Ahmad al-Dardir
18th-century Islamic jurist
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Ahmed ibn Ahmed ibn abi-Hamid al'Adawi al-Maliki al-Azhari al-Khalwati ad-Dardir (1715 – 1786 CE) (AH 1127 – 1204 AH )[1] known as Imam ad-Dardir or Dardir was a prominent late jurist in the Maliki school from Egypt.
His Sharh as-Saghir and Sharh al-Kabir are two of the most important books of fatwa (Islamic legal rulings) in the Maliki school. His al-Kharida al-Bahiyya ("The Radiant Pearl") is a widespread primer on Ash'ari aqida.[2][3]
Biography
Early life and education
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Hamid al-Umari al-Adawi al-Maliki al-Azhari al-Khalwati[4][5] was born in 1715 (1127 AH) in the village of Bani Adi in Asyut, Upper Egypt. He belonged to the al-Umari branch of the Quraysh tribe, tracing his lineage back to the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab. He was nicknamed "al-Dardir" after a pious Arab scholar who had settled in his village.
He moved to Cairo to study at Al-Azhar University, where he memorized the Quran and excelled in religious sciences. He studied under several renowned scholars, most notably:
- Ali al-Sa'idi al-Adawi: From whom he mastered Maliki jurisprudence.
- Shams al-Din al-Hafni: Who initiated him into the Khalwati order of Sufism.
- Sheikh al-Malawi and Sheikh al-Jawhari.
Career and character
Al-Dardir eventually became the head of the Maliki scholars at Al-Azhar and the supervisor of the Upper Egyptian students' quarters (Riwat al-Sa'ayida). He was known for his asceticism and his firm stance against injustice.
A famous anecdote regarding his character involves a visit from an Ottoman governor. When the governor entered Al-Azhar, al-Dardir remained seated, continuing his recitations without standing for the official. When the governor later sent him a bag of money as a gift, al-Dardir refused it, famously stating: "Tell your master, he who stretches out his legs [in prayer] does not stretch out his hand [for money]."
Works
Al-Dardir authored numerous influential works in the fields of law, theology, and spirituality:
- Aqrab al-Masalik limadhhab al-Imam Malik: A primary manual of Maliki jurisprudence that remains a standard textbook.
- Al-Sharh al-Saghir: His own commentary on Aqrab al-Masalik, widely used for issuing legal rulings (fatwas).
- Al-Kharida al-Bahiyya: A celebrated didactic poem on Ash'ari creed (theology).
- Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil: A commentary on the foundational Maliki text by Khalil ibn Ishaq al-Jundi.
- Tuhfat al-Ikhwan: A treatise on the etiquette and practices of Sufism.
- Risala fi al-Mawlid al-Nabawi: A work regarding the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birth.
Death
Al-Dardir passed away on 27 December 1786 (6 Rabi' al-Awwal 1201 AH). His funeral was held at Al-Azhar Mosque, attended by a vast multitude of students and scholars. He was buried in the mosque complex he established in Cairo, which still bears his name today.
