Muhammad 'Ilish

Muhammad 'Ilish (1802 - 1882 CE) (1217 - 1299 AH) (محمد عليش), more commonly referred to in Muslim works simply as 'Ilish or Sheikh 'Ilish, was a 19th-century CE Egyptian Muslim jurist of Tripolitanian origin. 'Illish was an important late scholar of the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). He is perhaps the last of a line of widely read and respected sources of traditional fatwas of the late Maliki school from an Azharite scholar. 'Ilish was an extremely popular teacher at Al-Azhar. His lectures were regularly attended by audiences of over 200 students. In July 1854, 'Ilish was appointed the Maliki Mufti of Al-Azhar. By the time of his death in 1882, 'Ilish was one of the premier leaders of Egyptian scholarly society. His Minah al-Jalil as well as his Fatawa are widely used today among traditional Malikis for fatwa positions of the school.