He is the eminent scholar, the noble reformer, the courageous proclaimer of truth, the devout ascetic: Sheikh Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hamad bin Muhammad bin Uthman Al‑Qar‘awi.
He was born on 11 Dhul‑Hijjah 1315 AH, two months after the death of his father, in the city of ‘Unayzah in Saudi Arabia. He grew up an orphan under the care of his uncle Abdulaziz Al‑Qar‘awi, while his mother—widowed after his father’s death—showed him great affection and raised him with his uncle in the best manner.
In 1328 AH, he worked with his uncle in trade, traveling with him to the Levant to purchase camels and clothing. After returning to ‘Unayzah, he resumed his educational and disciplinary activities, opening a small shop for buying and selling. He was known for honesty in dealings, and he spent his mornings and evenings studying with his teachers.
Yet this commercial experience did not last, nor did it appeal to him enough to continue, for his passion for knowledge drew him away from it.
His Qualities and What Was Said About Him
Every person has moral and physical traits that distinguish him from others. Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Qar‘awi—may Allah have mercy on him—was marked by many qualities that set him apart.
Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Bassam, former member of the Council of Senior Scholars, summarized his traits:
“He commanded good and forbade evil. He proclaimed the truth and feared no blame for the sake of Allah.
He would walk through the markets and streets of ‘Unayzah for this purpose.
If he saw someone absent from congregational prayer, or a woman wearing adornment, he would strike them lightly with his stick and admonish them with his tongue.
He became a figure of awe and authority, feared by the lazy and the negligent.
He opened several schools to teach children the Qur’an, writing, and arithmetic—free of charge for the sake of Allah.
He also guided adults to the basics of knowledge.
I myself was one of the young children who studied in his school. He would not allow us to leave until we had performed the prayers on time, watching us to ensure we did not play during prayer, then he would go to the mosque to pray.”
Sheikh Muhammad Al‑Qadhi, in his biography of Al‑Qar‘awi, described him as:
“A great scholar, a noble reformer, a courageous speaker of truth, devout and ascetic.”
He also praised his strong voice, mastery of Qur’anic recitation, dutifulness to his mother, love of reconciliation among people, and commitment to commanding good and forbidding evil.
In 1386 AH, he lost his sight, his strength weakened, and old age exhausted him.
Sheikh Umar Ahmad Jardi Madkhali, one of his closest students, said:
“He was physically energetic and strong. None of his students at the time could match his scholarly and practical activity.
He had a thick beard, great intelligence, and keen insight.
He called to Allah with wisdom, gentleness, and kindness.
He was a knowledgeable, devout, sincere, patient caller to Allah.
His creed was Salafi—the creed of Ahl al‑Sunnah wal‑Jama‘ah.
In jurisprudential matters, he did not bind himself to any of the four madhhabs; his madhhab was that of the righteous predecessors: if the hadith is authentic, then it is his madhhab.
He prayed at night despite his long days of teaching.
He sometimes slept on a mat in the mosque.
He loved the poor and honored them, cared for widows and orphans, and supported them.
He loved students of knowledge for the sake of Allah.
He faced hardships, plots, and envy known only to Allah, but he met them with patience and seeking reward.”
He added:
“In his later years, he built many mosques—too many for me to count.
He dug numerous wells for drinking water.
He interceded with the government to help students and tribal leaders obtain employment.
Through Allah’s grace and his efforts, this region enjoyed both religious and worldly blessings.
He was generous and loved generous people.
He bequeathed one‑third of his wealth to charitable projects—building mosques, digging wells, and other good works.
Much of this has been carried out, thanks to his sincerity and the wise management of his eldest son, Sheikh Muhammad—may Allah preserve him.”
His Pursuit of Knowledge
Sheikh Al‑Qar‘awi struggled with the burdens of life in pursuit of livelihood and did not devote himself fully to knowledge until later in life. Yet Allah placed great blessing in his knowledge, sincerity, and truthfulness, opening doors for him, easing difficulties, and granting rapid results.
