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In the name of Allāh, the most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Name
He is our Shaykh and Murabbi, Abu Abdillah Haytham Ibn Muḥammad Jamīl Sarḥān.
Birth
1391h, corresponding to 1971.
City
He was born in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and then moved to al-Madῑnah an-Nabawiyyah, where he currently resides.
Seeking knowledge
Before moving to Madῑnah, the Shaykh sought knowledge from the scholars in Jeddah, as well as frequently travelling between Jeddah and Makkah. He also gained an Ijāza in Qur’ān (Ḥafs from ‘Āsim) as well as various Ijāzāt in Ḥadīth, Tawḥīd and Farāid.
Scholars he studied with:
- Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn: He would travel to al-Ḥaram al-Makki to study with the Shaykh during the seasons in which Ibn ‘Uthaymīn would reside and teach in Makkah.
- Shaykh AbdulMuḥsin al-Abbād: after moving to Madῑnah, he devoted a number of years in studying the books of Sunnan with the Shaykh in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
- Shaykh Muḥammad Ibn ‘AbdulWahhāb al-Banna, in Jeddah.
- Shaykh ‘Umar Muḥammad Fullātah, in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
- Shaykh ‘Atiyyah Sālim, in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
- Shaykh Muḥammad Hamūd al-Wāili, in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
- Shaykh ‘Ammār ibn Mukhtār al-Akhdari & Shaykh Sa’īd Ibn Hamūd al-Juhani: He studied the laws of inheritance with them in al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
- He also attended lessons and gatherings with Shaykh Ibn Bāz, and met with Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣirud-Deen al-Albāni who gifted him the first copy of his book: “Taḥrīm Ālāt At-Tarb” lit. “the Impermissibility of Musical Instruments”.
His efforts and roles in teaching and Da’wah
- He was appointed as the Imām and Khatīb at Jāmi’ Masjid in Bani Mālik, Jeddah.
- He was appointed as a teacher in al-Ma’had al-Ḥaram in al-Masjid an-Nabawi in the year 1428h, wherein he taught ‘Aqīdah, Fiqh and Farāid.
- In 1432h, he was invited to participate in the annual summer Dawrah ‘Ilmiyyah in al-Masjid an-Nabawi, wherein he taught Kitāb at-Tawḥīd.
- He has taught numerous books in Masjid Dhu-Nurayn and Masjid al-Ghamāmah in Madīnah.
- He has travelled to various small towns and villages within Saudi Arabia to give Da’wah.
- He was appointed a Da’ee by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Awqāf in 1430h.
Books which he has taught
He has taught books and texts across the various branches of Islamic knowledge, including:
- In Aqīdah: The treatise’ of Imām Muḥammad Ibn AbdilWahhāb, including al-Uṣūl ath-Thalātha, al-Qawā’id al-arba’, al-Uṣūl as-Sittah, Kitāb at-Tawḥīd, Nawāqid al-Islām as well as other well-known treatise such as al-Aqīdah al-Wāsitiyyah, at-Taḥāwiyyah, at-Tadmuriyyah, al-Ḥamawiyyah and Sullam al-wuṣūl by al-Ḥakami etc…
- In Fiqh: Ad-Durūs al-Muhimmah, Manhaj as-Sālikīn and Zād al-Mustaqni’.
- In Uṣūl al-Fiqh: Naẓm al-Waraqāt, al-Uṣūl min ‘ilm al-Uṣūl, al-Qawā’id al-Fiqhiyyah and ar-Raḥbiyyya (in al-Farāid).
- Ādāb: Naẓm Ḥilyat Tālib al-Ilm, al-Manẓūmat al-Mīmiyyyah etc…
The shaykh has taught each one of these books many times over.
Books which he has authored
- Al-Mukhtaṣar al-Mufīd li sīrat an-Nabi al-Muṣtafā.
- At-Taqsīm wat-Taq’īd lil Qawl al-Mufīd.
- Sharḥ matn ad-Durūs al-Muhimmma li ‘Āamatil Ummah.
