Renewer of the Shadhili Path, Sh. Ahmad Al Alawi’s mere presence had a profound effect on Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Tens of thousands of students received spiritual openings through his guidance. He worked tirelessly to call people back to God and His Prophet amidst the pressures of the French colonial administration in Algeria, his place of birth. He left behind a treasure trove of written works with topics ranging from astronomy, to exegesis (tafsir), spiritual practice, sacred law (fiqh), philosophy, and ultimate realities (haqaiq). He also left behind living inheritors who continued to guide people according to his path in Syria, Jordan, Libya, Tunis, Algeria and other countries. He had many Western students and was extremely concerned with sharing the message of Islam with Europeans and other non-Muslims. He led the opening prayer at the Grand Mosque of Paris and was the subject of an influential biography written by the British convert to Islam, Martin Lings, titled Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century.