Our story
The Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah Centre for Preaching and Guidance in Mauritania was born of a deep conviction: that spreading authentic religious knowledge is one of the noblest forms of worship and one of the greatest means of preserving the religion of Allah.
From its beginnings, the centre set itself the mission of teaching the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah and the creed of Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah, in accordance with the understanding of the righteous predecessors (As-Salaf As-Sâlih), calling to Allah with wisdom, knowledge and mercy.
This vision was carried by a group of students of Islamic sciences, among them Dr Abu Abdillah Moussa Abdallah Boulaye Jara, a graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah. After years of study with the scholars, he returned to Mauritania wishing to found an institution uniting the authenticity of the Mauritanian Mahdhara, academic excellence and a methodology grounded in the proofs of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
The beginnings
In 2015, the centre opened its doors in the Sebkha district of Nouakchott. The beginnings were modest: a few rented rooms welcomed men, women and children in separate spaces. Despite the simplicity of the premises, students gathered there to learn the Book of Allah, memorise the Qur'an, and study authentic creed (Al-'Aqîdah), fiqh, hadith, the Arabic language and the various Islamic sciences.
Very quickly, the centre distinguished itself by its attachment to transmitted knowledge, the purification of beliefs, the education of character (Tarbiyah) and the training of students seeking knowledge upon the way of the first Muslims.
Steady growth
As student numbers grew, the centre moved to the commune of Riyadh, where a mosque, student housing and a larger space for the women's section were built.
Students began joining the centre from Mauritania, but also from Europe, America, Africa and other countries of the Muslim world. To meet this growth, new classrooms were fitted out and the training programmes expanded.
The centre organised scholarly seminars, lectures and teaching sessions devoted to the Qur'an, hadith, fiqh, the Arabic language and the foundational texts of the scholars of the Sunnah.
A comprehensive mission
Convinced that knowledge must bear beneficial fruit in society, the centre has always joined teaching with charitable works.
Its actions include caring for orphans and widows, training students, imams and preachers, drilling wells, planting trees, welcoming newcomers and students of Islamic sciences, providing iftar during Ramadan, and clothing pupils.
Thus the pursuit of knowledge is constantly accompanied by beneficence, in accordance with the word of Allah and the prophetic tradition.
International reach
Over the years, the centre broadened its offering to cover different levels of study as well as specialised programmes in Arabic, Islamic sciences, Qur'an memorisation and the study of foundational texts.
Thanks to the development of online teaching, its courses are now followed by students from many countries. Its website and digital platforms today spread religious knowledge far beyond the borders of Mauritania.
A work that continues
Today, by the grace of Allah, the Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah Centre for Preaching and Guidance in Mauritania pursues the mission that motivated its creation: teaching the Book of Allah, the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, the Arabic language and the religious sciences, training students and preachers, and contributing to the good of the Muslim community.
Since its founding, the centre has remained firmly attached to the way of Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jamâ'ah, striving to follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah according to the understanding of the righteous predecessors, while calling to Allah with wisdom, gentleness and insight, and respecting the Muslim authorities in all that does not involve disobedience to Allah.
Its ambition remains unchanged: to transmit authentic knowledge, purify beliefs, educate souls, raise generations attached to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, and work sincerely for the good of Islam and the Muslims.