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Shaykh
'Abdul-Muhsin Ibn Hamad al-'Abbaad
*Please appropriately reference this
biography to: www.fatwa-online.com, thankyou!*
I am the one in need of Allaah, 'Abdul-Muhsin ibn Hamad ibn
'Abdul-Muhsin ibn 'Abdullaah ibn Hamad ibn 'Uthmaan Aal-Badar;
and the family of Aal-Badar is from Aal-Jalaas from the tribe
of 'Unzah which is one of the tribes of al-'Adnaaniyyah and
my great-grandfather 'Abdullaah added the name 'Abbaad and
some of his children later became known by this name. My mother
was the daughter of my paternal uncle - Abu Sulaymaan ibn
'Abdullaah Aal Badar.
I was born just after Salaat
al-'Ishaa. on a Saturday night corresponding to the 3rd
of Ramadhaan
1353 A.H. in the city of Az-Zulfee which is 300 kilometres
north of Riyadh.
I learnt to read and write from the noble teachers 'Abdullaah
ibn Ahmad al-Munee' and then Zayd ibn Muhammed al-Munee'fee
and then 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan al-Ghayth under whom
I completed the Qur.aan and then Faalih ar-Roomee.
When the elementary school was established in az-Zulfee in
1368 A.H, I transferred there to the second year (level).
When I completed my elementary studies in 1371 A.H, I then
transferred to the Ma'had al-'Ilmee in Riyadh the following
year. I then transferred to the faculty of Sharee'ah.
During my final year at the faculty, I was appointed a teacher
at the Ma'had al-'Ilmee in Buraydah on 13th Jumaada
al-Oolaa 1379 A.H. Then at the and of the academic year,
I returned to Riyadh to sit my final exams at the faculty.
Allaah blessed me by my graduating (with the highest grades)
and I came first from amongst all my fellow students who were
80 (in total) - and who were the fourth set of graduates from
the faculty of Sharee'ah.
As such, I also came first in (all) the three previous years.
When I recieved my certification from the Ma'had al-'Ilmee
in Riyadh in 1380 A.H, I turned to teaching at the Ma'had
al-'Ilmee in Riyadh.
When al-Jaami'ah al-Islaamiyyah (Islaamic University) in Madeenah
was established, Allaah blessed me by being amongst those
who were selected to teach there by the noble Shaykh,
Muhammed ibn Ibraaheem Aal ash-Shaykh. The first faculty
which was established was the faculty of Sharee'ah
which began classes on Sunday 2nd Jumaada
ath-Thaaniyah 1381 A.H. - and from the favours of Allaah
upon me was that I was the first to teach a lesson on that
day. From that day until now I have taught at the University
and there is no-one at the University who has taught there
longer since it was established other than me.
On 30th Rajab
1393 A.H I was appointed a deputy to the president of al-Jaami'ah
al-Islaamiyyah after being selected by King Faysal for this
post. I was one of three who was proposed by the noble Shaykh
'Abdul-Azeez ibn 'Abdullaah ibn Baaz who was then the
president of the University.
I
remained at this post until 26th Shawwaal
1399 A.H whereby I asked him to excuse me after I felt an
urge within myself during the first two years of these six
years when I was second-in-charge; and when the noble Shaykh
'Abdul-Azeez ibn 'Abdullaah ibn Baaz transferred to the
presidency of the Department
of Knowledge-based Research and Legal Rulings, I became
first in command. And during those six years, I was only able
to teach 2 lessons a week to the fourth year students at the
faculty of Sharee'ah.
During this time, I felt an enormous responsibility and a
heavy burden (due to my position as president of the University)
that I exerted myself - such that I hope it counts much with
Allaah - and in those six years I was able to oversee the
implementation of a new policy at the University whereby it
changed from being a government entity to an institution and
then the establishment of the Department of Higher Studies
for both Masters and Doctorate programmes and the establishment
of the faculty of the Noble Qur.aan and Islaamic Studies,
the faculty of Hadeeth and Islaamic Studies and the faculty
of Arabic Language.
During
this time, the size of the land granted for the University
increased many-fold.The University completed architectual
plans for the new faculties, granting them the highest priority,
increasing the number of students at the University to 20,000.
These plans incorporated all the needs of this large number
in terms of the (different) faculties, the departments and
centres, student accomodation and services and other than
these. During this time, the University printing press was
also established.
My first trip outside the city of az-Zulfee was to Makkah
to perform Hajj in 1370 A.H. and thereafter to Riyadh to seek
knowledge at the Ma'had al-'Ilmee.
I still possess my notebooks of the different years of my
elementary studies starting from the second year and they
are the most beloved and precious of all that I possess.
The
first book I ever had in my personal library was a copy of
((Buloogh al-Maraam)) of al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalaanee.
I acquired it before I began my elementary studies, whereupon
I have written in my own handwriting the date of 6th of Muharram
1368 A.H.
And
from the most beloved of all things to me is my immense love
for the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) and radhi-yallaahu
'anhum, and my hatred for those who hate them. Allaah
has blessed me with sons and daughters, and I have named four
of my sons the names of the rightly-guided Khulafaa.
after having named one of them after the Prophet Muhammad
(sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam). And I named some of my daughters the
names of the Mothers of the Believers, after having named
one of them Faatimah, the leader of the believing women.
And
this is some of what I recall about myself, which I have penned
just as a reminder of the blessings of Allaah, and how short
I fall and what little I have done (in this life) for the
Hereafter. I ask Allaah to grant me success in being truthful
in speech, and sincere in my actions and to attain beneficial
knowledge and actions in accordance to it, indeed He is the
All-Hearing and Responding.
..........
Note: I, Abu 'Abdullaah, had been searching for the
biography of the noble Shaykh 'Abdul-Muhsin al-'Abbaad for
some time now. Finally, I approached the Shaykh himself to
see if he could direct me to any source. He simply refused,
saying "...there is no need, there is no need".
I persisted, saying that this is only to inform the English-speaking
Muslims of the scholars of our time, whereupon he still insisted:
"...there is no need". I then decided to approach
his son, Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq al-'Abbaad who directed me
to the only published source where the Shaykh's biography
is written, namely the book: ((ar-Radd 'alaa man Kaththaba
bil-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah al-Waaridah fil-Mahdee)). Since
this book is now out of print, I had been searching for it
for a while when I received a copy on Sunday 3 November 2002,
and in my excitement to publish the noble Shaykh's biography,
I set about translating it immediately.
Finally,
the Shaykh penned his biography above back in the year 1402
A.H., some 20 years ago, and still to this day he is driven
to the University to teach tawheed to 3rd year students at
the faculty of Sharee'ah - I bear witness to this since I
am very fortunate to have him teach our class also. It must
be noted, that the Shaykh has long passed compulsory retirement
age, however, he still chooses to teach at the University
without pay. May Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) bless our noble Shaykh 'Abdul-Muhsin al-'Abbaad
and increase him in good health, aameen.
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