Mohamed Said Ramadan Al-Bouti was a Syrian Sunni scholar born in 1929 whose influence spanned decades of theological discourse within the Levant. Based in Damascus for the majority of his career, he functioned as a professor, author, and public speaker, eventually serving as the imam of the historic Umayyad Mosque before his death in 2013.
Early Education and Academic Training
Born in Cizre, Al-Bouti migrated to Damascus at age four. His early education featured religious instruction from his father, Mulla Ramadan Al-Bouti, followed by studies at the Institute of Islamic Orientation. In 1954, he traveled to Cairo to attend Al-Azhar University, where he earned a law degree and a diploma in education. He later completed his PhD in Sharia at the same institution in 1965.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Tenure and Public Roles
Al-Bouti returned to Syria to lecture at the University of Damascus, serving as dean of the Faculty of Sharia from 1977 to 1983. Beyond the classroom, he held membership in the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs and acted as a visiting professor at various regional universities. His public stature culminated in his appointment as the preacher of the Umayyad Mosque in 2008.
Theological Framework and Literary Output
As a proponent of Ash'ari theology, Al-Bouti authored over sixty works concerning Islamic law and doctrine. His writing, including texts such as Kubra al-Yaqiniyat al-Kawniyyah and Fiqh al-sīrah al-Nabawīyah maʻa Mūjaz li-Tārīkh al-khilāfah al-rāshidah, focused on defending traditional Sunni scholarship against secularism, Marxism, and various reformist movements. He also translated the Kurdish story Mam and Zin into Arabic.
Political Stance and Assassination
Al-Bouti consistently opposed political activism conducted in the name of religion, advocating for a unifying role for Islam. During the 2011 Syrian protests, he publicly urged against civil disorder. On 21 March 2013, he was killed during a suicide bombing at the Al-Iman Mosque in Damascus. His remains were interred at the Mausoleum of Saladin.
Fast facts
- Born: 1929, Cizre
- Died: 21 March 2013, Damascus
- Religion: Sunni Islam (Ash'ari)
- Languages spoken: Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish
- Academic qualification: PhD in Shariah, Al-Azhar University
- Final resting place: Mausoleum of Saladin
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Al-Bouti teach at Damascus University?
He taught comparative law, Islamic creed, and the biography of Prophet Muhammad.
Did Al-Bouti participate in political activism?
He held a long-standing opposition to political and military activism in the name of Islam, preferring that religion remain a unifying element.
Achievements
- Notable work: Kubra al-Yaqiniyat al-Kawniyyah
- Notable work: This Is What I Said In Front Of Some Presidents And Kings
- Notable work: Explanation And Analysis Of The Giving Judgment
- Notable work: Fiqh al-sīrah al-Nabawīyah maʻa Mūjaz li-Tārīkh al-khilāfah al-rāshidah (Dār al-fekr ah-muaaser, 1991)
