Shaykh Al-Albani

His Name and Lineage

He is Abu Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din, son of al-Hajj Nuh Najati, son of Adam, al-Shqodri—relative to his birthplace—al-Albani—relative to his country and ethnicity.

“Al-Arnaut” is the old designation for an ethnos under which many peoples fall, such as Albanians, Yugoslavs, and others. Thus, al-Arnauti and al-Albani are two designations for virtually the same entity.

Birth

The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—was born in the year 1333 AH (1914 CE) in the city of Shkodër, located on Lake Shkodër in northwestern Albania in the Shkodër District, approximately 120 km from the capital, Tirana. It is one of the oldest towns in Albania with a event-filled history, and is considered one of the most important cultural and economic centers in the country. The city has a population of 74,876 and served as the ancient capital of Albania.

Upbringing

The Shaykh grew up in a family known for knowledge and virtue. He was raised in the house of his father, who was among the scholars of his homeland. The father received his Islamic religious education in the religious institutes of Istanbul, then returned to Albania to engage in da’wah (calling to Islam), teach people, and lead them in prayer. The father was keen on providing his children with a proper religious upbringing, as the general character of Albania at that time was conservative and Islamic.

This continued until the reign of King Ahmet Zogu—whom Shaykh al-Albani, whenever mentioning his name, would say: “he whose heart Allah caused to deviate”—who ruled Albania between 1928 and 1939 CE. Zogu began imposing aspects of communism upon this Muslim population, most notably banning the wearing of the hijab and prohibiting the adhan (call to prayer) in Arabic.

This prompted the father to emigrate from his country and birthplace, fleeing with his religion to preserve his children. He headed with his family—including the Shaykh—to the Levant (Bilad al-Sham) by sea. He first landed in Beirut, then soon moved to Damascus and settled there, due to the prophetic virtues narrated regarding Damascus and because its climate was close to that of Albania.

The Shaykh was nine years old at the time (it has also been said thirteen years old). His father settled in the Al-Diwaniyyah neighborhood, a popular district in Damascus where Muslim immigrants from the Balkans resided.

After the Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—arrived in Damascus, his father enrolled him in the Al-Is’af al-Khayriyyah Primary School in the Al-Buzuriyyah neighborhood near the Azm Palace. He continued in this school until it was burned down during the revolution against the French, whereupon he moved to another school in the Saruja neighborhood. He remained there until completing his primary education, which he finished in four years due to his excellence and in consideration of his age, as he was older than his peers (he completed the first and second grades in a single year).

It is worth noting that the Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—did not know the Arabic language; he learned it upon joining the primary school in Damascus, mastering it in two years and surpassing his Syrian Arab peers. This reached the point where his Arabic language teacher used to reproach his classmates, saying: “Is it not a shame that this Arnaut is better than you, when he is not even an Arab?!”

Despite the Shaykh’s brilliance and excellence at school, his father was not convinced by the method through which students were taught in formal schools. Thus, he removed his son from school early to pursue knowledge directly at the hands of scholars and Shaykhs.

The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—began seeking knowledge under his father, who set a curriculum for him to memorize the Quran with tajweed, and to study Arabic grammar (nahw), morphology (sarf), rhetoric (balaghas), and Hanafi jurisprudence (fiqh), in which his father was proficient. The Shaykh completed a full recitation of the Quran under his father’s guidance.

He was dedicated to constantly reviewing the Quran even while working in a watch repair shop. Shaykh al-Albani—may Allah have mercy on him—said:

“I know of myself—and to Allah belongs all praise—from my earliest youth (as they say), when I was in the shop repairing watches, I would place the Mushaf (Quran) in front of me. I did not merely read, but would memorize parts while working, acting upon the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: ‘Commit yourselves to the Quran.’”

Due to his poverty and scarcity of books, he directed his attention toward the Al-Zahiriyyah Library to read books and manuscripts, spending most of his time there. He also frequented the largest private libraries in Damascus owned by Salim al-Qusaybati and his son Ghalib, who would lend the Shaykh whatever books he needed without fee or fixed return dates.

He likewise frequented the Al-Maktabah al-Arabiyyah al-Hashimiyyah in Damascus, owned by Ahmad Ubayd and his brother Hamdi Ubayd. It was from them that he rented the book Takhrij Ahadith Ihya’ Ulum al-Din by Al-Hafiz al-Iraqi (whose story will be mentioned later).

