Haafidh as-Sakhawee

He was the Imaam, the Haafidh, Abu ‘Abdillaah, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdir-Rahmaan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abee Bakr Ibn ‘Uthmaan Ibn Muhammad. He took the nickname of Shams-ud-Deen As-Sakhaawee, an ascription to the area he originally came from, Al-Qaahiree, an ascription to his place of birth and upbringing, Ash-Shaafi’ee, an ascription to the madh-hab he took.

He was born in the town of Sakhaa, which is a town to the west of Al-Fustaat [1] in Egypt in the month of Rabee’-ul-Awaal 831H.

He sought knowledge from his early youth by memorizing the Qur’aan and learning to recite it with proper Tajweed. He also memorized many of the texts of religious books. He would read and listen to the knowledge and go to meet shuyookh. He memorized many of the abridgements of religious works. And he took knowledge from the scholars of his time the likes of Al-Manaawee, Ibn Al-Hammaam and Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr, whom he remained close to and benefited much from. So he was trained by him in the field of Hadeeth and became the inheritor of his knowledge. His Shaikh (Ibn Hajr) bore witness to his memorization and so he would let him assist him in producing books. And he would read and go through his written works in the Sciences of Hadeeth with him.

Then he studied under the scholars of Makkah and Madeenah. He traveled to Jerusalem, Damascus and all the other parts of the Shaam region. He then returned to Cairo and began to dictate Hadeeth and the people benefited from him. He made Hajj several times and would go around to the different vicinities. He taught Hadeeth in the Madrasah Al-Kaamiliyyah and other schools in Egypt. He would not aspire to recite Hadeeth in the homes of the leaders nor of those who had judicial positions and he would avoid going to them.

He spent all of his life in writing, narrating Hadeeth and hearing Hadeeth. Because of this, he produced great and beneficial books. And if he did not have any writings other than his book "Ad-Daw-ul-Laami’ Li-Ahl-il-Qarn at-Taasi’", it would have served as the greatest proof for his leadership and vast scope in researching the conditions of those whom he wrote biographies for. He even wrote a biography for himself in this book of his, which is long and in which he lists all of his teachers and books and what praises some of the scholars made in regards to him.

However it is held against him that he made many accusations against the major scholars of his time amongst his contemporaries, may Allaah forgive him. Also, he was overwhelmed by love for his shaikh (teacher), Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr, so he would not draw away from a majority of his teacher’s opinions.

He died on a Sunday, the 16th of Sha’baan in 902H while in Madeenah. He was buried in Al-Baqee’ graveyard close to Imaam Maalik. The people grieved over his loss and none similar to him came afterward, may Allaah have mercy on him.

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