Muhammad Aman al-Jami
- Died
- 1415 AH
- Born in
- -
Muhammad Aman al-Jami (1349–1416 AH / 1930–1996 CE) was an Ethiopian-born Salafi theologian and university professor at the Islamic University of Madinah, best known for his teaching of Sunni creed and his treatise al-Sifat al-Ilahiyya fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya ("The Divine Attributes in the Book and the Prophetic Sunna") .
Lineage and early education
He was Muhammad Aman ibn Ali Jami Ali, with the kunya Abu Ahmad . He was born in 1349 AH in the village of Taghatab in the Harar region of Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), as recorded in his official documents . In his native village, he memorized the Quran and studied Arabic under Muhammad Amin al-Harari, before starting the study of jurisprudence according to the Shafi'i school .
Following the local custom of seeking knowledge, he moved to another village where he partnered with his fellow student Abd al-Karim . Together, they studied Ibn Raslan's versification Nazm al-Zubad under a scholar named Musa, and al-Nawawi's Minhaj al-Talibin under a teacher named Abadir, acquiring training in several disciplines .
Travels and teachers
Longing to perform the pilgrimage and seek religious learning in the holy lands, he traveled from Abyssinia to Somalia and crossed the sea to Aden . From there, he traveled on foot to al-Hudayda, where he observed the fast of Ramadan, before continuing on foot into Saudi Arabia through Samtah and Abu Arish until he gained entry to Mecca .
In Saudi Arabia, he studied at the Riyadh Scientific Institute (Ma'had al-Riyad al-Ilmi) . He became closely attached to Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz and studied under prominent scholars, including Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al al-Shaykh, Abd al-Rahman al-Afriqi, Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, Hammad al-Ansari, and Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di .
Career and students
Al-Jami was appointed as a teacher at the Islamic University of Madinah, teaching first at its secondary institute and later at the university level . He served as the head of the Creed Department in Graduate Studies and as dean of the Faculty of Hadith and Islamic Studies at the university . He also held regular teaching circles at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and delivered lectures across regions of Saudi Arabia and abroad .
Among his notable students were Ali ibn Nasir Faqihi, Rabi al-Madkhali, Abd al-Qadir al-Sindi, Salih al-Suhaymi, and Bakr Abu Zayd . His lectures at the university formed the basis of his treatise Tashih al-Mafahim fi Janib al-Aqida ("Correcting Misconceptions in Aspects of Creed"), which focused on issues of worship, divine attributes, and intercession .
Scholarly standing
Al-Jami was commended by contemporary Saudi scholars for his dedication to teaching creed according to the methodology of the early generations (al-salaf) and his opposition to theological innovations . Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz described him as known for virtue, sound creed, and active engagement in calling to God while warning against religious innovations and superstitions . Salih al-Fawzan praised his dedication to teaching in university and mosque settings and guiding youth to the Salafi methodology . Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbad likewise noted his sound creed and his persistent attention to clarifying doctrine in his courses, writings, and public lectures .
Death
Al-Jami died in 1416 AH (1996 CE) .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Hajj Arafah ("The Hajj is Arafah") is a jurisprudential treatise addressing the legal rulings, spatial boundaries, timing, and common misconceptions associated with the standing at Arafat.
al-Hukm ala al-Shay Far an Tasawwurihi (Judging a Thing Is Subordinate to Conceptualizing It) is a theological treatise that critically engages with contemporary lectures and discourses on Islamic sects, legal adherence, and divine attributes.
al-Islam fi Ifriqiya abr al-Tarikh (Islam in Africa across History) is a historical and theological treatise that examines the historical phases of Islamic propagation across the African continent from the era of the Negus to the modern period.
al-Muhadara al-Difaiyya an al-Sunna al-Muhammadiyya (The Defensive Lecture in Defense of the Muhammadan Sunna) is a polemical treatise composed to refute the unorthodox religious doctrines and esoteric interpretations of the Sudanese thinker Mahmoud Mohamed Taha.
al-Sifat al-Ilahiyya fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya fi Daw al-Ithbat wa al-Tanzih (The Divine Attributes in the Book and the Prophetic Sunna in Light of Affirmation and Transcendence) is a theological treatise dedicated to articulating and defending the traditionalist Salafi creed regarding the names and attributes of God.
al-Aql wa al-Naql inda Ibn Rushd (Reason and Revelation according to Ibn Rushd) is a theological treatise originally published as a research paper in the 41st issue of the Journal of the Islamic University of Madinah. It examines the philosophical and theological methodology of Ibn Rushd regarding the relationship between reason and transmitted revelation, assessing his positions on divine attributes, creation, speech, eschatology, and predestination against the theological framework of the early Muslim generations.
Tashih al-Mafahim fi Janib al-Aqida (Correcting Misconceptions in Aspects of Creed) is a theological treatise that addresses doctrinal errors and presents the creed of Ahl al-Sunna on key theological matters. Originating as public lectures delivered at the Islamic University of Madinah, the work critiques foreign and philosophical concepts that entered Muslim thought, focusing particularly on misconceptions linked to extreme Sufism and scholastic theology across topics such as worship, divine attributes, sainthood, miracles, and intercession.