His Lineage :
He is al-Habib al-`Allamah Muhammad bin `Abdullah “al-Haddar” bin Shaykh bin Ahmad bin Muhsin bin `Ali bin Salih bin Muhammad bin Salih bin Ahmad bin alHusayn bin al-Shaykh al-Fakhr Abu Bakr bin Salim bin `Abdullah bin `Abd al-Rahman bin `Abdullah bin Shaykh `Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf bin Shaykh Muhammad Mawla alDawilah, bin `Ali Mawla Darak, bin `Alawi al-Ghuyur, bin al-Faqih al-Muqaddam, Muhammad bin `Ali, bin Muhammad Sahib Mirbat, bin `Ali Khalì Qasam, bin `Alawi, bin Muhammad Sahib al-Sawmàa, bin `Alawi, bin `Ubaydullah, bin al-Imam al-Muhajir ilAllah Ahmad, bin `Isa, bin Muhammad al-Naqib, bin `Ali al-`Uraydi, bin Jàfar al-Sadiq, bin Muhammad al-Baqir, bin `Ali Zayn al-`Abidin, bin Husayn al-Sibt, bin `Ali bin Abu Talib and Fatima al-Zahra, the daughter of our Master Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace).
His Life :
Habib Muhammad was born in the village of `Azzah near the city of al-Bayda in the North of Yemen in the year 1340 (1921). His great great grandfather Muhsin had left Hadramawt and settled in al-Bayda around the beginning of the 13th Hijri century.
He was given the best of upbringings by his father, who had devoted him to the service of Allah while he was still in his mother’s womb hoping that Allah would in turn make him a scholar. His mother was Nur bint `Abdullah Ba Sahi, an extremely pious woman known for her worship and charity. She would spend from dawn to dusk in her kitchen cooking for the hungry, especially at the time of famine in Yemen during the Second World War. In his childhood Habib Muhammad learnt the Qur’an and the foundational sciences of the Din from his father and the scholars of al-Bayda. In one of the last nights of Ramadan while in the mosque he witnessed a brilliant light. When he informed his father of this he said to him: “Perhaps it is Laylat al-Qadr so ask Allah to make you one of the scholars that act according to their knowledge.”
His thirst for knowledge then led him to attempt to travel to Tarim at the age of seventeen. After travelling by sailboat from Adento al-Mukalla he was unable to go any further due to political strife and thus returned home. Not deterred, he then traveled by land. His father accompanied him on the first leg of the journey. When the time came for them to part company his father faced the qiblah with tears in his eyes and said: “O Allah people are sending their children to America and other places to earn them money and I am sending him to learn so give him an opening and make him one of the scholars that act according to their knowledge.” In spite of almost dying of thirst on a mountain path between Seiyun and Tarim, Habib Muhammad finally arrived safely in Tarim, and headed straight for its famous Ribat, where he was met by the great Imam, Habib `Abdullah bin `Umar al-Shatiri, who was running the Ribat at that time.
Habib Muhammad spent the next four years in the Ribat in the pursuit of knowledge. His efforts were immense. He would prepare for each lesson by reading the subject material at least eighteen times and would only sleep around two hours in the day and night. So engaged was he in his studies that he did not once enter the room of the student next door to him and did not read any letters that were sent to him from al-Bayda.
Habib `Abdullah recognised his ability and gave him special attention and responsibility, leaving the Ribat in his hands when he left Tarim. He studied at the hands of, among others, Habib `Alawi bin `Abdullah Shihab al-Din, Habib Jàfar bin Ahmad al-`Aydarus and Shaykh Mahfuz bin Salim al-Zubaydi. After the death of Habib `Abdullah in 1361 (1941) Habib Muhammad returned home, his heart full with the desire to spread his knowledge and guide people to the path of Allah. In 1362 (1942) he established a madrasa in his birthplace `Azzah. He would also take his dàwah to the people, travelling from village to village reminding people of their duties. He would address the crowds that gathered for the weekly market in the city of al-Bayda and played an important role in resolving tribal conflicts.
He travelled on foot to perform Hajj in 1365 (1945). On his return he spent some time in Tàizz studying at the hands of Habib Ibrahim bin `Aqil bin Yahya. In 1375 (1955) he performed Hajj for the second time and from that year on he would make Hajj almost every year, at the same time taking knowledge from the scholars of the Hijaz, among them Sayyid `Alawi bin `Abbas al-Maliki.
In 1370 (1950) he travelled toSomaliaand was made imam of Masjid Mirwas in Mogadishu. He remained there for a year and a half. He taught constantly and oversaw the establishment of a Ribat in the town ofBidua. It was here that his shaykh, the great caller to Allah, Habib Ahmad Mashur al-Haddad visited him.
Habib Muhammad had long wished to establish a Ribat in the city of al-Bayda. He sought financial support inAdenandEthiopiaand preliminary construction was completed in 1380 (1960). Many people saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) in their dreams giving good tidings of the success of the Ribat. Someone saw him planting his blessed foot in the Ribat saying:
“This will remain as long as my Ummah remains.” Habib Muhammad was in need of a teacher so he requested that Habib Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafiz send someone fromTarim.
