Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

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