Abdullah Muḥammad Al-Ṣiddīq ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Mu’min Al-Ḥasanī Al-Idrīsī Al-Ghumārī, Abū Al-Faḍl was the muḥaddith of Morocco in his time. He was also a grammarian, Uṣūl specialist and an excellent researcher (muhaqqiq). He was born in Tangier in 1910 (1328). He is a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad through his grandson Ḥasan, the son of ‘Ali and Fāṭimah radiallahu anhum. He is linked from his maternal side, to the Moroccan Sufi, Ibn ‘Ajībah.

He memorized the Qurān according to recitation of Warsh and Ḥafs and also perfected the script of the Qurān. Thereafter he began memorizing primary texts (mutūn). He memorized Al-Ajrūmiyah, Al-Alfiyah, Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, Al-Arba’ūn Al-Nawawiyah, Bulūgh Al-Marām, Al-Jowhar Al-Maknūn and others. He read and studied Al-Ajrūmiyah with his cousin, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Ṣamad.

He studied under his father and Shaykh ‘Abbās Bināni. He also attended lessons that were conducted by Al-Ḥabīb Al-Mahāji in Al-Alfiyah with its commentary by Al-Makūdī, Mukhtaṣar Khalīl with the commentary by Al-Khirashi and Al-Quwaysini’s commentary in logic.

He also studied under Shaykh Muḥammad Fatḥa ibn Al-Ḥāj. He studied Ibn ‘Aqīl’s commentary to the Alfiyah and he revised Ḥāshiyat Al-Sajāie and Al-Khudrī.

Ibn Hishām’s commentary to Alfiyah with Al-Tasrīḥ by Al-Azharī, Ḥāshiyat Al-Ṭayib Ibn Kayrān, Al-Makūdi with Ḥāshiyat Ibn Al-Haj, Al-Khirashī’s commentary to Mukhtaṣar Khalīl and a great portion of Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī were all studied under Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Ḥāj at Al-Jāmi’ Al-Idrīsī.

With the likes of Shaykh Muḥammad Sanhājī, Shaykh Aḥmad Al-Qādirī, Shaykh ‘Abdullah Al-Fuḍaylī, Shaykh ‘Abdur Raḥmān Al-Qirshi he again read and studied Al-Mukhtaṣar.

He studied Islamic inheritance from Mukhtaṣar Khalīl and Ḥāshiyat Aḥmad ibn Al-Khayyāt Al-Zakārī with Shaykh Abu Al-Shitā Al-Sanhājī.

Qādī Al-Ḥusayn Al-‘Irāqī taught him Jami’ Al-Jawāmi’ with Al-Maḥalli’s commentary, Al-Jalālayn with Ḥāshiyat Al-Ṣāwī. Shaykh Rāḍī Al-Ḥansh and Qādi ‘Abbās ibn Abī Bakr Al-Binānī taught him portions of Jami’ Al-Jawāmi, Ibn ‘Āshir and Al-Maqulāt.

He had many more teachers at Al-Qarawiyīn where he read extensively in Hadith, Tafsīr, Fiqh, grammar, morphology, literature, rhetoric and logic. When the renowned scholar, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ja’far Al-Kettānī returned from Syria, he attached himself to this erudite scholar and gained tremendously by attending his lessons in Fez. A number of the scholars of Fez granted him Ijāzah. Amongst them was, Shaykh Al-Mahdī Al-‘Azūzī who narrated from Shaykh Muṣṭafá Al-Zabīdī (d. 1205 A.H) with just two intermediaries.

Under Qadi Al-‘Abbās ibn Abī Bakr Al-Binānī he studied the introduction to Jamu Al–Jawāmi’ and Al-Maḥallis commentary. He received Ijāzah from Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Al-Ḥāj. Shaykh Abdullah read and studied about twenty books in the language and was particularly fond of Sharḥ Al-Mufaṣṣal by Ibn Ya’ish Under his father’s guidance he wrote a number of articles on grammar.

He returned to the Ṣiddīqiyah zāwiyah where he taught Al-Ajrūmiyah, Risālat Ibn Abī Zayd Al-Qayrawānī with some of its commentaries. He spent his nights engaged in reading, researching and studying various subjects. He continued attending his father’s lessons covering Risālat Ibn Abī Zayd, Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, Al-Ashbāh wa Al-Naẓā’ir by Al-Suyūṭī, Mughnī Al-Labīb, Sharḥ Al-Damāminī, Ḥāshiyat Al-Amīr, Al-Dassūqī and ‘Abdul Hādi Najā Al-Abyārī.

During this time, he wrote a comprehensive commentary on the Al-Ajrūmiyah. His brother Abū Al-Faḍl named it Tashyīd Al-Mabānī li Towdīḥ ma Ḥawathu Al-Muqaddamah Al-Ajrūmiyah min Al-Ḥaqā’iq wa Al-Ma’ānī. He also summarized Irshād Al-Fuḥūl by Imām Al-Showkānī.