Habib Muhammad bin Salim selected Habib Zayn bin Ibrahim bin Sumayt, who became the Ribat’s greatest teacher and remained in al-Bayda for around twenty years.
In 1402 (1981) Habib `Umar bin Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafiz left a troubled Hadramawt and came to al-Bayda. He spent ten years taking knowledge from Habib Muhammad, who married his daughter to him. Habib `Umar also taught in the Ribat and expended great efforts calling the people of the region to Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace). All of this was the best preparation for his return to Hadramawt after the fall of the socialist regime and his eventual establishment of his own ribat, Dar al-Mustafa.
Habib Muhammad was staunch in his opposition to the socialist government that came into power inSouth Yemenin 1387 (1967). This led to his imprisonment in al-Mukalla on a visit to Hadramawt in 1390 (1970). But this did not prevent him from calling to Allah and in his time there the prison was transformed. The five prayers were established in congregation and Habib Muhammad delivered lectures and lessons to the inmates. Due in part to the intercession of Habib `Abd al-Qadir bin Ahmad al-Saqqaf and Habib Jàfar al-`Aydarus, he was eventually released, and he returned to al-Bayda, after thanking them for their efforts and warning the scholars of Tarim and Seiyun of the danger of remaining in Hadramawt.
In 1395 (1974) he went to theComorosIslandsto visit the great Imam Habib `Umar bin Ahmad bin Sumayt and then toKenyato visit Habib Ahmad Mashur al-Haddad.
Habib Muhammad had established a close bond with Habib `Abd al-Qadir al-Saqqaf and they travelled together toIraqandSyriain 1396 (1975). Habib `Abd al-Qadir also twice visited al-Bayda and Habib Muhammad’s Ribat. Habib Muhammad had great respect for the movement and in 1402 (1981) he headed to Pakistan, Bangladesh,Thailand and Malaysiato visit the movement’s scholars and attend their gatherings.
From the time he rose for the night prayer, his waking moments were filled with the remembrance of Allah. He would complete the recitation of the Qur’an every week. He would teach daily from books such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Ihya’ `Ulum al-Din, al-Shifa and Minhaj al-Talibin of Imam al-Nawawi. He never left the congregational prayer from his childhood to his old age. He would sit daily to resolve people’s problems and receive their questions and due to his immense legal knowledge he was appointed mufti of the province of al-Bayda.
He compiled a number of collections of adhkar to be read during the day and night (alFawa’id al-Ithna `Ashar, Nashi’at al-Layl) and on journeys (Jawahir al-Jawahir). The many adhkar that are read today in Dar al-Mustafa are merely a selection of some of his daily awrad. He also compiled collections of ahdkar and duas for Ramadan (al-Nafahat al-Ramadaniyya) and for Hajj (Miftah al-Hajj). He wrote a treatise on the attainment of noble character (`Ajalat al-Sibaq), a treatise on the performance of Hajj (Risalat alHajj al-Mabrur) and compiled a selection of hadith entitled Shifa al-Saqim. Through his numerous poems, many written in colloquial Arabic, he called people to fulfil their duties towards Allah and warned them against disobeying Him. In every supplication that he made and every gathering that he attended he would remember every single member of the Ummah: the living, the dead and those yet to come.
Habib Muhammad suffered for many years from serious illness and towards the end of his life he moved to Mecca, where the climate suited his condition. He would travel regularly to visit his grandfather the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) where he would stand for hours in front of the Blessed Chamber. He would also go often to Jeddah to attend the gatherings of Habib `Abd alQadir al-Saqqaf and would likewise attend the gatherings of Habib `Attas al-Habashi in Mecca. His son said of him that he did not waste a moment of his life. Due to his incapacity as death approached he had one of his relatives make tayammum for him.
His last words were the words he would repeat frequently throughout his life:
la ilaha ill’Allah ⁃ with it I end my life
la ilaha ill’Allah ⁃ with it I enter my grave
la ilaha ill’Allah ⁃ with it alone I isolate myself
la ilaha ill’Allah ⁃ with it I meet my Lord
From the Aqida of Shaykh Ali bin Abu Bakr alSakran 4H
he then fell into prostration and his soul departed from his body. It was the 8 thRabì alThani 1418 (1997). As his body was carried to its resting place in the Màla Cemetery,Mecca was filled with the loud recitation of la ilaha ill’Allah, a fitting end to a man who had said: “our flesh and blood is infused with la ilaha ill’Allah.” He was buried in the proximity of his mother, the Mother of the Believers, al-Sayyida Khadija al-Kubra andHabib Ahmad Mashur al-Haddad. May Allah continue to benefit us by him and may his memory live on.
He would end his gatherings and prayers in the last portion of the night with these
words:
My Lord grant our actions and supplications acceptance
Let us enter (paradise) along with Ta Ha and his family in the first row
Let us be with them always in this abode and in the next
Forgive the poet and those reading this poem, male and female
And anyone that hears it and spreads it and those that write it, male and female
Have mercy and grant grace to the Ummah of Ahmad, guide its members and rectify
our intentions May peace and blessings be upon him the number of atoms in creation
And upon his family and all the Prophets and the pious men and women
In every instant for evermore the number of instants in time
And praise belongs to Allah to the number of His blessings as He loves to be praised.