Ahmad al-Sawi
- Died
- 1241 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad al-Sawi (1175–1241 AH / 1761–1825 CE) was an Egyptian Maliki jurist and Sufi scholar of the Khalwati order, best known for his legal supercommentary Bulghat al-Salik and his gloss on Tafsir al-Jalalayn.
Lineage and Early Life
Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sawi traced his lineage to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib, from the tribe of Banu Hanifa residing at Dhu al-Hulayfah in the Hejaz. In 805 AH, his ancestor Muhammad al-Hanafi migrated to Egypt and settled in Sa al-Hajar (also vocalized Sa' al-Hajar), located along the Nile in the Gharbiyya province.
Al-Sawi was born in Sa al-Hajar in 1175 AH (1761 CE), though another report places his birth in 1157 AH. His father was noted for religious learning and piety, but passed away while al-Sawi was still memorizing the Quran. Al-Sawi completed his memorization of the Quran before the age of ten. Seeking deeper study, he secretly traveled to Cairo despite the initial objection of his brothers, who later supported his endeavor by sending him adequate provisions; he joined al-Azhar Mosque around 1187 AH.
Education, Teachers, and Students
At al-Azhar, al-Sawi studied legal and rational sciences under prominent scholars of his era, foremost among them Ahmad al-Dardir, as well as Muhammad al-Amir al-Kabir and Muhammad al-Dasuqi. He was initiated into the Khalwati Sufi order under al-Dardir.
Al-Sawi went on to teach at al-Azhar and mentor seekers of spiritual wayfaring, transmitting the Khalwati path to students including Muhammad ibn Salih al-Banna al-Iskandari.
Standing and Scholarly Contribution
Biographers described al-Sawi as a verifying scholar (muhaqqiq), a meticulous investigator (mudaqqiq), and a spiritual educator (murabbi al-muridin). In Islamic jurisprudence, he composed Bulghat al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masalik, a widely utilized supercommentary on al-Dardir's al-Sharh al-Saghir in Maliki law. In Quranic exegesis, he wrote Hashiyat al-Sawi, an extensive gloss on Tafsir al-Jalalayn.
Death
Al-Sawi traveled to the Hejaz and died in Medina in 1241 AH (1825 CE).
Answer updated
List of Works
Hashiyat al-Sawi ala al-Sharh al-Saghir (also titled Bulghat al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masalik) is a supercommentary on Maliki jurisprudence. It serves as an extensive gloss on al-Sharh al-Saghir, the commentary composed by Ahmad al-Dardir upon his own legal primer Aqrab al-Masalik ila Madhhab al-Imam Malik.
Bulghat al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masalik, widely known as Hashiyat al-Sawi 'ala al-Sharh al-Saghir, is a legal supercommentary on Maliki jurisprudence. It serves as an extensive gloss on al-Sharh al-Saghir, Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Dardir's commentary on his own foundational compendium, Aqrab al-Masalik li-Madhhab al-Imam Malik.