Biography of Shaykh Ahmad Yahya An-Najmi


His Name and Lineage:

He is our noble Shaikh, the ‘Allaamah, the Muhaddith, the Faqeeh, the present Muftee of the district of Jaazaan and carrier of the Banner of the Sunnah and Hadeeth in it – Shaikh Ahmad bin Yahyaa bin Muhammad bin Shabeer An-Najmee Aali Shabeer from Banee Hummad, one of the well known tribes of the district of Jaazaan.

His Birth:

The Shaikh, may Allah preserve him, was born in the village of Najaamiyyah on the 22nd of Shawaal of 1346H, and was raised in the house of his two righteous parents – which have no equal in comparison. Because of this, both his parents made a pledge to Allaah on him that they would not burden him with any type of worldly jobs, and Allaah made what they wished come true.

They would both constantly keep guard of their son to the point that they would not even let him play amongst the children. When he reached the age of puberty, they entered him into the schools of the town, where he learned to read and write. He learned to recite the Qur’aan in the national school before the arrival of Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee, rahimahullaah, three times to that area, the last of which occurred in 1358H when he remained there.

He first read the Qur’aan to Shaikh ‘Abdu Ibn Muhammad ‘Aqeel An-Najmee in 1355H. Then he read it to Shaikh Yahyaa Faqeeh ‘Abasee, who was from Yemen and who had come to Najaamiyyah and stayed there. Our Shaikh studied under him in the year 1358H. But when Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee arrived at Najaamiyyah, there occurred a debate between him and this teacher concerning the issue of Allaah’s Rising – for he was an ‘asharee. So Shaikh Al-Qar’aawee defeated him and he fled from the town after that. “And so the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off – all praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds.” [Al-An’aam: 45]

His Educational Upbringing:

After their ‘asharee teacher left, the Shaikh, along with his two paternal uncles, Hasan bin Muhammad An-Najmee and Husayn bin Muhammad An-Najmee, began to frequently attend Shaikh Al-Qar’aawee’s classes for some days in the city of Saamitah, but this did not last. This was in the year 1359H. In 1360, in the month of Safar to be exact, our Shaikh joined the Madrasah Salafiyyah (Salafee School) and recited the Qur’aan, this time under the order of Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee (rahimahullaah) to Shaikh ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Uthmaan Hamlee (rahimahullaah). This was such that he recited the entire Qur’aan to him with tajweed and memorized the books “Tuhfat-ul-Atfaal“, “Hidaayat-ul-Mustafeed“, “Thalaathat-ul-Usool“, “Al-‘Arba’een An-Nawawiyyah” and “Al-Hisaab.” And he perfected the discipline of handwriting.

He would sit in the study circle, which Shaikh Al-Qar’aawee had set up there, until the time when the younger students departed after the Dhuhr Prayer. Then he would attend the circle for the elder students, which Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee was in charge of personally teaching. So he would sit in this class from after the Dhuhr Prayer till the time of the ‘Ishaa Prayer. Then after praying (‘Ishaa), he would return to his town of Najaamiyyah with his two uncles (Hasan and Husayn).

After four months, Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee granted him permission to be part of his study circle for elder students, which he taught himself. So he read to the Shaikh the following books: “Ar-Raheebah” concerning Laws of Inheritance, “Al-Aajroomiyyah” concerning Arabic Grammar, “Kitaab At-Tawheed”, “Buloogh Al-Maraam”, “Al-Bayqooniyyah”, “Nukhbat-ul-Fikr” with its explanation “Nuzhat-un-Nadhr”, “Mukhtasaraat fee Seerah”, “Tasreef Al-Ghazee”, “Al-‘Awaamil fee An-Nahw”, “Al-Waraqaat” concerning the Principles of Fiqh, and “Al-‘Aqeedat-ut-Tahaawiyyah” with its explanation from Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee – this was before they had seen its explanation from Ibn Abeel-‘Izz. He also studied parts of the book “Al-Alfiyyah” of Ibn Maalik and “Ad-Durar Al-Bahiyyah” with its explanation “Ad-Daraaree Al-Madiyyah” concerning Fiqh – both of which were written by Ash-Shawkaanee (rahimahullaah). This goes as well for other books – those they were assigned to study, like the books mentioned above, those concise treatises and small pamphlets they studied for cultural education, or those books they would reference when researching such as Nayl-ul-Awtaar, Zaad Al-Ma’aad, Noor-ul-Yaqeen, Al-Muwatta and Al-Ummahaat.

