Uthman bin Ali Zayla'i

Al-Zayla'i (died 1342) was a 14th-century Islamic scholar, theologian and jurist from Zeila in modern-day Somaliland.

Biography Al-Zayla'i traveled extensively throughout the Muslim world during his lifetime. He eventually settled in Cairo, Egypt, where he joined other Somali students at the Riwaq al-Zayla'i of the Al-Azhar University.

Uthman wrote several books on Islamic jurisprudence, one of which is considered to be the single most authoritative text on the Hanafi school of Islam. Consisting of four volumes, it is known as the Tabayin al-Haqa’iq li Sharh Kanz al-Daqa’iq. In it he narrated the saying of Abu Hanifah that the Qiblah of the people of the East is West and the Qiblah of the people of the West is East and the Qiblah of the people of the North is South and the Qiblah of the people of the South is North.