IMAM AHMAD
MASHHUR AL-HADDAD
رضي الله عنه
Scholar, spiritual master and one of the great callers to Allah of the Ba ‘Alawi tradition.
A HOUSE OF
KNOWLEDGE & PIETY
Imam Ahmad Mashhur b. Taha al-Haddad رضي الله عنه was born in Qaydun, Hadramawt, Yemen, in 1325 AH to the Gnostic Habib Taha b. Ali al-Haddad رضي الله عنه and the saintly Hababah Safiyya bint Imam Tahir b. Umar al-Haddad رضي الله عنها.
More commonly known as Habib Ahmad Mashhur رضي الله عنه, he was a Gnostic whose character and spiritual state reminded people of the pious predecessors of the early centuries.
RAISED AMONG
THE GREAT MASTERS
THE QUR’AN
Habib Ahmad Mashhur رضي الله عنه memorised the entire Qur’an at an early age, establishing the foundation of a life devoted to sacred knowledge and service.
HIS TEACHERS
He accompanied the great Imam al-Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-‘Attas, Imam al-Habib ‘Abdullah bin Tahir al-Haddad and Habib Alawi al-Haddad رضي الله عنهم.
TARIM
He travelled to Tarim and studied the sacred sciences under great scholars including Habib Alawi b. Abdullah b. Shihab and Habib Abdullah b. Umar al-Shatiri رضي الله عنهم.
THE HANDS OF
THE GNOSTICS
His spiritual opening came at the blessed hands of the great Gnostic, Imam and Qutb, Habib Ahmad b. Muhsin al-Haddar رضي الله عنه. He also received blessings and authorisation from al-Qutb Habib Umar b. Ahmad b. Abi Bakr b. Sumayt رضي الله عنه.
AL-HADDAR رضي الله عنه
MASHHUR رضي الله عنه
B. SUMAYT رضي الله عنه
A CALL THAT
CROSSED CONTINENTS
Habib Ahmad Mashhur رضي الله عنه eventually became one of the great callers to Allah Ta‘ala and reached a lofty spiritual station. Hundreds of thousands of people would seek him for du‘a, guidance and knowledge, seeking his blessings and spiritual attention.
His da‘wah called people to Allah Ta‘ala and His Beloved Prophet ﷺ. It is related that in East Africa alone more than 300,000 people embraced Islam through his efforts.
IN EAST AFRICA
HUMILITY,
WISDOM & LOVE
Habib Ahmad Mashhur رضي الله عنه was known for his immense humility and strict adherence to the Prophetic ﷺ way, following the footsteps of his ancestors, the Sa‘dah Bani ‘Alawi.
His gentle character, wisdom and love transformed hearts. People who had been distant from Allah were guided through him, and some went on to become scholars and people of spiritual distinction.
He served the religion of his noble and pure grandfather ﷺ, attending to the affairs of people in both their worldly lives and their journey towards Allah Ta‘ala.
MIFTAH UL JANNAH
KEY TO THE GARDEN
Among his celebrated works is Miftah ul Jannah, translated into English as Key to the Garden. Its teachings direct the reader towards strength of iman and the light of guidance.
Habib Ahmad Mashhur is amongst those Gnostics who recites a single verse of the Qur’an all night, and with each recitation countless secrets are unveiled to him.
AL-QUTB HABIB ‘ABD AL-QADIR AL-SAQQAF رضي الله عنه
QASA’ID,
SALAWAT & GUIDANCE
Habib Ahmad Mashhur رضي الله عنه wrote many qasa’id and salawat which continue to be recited by his disciples and lovers throughout the world.
He was instrumental in spreading the works of Imam Abdullah al-Haddad رضي الله عنه, particularly throughout East Africa, and became a reviver of Islam in those lands.
A MATCHLESS PEARL
OF BANI ‘ALAWI
He worked tirelessly for the religion of his grandfather ﷺ and never turned anyone away from his blessed door. Nobody came to him except that they found peace and safety with him.
His life remains a testament to knowledge, humility, da‘wah and service.
HIS NOBLE
LINEAGE
Imam Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad رضي الله عنه belonged to the noble Prophetic household, his lineage returning through the great Imams of the Ba ‘Alawi tradition to Sayyiduna Muhammad ﷺ.
We pray that Allah Ta‘ala keeps us under his blessed gazes in this world and the next, and that his blessings continue to spread far and wide. May we remain with him in this world and the next, never to be separated.