The Timbuktu Scholar Who Wrote a Universe

In this episode of Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge, we explore the life and work of Muhammad al-Mustafa al-Wangari, a 17th-century scholar from Timbuktu who wrote the Mīr'āt al-Ālam, or 'Mirror of the Universe.' This massive encyclopedia covered astronomy, geography, mathematics, and Islamic law, synthesizing knowledge from the Islamic world and West Africa. We discuss how al-Wangari used the works of al-Zarqali and al-Battani to calculate prayer times and the qibla, and how his manuscript survived centuries in the Haidara family library. The episode also touches on the broader scholarly network of Sankore, the role of the Qadiriyya Sufi order, and the preservation of Timbuktu's manuscripts today. #Timbuktu #MuhammadAlMustafaAlWangari #MiratAlAlam #Sankore #Astronomy #Qibla #AlZarqali #AlBattani #Haidara #Qadiriyya #AskiaMuhammad #Songhai #Manuscripts #WestAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #17thCentury #IslamicScience Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo