01. Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-sa’di(رحمه الله) [D: 1956]

Biography of Shaykh al-‘Allāmah ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī

Written by one of his students

He is Shaykh Abū ʿAbd Allāh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Nāṣir Āl Saʿdī, from the tribe of Banū Tamīm. He was born in the town of ʿUnayzah in al-Qaṣīm, on the 12th of Muḥarram, 1307 AH. His mother passed away when he was four years old, and his father passed away when he was seven. Thus, he grew up an orphan, but with a righteous upbringing. From his early childhood, he drew attention due to his intelligence and his strong desire for knowledge.

After the death of his father, he began studying the Qur’an, and then memorized it completely and mastered it by heart at the age of eleven. Thereafter, he devoted himself to learning at the hands of the scholars of his town and those scholars who visited. He strove hard until he attained a large share of every branch of knowledge. When he reached the age of twenty-three, he began teaching, so he was simultaneously learning and teaching, dedicating all of his time to that. By the year 1350 AH, the responsibility of teaching in his town returned to him, and the students relied upon him entirely.

Some of the Shaykh’s teachers:

He studied under Shaykh Ibrāhīm ibn Ḥamad ibn Jāsir, the first teacher he read with. The author describes his teacher as being a memorizer of ḥadīth, with humility and love for the poor despite his own need, sharing with them and supporting them. Many times a poor man would come to him on a cold day, so he would remove one of his two garments and give it to the poor man, even though he himself was in need. May Allah have mercy on him.

From his teachers also was Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Shibl, with whom he studied fiqh and Arabic sciences and others.

Among them was Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿUthmān al-Qāḍī (the judge of ʿUnayzah), with whom he studied tawḥīd, tafsīr, fiqh (its roots and branches), and Arabic sciences. He was the teacher he studied under the most, accompanying him closely until his death, may Allah have mercy on him.

Among his teachers were Shaykh ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿĀyiḍ, Shaykh Ṣaʿb al-Quwayjirī, Shaykh ʿAlī al-Sanānī, and Shaykh ʿAlī al-Nāṣir Abū Wādī, with whom he studied ḥadīth, reading the six canonical collections and others, and from whom he obtained ijāzah (authorization).

He also studied with Shaykh Muḥammad, son of Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Muḥammad al-Māniʿ (the director of education in Saudi Arabia at that time), while he was in ʿUnayzah.

From his teachers also was Shaykh Muḥammad al-Shanqīṭī (previously Nazīr of the Ḥijāz, then resident of al-Zubayr). When he came to ʿUnayzah and sat there to teach, the author studied tafsīr, ḥadīth, and Arabic sciences such as grammar and morphology with him.

A glimpse of the author’s character:

He was of great noble character, humble with young and old, rich and poor alike. He would dedicate part of his time to sitting with those who wished to attend, and their gatherings would become scholarly circles, filled with beneficial scientific and social discussions. The people of the gathering gained tremendous benefits from these fruitful exchanges, such that their ordinary sittings would turn into acts of worship and sessions of knowledge. He would speak with each person according to what suited them, and discuss topics beneficial for their worldly and religious life.

He often resolved disputes with just reconciliation that pleased both sides. He was compassionate toward the poor, the needy, and the strangers, assisting them to the best of his ability, and seeking donations for them from benefactors known for their love of charity. He was distinguished by refined manners, chastity, integrity, and firmness in all his affairs.

He was among the best in teaching and the clearest in explanation. He organized teaching times, conducted debates between his advanced students to sharpen their minds, and offered rewards for memorizing certain texts—ensuring that whoever memorized received the reward, without depriving anyone.

He would consult his students about the most beneficial study texts, taking into account the preference of the majority, and if opinions were equal, he himself would decide. Students never grew tired of the length of study sessions, because they enjoyed his company. Thus, a large number of accomplished students studied under him, and this continues. May Allah bless his life, grant us and him barakah in time, and provide us with provision through righteous deeds.

