His noble lineage
He is the noble sayyed, Imam, the great scholar, the encompassment of all noblecharacteristics, the callers to Allah and His Messenger, my master Habib thebeloved Abdul Qader bin Ahmad bin Abdur-Rahman bin Ali bin Umar bin Saqqaf bin Muhammad bin Umar bin Taha bin Umar bin Taha bin Umar bin Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Abdur Rahman as-Saqqaf bin MuhammadMawla Dawila bin Ali bin Alawi bin al-Faqih al-Muqaddam Muhammad bin Ali binMuhammad the Sahib of Mirbat bin Ali, Khali Qasm bin Alawi bin MuhammadMawla of Sawma’a bin Alawi al-Mubtakir bin Ubaidullah bin al-Muhajir illallahAhmad bin Isa bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Uraydi bin Jafar as-Sadiq bin Muhammadal-Baqir bin Ali Zain al-Abidin, may Allah be pleased with him, bin Hussayn as-Sibt,may Allah be pleased with him, bin Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah bepleased with him, and Sayyida Fatima az-Zahra al-Batul, may Allah be pleasedwith her, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace.
His birth and Upbringing
My master Habib Abdul Qader bin Ahmad as-Saqqaf was born in the city of Seyunin the month of Jumadul Akhir in the year 1331. He grew up in the lap of hisparents suckled upon the milk of guidance and piety from the time he was in thecradle
His father Habib Ahmad bin Abdur Rahman was the Imam of his time. His fameneeds no introduction. He was the noble Sayed, the generous scholar, worshipperwho had reached in the ranks of suluk and ascension to the highest levels of tamkin and tasarruf.He would speak regarding the ocean of realities with no objections. For he wasaccording to the testification of the great scholars and saints of the time a slavewho knew his Lord. And so His Lord taught him, honoured him, granted himcloseness purified him, and adorned him. Therefore there is no surprise that hisson would speak wisdom at such an early age when he was filled with suchknowledge, forbearance and light.His mother was the noble Sayyida Alawiya the daughter of Habib Ahmad binMuhammad al-Jufri. A righteous woman who loved good and its people.She was from the noble family of al-Haddad and her husband passed away. Anumber of the Sayyeds proposed to her but it was not written for any of them toget married to her. Habib Ahmad bin Abdur Rahman had been married to anumber of women from before and so when one of the muhibbin suggested thismatch he thought over it not wanting it to end wrongly and then Allah expandedhis breast to the matter and so he married her. She became pregnant with a childwhom Habib Ali bin al-Habashi named Abdul Qader. However this child passedaway.When the second child was born Habib Ali bin Muhammad al-Habashi named himAbdul Qader again and gave glad tidings regarding his future rank. The childopened his blessed eyes to secrets, lights, worship, and obedience in hisenvironment. There was nothing that surrounded him but the ayahs of His Lord
remembrance, prayer, fasting, Quran, guidance, piety, iman, knowledge, actionand ihsan.So this heart grew up on the fitra, the fitra which Allah has placed people on. Dayafter day he would yearn for ascensions. And there was around him all the meansto fulfil that which was brimming in his heart. He grew up taking to those meansin all earnest. Coupled with the sight of his father, the Imam who was either inprayer, or fasting, in knowledge or action, in night prayers, gatherings, or inteaching or in the veneration of the masters. And in seeing his pure pious andblessed mother in remembrance and worship throughout the day and night.These had an effect on the iman imprinting itself on the heart of the child. Hismind grew up according to this Mariah, and in witnessing the fruits of striving of the purity of tassawuf and under a supervision which knew no laziness orboredom. This was from the tawfeeq of Allah. And this is the way of the people of the righteous salaf, those who knew the preciousness of time and so they filled itwith openings and bestowals. And were pre-occupied with a trade of righteousactions and s profited. Their children inherited this understanding of thepreciousness of time and worship within it more than any other material thing.
Early Childhood
The early childhood of my Master Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf was under thesupervision of his parents. An educational upbringing and fine manners. Many of his contemporaries received a similar upbringing. For early education inHadramawt was at the peak of fine manners and in engaging the limps in worship,with sincerity and perfection the correction of the heart. Nothing other than this.Education was from one side an illuminated side. The son would take from his father and the father received from his ancestors having inherited the secrets of his fathers. This as to the extent that when Habib went to learn about hisforefathers, his inward was brimming with a strange motivation over his outward.His shaykh during this early phase was Shaykh Taha bin Abdullah Ba Hamid.
Hewas in charge of education and instruction.
Education in Madrasah an-Nahda Ilmiyya (The School for reviving knowledge)
My master received a great portion in this madrasah. He learnt the knoweldges,literature, sirah, history and many other subjects.He was from among the most outstanding students which Habib Abdullah binAydrus. His father opened up a section of the school for just the memorisation of the Quran. Habib Abdul Qader with all earnestness memorised the Quran in avery short amount to time.Alongside this he mastered many other sciences such as hadith, tafsir, fiqh,grammar and other subjects in literature, science and the knowledge of tassawuf.My master Habib Abdul Qader mentioned that Shaykh Ali Ba Kathir wouldencourage them to come visit him when they were not studying he would givethem something to eat and drink and would read book of literature and wisdomto them. Habib’s father would ask what he would read with his teacher and if hesaw any exaggeration in it, he would correct it and then guide him towards thecouplets of Imam al-Haddad, and Habib Umar bin Saqqaf and Ibn al-Muqri.His father was also concerned that Habib Abdul Qader would not accompany theyoungsters and that which they do. He would spend time to listen to everything that he memorised or he would ask him to read to him. this is despite his father’sconcern for time but his concern for Habib Abdul Qader was more.My master had by this time mastered the seven recitation of the Quran withShaykh Hasan Abdullah Ba Raja and then soon after histeacher returned fromMakkah he had mastered all of them.Despite all of these lessons of Quran, Language and fiqh he conintually studiedwith his father and at times he would finish a complete book in a day.In this untiring manner the mind of Habib grew in understanding and knowledgefrom the outpouring of the One the Everlasting.The son learnt from the father about the secret of the blessedness of time.
Teaching in the Madrasah Nahda Ilmiyyah.
One of the specialities of this madrasah was that it would produce geniuses whowould go on to teach in the school.One of the most outstanding of these who started teaching was Habib AbdulQader. To teach in such a competitive environment, in an environment whereknowledge is at its peak is not an easy matter, but Habib Abdul Qader performedthis role in the nest of ways. His students and murids still remember the honourof those days.Teaching general lectures
At that same time, Habib Abdul Qader took over his father’s public teaching and private gatherings which used to be held in Masjid Taha bin Umar as-Safi. He tookover teaching all of the students who come to that city. Showing the depth of hisunderstanding and soundness of knowledge which made him the coolness of hisfather’s eye and the inheritor of his forefather’s secret.Many students emerged grateful and continually remembering him and testifyingto the greatness of his wisdom. Also the way that he would solve the mostcomplex problems in the most easiest of ways.His father’s illness and passing away in the year 1357Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf said, ‘The signs of my father’s illness first beganwith a light temperature which began on the 18th of Ramadan in the year 1356H.That night they were going to have the khatm in Masjid Riyad. When he finishedthe Isha prayer he said to me, ‘I feel a temperature...’ This was the beginning of his illness. He told me to go to my uncle Abdullah bin Ahmad to ask him to leadthe prayers, so I went and asked him to do so, and he led them in prayer.‘My father would come in and out of consciousness. A severe temperature overtook him which he would feel the weight of. He would say to us while in this state,‘Imam al-Haddad spent 15 years with a temperature and would say this is therank of a Qutb.’ My father was at first under the care of the women of the houseand then when the illness increased then his khuddam would take care of him notreturning to his house until he had fallen asleep.’He continued like this until the sunset on the Saturday of 4th of Muharram in theyear 1358 when his noble spirit was taken to its Creator at a time when he was at the peak of patience of endurance. Even at this point he was continuously askingabout the time of prayer. He did not pass away until after he had performed Asrthat day, while he lay on his bed, having performed his prayers in this mannerthroughout his illness.After the passing away of his father the burden of responsibility grew upon theshoulders of the inheritor Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf. The great responsibilityof teaching and dawa to Allah, looking after the needy, the impoverished andtheir problems all fell upon him. Making them happy and tending to the affairs of his family and relatives and all of those around was his responsibility.All of the mashayikh and contemporaries concurred that Habib Abdul Qader hadindeed inherited his father’s sir.My master said; ‘I witnessed 21 years of my father’s life...he passed away at theage of 79 and my age was 25. He took great care of me and took me with him toTarim, Aynat, Huta, Shibam and would present me to the mashayikh.’
