al-Shaykh Umar ibn Muhammad Fallatah wa Kayfa Araftuhu
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al-Shaykh Umar ibn Muhammad Fallatah wa Kayfa Araftuhu (Arabic: الشيخ عمر بن محمد فلاته رحمه الله وكيف عرفته, lit. 'Shaykh Umar ibn Muhammad Fallatah and How I Knew Him') is a biographical treatise by the Saudi scholar Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbad on the life, character, and scholarly career of his longtime colleague and friend Umar ibn Muhammad Fallatah.
Background and Context
The work originated as a memorial lecture delivered by al-Abbad at the auditorium of the Islamic University of Madinah in early Muharram 1420 AH, shortly after Fallatah's death in late 1419 AH. Al-Abbad noted that while recounting Fallatah's virtues to the people of Madinah was speaking to those already familiar with him, his aim was to bear personal testimony to their friendship and document Fallatah's scholarly contributions.
Content and Structure
Al-Abbad organized the monograph around ten distinct points covering Fallatah's biography, achievements, and personal interactions:
- Lineage, Birth, and Upbringing: Fallatah's full formal name is Umar ibn Muhammad Bakr al-Fullani (popularly known as Fallatah), with the nisba al-Fullani tracing back to the Fulani of Africa. He was born in 1345 AH near Mecca as his parents were completing a year-long overland migration from West Africa, and moved with them to Madinah the following year. He began his early education at a traditional primary school (kuttāb) under al-Urayf Muhammad ibn Salim, attended Dar al-Ulum al-Shar'iyyah, earned his elementary certificate from the Directorate of Public Knowledge in 1363 AH, and obtained the higher certificate of Dar al-Hadith in Madinah in 1367 AH. His primary teacher and formative influence was Abd al-Rahman al-Afriqi.
- Creed and Dawah: Fallatah adhered strictly to the creed and methodology of the pious predecessors (Salaf), grounding his teachings in the Quran and the Sunnah while opposing deviating paths. He was an active preacher noted for his eloquence and delivery, serving as an instructor during the annual Hajj pilgrimage guidance missions under the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta from 1392 AH until his death.
- Teaching in the Prophet's Mosque: Fallatah began teaching in the Prophet's Mosque in 1370 AH and continued for nearly half a century until his death in 1419 AH. His study circle was situated near the Rawdah al-Sharifah, where he was known for his resonant voice.
- Directorship of Dar al-Hadith: Following the death of Abd al-Rahman al-Afriqi in 1377 AH, Fallatah assumed the leadership and trusteeship of Dar al-Hadith. When the school's old building was expropriated for the expansion of the Prophet's Mosque, he oversaw the purchase of new land and the construction of a replacement facility, which subsequently won the Madinah Prize for Architectural Design.
- Academic Roles: In 1385 AH, Fallatah joined the Islamic University of Madinah, serving as Assistant Secretary-General and later Secretary-General. In 1396 AH, he was reclassified as an Assistant Professor, taught in the Faculty of Hadith, headed the Da'wah Center, and founded and directed the Center for the Service of the Sunnah and Prophetic Biography until his retirement.
- Hajj Pilgrimages: Fallatah performed his first obligatory pilgrimage in 1365 AH and completed fifty-three pilgrimages throughout his lifetime, missing only the year 1367 AH while attending to an ill companion.
- Personal Character and Shared Traits with al-Afriqi: Al-Abbad highlights Fallatah's cheerfulness, generosity, humility, and eagerness to serve others, drawing parallels between Fallatah and their mutual teacher, Abd al-Rahman al-Afriqi.
- Personal Friendship and Anecdotes: Al-Abbad describes their first meeting in 1381 AH when al-Abbad arrived in Madinah for the university's opening, their subsequent daily companionship, and their joint official recruitment travels in 1389 AH and 1390 AH to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt to hire faculty. Al-Abbad recounts several lighthearted travel stories showcasing Fallatah's wit and good humor, as well as his voluntary service as an official marriage solemnizer (maʾdhūn).
- Illness, Death, and Family: Fallatah fell ill and was hospitalized in Riyadh, returning to Madinah on Tuesday, 28 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1419 AH. He died exactly twenty-four hours later, on Wednesday morning, 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1419 AH. His funeral prayer took place after the Asr prayer at the Prophet's Mosque, and he was buried in the Baqi al-Gharqad cemetery, leaving behind seven sons and two daughters.
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