[4] Brief Biographies of Some Prominent Contemporary Scholars – Al-Allamah Hasan ibn Abdil Wahhab Marzuq al-Bannah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In The Name of Allāh, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

He was born in Cairo (which is the capital of Egypt) on the 22nd of October in the year 1925. He has four sons and daughters.

The Shaikh was raised in a Muslim household which closely implemented the pillars of Islam. His father — the noble Shaikh Abdul Wahhab Marzuq Al Banna, may Allah have mercy on him — was initially upon the creed and methodology of the Asha’irah. Then Allah guided him to the sound and pure creed and methodology of the pious predecessors, and by the permission of Allah, this is what he died upon. May Allah have mercy on him.

Then Allah favoured Shaikh Hasan’s brother — the noble Shaikh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab Al Bannah — with an opportunity to work at the Ministry of Endowments in Egypt, and by the permission of Allah, he was able to establish a committee called Jama’ah Al-Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah. The president of this group was none other than the noble Shaikh Muhammad Hamid Al Faqee. At this time, this was the only group in Egypt calling to the creed of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. They used to call the people to Tawheed and to purify their worship from all forms of shirk.

However, there were also various deviant groups in Egypt at that time — foremost among them was Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimeen. All of them opposed Jama’ah Al-Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah due to their firm adherence to the methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. The opposition to these noble brothers, and in some instances it even reached the level of animosity and hatred, was due to the methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah.

Allah gave his noble brother — Shaikh Muhammad Al Banna — success, and he aided these brothers, along with the help of another special and virtuous brother who was a colleague of his at his job, the noble Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq. Neither of these two knew about Salafiyah prior to this, but Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq had a very unyielding love for knowledge. He was also a very proficient poet.

They were both in search of a group who were upon the pure teachings of the methodology and creed of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. Subsequently, they visited a particular group of individuals who were apparently upon the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him. This group professed to be upon the Qur’an and Sunnah and waging war against the people of bid’ah, but in reality they were upon the methodology of the Ash’ariyah, who distort Allāh’s Attributes, calling to it and spreading it amongst the people.

When his (Shaikh Hasan’s) brother and his companion recognised this, they came across a book authored by Muhammad Ahmad Abdus Salaam Ash Shuqayri, who was from the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah, called Al Qawl Jaliy Fee Hukmi at-Tawasul Bi an-Nabi Wal Walee, and the book Adab Qiratul Qur’an Alal Mayyit. So they contacted the Shaikh, visited him, and became very well acquainted with him. He introduced them to Jama’ah al-Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah, who had a small place adjacent to the villa of A’bideen.

However, the people around them were not too fond of them or what they were propagating about Tawheed, mainly because the truth was completely in opposition to their creed. They were few in number, but when the Shaikh’s brother (i.e. Shaikh Hasan’s brother — Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab al-Bannah) and his companion went to visit these brothers, they were pleased with what they saw, just as his brother and his companion were pleased with what they saw, heard, and witnessed of the lectures being presented about Tawheed, which were delivered by Shaikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Rashid At Tamimi An Najdi from the scholars of those who ascribe themselves to Salafiyah.

He was living in Egypt at the time and has many well-known compilations, as well as his brother for the sake of Allah, Abdullah Ibn Yabis An Najdi, from the Salafi scholars. So Shaikh Muhammad and his companion met with Shaikh Muhammad Hamad Al Faqee. They were overjoyed to meet him, and they found, by meeting him, what they were looking for, which was clarification of the correct religion and the most important matters, which was the creed and methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah.

They began to learn the books and references which the scholars refer to. One of the most influential scholars from whom they learned was Muhammad Munayir Ad Damashqi. The moment they began to learn, they increased in their diligence and desire to learn more. They attended all the lectures of Muhammad Hamid Al Faqee, who frequently travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was beloved to His Eminence, King Abdul Aziz ibn Sa’ud (Rahimahullah).

The Shaikh had a well-known reputation with the scholars there and a close connection with them. They used to make him responsible for reviewing certain books relating to Tawheed and Sunnah and publishing them through his publishing company in the city of A’bideen in Cairo. He would review them, publish them, and send them back to Saudi Arabia.

Soon after, Shaikh Muhammad Bin Abdil Wahhab al-Bannah (Shaikh Hasan’s brother) and his companion began to call to the religion of Allah throughout Egypt, travelling throughout the local cities giving da’wah to the religion of Allah. In the process of this, their love, brotherhood, and companionship increased for the sake of Allah.

Shaikh Muhammad also directed his attention towards his family, guiding, teaching, and educating them. He began with his father — may Allah have mercy on him — by advising him to adhere firmly to the creed of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. His father, who had obtained a bachelor’s degree from Al-Azhar University, did not know any creed except that of the Asha’irah, in spite of his knowledge of other aspects of the religion.

