Abdallah Bin Bayyah

Abdullah bin Bayyah
Title Shaykh
Born 1935 (age 80–81)[1]
Timbédra, Mauritania (then French West Africa)
Era Modern era
Region Saudi Arabia
Religion Islam
Denomination Sunni
Jurisprudence Maliki[2]
Website http://binbayyah.net/english/

Abdallah bin Mahfudh ibn Bayyah (born 1935[1]) is an Mauritanian professor of Islamic studies at the King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[3]

He is a specialist in all four traditional Sunni schools, with an emphasis on the Maliki Madh'hab. Currently he is the President of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies.[4] Bin Bayyah is involved in number of scholarly councils including The Islamic Fiqh Council, a Saudi-based Institute, he was also the Vice-President of International Union of Muslim Scholars.[5] from which he resigned mid 2013.[6] He is also a member of the Dublin-based European Council for Fatwa and Research, a council of Muslim clerics that aims at explaining Islamic law in a way that is sensitive to the realities of European Muslims.[7]

Early career

Bin Bayyah was born in Timbédra in a household with an Islamic environment in which he studied all of the Islamic sciences. He began his formal studies with his father, the judge Shaykh Mahfoudh; meanwhile, he studied Arabic with Shaykh Mohammed Salem bin al-Sheen, Quran with Shaykh Bayyah bin al-Salik al-Misumi.[8]

In his youth, he was appointed to study legal judgments in Tunis. On returning to Mauritania, he became Minister of Education and later Minister of Justice. He was also appointed a Vice President of the first president of Mauritania.[3] He resides in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and teaches Islamic Legal Methodology, Qur'an and Arabic at the King Abdulaziz University. He is fluent in Arabic and French.[9] Hamza Yusuf serves as his translator.[9]

Islamic Law

Bin Bayyah is said by some Sufis to be a scholar of uṣūl al-fiqh (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence) today and have competency in all four Sunni juridical schools. Some Muslims look upon him as one of the symbols of moderation and centrism. The West, and especially Western government, has taken his views and fatawas as an source and reference for Muslim minorities living in those countries. His viewpoints are characterized by seeking to adapt Islamic legal theory to the realities of the contemporary age, which enable him to find solutions to the emerging obstacles in the path of the modern Muslim, which has earned him much criticism from orthodox Muslims.[8]

Amman Message

Bin Bayyah is one of the signatories of the Amman Message, which gives a broad foundation for defining Muslim orthodoxy.[10]


Other

Shaykh Bin Bayyah was quoted by President Barack Obama during his speech before U.N security council 2014.[11] He was ranked amongst the 500 most influential Muslims from 2009 - 2013.[12]

Publications

Responsibilities and positions

Medals and awards

See also

Prominent students

References

  1. 1 2 John Gallagher, Eric D. Patterson, Debating the War of Ideas, p 51. ISBN 0230101984
  2. ↑ Gerhard Böwering, Patricia Crone, Mahan Mirza, The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought, p. 347. ISBN 0691134847
  3. 1 2 John Gallagher, Eric D, Debating the War of Ideas, p 51. ISBN 0230101984
  4. ↑ "Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies".
  5. ↑ Members list (Arabic)
  6. ↑ (Arabic)
  7. ↑ List of Members of the European Council for Fatwa and Research
  8. 1 2 ar:عبد الله بن بيه
  9. 1 2 Imams Online: "Abdallah bin Bayyah" retrieved September 20, 2015
  10. ↑ Bin Bayyah's official reply to Amman Message
  11. ↑ "Prominent Muslim Sheik Issues Fatwa Against ISIS Violence". September 25, 2014.
  12. ↑ "500 Most Influential Muslims". December 8, 2013.
  13. ↑ Gerhard Böwering, Patricia Crone, Mahan Mirza, The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought, p 347. ISBN 0691134847
  14. ↑ Bin Bayyah's Biography

External links

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