Muhammad al-Hasan al-Diddu al-Shanqiti (Arabic: محمد الحسن بن الددو الشنقيطي, born 31 October 1963 in Boutilimit) is a Mauritanian Muslim scholar, author, writer, and poet.[1] He is the President of O'lama Information center, and the President of 'Abdallah ibn Yasin University.[2][3][4] He is also head of the country's Center for the Development of Scholars.[5] In 2014 he was the Vice President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, and he is still a member of it.[6][7][8]
Early life and studies
He was raised in an academic family. His grandfather was Muhammad 'Ali bin Abd-Alwadud, who was a Muslim scholar and his first tutor.[9] He stayed close to him until his death in 1982.[10][11][12]
He started studying and memorizing the Quran when he was 5 years old with his parents, and finished the memorization of the whole Quran before he reached 10 years of age. He studied the Ten qira'at of Quran with his mother, then he learned the Hadith.[13]
He came to Gaza in December 2012, and gave a speech and spoke on behalf of the scholars of the Islamic nation on the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The festival was attended at that time by the movement’s senior leaders and its political leader at that time Khaled Meshaal.[27]
In Media
He has conducted many important interviews on Al Jazeera Arabic TV, Al resallah Channel, and the Kaaf channel.
Controversy
Mohamed El Hassan Ould Dedew has encouraged Muslims to boycott goods from France, and according to Marianne, he is also known for his “numerous anti-Semitic diatribes” on social networks. He regards the 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting attacks as well “deserved” "attacks".[28]