The Shaykh’s Work

1. Carpentry

The Shaykh was from a poor, dignified family; thus, he was forced to work at a young age. His father sent him to work with his uncle Ismail, who worked as a carpenter in traditional Arabic carpentry, which mostly involved restoring old houses whose ceilings were made of wood. The Shaykh continued in this work for two years. Meanwhile, his father worked in his own shop repairing watches.

2. Watch Repair

One day, the Shaykh returned home to his father early, and the father realized he had not worked that day. It is well known that the winter weather in Damascus is cold, and carpentry requires suitable weather conditions. His father then suggested he leave carpentry due to its difficulty and lack of significant financial return, advising him instead to work alongside him repairing watches in his shop.

The Shaykh stayed by his father until he mastered the craft, later opening his own shop in the Al-Qassaa neighborhood near the Al-Jawzah Mosque on Faisal Street in Damascus.

This craft was among Allah’s blessings upon him, as he—may Allah have mercy on him—used to recall; it instilled in him precision and patience that reflected on his general personality and his knowledge specifically.

The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—allocated only three hours daily to watch repair (except Tuesdays and Fridays), deeming it sufficient to earn necessary sustenance for himself and his family. The remainder of his time was spent in research, seeking knowledge, and reading books and manuscripts in the Al-Zahiriyyah Library, which designated a private room for him in appreciation of his status.

Scholarly Beginnings

His Teachers

The Shaykh attended the lessons of several scholars in Damascus who were friends of his father. He read Maraqi al-Falah in Hanafi jurisprudence, along with books on language and rhetoric, under Shaykh Sa’id al-Burhani.

He was also keen on attending the lessons of Shaykh Bahjat al-Bitar, as well as the lessons of Shaykh Badr al-Din al-Hasani (d. 1354 AH), who taught Hadith in the Umayyad Mosque.

Furthermore, he obtained an academic license (ijazah) from Shaykh Muhammad Raghib al-Tabbakh, the leading scholar of Aleppo in his time.

His Turn Toward Hadith Sciences

The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—was fond of reading from an early age. Initially, he was drawn to reading Arabic folk tales such as the story of ‘Antarah, Al-Zahir Baybars, and historical narratives in general.

Then, the Shaykh came across an issue of Al-Manar magazine displayed by a vendor, which he purchased and read through. He was halted by a research article within its pages by Shaykh Muhammad Rashid Rida, discussing Ghazali’s Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, highlighting its merits as well as criticisms—most notably the weak (da’if) traditions cited within it. In this context, Shaykh Rashid Rida referenced Al-Iraqi’s takhrij (verification/grading) of the Hadiths of the Ihya’.

Shaykh al-Albani—who was deeply impressed by this research—set out to find Al-Iraqi’s mentioned work. When he located it, he rented it from its owner at Al-Maktabah al-Arabiyyah, as he did not possess the funds to purchase it at the time.

The Shaykh began reading the book and became fascinated by the science of Hadith verification. He resolved to transcribe the takhrij printed in the margins of the Ihya’. He began copying it while adding explanations of obscure words using Ibn al-Athir’s Gharib al-Hadith, Al-Qamus, and other references, as well as supplementing Al-Iraqi’s verifications with additional findings.

He continued this endeavor until the transcription grew to 2,012 pages, which he bound into three volumes^(2). The Shaykh was not yet twenty years old at the time—may the mercy of my Lord be upon him—and thus Al-Manar magazine opened the path for him to immerse himself in Hadith science.

Among the Shaykh’s early scholarly pursuits was his rejection of the innovations (bid’ah), polytheistic practices (shirk), and other matters contrary to Islamic law prevalent among the people. Among these issues was praying at the graves of the righteous, which caused a disagreement between the Shaykh and his father. This prompted him to research the issue using the books in his father’s library, reaching the conclusion that praying in mosques built over graves is prohibited. The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—convinced his father of this conclusion and authored a treatise that served as the core for his valuable book Tahdhir al-Sajid min Ittikhadh al-Qubur Masajid (Warning the Worshipper Against Taking Graves as Mosques).

Imam al-Albani grew up in Damascus, and during his youth, he was dismayed and alarmed by the state to which the Ummah (Muslim nation) had reverted: ignorance, superstitions, blind imitation (taqlid), innovations, misguidances, and even idolatrous practices. He actively spoke out against these.

On one occasion, a Shaykh heard him forbidding a wrong practice and asked him: “Have you not heard the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ: ‘Leave the people in their heedlessness’?”

