Nu'man al-Alusi

Nu'man al-Alusi (Arabic: نعمان الآلوسي, 1836–1899), full name Khayr al-Din Nu'man bin Mahmud al-Alusi, was a 19th-century Iraqi Muslim scholar, jurist and calligrapher. The son of the widely acclaimed Hanafi jurist, Mahmud al-Alusi, Nu'man was born in Baghdad. He later rose to prominence himself as an early supporter of the Salafi movement, which was slowly spreading at the time.

Muhammad Bahjat Athari described Nu'man al-Alusi as “Generous, loyal, ascetic, sweet as a fruit, and a forgiving person.”   He was also praised by Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi, while he was also credited by Al-Albani in the introduction of his book Sharh al-Ayat al-Bayinat fi Iyadam Sama'i al-Amwat.

Biography
Nu'man al-Alusi was one of Mahmud al-Alusi's scholarly sons. At first, he took knowledge from his own father, but later on as he grew up he became a student of Mullah Qasim Effendi. He served as a qadi (Islamic judge) in several towns, including Hillah. In the year 1878, Nu'man al-Alusi travelled to Egypt where he studied the works of Siddiq Hasan Khan, a prominent Indian Muslim scholar of the Ahlul Hadith movement. Siddiq Hassan Khan's works were one of those which influenced the ideology and thinking process of Nu'man. Later in 1882, he migrated to Istanbul, Turkey, but he stayed for two years only. After his stay, he returned to his hometown with the title of Muda'ir al-Madrasa (head teacher).

Nu'man al-Alusi was one of the famous calligraphers of his time, and he took up the hobby of calligraphy from his father. He was fluent in the Rayhani script, and he wrote letters and books in this form. Some of his work is preserved in the archives of the public libraries in Baghdad. Nu'man al-Alusi died in Baghdad at the age of 63, and he was buried in the grounds of the Murjan Mosque.

Views and teachings
Nu'man al-Alusi was one of the early advocates of the Salafi movement. However, he also became affiliated with Naqshbandi order of Sufism. His book Jala' al-'Aynayn was intended to serve as a guidebook or manual to the Athari creed, which was conflated with Salafism at the time. It featured quotes from the Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyyah. Siddiq Hasan Khan mistakenly considered Nu'man al-Alusi a Maturidi but his verdict was not well-known or widespread.

Works
Among his works include;
 * Jala' al-'Aynayn fi Muhakamat al-'Ahmadayn
 * Al-Ayat al-Bayinat fi Iyadam Sama'i al-Amwat (The Clear Verses on whether the Dead can Hear You)
 * 'Akmal al-Kitab al-Hadiqat al-Wurud (The complete book of the Rose Gardens)
 * Al-Jawab al-Fasih lima lafaqqahu 'Abd al-Masih (Detailed Response in refutation of 'Abdul-Masih)