The rank of Habib Abdul Qader is the rank of his father
Little time had passed before people were looking towards Habib Abdul Qader inorder to see how he would be.Habib would not turn to look at any of what stemmed from human natures. Forhe was travelling in those blessed lights which his father had established for himfrom the first day. Therefore time was filled with knowledge and actions teachingand reading with the cheerfulness that people were accustomed to. Heestablished everyone’s rights and forgive others regarding his own. Despite therush of his gatherings and circles of teaching, his house was open for guests. It isreported that it would be a sanctuary for guests without discrimination of wealthor character. He was almost the only one at that time who would honour theguest and house the stranger. He would welcome and strive in helping the poorwith what he was able to from his wealth, would maintain relations and wouldask after them.With this type of great character the circle of benefitting and correction widened.Students of knowledge and others flocked round him in order to receive.Wherever a gathering was established the audience would sit attentively in orderto listen to the grand knowledge. Whenever he would speak the listeners wouldbe affected by his sermon.The house of my master Habib Abdul Qader encompassed a grand and greatlibrary filled with amazing books. There hardly was any book but that Habib hadread some part of it. This was his habit since his father’s time. For whenever hisfather heard of a book or treatise he would request it and then tell his son to readit to him. He would copy the book out in order to keep a copy in his library
At times he would also sit with the elderly, the shuyukh and teachers out of friendship, and love and for the sake of knowledge.On occasion he would leave his house to go to the country side. Many of thescholars would go in order to take pleasure in natural beauty
Habib Abdul Qader in the field of literature
In his youth Habib Abdul Qader inclined towards literature, poetry and aphorisms,for what they contained in establishing the mind, and intellect. Allah had blessedhim in his time, and so he would compose very fine poetry, we have come acrossmany of them which are still manuscripts. He also wrote many benefits, lessons,and observations which are too lengthy to go into the details of. Seyun was acentre for literature and taste. Many poets such as Ba Kathir and others wouldgather there to read their poetry
from : http://www.scribd.com/doc/42933684/A-Biography-of-Habib-Abdul-Qadir-Saqqaf
He is the noble sayyed, Imam, the great scholar, the encompassment of all noblecharacteristics, the callers to Allah and His Messenger, my master Habib thebeloved Abdul Qader bin Ahmad bin Abdur-Rahman bin Ali bin Umar bin Saqqaf bin Muhammad bin Umar bin Taha bin Umar bin Taha bin Umar bin Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Abdur Rahman as-Saqqaf bin MuhammadMawla Dawila bin Ali bin Alawi bin al-Faqih al-Muqaddam Muhammad bin Ali binMuhammad the Sahib of Mirbat bin Ali, Khali Qasm bin Alawi bin MuhammadMawla of Sawma’a bin Alawi al-Mubtakir bin Ubaidullah bin al-Muhajir illallahAhmad bin Isa bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Uraydi bin Jafar as-Sadiq bin Muhammadal-Baqir bin Ali Zain al-Abidin, may Allah be pleased with him, bin Hussayn as-Sibt,may Allah be pleased with him, bin Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah bepleased with him, and Sayyida Fatima az-Zahra al-Batul, may Allah be pleasedwith her, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace.
