alTurabi

Hassan al-Turabi was a prominent Sudanese politician and Islamic scholar. Born in 1932, he emerged as a leading figure in the Sudanese political landscape for several decades. Al-Turabi studied law and Islamic studies, earning degrees from Khartoum University and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

He was a key architect of the National Islamic Front (NIF), which later became the National Congress Party. Al-Turabi played a significant role in the political developments of Sudan, including the 1989 coup that brought Omar al-Bashir to power. He served as Speaker of the Sudanese Parliament and was instrumental in shaping Sudan's Islamic legal system.

Al-Turabi was known for his intellectual contributions to Islamic thought, advocating for an interpretation of Islam that he believed was compatible with modern governance and democracy. He proposed concepts such as "ijtihad" (independent reasoning) and emphasized the role of consultation in Islam. His ideas influenced Islamic movements across the Muslim world.

Throughout his career, al-Turabi held various influential positions, but his relationship with the government, particularly under Omar al-Bashir, was often complex and marked by periods of both alliance and opposition. He was imprisoned and placed under house arrest on multiple occasions. Hassan al-Turabi passed away in 2016, leaving a significant legacy as a theologian, politician, and intellectual in Sudan and beyond.