He didn’t initially agree with or accept the call to the creed of Ahlus Sunnah, so he took Shaikh Muhammad to his grandfather, who was from the major scholars in Al-Azhar, but he was also of the Ash’ari methodology. And all praise is for Allah, Allah guided his grandfather to the correct Tawheed and methodology, and he began to weep because of what he had forfeited previously in his life and was so ignorant of for so many years.

Then Shaikh Muhammad directed his attention towards his mother — may Allah have mercy upon her — and other siblings, calling them to Tawheed. Allah guided all to this blessing and virtue. Therefore, the first teacher and guide to the Sunnah for Shaikh Hasan and his family was his brother — Muhammad Bin Abdil Wahhab al-Bannah.

Shaikh Hasan was immensely influenced by the Salafi Da’wah and began to read some of the books his brother introduced to him. Later on, he met Shaikh Muhammad Hamid Al Faqee and some of the other scholars involved in the da’wah in Egypt. He came to love them and frequented their lectures and admonitions.

Allah guided his heart to become acquainted with various sciences and matters of the religion which he would have never known had it not been for the bounty of Allah. So his brother is his Shaikh and teacher, as he played a major role in his guidance and removing some of the many burdens and difficulties of his life and the lives of his family due to being guided.

His mother would prepare food for them, and he would carry it to the lecture halls and circles of knowledge and sit far away from the crowd. When his brother and Muhammad Sadiq would finish teaching, he would get lunch for them after Salatul Dhuhr. Then the Shaikh would read to them from the various sciences, and the most important of these sciences was Tawheed.

Then he would read from the books of Seerah, then they would pray Asr and continue reading until Maghrib. Anytime he (Shaikh Hasan) had a question about a matter, he would find the details of it with his brother, and this increased his love for him. It also made him closer to him because he guided him away from the most corrupt and deviant creed which had affected so many of the youth during that time.

Then after the death of Muhammad Hamid Al Faqee, Shaikh Abdur Razaq Al Afifi took his place.

Shaikh Hasan used to travel to see him and at times travel with him and help prepare his lessons for him. And from those who were with them was Shaikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Rashid An Najdi, from the scholars of Saudi Arabia who was living in Egypt at the time. Shaikh Hasan would attend his lessons while in Iskandariyah, as well as visit him at his house on many occasions.

When he travelled to Makkah, Shaikh Hasan would travel and attend his lessons and admonitions. Then Allah decreed that Shaikh Abdur Razaq would be one of his teachers in the University in Riyadh. He would meet him when he came to visit his kids while he was teaching in the Islamic University in Madinah.

And Shaikh Abdur Razaq would teach even in the presence of His Eminence, King Abdul Aziz ibn Sa’ud, and his brother would also attend these lessons along with the other scholars. His brother was chosen to teach at the institute of knowledge in Saudi Arabia (which was the school of many like Shaikh Muhammad Aman Al Jami, Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Salih Al Uthaymeen, and others). So he left Cairo with his family to be a teacher in Riyadh.

Then His Eminence, the noble Shaikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Baz, was appointed president of the Islamic University of Madinah, and he learned about my brother in Riyadh, and they established companionship, love, and a strong sense of brotherhood for one another. Then Shaikh Abdur Razaq and Shaikh Ibn Baz’s relationship strengthened to the point that Shaikh Abdur Razaq was appointed Shaikh Ibn Baz’s wakil in the department of Fatawa, Da’wah wal Irshaad.

Allah gave him Tawfeeq, and both the scholars and students of knowledge established a great deal of reverence and respect for him due to his knowledge and virtue.

Shaikh Hasan also met Shaikh Muhammad Al Madani Malukhiyah, who was also from the people of knowledge, creed, and methodology. He met Shaikh Abdur Rahman Al Wakil, who preceded Shaikh Abdur Razaq after his demise. He travelled to Russia and was responsible for guiding many there to Islam and the correct creed and methodology. He was also responsible for writing many refutations against the Sufis. These are some of the most beneficial compilations Shaikh Hasan benefited from tremendously.

He also had the opportunity to meet Shaikh Muhammad Khaleel Harras, attended many of his lessons, and travelled with him on many occasions while he was calling to this da’wah. He would ask him about issues related to certain ahadeeth which were falsely interpreted by the Mu’tazilah.

Then Allah chose his brother — Shaikh Muhammad Bin Abdil Wahhab al-Bannah — to be a teacher at King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia, in the department for higher learning, more specifically the department of creed and methodology.

Then Muhammad Abdul Majeed assumed leadership of Jama’ah, and at this time, Shaikh Hasan would give da’wah in the local mosques, khutbahs, and lectures about Tawheed.

Then Allah willed that Shaikh Ibn Baz requested of him to teach at the Islamic University in Madinah. His brother clarified to the Shaikh that his creed is correct and that his methodology is the methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah.

Originally transmitted from salafitalk.net  Minor editorial revisions were made for readability and consistency, including occasional adjustment of first-person references for clarity, without altering the intended meaning.