- Sharḥ al-Uṣūl ath-Thalāthah
- Sharḥ al-Uṣūl as-Sittah
- Sharh Manhaj as-Sāaikīn
- Mutūn Tālib al-ilm
In addition to the above books which he has authored, some of his books, lectures and articles have been translated into over 50 languages including English, Amharic, French, Urdu, Russian, German, Albanian, Bangla, Indonesian, Romanian, Persian, Kurdish, Swedish and Norwegian.[1]
His books translated into English include,
- Gateway to understanding Aqīdah, Fiqh, Sīrah & Tafsīr.
- A Concise Biography of the Prophet ﷺ and His Special Traits.
- Explanation for the Important lessons for Every Muslim.
- Fiqh of Fasting, Zakat al-Fitr and ‘Eid [leaflet].
- An explanation of al-Uṣūl ath-Thalātha.
- An explanation of Nawāqid al-Islām.
- An explanation of al-Qawādi’ al-Arbā’.
- I play and learn.
His website(s):
He is the supervisor of two websites, they are:
This website contains the books and lessons of the Shaykh as well as other scholar of Madinah.
A free online learning platform through which a student can progress through the Islamic sciences.
His teaching style
He is known for his efforts in teaching books to individuals, small groups as well large congregations with an emphasis on Mutūn (texts) and in particular the explanations of Ibn ‘Uthaymīn. Students are prohibited from writing or taking notes during the lesson, rather they are encouraged to listen attentively and memorise. After the lesson, the students would sit together and write the lesson note from their memory.
His classes are disciplined, and the correct etiquettes must be maintained at all times. Each student is required to memorise the Matn, and revise previous work – with the threat of the lesson being cancelled at an instance if it the matn has not been memorised or revised.
During his first years of teaching in al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the Shaykh would divide his students into small groups of 4 or 5 students, and each group would be taught every day for 20 minutes. As his lessons became more popular, and the space afforded to him in al-Masjid an-Nabawi became crowded, he was given a dedicated place in Masjid Dhu-Nurayn.
The praise of the scholars [2]
Shaykh Wasīullah al-Abbās: “That which I know, is that he is a man who strived to [learn and] sit with the scholars, he has knowledge regarding the correct ‘Aqīdah and [knowledge-based] issues…”
Shaykh Sāliḥ as-Suḥaymī: “Shaykh Haytham Sarḥān is a virtuous man, and from the best of the Salafi students of knowledge.”
Shaykh Falāḥ Ismā’īl: “As for Shaykh Haytham Sarḥān, we do not know him except to be a Mujāhid in this field (da’wah), he has great efforts, tolerance and travelling to countries; he travels East and West; in fact he aids students to travel to Madīnah, and live in Madīnah to learn, seek knowledge and then return to their countries. The world bears witness to his lessons. His lessons and lectures are all books of the Salaf, so where is the hizbiyyah?!…the man is known to us to be upon the Sunnah, and the books he teaches are the books of the Sunnah…”
Shaykh ‘Ali at-Tuwijirī: “The brother, Haytham Sarḥān is known to me, I know him personally, he is from our trustworthy brothers, he traverses the Salafi methodology, well-grounded in knowledge; he has devoted himself to the lessons of our Shaykh ’AbdulMuḥsin al-Abbād; and has also devoted himself to teaching students….”
There is a lot more to be written regarding his Da’wah efforts, his character, his sacrifices, his unique relationship with his students throughout the world as well as my personal experiences and interactions with him spanning over 15 years; however, ultimately it is a person’s own knowledge, good deeds and efforts which praise him, and what has been written is sufficient for now; nobody is praised above Allāh, and our accountability is with Him alone. Wallāhu a’lam.
Compiled by,
Abul Abbaas Naveed Ayaaz
Nelson, Lancashire
24th Muharram, 1444h
Corresponding to 21st August, 2022.
Footnotes
[1] His books and their translations can be readily downloaded: https://alsarhaan.com/en/books/
[2] Some of the quotes have been paraphrased for the sake of brevity and translation. For the full quotes, refer to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IvTt27vGs8&t=13s