With his father’s approval, he even pronounced fatwa.  Because of his father, he was fortunate to have met many prominent ‘ulamā. Some of them were: Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Al-‘Ayāshī Sukayrij who acknowledged Shaykh ‘Abdullah’s brilliance and ordained him in the Shādhlī Order.

In 1930 (1349), he travelled with his brother Shaykh Abū Al-Fayḍ by ship to Egypt. Along the way, they stopped in Malta where he observed what the British had done to obliterate its Muslim heritage. The ship reached Alexandria, Egypt in Sha’bān, and in the first week of Ramaḍān, they reached Cairo.

In Egypt, he studied under many scholars. With Shaykh Ḥamid Jād he read and studied Sharḥ Al-īsnawī ‘alá Al-Minhāj fi Al-Uṣūl.

He read Jami’ Al-Jawāmi’ bi Sharḥ Al-Maḥalli from the section on analogy (Qiyās) till the end as well as Risālat Adab Al-Baḥth wa Al-Munāẓarah with Shaykh Muḥammad Ḥasanayn Makhlūf.

He studied some logic and Ḥāshiyat Al-Ṣabbān with Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir Al-Zintānī, while he read Al-Tahzhīb bi Sharḥ Al-Khubaysī with Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Imām ‘Abdur Raḥmān from whom he heard Al-Ḥadith Al-Musalsal bi Al-Awaliyah. He left such a lasting impression on Shaykh ‘Abdullah with his excellence and precision in Fiqh so he acquainted himself with the Shaykh and visited him at his home. When Shaykh Muḥammad learnt that Shaykh ‘Abdullah had a copy of Takhrīj Aḥādīth Al-Kashshāf by Al-Zayla’ī, he transcribed it.

He attended lessons by Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Izzat in Sharḥ Al-Minhāj with Ḥāshiyat Al–Bujayramī. Shaykh ‘Abdul Majīd Al-Sharqāwī taught him Sharḥ Al-Khaṭīb ‘alá Abī Shujā’ and Ḥāshiyat Al-Bujayramī. He attended some lessons in Jamu’ Al-Jawāmi’ under Shaykh Dassūqī Al-‘Arabī and he heard the Hadith Al-Awaliyah from Shaykh Aḥmad Rāfi’ Al-Ṭahṭāwī from who he received Ijāzah. He frequented the lessons by Shaykh Muḥammad Bakhīt Al-Muṭī’ī in Tafsīr, Al–Hidāyah in Fiqh, the Shaykh’s Ḥāshiyat ‘ala Sharḥ Al-Isnawī ‘ala Minhāj Al–Usūl. He too granted him Ijāzah. He attended some lessons by Shaykh Muḥammad Imām Al-Saqā who also granted him Ijāzah.

Shaykh ‘Abdullah received Ijāzah from many other notable scholars that included:

• Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Simālūṭī
• Shaykh ‘Uwayd Naṣr Al-Khuzā’ī
• Shaykh Ṭāha Al-Sha’bīnī
• Shaykh ‘Abdul Ghanī Tamūm
• Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Bablāwī
• Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Khiḍr Ḥusayn
• Shaykh Abū Al-Naṣr Qāwuqjī
• • Shaykh ‘Umar Ḥamdān Al-Maḥrasī
  • Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Abdul Bāqī Al-Anṣārī
  • Shaykh Towfīq Al-Ayyūbī
  • Shaykh Badr Al-Dīn Al-Ḥasanī
  • Shaykh ‘Abdul Wāsi’ Al-Wās’ī
  • Shaykh Ṭāhir ibn ‘Ashūr

   

  In 1931 (1350), he presented himself for the highest examination at the Al-Azhar that was to cover twelve subjects. He passed with ease and obtained the International Al-Azhar Certificate. Shortly thereafter, he met Shaykh Maḥmūd Shaltūt at his home who congratulated him and said, “We congratulate and salute the Al-Azhar and its certificate when Shaykh ‘Abdullah received it.”

  Later, he wrote a book wherein he criticized and refuted Shaykh Shaltūt’s views on the Prophet ‘Īsá’s reappearance before Qiyāmah. Shaykh Muḥammad Zāhid Al-Kawtharī was one of those who had congratulated him as well. During the years in Egypt, he acquainted himself with Shaykh Al-Kawtharī and the two had immense respect and affection for one another despite their differences of an academic nature.

   

  In 1931 (1351), he was asked to write an article for a magazine which was widely acclaimed and he continued to contribute to various magazines for about ten years. Shaykh ‘Abdul Ḥayy Al-Kettānī also praised his writing. 

  He was then asked to teach at the Al-Azhar. He taught Al-Makūdī ‘ala Al-Alfiyah, Al-Jowhar Al-Maknūn, Al-Sullam, Sullam Al-Wuṣūl li Ibn Abī Ḥājib, Tafsīr Al-Nasafī, Al-Aḥkām by Al-Āmidī, Tafsīr Al-Bayḍāwī and Al-Khubaysi ‘ala Al-Tadhhīb

  .

  Between Maghrib and Esha he taught Jami’ Al-Jawāmi’, in addition to teaching Hadith and Fiqh. He wrote numerous articles and answers to questions that came from all over the world.

