Sheikh Al-Kurdi: The Muqri of Syria passes away
Inna Lillah wa Inna ilayhi Raji`oon (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall all return)
The Prophet (PBUH) told us that Allah will not take knowledge away by uprooting it; but, knowledge will be taken slowly by the death of its bearers (`ulama) and therefore only the ignorant will remain to lead people and misguide them. We are also told that the death of a whole tribe is lighter in the eyes of Allah that the death of a scholar. And that the death of a scholar leaves a friction in the deen.
With hearts full of contentment and patience we pray that Allah accepts the Shaykh of our Shuyukh, the great Muqri of Ash-Shaam (Syria) Sheikh Muqri Muhy-ad-Din Al-Kurdi who passed away two days ago in Syria at the age of 97. May Allah shower his grave with mercy and join him with His beloved and our beloved Muhammad (PBUH)
As part of fulfilling the right of the Shaykh on a student of his students, here is a short biography of him:
His Name:
Muhyi-ad-Din ibn Hasan ibn Mar`ie ibn Hasan Agha ibn `Ali Al-Kurdi ad-Dari (from Diyar Bakr)
His birth:
He was born in Damascus on 1912 AD, grew up between his parents, specially his righteous mother. He finished the memorisation of the whole Quran at the age of seventeen at the hands of Sheikh `Izz Ad-Din Al-`Irqsusi and the Imam of his area Sheikh Rashid Shamsuddin used to praise him and say: A great scholar will appear here in this area. He (Sheikh Al-Kurdi) read some Hanafi Fiqh with him as well.
He read `Umdat As-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller) in Shafi`i Fiqh with Sheikh Muhammad Barakat; read Al-Azhariyyah, Qatr An-Nada and Ibn `Aqeel in grammer with Sheikh Husni Al-Baghghal and memorised Matn Abi Shuja` in Fiqh. One of his colleagues at that time was the great Shadhuli mentor Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ash-Shaghouri, the Sheikh of Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller.
He started combining the ten qira'at and it took him 5 years and he finished at the age of thirty.
He met Sheikh Abdul-Karim Ar-Rifai`ie who read with him Usul, Fiq, Logic, Tawheed and Arabic language.
He became the Imam and Khatib of Zayd ibn Thabit mosque and later focused on teaching Qira'at as his Sheikh Abul-Karim Ar-Rifa`ie advised when he saw the many young people who came to learn.
The Sheikh has left behind 6 sons and 9 daughters. In addition, the Sheikh has left his students who are many alhamndulilah. Among his prominent students is our Shaykh Dr. Ayman Suwayd (may Allah preserve him)
May Allah shower mercy in abundance on the soul of Sheikh Al-Kurdi and enlighten his grave as he enlightened the world with the words of Quran and reward him for each and every student and student of student till the day of judgement. And in the end,
"The eyes shed tears, the heart feels sad, but we say nothing except what pleases our Lord."
by Imam Ahmed Muhammad Sa'ad - Imam of North London Central Mosque - Al-Azhar University - Posted at: 10-08-2009