Cheikh Ahmed Sahnoun

Cheikh Ahmed Sahnoun was born in Lichana in the Zibans near Biskra. A brilliant poet and Islamic jurist, he joined Cheikh Abdelhamid Ben Badis in 1931 as one of the founding stalwarts of the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema, establishing free schools across Algiers.

During the War of Independence, he was arrested by colonial authorities in 1956 and imprisoned until 1962 for his staunch support of the FLN. In his later years, as imam of the historic Mosque of Belcourt, Cheikh Sahnoun was venerated as a wise, gentle peacemaker who consistently preached civil dialogue, moderation, and compassion during the tragic 1990s.