In 1362H, Shaikh ‘Abdullaah (rahimahullaah) distributed portions of the Umahaat (Hadeeth Books) he had present in his library to his students, which consisted of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, Sunan Abee Dawood, Sunan An-Nasaa’ee, and the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik. So they (his elder students) began to read these books to him, but they weren’t able to complete them since they had to depart due to a drought.

In 1369H, he studied two books under Shaikh Ibraaheem bin Muhammad Al-‘Amoodee, (rahimahullaah), the Judge of Saamitah at that time, which were: (1) “Islaah-ul-Mujtami’” and (2) the book of Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Sa’adee (rahimahullaah) on Fiqh, which is organized in the form of questions and answers, entitled: “Al-Irshaad ilaa Ma’rifat-il-Ahkaam.”

Also, at the order of Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee, he studied Grammar under Shaikh ‘Alee Ibn-ush-Shaikh Ziyaad As-Sumaalee, going over the book “Al-‘Awaamil fin-Nahwi Mi’ah“, as well as other books on Grammar and Morphology.

In 1384H, he attended the study circles of the (former) Muftee of the Saudi Lands, Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibraaheem Aali Shaikh (rahimahullaah) for the length of close to two months. In these circles, Imaam Aali Shaikh would teach Tafseer Ibn Jareer At-Tabaree with the recitation of ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ash-Shalhoob. In the same year, he also attended the gatherings of our teacher, the Imaam, Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz (rahimahullaah), for the length of close to a month and a half. This class was on Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and occurred between the Maghrib and ‘Ishaa prayers.

His Teachers:

From what you have read above, it is clear that his teachers, in order, include:

  1. Shaikh Ibraaheem bin Muhammad Al-‘Amoodee – the judge of Saamitah in his time.
  2. Shaikh Haafidh bin Ahmad Al-Hakamee, may Allaah have mercy on him.
  3. The Caller and Reformer (mujaddid) of the southern regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee, may Allaah have mercy on him.
  4. Shaikh ‘Abdu bin Muhammad ‘Aqeel An-Najmee.
  5. Shaikh ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Uthmaan Al-Hamlee.
  6. Shaikh ‘Alee Ibn Ash-Shaikh ‘Uthmaan Ziyaad As-Sumaalee.
  7. The Imaam and former Muftee of the lands of Saudi Arabia, Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibraaheem Aali Shaikh, may Allaah have mercy on him.
  8. Shaikh Yahyaa Faqeeh ‘Abasee Al-Yemenee

His Students:

Our Shaikh, may Allaah preserve him, has many, many students. For someone who has spent the amount of time he spent teaching, which is almost half a century, you can just imagine how many students he will have. If we were to list their number, that would require a large book in itself. So I will only mention a short example of them, by which one can go by in determining his other students. So from among his students are:

  1. Our Shaikh, the ‘Allaamah, the Muhaddith, the Defender of the Sunnah, Rabee’ bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee
  2. Our Shaikh, the ‘Allaamah, the Faqeeh, Zayd bin Muhammad Haadee Al-Madkhalee
  3. Our Shaikh, the Noble Scholar, ‘Alee bin Naasir Al-Faqeehee

It is sufficient to just mention these three names here. And this is due to the widespread fame they have in the circles and gatherings of knowledge, so no one can blame us for doing so.

His Aptitude and Intelligence:

The Shaikh possesses a very high level of intelligence. The following is a story that indicates the intelligence and good memory he had since childhood:

The uncle, Shaikh ‘Umar bin Ahmad Jardee Al-Madkhalee said: “When Shaikh Ahmad would attend classes at the Salafee School in Saamitah, along with his two uncles, Hasan An-Najmee and Husayn An-Najmee, during 1359H when he was 13, he would listen to the classes that Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee gave to his elder students and would memorize them.”

