It is fitting for us to pause briefly at this date, which we will consider the end of the first phase in the life of Ibn al-Sunumi, to contemplate the character of this young man and to study the factors that influenced this character. Signs of intelligence appeared in Ibn al-Sunusi at a young age, so much so that they caught the attention of his people. He turned to knowledge with a passionate thirst, drawing from its source, and spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on what he learned and the surrounding circumstances. It appears that in his youth, he was inclined towards seclusion and solitude, dedicating his time to contemplation and thought. Fu'ad Shukri narrates that one day some sheikhs found him sitting on a pile of sand, deep in thought. When they asked him the reason for this, his answer was that he was thinking about the state of the Islamic world, which was no more than a flock of sheep without a shepherd, despite the existence of its sultans, emirs, Sufi sheikhs, and scholars. Indeed, there are a large number of guides and religious scholars present in every place, yet the Islamic world is still desperately in need of a true guide who can lead the entire Islamic world towards one goal and one purpose. The reason for this is the lack of religious competence among scholars and sheikhs, and their preoccupation with the disputes between them, which has divided them into sects, parties, and groups. Thus, they no longer spread knowledge and wisdom, nor do they act upon the commands of the true religion, which is based on unity and the gathering of words. Added to this is another responsibility for these scholars and sheikhs: to spread Islam in Sudan and the Sahara, and to strengthen the Islamic nation. For the peoples of West Africa still worship idols, and yet, instead of admonishing them, they prefer to remain in their idol-worshipping communities and guide them to the true religion. They remain in mosques around the inhabited world, not working to teach them, their only concern being their own comfort, eager for their pleasures, and not fulfilling the duties of their positions. Their consciences do not reproach them for their neglect in guiding these idol-worshipping peoples. In doing so, they have reached the limit of the caravans.