His Name, Lineage and Place of Birth:
His name was Abu
Ahmad, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq bin ‘Afeefee Ibn ‘Atiyyah An-Noobee. He was born in
Shanshoor, a town in Egypt in the year 1323H.
His Studies and Quest for Knowledge:
He was raised in a
family of knowledge, and began his first and secondary level studies in his town
of Shanshoor, based on the Azhar curriculum. When he finished this, he moved to
Cairo and underwent his advanced studies at Al-Azhar University, graduating from
it in 1351H, obtaining the highest degree. During this time in Cairo, he met and
learnt under the well known scholars, Ahmad Shaakir and Haamid Al Fiqqee.
After obtaining his degree, he continued on to specialize in the branch of
Fiqh and Usool al Fiqh, and obtained his degree in Fiqh Al Maalikee and Usool in
1355H. Thereafter, he continued his studies and obtaining of knowledge by taking
from the books of the scholars and studying and examining them.
Those who
lived and interacted with him described him as having knowledge like that of an
encyclopaedia, with diverse intellectual capacities and being versatile in all
of the sciences of Islaam.
His Positions and Religious Duties:
He worked as a teacher
in the educational institutes of Al-Azhar in Egypt in 1356H, and during this
time he checked and verified the book Al-‘Uluww of Imaam Adh-Dhahabee.
He
would also hold classes throughout the Masaajid of that country.
Then he
moved to Alexandria, where he participated in building Masaajid and teaching the
people.
He was selected to be Vice-President of Jamaa’at Ansaar As-Sunnah
Al Muhammadiyyah in 1365H, and then served as its President in 1379H.
In
1368H, he made Hijrah to the lands of the Haramayn in Saudi Arabia, after being
invited by Shaykh Mohammad bin Ibraaheem Aali-Shaykh [d.1389H] who had heard
good news about him and was impressed by him.
While in Saudi Arabia, he
taught at the Daar At-Tawheed Centre in Taa’if. After two years of teaching
there, he moved to ‘Unayzah to teach at the Educational institute in 1370H. Then
in the last part of Shawwaal 1370H, he moved to Riyadh to teach in its
Educational Institutes, under the supervision of Shaykh Mohammad bin Ibraaheem
Aali-Shaykh.
He was then given a teaching position in the Colleges of
Sharee’ah and Arabic Language in Riyadh at the time of their inception.
Then he was appointed as the principle for the Highest Institute of the
Judiciary in the year 1385H.
In 1391, he was appointed President of the
Committee of Islamic Research and Fataawaa, and he was also made a member of the
Council of Senior Scholars. He served in this position until he passed away, may
Allaah have mercy on him. He served in this Committee of Senior Scholars along
with Shaykh Ibn Baaz, who acted as Head of the Committee, Shaykh ‘Abdullaah bin
Qu’ood and Shaykh Abdullaah bin Ghudayyaan.
He was put in charge of
supervising a number of knowledge-based treatises, such as Doctorate
dissertations and theses for obtaining the Masters Degree.
He would give
many study circles in which he taught the Tafseer of the Qur’aan. These classes
were held in the Masjid of Shaykh Mohammad bin Ibraaheem in Riyadh. Afterward,
his classes were moved to his home.
He would lead the people in prayer in
the Masjid that was adjacent to his home. He would also give educational classes
and religious admonitions from time to time in that Masjid.
In addition
to this, he would participate in functions and seminars, such as giving classes
during the times of Hajj.
His Students:
The most famous of his students are:
1.
Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abdillaah Aali-Shaykh
2. Shaykh ‘Abdullaah bin
‘Abdir-Rahmaan Al-Ghudayyaan
3. Shaykh ‘Abdullaah bin Hasan Al-Qu’ood
4.
Shaykh Saalih Al-Luhaydaan
5. Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan
6.Shaykh Mohammad Amaan Al Jaamee
His Attributes and Characteristics:
The Shaykh, may Allaah
have mercy on him, was very wise when it came to Calling and Teaching the
people. He would make Hajj every year since he made Hijrah to Saudi Arabia. He
was very kind, generous, and humble.