I say: This is what caused Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee to let Shaikh Ahmad join his classes for adults, which he was in charge of teaching himself. This was because of what the Shaikh (Al-Qar’aawee) saw of his superiority, quickness in memorizing and intelligence.

His Works:

Our Shaikh, may Allaah preserve him, worked as a volunteer teacher in the schools of his Shaikh ‘Abdullaah Al-Qar’aawee. When the salary positions began, he was assigned the duty of a teacher in his town of Najaamiyyah. This was in 1367H. Then in 1372H, he transferred to being Imaam and teacher in the town (masjid) of Abu Subaila in Baalhurrath.

In 1/1/1374H, when the educational institute (ma’ahad) of Saamitah opened, he was assigned the position of a teacher in it, where he served until the year 1384H.[1] Then he resigned from this post with the hopes of getting the opportunity to teach in the Islamic University of Madeenah, so he traveled there. [2] However, certain circumstances took place that didn’t allow that to occur, so he returned back to his district and Allaah decreed for him to be appointed the position of religious admonisher and guide for the Ministry of Justice of the District of Jaazaan. So he took the role of admonishing and advising in the best of manners.

On 1/7/1387H, he returned to being a teacher at the educational institute in the city of Jaazaan at his request. Then at the beginning of the school year of 1389H, he returned to teaching at the institute of Saamitah. He remained there as a teacher until he retired in 1/7/1410H.

Since that time up until the time that I am writing these lines, he has kept himself busy teaching in his home, in his local masjid and in other masaajid of the district, holding weekly classes as well as taking on the role of providing fataawaa (for questions).

In doing all of this, he has acted in accordance with the final advice of his teacher, which was to remain constant in teaching and in taking care of the students, especially the foreign ones among them who left their families (to study). He had remarkable patience in accomplishing this, so we ask Allaah that He reward him on our behalf.

He also abided by his teacher, Shaikh Al-Qar’aawee’s final advice by continuing in his studies and researching and learning from others. This is especially with regard to the sciences and principles of Hadeeth and Fiqh, for it was such that he surpassed his colleagues and had a powerful command in that matter. May Allaah bless his life and knowledge and benefit us with his efforts.

His Books of Knowledge:

Our Shaikh, may Allaah preserve him, has written many books, some of which have been printed and some which have not. We ask Allaah to facilitate the publishing of those books so that benefit can be attained from them. Some of his books include:

  1. Awdah-ul-Ishaarah fee Ar-Radd ‘alaa man abaaha Al-Mamnoo’ min-az-Ziyaarah.
  2. Ta’sees-ul-Ahkaam Sharh ‘Umdat-ul-Ahkaam – only a very, very small portion of it was printed.
  3. Tanzeeh-ush-Sharee’ah ‘an Ibaahat-il-Aghaanee al-Khalee’ah.
  4. Risaalat-ul-Irshaad ilaa Bayaan-il-Haqq fee Hukm-il-Jihaad (A book explaining the ruling on Jihaad)
  5. Risaalatun fee Hukm-il-Jahr bil-Basmalah (The Ruling on pronouncing Bismillaah out loud in prayer)
  6. Fat’h-ur-Rabb-ul-Wadood fil-Fataawaa war-Rudood (A collection of verdicts)
  7. Al-Mawrid-ul-Adh’b az-Zilaal feemaa intaqada ‘alaa ba’ad-il-manaahij ad-da’wiyyah min Al-‘Aqaa’id wal-‘A’amaal. (A book refuting two modern-day deviant sects: the Tablighi Jama’at and the Ikhwaan-ul-Muslimoon).

He also has other beneficial books that he has put forth for the Muslims, may Allaah reward him with the best of rewards and benefit Islaam and the Muslims with him. And may the peace and blessings of Allaah be on our prophet, Muhammad, his family and Companions, Ameen.

Muftis
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