Al-Albani—who was a young man then—asked: “Who reported this Hadith, and what is its grade?”

The Shaykh was caught off guard by the youth and was naturally unable to answer. Al-Albani proceeded to search through volumes of books, researching and scrutinizing, until Allah guided him to the full Hadith: “Leave the people in their heedlessness; some of them receive provision through others.” He verified its chain, clarified the status of its narrators, and determined its grade. This marked the opening of his work in this noble science.

His Migration: Damascus → Amman → Damascus → Beirut → UAE → Amman

Imam al-Albani—may Allah have mercy on him—said, speaking of himself:

“To proceed: Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—has in His wisdom appointed a cause for everything, fixed a term for every matter, and ordained all things with precision. Part of this was that I migrated with my family from Damascus to Amman at the beginning of Ramadan in the year 1400 AH. I set out to build a home for myself there to reside in for the remainder of my life. Allah facilitated this through His grace and favor, and I settled into it after much exhaustion and illness resulting from the effort expended in building and establishing it—effects of which I still suffer slightly from. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances, and praise be to Allah by Whose grace good deeds are completed. It was natural that this would distract me from what I was accustomed to in Damascus—engaging in study, teaching, authorship, and research—especially given that my private library remained in Damascus, as I was unable to transport it to Amman due to well-known difficulties and obstacles. I consoled myself daily with the hope that matters would soon return to normal; however, winds often blow counter to what ships desire. No sooner had some of our brothers in Jordan realized that I had settled in the house than they began asking me to resume the lessons I used to give them in previous years before my migration to Amman, when I would travel every month or two to deliver a lesson or two per trip. They persisted in their request. Although I had not intended to give lessons—in order to reserve what remained of my energy and life to complete several of my scholarly projects, of which there are many—I felt obliged to fulfill their noble request. I promised them goodness and announced that I would deliver a lesson every Thursday after Maghrib prayer at the home of one of our fine brothers nearby. This was accomplished by Allah’s permission, and I delivered the first and second lessons from the book ‘Riyadh al-Salihin’ by Imam al-Nawawi, using my verification, and answered their numerous questions after the lesson, which demonstrated their thirst for knowledge and adherence to the Sunnah. While preparing for the third lesson, I was unexpectedly confronted with circumstances that compelled me—with no choice whatsoever—to return to Damascus, where I no longer had housing. This occurred late in the afternoon of Wednesday, 19th of Shawwal, 1401 AH. I arrived at night in a very somber state, beseeching Allah to turn away evil decrees and the plots of enemies. I stayed for two nights. On the third, after consultation and seeking guidance through prayer (istikharah), I traveled to Beirut with much caution and fear, given the well-known turmoil and chaos prevalent there. I reached Beirut in the first third of the night, heading to the house of a longtime brother and loyal friend who welcomed me with his characteristic kindness, nobility, and generosity, hosting me as an honored guest—may Allah reward him with goodness.”

The Imam—may Allah have mercy on him—subsequently left Beirut for the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, residing in each for a period as a teacher and mentor, before finally settling in the blessed lands of Amman, Al-Balqa.

Scholarly Standing

Position Among Peers and Relationship with Contemporary Scholars

Shaykh al-Albani—may Allah Almighty have mercy on him—enjoyed a high scholarly status among his peers, scholars, and callers to Islam. Over his long life, he met numerous scholars, callers, and professors in Bilad al-Sham, at the Islamic University of Madinah, and during his travels. He commanded great respect and admiration from these scholars, who recognized his standing, as evidenced in their writings and statements regarding him. Below are several scholars who met Imam al-Albani:

Shaykh Abd Allah bin Abd al-Aziz bin Aqil (May Allah have mercy on him)

Shaykh Abd Allah bin Abd al-Aziz bin Aqil al-Hanbali said:

“The eminent scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani is among the finest of our scholars in Hadith, the Sunnah, and in refuting people of innovation and Sufism. I met him more than once in Damascus, the first being in 1399 AH at the Al-Zahiriyyah Library, where he had a designated spot working daily on manuscript verification. I asked him about a manuscript treatise by Ibn Rajab on the issue of triple divorce, in which he differed from his teacher Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah; we searched through several manuscripts but did not find it. On another occasion, we gathered at an invitation by the bookseller Muhammad al-Khiyami for lunch in Doumar, attended by Shaykh al-Albani and a group of brothers, where he benefited us with his discourse. Another time, Shaykh al-Albani invited us to his home in Damascus after Maghrib, and our gathering extended past Isha in discussions of scholarly benefits. When we finished, we prayed Isha in congregation at his home. He offered us a bowl of fruit that his daughter brought, and gifted us the first volume of his book ‘Mukhtasar Sahih al-Bukhari’, praising it and saying: ‘I consider it among my finest works.’”

Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi (May Allah have mercy on him)

Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi (1332–1420 AH) stated:

“At the house of Shaykh Bahjat al-Bitar: Professor Abd al-Rahman al-Bani and Shaykh Nasir al-Din Arnaut al-Albani visited us at the hotel. The latter is among the greatest scholars engaged in Hadith and Sunnah in this country, originally from Albania. We sat briefly discussing Hadith science in India and works authored on the subject, then proceeded to the home of Shaykh Muhammad Bahjat al-Bitar to converse and share knowledge.” Nadwi further mentioned meeting al-Albani twice more two days after this gathering.

Shaykh Umar Fullatah (May Allah have mercy on him)

Shaykh Umar Fullatah (1345–1419 AH) had a strong connection with Imam al-Albani. He revered Shaykh al-Albani, recognized his value, enjoyed his company, inquired about him when news was distant, and admired his humility, simplicity, patience, and high ambition in research, authorship, and serving the purified Sunnah. There existed great affection and mutual clarity between the two scholars, along with Shaykh Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab al-Banna al-Misri (known in Jeddah).

The three scholars frequently went on outings together in Wadi al-Aqiq, the Aqul Dam, or the Well of Rumah. Shaykh al-Albani praised Shaykh Umar for his good neighborliness, fine character, and adherence to the Salafi creed. The gatherings of Shaykh al-Albani when staying as a guest with Shaykh Umar were filled with students of knowledge and open to all with honor and respect.

The Scholar Al-Mu’allimi al-Yamani (May Allah have mercy on him)

Among the scholars Imam al-Albani met was the scholar Abd al-Rahman bin Yahya al-Mu’allimi al-Yamani (1385 AH / 1966 CE). Shaykh al-Albani said of him:

“I met him during the trip in which I met Shaykh Ahmad Shakir in Mecca, when he was director of the Library of the Haram al-Makki back when it was located within the Haram itself. I frequented the library daily and saw him devoted to research and verification, though I did not have formal sit-downs with him at the time.” Al-Mu’allimi cited Shaykh al-Albani’s authentication of a Hadith in his book Al-Anwar al-Kashifah.

Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan Sharhabili

Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan Sharhabili al-Maghrebi recounted:

“I met Shaykh al-Albani at a banquet during his visit to Morocco. One attendee drank from a glass of water, so al-Albani took it and drank the remainder, saying: ‘I did not drink the remainder because I authenticate the Hadith: “The leftover water of a believer is a cure,” but rather I drank out of humility!’ I say: This reflects the Shaykh’s extraordinary keenness to draw attention to precision in referencing Hadiths.”

Shaykh Ahmad Shakir (May Allah have mercy on him)

Shaykh al-Albani mentioned meeting the scholar Ahmad Muhammad Shakir in 1368 AH in Madinah after performing Hajj, engaging in a short scholarly discussion where al-Albani noted observations regarding Shakir’s verifications in Musnad Ahmad. However, Shaykh Shakir was ill at the time. Shaykh al-Albani noted: “I felt regret in my heart over the limited benefit gained from this virtuous scholar.”

Shaykh Salih bin Sa’d al-Luhaydan (May Allah preserve him)

Among the scholars who met Shaykh al-Albani was Shaykh Salih bin Sa’d al-Luhaydan during the Hajj season of 1409 AH [1410 AH]. A lengthy scholarly dialogue took place between them in the presence of several scholars, during which Shaykh al-Albani said to Shaykh al-Luhaydan: “You have memorized more than I, while I am bolder than you.”

Imam al-Albani also met Shaykh Abd al-Razzaq Hamzah and the Moroccan scholar Taqi al-Din al-Hilali, as well as Shaykh Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib.

He met the Hadith scholar Habib al-Rahman al-A’zami al-Hindi, hosting him in his home in Damascus in 1398 AH. He also met Dr. Mustafa al-A’zami, who requested that al-Albani review his verifications for Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, which al-Albani did (Dr. Mustafa referenced al-Albani’s notes with the symbol “Nasir” or “N”).

