993) – Pakistan
Abdul Rashid Dawoodi (1979) – India
Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (?–1986) – Sri Lanka
Ahmed Ullah Maizbhanderi (1826–1906) – Bangladesh
Azangachhi Shaheb (1828/1829–1932) – India
Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (1817–1899) – India
Meher Ali Shah (1859–1937) – Pakistan
Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi (1909–1970) – Pakistan
Muhammad Akram Awan (1934–2017) – Pakistan
Pir Muhammad Alauddin Siddiqui (1936–2017) – Pakistan
Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri (born 1951) – Pakistan
Qalandar Baba Auliya (1898–1979) – Pakistan
Qamaruzzaman Azmi (born 1946) – India
Saheb Qiblah Fultali (1913–2008) – Bangladesh
Shah Shahidullah Faridi (1915–1978) – Pakistan
Syed Muhammad Zauqi Shah (1878–1951) – Pakistan
Syed Waheed Ashraf (born 1933) – India
Tajuddin Muhammad Badruddin (1861–1925) – India
Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi (1856–1921)
Thaika Shuaib (1930–2021) – India
Wahid Baksh Sial Rabbani (died 1995) – Pakistan
Waris Ali Shah (1819–1905) – India
Shah Syed Hasnain Baqai – India
Naseeruddin Naseer Gilani

(1949-2009) – Pakistan

Sayyad Muhammad Ashraf Kichhouchhwi – India
Sayyad Muhammad Izhar Ashraf – India
Hujjat-ul-Islam Hamid Raza Khan (1875–1943) – India
Kareemullah Shah (1838–1913) – India
Masihullah Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan (1892–1981) – India
Machiliwale Shah (died 1932) – India
Syed Mohammed Mukhtar Ashraf- India

Eastern and Central Asia

Habib Ali Kwitang (1870–1968) – Indonesia
Habib Munzir Al-Musawa (1973–2013) – Indonesia
Habib Usman bin Yahya (1822–1913) – Indonesia
Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi (1892–1954) – Singapore
Muhammad Ma Jian (1906–1978) – China
Ustad wan hizam (born 1971) – Malaysia
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (born 1931) – Malaysia

Oceania

Halim Rane – Australia

Philippines

Shaykh Ahmad Imbing – One of the leading Sunni, Ash'ari in Aqeeda and Shafi'i in Fiqh scholar.
Shaykh Khadzraji Tapsi – Ameer of Sabielal Muhtadin Foundation Inc. One of the leading Senior Sunni, Ash'ari in Aqeeda and Shafi'i in Fiqh scholar.
Sayyiduna Professor Yusuf Morales – former Commissioner of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. Lead Convenor of Consortium for Peacebuilders, Governance Development and Security Studies. Former Muslim Affairs Coordinator of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Zamboanga (ADZU). Sunni Sufi Scholar with Ijazah in the different Turuq and the science of Irfan.
Shaykh Aliazer Abdurajim – Cultural writer, poet, and peace advocate.Chairman of the Board at Zambasulta Halal Hub Inc.
Shaykh Al Johan Caluang Ilacad – Muslim formator of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Zamboanga (ADZU). Muqaddam of the Shadhili Rifa'i Qadiri Tariqa. Student of the Muhaddith Muhammad al-Yaqoubi and Muhaddith Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy. He is also an Ustad with permission or Ijazah in the 40 Tariqa
Shaykh Khalid Ismael – Ameer of the Naqshbandi Tariqa in the Philippines. Student of the Muhaddith Mehmet Adil.
Atty. Datu Amir Wagas – an Ustad with permission or Ijazah in the 40 Tariqa. He is also a Student of the Muhaddith Mehmet Adil.
Faqir Calingalan Hussin Caluang
Shaykh Al Jamar Ismael – Student of the Muhaddith Mehmet Adil.
Shaykh Ali Parmanan Hajul – Student of the Muhaddith Mehmet Adil.
Shaykh Shamir Kingking – Student of the Muhaddith Muhammad al-Yaqoubi and Muhaddith Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy.
Shaykh Alnaif Kingking – Student of the Muhaddith Muhammad al-Yaqoubi and Muhaddith Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy.
Imam Al Hassan Tawasil Caluang- son of Imam Hadji Yahya Caluang son of Capt.Kalingalan Caluang son of Panglima Caluang son of Panglima Bandahala son of Sattiya Munuh son of Sayyid Sharif Qasim;with permission or Ijazah in the 40 Tariqa.
Shaykh Abdul Warith Abdula – Student of the Muhaddith Muhammad al-Yaqoubi and Muhaddith Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy. He is also an Ustad with permission or Ijazah in the 40 Tariqa

References

External links

Professor Mohamad Abdalla- Australia

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