He devoted himself to teaching and advising from his youth in ‘Unayzah. He opened his first school there to teach reading and writing.
He said about himself:
“When I returned from India on 22 Ramadan 1357 AH and arrived in Riyadh, I stayed with my noble teacher, the scholar Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Abdul‑Latif Al‑Sheikh.
I read to him for the third time; the fourth time I listened; the fifth time I did not find him, for he was in Makkah.
I then went to Al‑Ahsa to study with Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Bishr, and to Qatar to study with Sheikh Muhammad bin Mani‘, and I read hadith with both of them.”
He also studied under Sheikh Abdullah bin Muhammad Al‑Mani‘, and traveled to Buraydah to study with Sheikh Abdullah bin Sulaym and Umar bin Sulaym.
He left trade and devoted himself to knowledge, traveling to India in 1334 AH to study at the Rahmaniyyah School in Delhi, where he learned hadith from scholars of the Sunnah.
When he received news of his mother’s illness a year later, he returned to ‘Unayzah, but she had passed away before his arrival. He then intensified his pursuit of knowledge, traveling repeatedly to major scholars in their own lands.
He returned to India to complete his studies, learning hadith from Sheikh Abdullah bin Amir Al‑Qurashi Al‑Dihlawi, who granted him a long ijazah in hadith in 1355 AH.
He returned in 1357 AH, and also traveled for knowledge to Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait, before returning to his homeland.
His Move to Southern Saudi Arabia
Sheikh Al‑Qar‘awi accompanied Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al‑Sheikh, the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, for a period and performed Hajj with him.
After the pilgrimage, King Abdulaziz—may Allah have mercy on him—requested that Sheikh Muhammad send a teacher and guide to the southern region. He sent Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Qar‘awi, advising him to be sincere in his call and to fear Allah in private and public.
Al‑Qar‘awi recounts:
“On the twentieth of Safar, I set out for Jazan.
I took some goods with me and traveled to Samtah.
I moved around its areas and settled in a shop in Samtah, placing my goods there.
The first thing I began teaching in that shop was the Qur’an, Thalathat al‑Usul, Al‑Arba‘in al‑Nawawiyyah, tajwid, inheritance laws, and the etiquettes of walking to prayer.
That was on 21 Rabi‘ al‑Awwal 1358 AH.
This shop was the first school I opened in Tihamah of Yemen.
At the end of Jumada al‑Ula, I went to Farasan and opened a school there.
From there I went to Mazhar, the village of the Hakamiyyin, and opened a school there at the beginning of Rajab, and repaired its mosque—the first mosque I repaired in Tihamah.
On the first of Sha‘ban, I returned to Samtah and opened the school there again in the house of Nasser Khlufah, who could not walk and was one of the best and oldest students.
I wanted to spare him hardship.
I have remained there ever since.”
“On the twentieth of Safar, I set out for Jazan.
I took some goods with me and traveled to Samtah.
I moved around its areas and settled in a shop in Samtah, placing my goods there.
The first thing I began teaching in that shop was the Qur’an, Thalathat al‑Usul, Al‑Arba‘in al‑Nawawiyyah, tajwid, inheritance laws, and the etiquettes of walking to prayer.
That was on 21 Rabi‘ al‑Awwal 1358 AH.
This shop was the first school I opened in Tihamah of Yemen.
At the end of Jumada al‑Ula, I went to Farasan and opened a school there.
From there I went to Mazhar, the village of the Hakamiyyin, and opened a school there at the beginning of Rajab, and repaired its mosque—the first mosque I repaired in Tihamah.
On the first of Sha‘ban, I returned to Samtah and opened the school there again in the house of Nasser Khlufah, who could not walk and was one of the best and oldest students.
I wanted to spare him hardship.
I have remained there ever since.”