Arriving in his hometown of Mostaganem, he said that Islam was helpless everywhere, and that the inhabited provinces and districts were lost to the ignoble ones at any moment, and with the speed of lightning, Islam was in a state of severe decline. Then he concluded his speech by saying, "This is what I think." When they asked him, "What should Muslims do to avoid what you mentioned?" he replied, "I will strive, I will strive."

This story indicates the emergence of the intellectual aspect in the personality of Ibn al-Sanusi. The different circumstances surrounding him seem to have pushed him to think about his situation and the situation of Muslims. From this first journey in his life, he began to show a readiness for opinion. He began to feel, as a result of his constant thinking, that he had a role to play towards Muslims. Indeed, he began to feel that he was destined and commanded to work for reform. Some of his companions mentioned in his later life that he had told them in al-Jaghbub that from his youth he felt commanded in all the actions he undertook.

Factors that influenced his personality Several factors influenced the personality of Ibn al-Sanusi during that journey. The personality of the individual is usually influenced by their surroundings. We believe that this environment forms certain reactions that outline specific features. The first of these factors was the state of Algeria at that time. The bad governance had reached an extreme degree. Ibn al-Sanusi was affected by the injustice of the Ottoman rulers he saw, and by the revolutions that the tribes were carrying out. He also observed the behavior of the European powers in his country. It is noted in the history of Ibn al-Sanusi that he had a not good idea about the Turks, and it is most likely that the seeds of this idea were formed.

Shukri, p. 21. It was also mentioned by al-Ashhab, who did not mention the source from which Shukri took it.