His knowledge:

He possessed complete knowledge in fiqh, its roots and branches. In the beginning, he adhered to the Ḥanbalī madhhab as taught by his teachers, and even memorized some of its texts. He authored, in his early days, a didactic poem in fiqh of around 400 verses with a brief commentary, but he did not wish it to be published, as it reflected his earlier understanding.

His greatest benefit came from the works of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim, which brought him abundant good in the sciences of uṣūl, tawḥīd, tafsīr, fiqh, and other useful knowledge. By the light of their works, he was no longer bound to the Ḥanbalī madhhab, but rather gave preference to whatever was strongest according to the sharʿī evidence. Yet he never disparaged the scholars of the madhāhib, unlike some extremists—may Allah guide them and us to the straight path.

He had great mastery of tafsīr. He read numerous tafsīrs, excelled in it, and authored his renowned tafsīr in several volumes, composing it extemporaneously without having other tafsīr books with him at the time of writing. He would regularly read the Qur’an with his students and explain it spontaneously, elaborating on meanings, benefits, and drawing out unique insights and profound lessons. His listeners wished he would never stop, due to his eloquence, strong style, and his expansive use of evidences and stories. Whoever sat with him, read with him, or discussed with him recognized his vast knowledge, as did those who read his writings and fatwas.

His writings:

1. Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Karīm entitled Taysīr al-Karīm al-Raḥmān, in 8 volumes, completed in 1344 AH (not printed at that time).
2. Marginal notes on fiqh, supplementing all the books used in the Ḥanbalī madhhab (unpublished).
3. Irshād Uli al-Baṣāʾir wal-Albāb – arranged in Q&A format, printed in Damascus 1365 AH at his own expense and distributed for free.
4. Al-Durrat al-Mukhtaṣirah fī Maḥāsin al-Islām, printed 1366 AH.
5. Al-Khuṭab al-ʿAṣriyyah al-Qayyimah, sermons delivered on Fridays and ʿĪds addressing important needs of the people, later printed together with al-Durrat al-Mukhtaṣirah.
6. Al-Qawāʿid al-Ḥisān li-Tafsīr al-Qur’ān, printed 1366 AH.
7. Tanzīh al-Dīn wa-Ḥamalatihi wa-Rijālihi, refuting al-Quṣaymī’s “al-Aghlāl,” printed in 1366 AH.
8. Al-Ḥaqq al-Wāḍiḥ al-Mubīn, on the tawḥīd of the Prophets and Messengers.
9. Tawḍīḥ al-Kāfiyah al-Shāfiyah, commentary on Ibn al-Qayyim’s Nūniyyah.
10. Wujūb al-Taʿāwun bayna al-Muslimīn and treatises on jihād, printed in Cairo.
11. Al-Qawl al-Sadīd fī Maqāṣid al-Tawḥīd, printed in Cairo 1367 AH.
12. Mukhtaṣar in Uṣūl al-Fiqh (unprinted).
13. Taysīr al-Laṭīf al-Mannān fī Khulāṣat Tafsīr al-Qur’ān, printed at his expense and distributed freely.
14. Al-Riyāḍ al-Nāḍirah (this very work).

He also had numerous scattered benefits, many fatwas answering various questions from his town and beyond, as well as annotations on many books. Writing was very easy for him, and he wrote extensively in fatwas and other works. He also wrote notes on the well-known poem of Ibn ʿAbd al-Qawī, combining it with al-Inṣāf to aid in understanding it, though he did not count it among his official works.

His purpose in writing:

His sole aim in authoring was the spread of knowledge and calling to the truth. For this reason, he wrote, printed, and distributed his works whenever able, not seeking worldly gain or fleeting benefit, but distributing them for free so that the benefit would reach widely. May Allah reward him on behalf of Islam and the Muslims, and may He grant us what pleases Him.

His death:

After a blessed life of about sixty-nine years in the service of knowledge, he passed away in the year 1376 AH (1956 CE) in the city of ʿUnayzah in al-Qaṣīm. May Allah have vast mercy upon him.

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