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Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema

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Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema

The Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema (French: Association des Oulémas Musulmans Algériens, AOMA), commonly known as Jam'iyat al-'Ulama, was a cultural and religious movement in French Algeria.

History

The organisation was established in 1931 by Abdelhamid Ben Badis, with a leadership consisting largely of middle-class men, most of whom were Arab-speaking schoolteachers. It supported Islamic refomism and was strongly opposed to the marabouts. It opposed assimilation with the French, but did not support independence, instead supporting linguistic nationalism and loyalty to France. Despite this, the French authorities sought to closely control the organisation, eventually leading to it to form alliances with nationalist parties. In 1936 it formed the Algerian Muslim Congress (CMA) alongside the Algerian People's Party and the Federation of Elected Natives.

When Ben Badis died in 1940, Bachir Ibrahimi became AOMA president. It supported the Friends of the Manifesto and Liberty after its formation in 1944. In 1956 AOMA was dissolved by the French authorities.

References

Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema Wikipedia