Al Muhaddith – Shaikh Badr al Deen al Hasani
Shaikh Badr al Deen al Hasani
1267-1354 H (1850-1935 AD)
The “Greatest Muhaddith”, al Shaikh Muhammad Badr al Deen al Hasani.
All scholars and shaikhs of Syria accepted him as their teacher, and those living in Damascus used to attend his daily lessons.
He had a photographic memory. Knew by heart all the hadeeths of Bukhari, Muslim, and the remainder of the six most famous books of Hadith, including the biography of all narrators of all chains of every hadith, their dates of birth and decease, and their status of authenticity.
Also, he used to explain the Quran by heart from al Baydawis Tafsir (explanation of the Quraan). His ijazah was especially besought by Hadeeth scholars for being the closest one of his age to the Prophet Sallal Laahu `Alaihi Wa Sallam (counting the number of men in the chain).
Doctors and engineers who attended his classes used to say: We exhausted our life learning our profession, and he knows it more than us.
He was also instrumental in the organization of the revolution against the French occupation.
The following are quoted from Al Durar Al Luluiyyah by Shaykh Mahmood al Rankusi who was his special student for the last twelve years of his life:
– He knew Sahih Muslim and Bukhari by heart, including individual chains of narrators and their biographies. It is not improbable that he also knew by heart their commentaries from Fath Al Bari, al `Ayni and al Nawawi.
– Egypts Mufti Shaikh Muhammad Bakhit said: If he was with us in Egypt, (out of respect) scholars would carry him over their shoulders.
– Shaikh Muhammad al Qayati said: He is among the rarities of this age We were present one night when he was reciting Saheeh Al Bukhari. He recited more than one hour, discussing topics and explaining Hadeeth by heart.
– The great Hadeeth scholar Abdul Wasi` al-Yamani said: I have heard teachers and preachers in numerous countries but I have never seen anybody similar to him concerning his expertise in all Sciences.
– A scholar from India said in a long biography: He is the Qutb (pivot, pillar) of our time and the Mujaddid (renovator of religion) of our age.
– Shaikhul Islam in Istanbul, Musa Kaazim Afandi said: He is the Qutb of the Muslim world.
– Al Sayyid al Kabeer al Kittaani al Maghribi said: There has been no one comparable to him since five hundred years.
Experts in engineering and mathematics would often attend his lessons and concede his superiority in these sciences saying: We spent all our life learning but did not reach his level.