He was extremely patient in times of
affliction and he would constantly devote himself to praising and extolling
Allaah. Examples of his patience, was when he was afflicted by hemi-plegia;
which was a paralysis of half of his body in 1376H, and then again in 1413H, but
he was patient and hopeful and afterwards Allaah cured him from it. Also, three
of his children died during his lifetime. His son Ahmad ‘Aasim died during a war
in 1973 CE. He received the news with patience and hoping for Allaah’s reward.
Then his son, ‘Abdullaah, died in 1403H while in Jeddah.
His Family and Children:
The Shaykh married a righteous
woman from a pious family in Alexandria, with whom he had several children: He
had eight children – five of which were male and three of which were female.
Three of his sons preceded him in dying, as has been mentioned.
His Role in Da’wah:
The most beloved of the scholarly books
to the Shaykh was: al-Mustasfaa of Al-Ghazaalee, al-Muwaafiqaat of Ash-Shaatibee
and al-Qaamoos al-Muheet of Al-Fayrooz Abaadee.
His main concern was
geared towards teaching, educating, instructing and giving fatwa, all which lead
to his not having time to write books and treatises. He once told a questioner:
“I did not see many new things in the books of recent times, rather just a
repetition of what was written in the past, except for the books of
Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah, rahimahullaah, for you will find in his works,
much knowledge that was not covered by those before him.”
In spite of
this, he authored, verified and commented on several books, such as:
1.
Mudhikkirah at-Tawheed (A Study Guide on Tawheed), which is a beneficial
treatise based on dictations that were taken from him in his classes at the
University;
2. A verification and commentary of the book Al Ihkaam fee
Usool-il-Ahkaam of Al-Aamadee;
3. A commentary of At-Tadmuriyyah of Ibn
Taimiyyah;
4. Comments to the book At-Tabookiyyah of Ibn-ul-Qayyim;
5.
Comments to the book Alfiyyah of Al ‘Iraaqee;
6. What indicates the vastness
of his knowledge and the precision of his insight and the comprehensiveness of
his intellect are those notes, which are small in size but great in value, which
he placed in the margins of Sharh Al ‘Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah of Ibn Abil ’Izz Al
Hanafee in which he mentions references to his explanation of the books of
Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah and his student Ibn Al Qayyim.
The Scholar’s Praise for Him:
His status amongst the
scholars was well known. This was why he was appointed President of Jamaa’at
Ansaar as-Sunnah in Egypt, during the time of its glory and prestige. His
reputation reached beyond his homeland of Egypt, which is why Shaykh Mohammad
bin Ibraaheem Aali-Shaykh, may Allaah have mercy on him, invited him to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And King ‘Abdul ‘Azeez would attend his weekly lectures
every Thursday.
Imaam Al Albaanee described him as: “One of the
distinguished scholars and one of the few amongst them whom we saw possessing
the character, manners, gentleness and understanding of the scholars.”
He
also said: “I met him on several occasions during the time of Hajj. Sometimes, I
would listen to his knowledge-based answers to questions posed to him by Hajj
participants seeking a fatwa from him, on various subjects. His responses were
precise, all indicating his in-depth understanding and apparent following of the
methodology of the Salaf As-Saalih.”
Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez bin ‘Abdillaah
Aali-Shaykh said of him: “The Shaykh is one of the distinguished elite who
played a large part in educating the generations.”
Shaykh Saalih Al
Fawzaan said: “He was the Shaykh (teacher) of the teachers and a role-model for
the Salafee scholars of this time. So he is owed credit, after Allaah, by every
student in this generation that graduated in Islaamic studies.”
Shaykh
Mohammad Lutfee As-Sabbaagh said: “By Allaah, I have not met a scholar the likes
of him in terms of his vast research, precise knowledge and good memorization.”
His Death:
The Shaykh started becoming weak by 1411H and had
to be admitted into the hospital by 1415H. He stayed there until he passed away
on a Thursday morning, with only five days remaining for the end of
Rabee’-ul-Awwal 1415H (1/9/1994). His funeral Prayer was held in the Central
Masjid of Riyadh, after the Jumu’ah Prayer. His former student, Shaykh ‘Abdul
‘Azeez Aali-Shaykh led the Muslims in the funeral prayer, may Allaah have mercy
on him.
Source:
'Al Asaalah' (Issue 13/14, pg.32-34) with additions from Sahab.net
