1.

ILLOULA- The Picturesque landscape of the village

2.ILLOULA –Sidi Abderrahmane Al Illouli Mosque’s commemorative plaque
3.ILLOULA- Mr. Boudjemai (Institute’s Steward) left, the Writer (centre),
Mr. Touati (Institute’s Director) right, Hassan (Writer’son) crouching
4.ILLOULA- A remote view of the Institute at bottom left
5.ILLOULA- A souvenir photo while the Famous Djurdjura
mounts overhang the scene
• IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL

• *SUBJECT: WORLD ISLAMIC HERITAGE

• *THE ISLAMIC INSTITUTE FOR IMAM’S TRAINING
• *SIDI ABDERRAHMANE AL ILLOULI
• *ILLOULA-AZZAZGA- WILAYA OF TIZI-OUZOU.

• It was an auspicious Friday, the 18th of May 2007- 01st of Djoumad II

1428, where a sudden daring and bold decision impelled me to take the
steering-wheel and drove eastwards in view of enjoying both a spiritual
and sightseeing tour in the land of Kabylia and precisely in the village of
Illoula some 170 km east of Algiers to discover and report by the pen and
the camera for a new chapter called “World Islamic Heritage”.

• Adding to the fact that the journey was made on a Godly blessed spring
like day, accompanied by my son Hassan and Mr. Tahar Mezani a friend
and a native of Kabylia, reaching Illoula after driving through tortuous
bends and turns was both a magnificent and awesome adventure, as the
village is situated at a 950m altitude.

• The Zawiya subject of our survey is located on a breath-taking landscape,

extended on a mountain hill where cherry, nut and willow trees interweave
each other, adding to this Godly given beautiful nature was the warm and
friendly welcome given to us by Mr. Brahim Touati the Director of the
Institute and his Steward Mr. Yahia Boudjemai.
• It would be important to recall that the Land of Kabylia or “ Bled Al Kabail” as it is widely
known here in Algeria is the stronghold of Berbers or Amazighs , historically proved , they
were the first inhabitants of North Africa , moreover the strategic situation of this part of
Algeria was so important for commercial caravans as well as for cultural and scientific
mutual exchanges between East and West and between the Sahel and the high plateaus ,
the Land of Kabylia is extended to many eastern parts of Algeria , it includes the following
Wilayates (Districts) such as Boumerdes, Bouira, Tizi- Ouzou , Bejaia and a part of both
Districts of Setif and Bordj Bou Arreridj.

• Furthermore the great and valuable contribution of the Berbers in spreading Islam
throughout the Iberian peninsula as the case is with Commander Tarik Ibn Ziad the
Andalusian Conqueror or with the Kutama Tribes in the consolidation of the Fatimid
Caliphate in North Africa is no more a questionable issue within historical circles as such
this spiritual legacy is still ongoing till know where the multitude of Zawiyas (or Islamic
Learning centres) is so obvious and apparent in every place of this area and therefore is
still witnessing this long standing positive aspect of Islam.

• *Historical Features of the Institute.

• Before the promulgation of the 173-83 Ministerial decree dated 05 March 1983 setting up
the present Islamic Institute and its first Academic year on the 15th of September 1984
and after a 349 year of old traditional way of education and training, the Zawiya shifted to
the present Modern Institute where up to now there was 21 graduate promotions with an
accurate number of 1281 Graduate Imams.

• It is worth mentioning that the Zawiya was founded by Sidi Abderrahmane Al Illouli in
1635 AD through a counsel and suggestion by his Sheikh or Master Sidi Mohamed Saadi
Al Bahlouli, the opening of the Zawiya at that time was a unique event as for the first time
it has introduced new courses in the Holy Quran’s reading or recitation, an unknown
module at that time, thus breaking old traditional habits of teaching and learning.
• The Founder of the Zawiya is Sidi Abu Zayd Abderrahmane Al Illouli who was born in
1601 in the village of Ikherdouchene on the bottom hills of Illoula mount , as a young
child he was duly looked after in terms of education and upbringing by his father
Yassad Ben Mohamed Ouali , then he moved to the nearby Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed Ben
Idriss where he memorised the Holy Quran and went to learn Islamic Siences,
afterwards he moved again to a new Zawiya that of Sidi Mohamed Saadi Al Bahlouli in
Mizrana (Dellys area) there he was both a full fledged and mature Student and
Teacher.

• Sidi abderrahmane was very fond of his Sheikh Sidi Mohamed Al Bahlouli because he
gained from him wide knowledge and deep probing skills in the sciences of Tajwid
(way of reading the Holy Quran) and the different ways of the holy book’s recitations
, a great number of students were later graduated from Sidi Abderrahmane’s Zawiya,
among them is the famous Mohamed Ben Antar Al Khazrouni Al Betrouni who had
handwritten 99 copies of the Holy Quran.

• Still standing as a perennial witness to the grandeur of the Islamic Faith, is Sidi
Abderrahmane Al Illouli’s Zawiya which was founded in 1635 during the Ottoman
presence in Algeria and had a well known repute for its self-independent way of
administration and new insightful courses.

• In 1693 Sidi Abderrahmane passed away while leaving an ever rich and increasing
Islamic heritage which is still vivid despite the 314 elapsed years, truly Sidi
Abderrahmane Al Illouli left this world a very satisfied man, no wonder because he left
behind an immortal legacy which has since continued to inspire Muslims from this
country and from abroad towards the lofty goals of Knowledge and Book of Allah’s love
and great Respect.
• *Source-Document: Zawiyat Sidi Abderrahmane Al Illouli
and its educative, cultural and influential roles in the
Kabylia area.

• *Master- thesis in Islamic Studies, a 329 page Arabic

Language Document prepared by Mohamed Maimoun
(Former Director of the Institute)-Academic year 2000-
2001.

• ‫محمد بوكريطة‬
• ‫كاتب مستقل و مستشار في السياحة الثقافية‬
• mbokreta@maktoob.com

• MOHAMED BOKRETA
• FREELANCE WRITER &
• CULTURAL TOURISM CONSULTANT
• mohbokreta@yahoo.com