His birth and Upbringing
My master Habib Abdul Qader bin Ahmad as-Saqqaf was born in the city of Seyunin the month of Jumadul Akhir in the year 1331. He grew up in the lap of hisparents suckled upon the milk of guidance and piety from the time he was in thecradle
His father Habib Ahmad bin Abdur Rahman was the Imam of his time. His fameneeds no introduction. He was the noble Sayed, the generous scholar, worshipperwho had reached in the ranks of suluk and ascension to the highest levels of tamkin and tasarruf.He would speak regarding the ocean of realities with no objections. For he wasaccording to the testification of the great scholars and saints of the time a slavewho knew his Lord. And so His Lord taught him, honoured him, granted himcloseness purified him, and adorned him. Therefore there is no surprise that hisson would speak wisdom at such an early age when he was filled with suchknowledge, forbearance and light.His mother was the noble Sayyida Alawiya the daughter of Habib Ahmad binMuhammad al-Jufri. A righteous woman who loved good and its people.She was from the noble family of al-Haddad and her husband passed away. Anumber of the Sayyeds proposed to her but it was not written for any of them toget married to her. Habib Ahmad bin Abdur Rahman had been married to anumber of women from before and so when one of the muhibbin suggested thismatch he thought over it not wanting it to end wrongly and then Allah expandedhis breast to the matter and so he married her. She became pregnant with a childwhom Habib Ali bin al-Habashi named Abdul Qader. However this child passedaway.When the second child was born Habib Ali bin Muhammad al-Habashi named himAbdul Qader again and gave glad tidings regarding his future rank. The childopened his blessed eyes to secrets, lights, worship, and obedience in hisenvironment. There was nothing that surrounded him but the ayahs of His Lord
remembrance, prayer, fasting, Quran, guidance, piety, iman, knowledge, actionand ihsan.So this heart grew up on the fitra, the fitra which Allah has placed people on. Dayafter day he would yearn for ascensions. And there was around him all the meansto fulfil that which was brimming in his heart. He grew up taking to those meansin all earnest. Coupled with the sight of his father, the Imam who was either inprayer, or fasting, in knowledge or action, in night prayers, gatherings, or inteaching or in the veneration of the masters. And in seeing his pure pious andblessed mother in remembrance and worship throughout the day and night.These had an effect on the iman imprinting itself on the heart of the child. Hismind grew up according to this Mariah, and in witnessing the fruits of striving of the purity of tassawuf and under a supervision which knew no laziness orboredom. This was from the tawfeeq of Allah. And this is the way of the people of the righteous salaf, those who knew the preciousness of time and so they filled itwith openings and bestowals. And were pre-occupied with a trade of righteousactions and s profited. Their children inherited this understanding of thepreciousness of time and worship within it more than any other material thing.
Early Childhood
The early childhood of my Master Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf was under thesupervision of his parents. An educational upbringing and fine manners. Many of his contemporaries received a similar upbringing. For early education inHadramawt was at the peak of fine manners and in engaging the limps in worship,with sincerity and perfection the correction of the heart. Nothing other than this.Education was from one side an illuminated side. The son would take from his father and the father received from his ancestors having inherited the secrets of his fathers. This as to the extent that when Habib went to learn about hisforefathers, his inward was brimming with a strange motivation over his outward.His shaykh during this early phase was Shaykh Taha bin Abdullah Ba Hamid.
Hewas in charge of education and instruction.
Education in Madrasah an-Nahda Ilmiyya (The School for reviving knowledge)
My master received a great portion in this madrasah. He learnt the knoweldges,literature, sirah, history and many other subjects.He was from among the most outstanding students which Habib Abdullah binAydrus. His father opened up a section of the school for just the memorisation of the Quran. Habib Abdul Qader with all earnestness memorised the Quran in avery short amount to time.Alongside this he mastered many other sciences such as hadith, tafsir, fiqh,grammar and other subjects in literature, science and the knowledge of tassawuf.My master Habib Abdul Qader mentioned that Shaykh Ali Ba Kathir wouldencourage them to come visit him when they were not studying he would givethem something to eat and drink and would read book of literature and wisdomto them. Habib’s father would ask what he would read with his teacher and if hesaw any exaggeration in it, he would correct it and then guide him towards thecouplets of Imam al-Haddad, and Habib Umar bin Saqqaf and Ibn al-Muqri.His father was also concerned that Habib Abdul Qader would not accompany theyoungsters and that which they do. He would spend time to listen to everything that he memorised or he would ask him to read to him. this is despite his father’sconcern for time but his concern for Habib Abdul Qader was more.My master had by this time mastered the seven recitation of the Quran withShaykh Hasan Abdullah Ba Raja and then soon after histeacher returned fromMakkah he had mastered all of them.Despite all of these lessons of Quran, Language and fiqh he conintually studiedwith his father and at times he would finish a complete book in a day.In this untiring manner the mind of Habib grew in understanding and knowledgefrom the outpouring of the One the Everlasting.The son learnt from the father about the secret of the blessedness of time.
Teaching in the Madrasah Nahda Ilmiyyah.