  People and ulama referred to him as ‘Allāmah Al-Muḥaddith’ and he was only twenty-six years old then.

  It is interesting to note than when he was in Morocco, and he intended to go to Egypt, his father said to him, “You will go there if Allah wills, but I wish and desire that you go there as a scholar and at a time when the ulama of Egypt will be in need of you.”

  This statement did certainly materialize as many of his contemporaries benefited greatly from him.

   

  Shaykh ‘Abdullah was a person with an exceptional memory and a vast reading knowledge and acquaintance with the books of Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsīr, Usul, books on the biographies and Ṭabaqāt. In this regard, he even added the name of a Ṣahābī, Al-Ḥārith ibn Sa’īd and his Hadith in Mustadrak Al-Ḥākim. Many Ḥufāẓ of Hadith omitted this.

   

  He surpassed the scholars of his time and was respected and admired by all. If he was questioned in any science, he answered in such a manner that the listener thought that he was a specialist in the respected field and was not acquainted with anything else.

   

  Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattāh Abū Ghuddah praised him and acknowledged his brilliance and Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Awwāmah spoke highly of his phenomenal memory.

  Shaykh ‘Abdullah was regarded as one of the leading scholars in his time after illustrious personalities that included his father, his brother, Shaykh Al-Kawtharī, Shaykh Muḥammad Bakhīt Al-Mutī’ī and Shaykh Muḥammad Al-Khiḍr Ḥusayn.

   

  He wrote extensively, but was one of those whose knowledge surpassed books.

  Some of his books are:

  • Al-Ibtihāaj bi Takhrīj Ahādith Al-Minhāj
  • Takhrīj Ahadith Abi Isḥāq Al-Shirāzī
  • ‘Aqīdah Ahl Al-Islam fi Nuzūl ‘Īsá fi Ākhir Al-Zamān
  • Al-Rad Al-Muḥkam Al-Matīn ‘ala Kitāb Al-Qowl Al-Mubīn
  • Ithāf Al-Azhkiyā bi Jawāz Al-Tawassul bi Sayid Al-Ambiyā
  • Ḥusn Al-Bayān fi Laylat Al-Niṣf min Sha’bān
  • Ḥusn al-Tafahhum wa al-Dark li Mas’alat al-Tark
  • Al-Istiqsā li Adilat Taḥrīm Al-Istimnā
  • Qurat Al-‘Ayn bi Adilat Irsāl Al-Nabi ila Al-Thaqalayn
  • Jawāhir Al-Bayān fi Tanāsub Suwar Al-Qurān
  • Al-Ḥujaj Al-Bayyināt fi Ithbāt Al-Karāmāt
  • Ithāf Al-Nubalā bi Faḍl Al-Shahādah wa Anwā’ Al-Shuhadā
  • Miṣbāḥ Al-Zujājah fi Ṣalāt Al-Ḥājah
  • Faḍā’il Ramadān wa Zakāt Al-Fiṭr
  • Al-Nafḥat Al-Ilāhiyah fi Ṣalāt Khayr Al-Bariyah
  • Al-I’lām Al-Nabīl bi Jawāz Al-Taqbīl
  • Al-Ra’y Al-Qawīm fi Wujūb Itmām Al-Musāfir Khalf Al-Muqīm
  • Itqān Al-Ṣun’at fi Bayān Ma’ná Al-Bid’at
  • Kayf Takūnu Muḥaddithan
  • Ajwibah Ḥāmah fi Al-Ṭibb
  • Al-Iḥsān fi Ta’āqub Al-Itqān fi ‘Ulūm Al-Qurān
  • Tamām Al-Minnat fi Bayān Al-Khiṣāl Al-Mūjibah li Al-Jannah
  • Ghunyat Al-Mājid bi Ḥujiyat Khabr Al-Wāḥid
  • Kamāl Al-Imān fi Al-Tadāwī bi Al-Qurān

   

  He annotated and edited many classical books, namely:

  • Al-Maqāṣid Al-Ḥasanah by Imām Al-Sakhāwī
  • Al-Baḥr Al-Zakhkhār fi Madhāhib ‘Ulamā Al-Amṣār
  • Al-Iklīl fi Istinbāṭ Al-Tanzīl
  • Akhlāq Al-Nabi li Abi Al-Shaykh

  He helped print and publish many manuscripts by scholars like; Imam Al-Bayhaqī, Imam Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abdus Salām, Imam Ibn Ḥajr and some books in the Mālikī madhhab

   

  Shaykh ‘Abdullah even participated in politics and he was imprisoned for a time. Although the reason for his imprisonment is that he was accused of being affiliated to the Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood). This is because he was acquainted with Hasan al-Banna and his father, Shaykh Aḥmad Abdurrahmān al-Banna. He spent about 10 years in jail from 1959 – 1969. Many people were influenced and touched by his personality and his vast knowledge. One of these was the famous boxer, Muhammad Ali (d. 2016). After his release, he returned to his home in Tangier, Morocco where he passed away in 1993 (1413) and was buried next to his father, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ṣiddīq.