Abd Allah Abbadi al-Lahji

Abd Allah Abbadi al-Lahji (1343–1410 AH / 1924–1990 CE) was a Yemeni-born Shafi'i jurist, grammarian, and hadith scholar who settled in Mecca, known for his extensive four-volume commentary on prophetic characteristics, Muntaha al-Sul Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1.

Lineage and early life

He was Abd Allah ibn Sa'id ibn Muhammad Abbadi al-Lahji al-Hadrami al-Shihari, later al-Marawi'i and al-Makki Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. He was born in 1343 AH (1924 CE) in the village of Nawbat Iyad near Lahj in Yemen, where he received his early education Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. Before reaching maturity, around the age of twelve (c. 1361 AH), he traveled to al-Marawi'ah in the Tihama region to pursue Islamic studies Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1.

Education and career

In al-Marawi'ah, al-Lahji studied under Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad al-Ahdal, whom he accompanied for over a decade until al-Ahdal's death in 1379 AH, reading various rational and transmitted sciences under his direction Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. He also studied there with Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan al-Ahdal and Muhammad Hasan Hind al-Ahdal Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…. He subsequently assumed teaching duties at the Grand Mosque of al-Marawi'ah as his teacher's successor Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai….

Al-Lahji first traveled to Mecca in 1374 AH, residing there for one year before returning to Yemen Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. He returned to the Hejaz in 1377 AH and settled permanently in Mecca for the rest of his life Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. In Mecca, he became a close companion of Alawi ibn Abbas al-Maliki, serving as the primary reader in his public and private lessons at al-Masjid al-Haram and assisting him in writing fatwas and correspondence Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. His other teachers in Mecca included Hasan ibn Muhammad Said Yamani, Muhammad Yasin al-Fadani, Muhammad Amin al-Kutubi, and Muhammad Yahya Aman Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1.

Al-Lahji taught hadith, Shafi'i jurisprudence, and Arabic language in al-Masjid al-Haram, and instructed students at Meccan educational institutions including the Madrasah al-Sawlatiyyah, Madrasat Dar al-Ulum al-Diniyyah, and Madrasat al-Fakhriyyah Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. Among his prominent students was Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Maliki, who studied numerous classical texts under his guidance Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai….

Scholarly contribution

Al-Lahji was noted for his engagement with Shafi'i legal theory, hadith transmission, and the acquisition of rare manuscripts Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…. He composed Idah al-Qawaid al-Fiqhiyyah ("Clarification of Legal Maxims") as an instructional text on Shafi'i legal maxims for students at Madrasah al-Sawlatiyyah Tatimmat al-Aalam - Muham…+1. His major commentary, Muntaha al-Sul ala Wasail al-Wusul ila Shamail al-Rasul, provided detailed hadith documentation and linguistic explanations on Yusuf ibn Ismail al-Nabhani's biographical compendium on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…+1. He also documented his chains of narration in his catalog al-Mirqat ila al-Riwayah wa-al-Ruwat Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai….

Death

Al-Lahji died in Mecca on the night of Sunday, 26 Jumada al-Ula 1410 AH (December 1989 CE) after an illness lasting two or three days Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…. His funeral prayer was performed on Sunday at al-Masjid al-Haram, and he was buried in Jannat al-Mu'alla (al-Ma'lah Cemetery) in Mecca Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai…. He was survived by two sons and three daughters Muntaha al-Suul ala Wasai….