One of the specialities of this madrasah was that it would produce geniuses whowould go on to teach in the school.One of the most outstanding of these who started teaching was Habib AbdulQader. To teach in such a competitive environment, in an environment whereknowledge is at its peak is not an easy matter, but Habib Abdul Qader performedthis role in the nest of ways. His students and murids still remember the honourof those days.Teaching general lectures
At that same time, Habib Abdul Qader took over his father’s public teaching and private gatherings which used to be held in Masjid Taha bin Umar as-Safi. He tookover teaching all of the students who come to that city. Showing the depth of hisunderstanding and soundness of knowledge which made him the coolness of hisfather’s eye and the inheritor of his forefather’s secret.Many students emerged grateful and continually remembering him and testifyingto the greatness of his wisdom. Also the way that he would solve the mostcomplex problems in the most easiest of ways.His father’s illness and passing away in the year 1357Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf said, ‘The signs of my father’s illness first beganwith a light temperature which began on the 18th of Ramadan in the year 1356H.That night they were going to have the khatm in Masjid Riyad. When he finishedthe Isha prayer he said to me, ‘I feel a temperature...’ This was the beginning of his illness. He told me to go to my uncle Abdullah bin Ahmad to ask him to leadthe prayers, so I went and asked him to do so, and he led them in prayer.‘My father would come in and out of consciousness. A severe temperature overtook him which he would feel the weight of. He would say to us while in this state,‘Imam al-Haddad spent 15 years with a temperature and would say this is therank of a Qutb.’ My father was at first under the care of the women of the houseand then when the illness increased then his khuddam would take care of him notreturning to his house until he had fallen asleep.’He continued like this until the sunset on the Saturday of 4th of Muharram in theyear 1358 when his noble spirit was taken to its Creator at a time when he was at the peak of patience of endurance. Even at this point he was continuously askingabout the time of prayer. He did not pass away until after he had performed Asrthat day, while he lay on his bed, having performed his prayers in this mannerthroughout his illness.After the passing away of his father the burden of responsibility grew upon theshoulders of the inheritor Habib Abdul Qader as-Saqqaf. The great responsibilityof teaching and dawa to Allah, looking after the needy, the impoverished andtheir problems all fell upon him. Making them happy and tending to the affairs of his family and relatives and all of those around was his responsibility.All of the mashayikh and contemporaries concurred that Habib Abdul Qader hadindeed inherited his father’s sir.My master said; ‘I witnessed 21 years of my father’s life...he passed away at theage of 79 and my age was 25. He took great care of me and took me with him toTarim, Aynat, Huta, Shibam and would present me to the mashayikh.’
The rank of Habib Abdul Qader is the rank of his father
Little time had passed before people were looking towards Habib Abdul Qader inorder to see how he would be.Habib would not turn to look at any of what stemmed from human natures. Forhe was travelling in those blessed lights which his father had established for himfrom the first day. Therefore time was filled with knowledge and actions teachingand reading with the cheerfulness that people were accustomed to. Heestablished everyone’s rights and forgive others regarding his own. Despite therush of his gatherings and circles of teaching, his house was open for guests. It isreported that it would be a sanctuary for guests without discrimination of wealthor character. He was almost the only one at that time who would honour theguest and house the stranger. He would welcome and strive in helping the poorwith what he was able to from his wealth, would maintain relations and wouldask after them.With this type of great character the circle of benefitting and correction widened.Students of knowledge and others flocked round him in order to receive.Wherever a gathering was established the audience would sit attentively in orderto listen to the grand knowledge. Whenever he would speak the listeners wouldbe affected by his sermon.The house of my master Habib Abdul Qader encompassed a grand and greatlibrary filled with amazing books. There hardly was any book but that Habib hadread some part of it. This was his habit since his father’s time. For whenever hisfather heard of a book or treatise he would request it and then tell his son to readit to him. He would copy the book out in order to keep a copy in his library
At times he would also sit with the elderly, the shuyukh and teachers out of friendship, and love and for the sake of knowledge.On occasion he would leave his house to go to the country side. Many of thescholars would go in order to take pleasure in natural beauty
Habib Abdul Qader in the field of literature
In his youth Habib Abdul Qader inclined towards literature, poetry and aphorisms,for what they contained in establishing the mind, and intellect. Allah had blessedhim in his time, and so he would compose very fine poetry, we have come acrossmany of them which are still manuscripts. He also wrote many benefits, lessons,and observations which are too lengthy to go into the details of. Seyun was acentre for literature and taste. Many poets such as Ba Kathir and others wouldgather there to read their poetry
from : http://www.scribd.com/doc/42933684/A-Biography-of-Habib-Abdul-Qadir-Saqqaf