Shaykh `Abdallah Sirajuddin

The Syrian city of Aleppo is famous for its rich history of Islamic scholarship; hence, it is often referred to as ‘the city of scholars'. Aleppo is the cradle of many pious and leading scholars of Islam. Amongst them was the Friend and Gnostic of Allāh `azza wa-jall, `Allāma `Abdallāh Sirājuddīn al-Husaynī radiallāhu `anhu, an extraordinary scholar who dedicated his entire life to the service of Islām.



Shaykh `Abdallāh Sirājuddīn
The light of Aleppo
by Hamoud al-Halabi

See also:

About the Life of Shaykh `Abdallah Sirajuddin

Comments by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad:


This great talk about the late Hafiz and Shaykh al-Islam of Aleppo, Sayyid `Abd Allah Siraj al-Din, by his son-in-law and greatest student the Hafiz Nur al-Din `Itr was given in the historical old mosque of Jami` al-Tawba in Damascus as part of the biographical lectures about the lives of the great Shuyukh of Shaam every first Thursday of the Arabic month.

The date of this talk is Thursday 4 Rabi` al-Awwal 1423 = 16 May 2002, over two months after the Shaykh had passed away on March 4, 2002.



The talks are organized under the auspices of the Mosque, headed by Dr. Hisham al-Burhani (sitting at Dr. `Itr's right, who spoke right after him), the son of the great Hanafi Faqih and Shadhili Shaykh Sa`id al-Burhani who edited, among other great books, the Hadiyya `Ala'iyya in Hanafi Fiqh and al-Hazr wal-Ibaha in morals and manners, which are studied daily in Damascus.

Outwardly the talk is about the life and states of Shaykh `Abd Allah Siraj al-Din and his teachings. However, the talk also shows the delightful, profound language and state of our dear beloved teacher Dr. Nur al-Din `Itr who, as usual when he speaks of his teacher, was constantly on the brink of tears. You can hear him address the Holy
Prophet at one point, and you can hear him also say that he converses (in the present tense) with his teacher Sh Siraj al-Din although most probably no one or almost no one notices.

The talk sums up the focus of the senior Shuyukh of Shaam on two traits which I find are special to them:

1. The complete yet unassuming focus on `azima (strictness) and mastery in `ilm and practice at the highest level possible of the Shari`a and their inculcation in the students.

2. The continuous yet once again unassuming intimacy with the Messenger of Allah, upon him blessings and peace and the preparation of students for it.

As Dr. Shihab al-Din Farfur said in his elegiac poem (ratha') which he read for the first time at the closing of the session: "Messenger of Allah, I send the expression of my sadness [at the passing of our teacher] to you, and we have no other request than meeting you." He said he composed it after he gifted the Fatiha to the Shaykh,
whereupon he received its inspiration. Indeed, such a line itself seems straight from the mouth of Shaykh Siraj al-Din.

These are our teachers and fathers in the Religion, and even the stone pillars around them could tell you most eloquently: If, after you sit with them attentively, you can boast of better living examplars at these two levels, point them out to us so that we may travel to them on the apples of our eyes and kiss their feet. Otherwise, leave us in peace with them for they are the testament of the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, concerning the people of Shaam.

Some of the benefits of the talk:

Shaykh Nur al-Din said Shaykh `Abd Allah Siraj al-Din illustrated this verse from Surat al-Mu'minun: {And those who give that which they give with hearts afraid because they are about to return unto their Lord} (23:60).

He said Shaykh Siraj said "the wird or regular devotion of the student of knowledge is his knowledge," i.e. he must try to put into practice everything he knows, at one point or another.

He said Shaykh Siraj said "The school is not the walls but the teachers. Be the school wherever you are."

He said he heard Shaykh Siraj's teacher say: "The student of knowledge is for everyone," i.e. he must be a beacon for his dependents, his relatives, his neighbours, and so forth. He must also know the legal
rulings that apply to the everyday situations of people so he can help them and guide them. He said even if he didn't hear Shaykh Siraj say this, it was his line of action and teaching anyway.

He said Shaykh Siraj emphasized Riyad al-Salihin. "The tasawwuf of Imam al-Ghazzali's Ihya' lost its people a long time ago." I heard Mawlana al-Shaykh Nazim say the same of Imam al-Qushayri's Risala. "But the tasawwuf of Imam al-Nawawi is accessible through his books, mainly Riyad al-Salihin and al-Adhkar."

Shaykh Nur al-Din said Riyad al-Salihin is "the quintessence of the books of the Sunna, and its quintessence are its chapter-titles." Another book which we heard Shaykh Nur al-Din say Shaykh Siraj emphasized was al-Mundhiri's al-Targhib wal-Tarhib.

He said Shaykh Siraj would see the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, asleep and awake, that one time the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, ordered our liegelord `Ali ibn Abi Talib to dress the Shaykh with his cloak, and another time the Prophet himself dressed him with his noble hand, and another time the Prophet, upon him
blessings and peace, told him: "You are our dedicated servant," after which he would say: "The Prophet is pleased to have me as his servant."

Blessings and peace on the Prophet, his Family, and all his Companions.

Was-Salam,
GF Haddad