Furthermore, he corresponded with Shaykh Abd al-Samad Sharaf al-Din al-Hindi, met Shaykh Subhi al-Salih (who considered himself one of al-Albani’s students), and Shaykh Muhammad Tayyib Okiç of Turkey.

Among those who praised him was Shaykh Mahmud Shakir al-Haristani, who stated on Al-Majd TV: “May Allah have mercy on him; we met him several times. His work in Hadith provided immense service.”

Praise from Scholars

The Scholar Imam Shaykh Abd al-Aziz bin Baz, who maintained strong ties and numerous scholarly meetings with him, stated:

“I have not seen under the canopy of the heavens a scholar of Hadith in the modern era like the scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani.”

He also said:

“Nasir al-Din al-Albani is among the elite of our known brothers; I have known him for a long time. He is among the finest scholars, possessing a sound creed, dedicated to the noble Hadith and service to the Sunnah. He is worthy of all respect and religious consideration, and his books are worthy of being utilized. I am among those who benefit from them; I have read many of his books and found them beneficial. He is a righteous brother and follower of the Sunnah, though not infallible, like other scholars.”

The Scholar Ibn Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy on him) stated:

“The man possesses great depth, extensive reading, and strong persuasive ability. Everyone’s statements are subject to acceptance or rejection except those of Allah and His Messenger. We ask Allah Almighty to increase his likes within the Islamic Ummah.”

He also noted:

“What I knew of the Shaykh through meeting him—which was brief—was his intense eagerness to act upon the Sunnah and combat innovation, whether in creed or practice. Through reading his works, I recognized his vast knowledge in Hadith narration and comprehension. Allah Almighty benefited many people through his writings in terms of knowledge and methodology, representing a great fruit for Muslims.”

He added:

“Al-Albani is a man from the People of the Sunnah—may Allah have mercy on him—a defender of it, an Imam in Hadith. We know of no one who rivals him in our era.”

In refuting accusations that al-Albani held Murji’ah views regarding faith (Iman), Ibn Uthaymeen stated:

“I say as the poet said: ‘Lessen your blame upon them… or fill the void they filled.’ Al-Albani is a scholar, Hadith expert, and jurist—though stronger in Hadith than jurisprudence. I know of no statement of his indicating Irja’ at all. Rather, those who wish to declare people disbelievers call him and his likes Murji’ah. I testify to Shaykh al-Albani’s uprightness, soundness of creed, and good intention. Yet, we do not say he is infallible, for none is infallible except the Messenger ﷺ.”

Shaykh Abd al-Samad Sharaf al-Din al-Hindi reported:

“An inquiry reached Shaykh Ubayd Allah al-Rahmani from the Fatwa Council in Riyadh regarding a Hadith unique in wording and meaning, related to our contemporary times. The consensus of scholars present was to consult the greatest scholar of Prophetic traditions in this era, namely the godly scholar Shaykh al-Albani.”
Shaykh Muhammad Tayyib Okiç al-Bosnavi, Professor of Hadith and Fiqh at Ankara University, wrote several letters praising him, including:

“To His Eminence, the Scholar and Researcher, Mr. Abu Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani… I congratulate you on this great success in the field of knowledge; may Allah increase your likes in the Muslim world. I truly wish to acquire all your valuable publications…”
Dr. Abd al-Rahman al-Uthaymeen, manuscript investigator, was asked by Dr. Hamad al-Frayh about al-Albani’s verifications, to which he replied:

“Al-Albani—may Allah have mercy on him—crossed the bridge [passed all tests of authority]; he is not to be questioned [his authority is established].”
Shaykh Musa’id bin Bashir Haj al-Sudira al-Sudani stated:

“The Islamic Ummah bears witness to his virtue, knowledge, piety, intense love for the Sunnah, and dedication to it. I knew him to be patient in scholarly endeavor and scrutiny… The man is a treasure of knowledge; people depend on his works just as one needs dealings with a man of wealth…”
The Scholar Hammad bin Muhammad al-Ansari (as recorded by his son Abd al-Awwal) remarked:

“Shaykh al-Albani made the Musnad [of Ahmad] very easy for us by creating an index of the Companions mentioned in it; previously, we exerted immense effort to locate a Hadith.”

He also stated:

“When I was in Damascus, I used to visit al-Albani at his house at the foot of Mount Qasiyun, staying past Isha into the night to examine his books… Bilad al-Sham was deprived when it lost Shaykh Nasir al-Albani, for there is none like him in Sham, especially in his specialization.”