His Name and Lineage
He is the dignified Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ibn Mūsā ibn Aḥmad ibn Jammah ibn Aḥmad Āl ʿAkūr Humdī, may Allah preserve him.
His Birth
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr was born in 1362 AH in the village of ʿIkra which lies south-west of the city of Jāzān.
His Academic Development
He began his pursuit of knowledge by enrolling at the elementary school in his village of Iʾkra. His teachers at this school were:
Shaykh ʿAbd Allah ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAkūr; Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Qāsim Aʾahimī; Shaykh Shabir ibn Muḥammad an-Najmī.
He then progressed to the Salafī School in the city of Ṣāmiṭah when the school had only three classes. Students were divided according to their level of memorisation of the Qurʾān. At The Salafi School, Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAkūr studied books such as Hidāyat al-Mustafīd fī Aḥkām at-Tajwīd, Al-Arbaʿūn an-Nawawiyyah by Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf an-Nawawī (d. 676 AH/1277 CE), and Al-Uṣūl ath-Thalāthah by Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb (d. 1206 AH/1792 CE), as well as the Qurʾān.
His distinguished teachers at this school included:
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan al-Ghumar; Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-ʿIbī; Shaykh ʿAbd aṣ-Ṣamad al-Malbārī.
The shaykh later advanced to higher education at the school, which comprised of lessons that were mainly focused on a curriculum taught by way of dictation.
His distinguished teachers at this stage included:
Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā an-Najmī (d. 1429 AH/2008 CE) ؒ; Shaykh Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī (d. 1435 AH/2014 CE) ؒ; Shaykh ʿAlī ibn Yaḥyā al-Baḥlakī; Shaykh Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad an-Najmī.
He eventually graduated from the academic institute and enrolled at Imām Muḥammad ibn Saʿūd Islamic University in the city of Riyadh in the year 1388 AH.
His Teachers and Accomplishments
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Fawzān; Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ʿAlī an-Nāṣir; Shaykh Fāliḥ ibn Muḥammad al-Mahdī ad-Dawsarī; Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā an-Najmī; Shaykh Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī; Shaykh ʿAlī ibn Yaḥyā al-Baḥlakī; Shaykh Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad an-Najmī; Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan al-Ghumar; Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-ʿIbī; Shaykh ʿAbd aṣ-Ṣamad al-Malbārī.
He was appointed a teacher in al-Khadra School in the city of Ṣāmiṭah in the year 1392 AH and continued teaching for a period described as spanning almost 20 years before retiring from this role in the year 1421 AH.
He was selected to be a participating lecturer and teacher in the annual conference of Shaykh ʿAbd Allah al-Qarʿāwī that began in 1416 AH. The original biography states that he continued to participate at the time of writing.
He was nominated to join the Daʿwah and Education in Ḥajj and ʿUmrah Project in 1423 AH. He was appointed to the Daʿwah, Guidance and Education of Minority Communities project through the daʿwah centre in aṭ-Ṭiwāl in 1434 AH. In 1435 AH, he became a member of the committee responsible for vetting and selecting imāms and muʾadhdhins for mosques in Ṣāmiṭah. The original biography describes these posts as continuing at the time of writing.
His Distinguished Characteristics
His Humility
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr would adorn himself with highly honourable characteristics and mannerisms, thus becoming a leading example in his humility. Below are some occurrences that bear testament to the humility of the shaykh.
On one occasion, the shaykh was on a round trip for the purpose of daʿwah and the lecture on that particular day was to be held in Masjid al-Qarʿāwī in the city of Ṣāmiṭah. Prior to the lecture, the imām of the mosque delivered a formal introduction regarding the lecture of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr. When the imām concluded, the Shaykh began his lecture by thanking the imām, then said:
“I am not worthy of such mention. Rather, I am merely a student from the students of knowledge who has come here today for the purposes of study and discussion. This entire gathering only involves us hearing some words and statements that I will present to you and that you shall hear. We are all considered to be that those here to benefit, but perhaps the one speaking [implying himself] is in greater need than the listeners.”
On another occasion, he delivered a lecture in Ṣāmiṭah at the mosque of his shaykh, Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī (d. 1435 AH/2014 CE) ؒ. Before the lecture, a student introduced him by saying:
“We leave you with the shaykh, the great scholar, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr.”
When the introduction ended, the shaykh said:
“My attention has been drawn to Shaykh Ḥasan’s description of me as ‘the great scholar’. Rather, I am among the smallest students of knowledge.”
His Ardent Diligence in Propagating Knowledge
Shaykh Muḥammad begins teaching immediately after the Fajr prayer until approximately 7.30 am. He then attends to his daʿwah programme in his home before going to the Office of Endowments, Call and Guidance; there, he counsels whoever may need it. After the Ẓuhr prayer he teaches in his local mosque in the village of Iʾkra. Then after the ʿAṣr prayer, he teaches the general public and the students of knowledge. Following the Maghrib prayer, he delivers general lessons that take place across numerous mosques across the district before occasionally conveying some sermons of advice on topics suited to particular events. He then proceeds to his house wherein students and questioners contact him from various countries. He receives their calls, answers their questions and offers words of guidance, direction and counsel. The aforementioned activities make up the schedule of the shaykh the majority of the time, and those who closely accompany the shaykh know this well. I ask Allah to keep him firm upon this steadfastness.
His Defence of the Sunnah and the Salafī Methodology
This is evidently clear through the lectures and lessons that the Shaykh delivers, as they are filled with clarification of the Salafi creed and warning against anything that opposes it, whether it be polytheism or innovation, regardless of their various originating groups or methodologies. An example of this is the rebuttal our shaykh penned against an author for his complete rejection of the Islamic legitimacy for female circumcision and its description as a pre-Islamic practice. The Shaykh refuted this claim academically with proofs and clear evidence. [In print, according to the original biography.]
The Praise of the Scholars For Him
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Hādī al-Madkhalī said:
“I heard a statement during the speech of our brother, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr, small by name but great in stature and status in this world and the hereafter. He said: ‘When a person of the Sunnah has precedence, seniority and extensive experience in life, he will be granted success, by Allah’s permission, because of his age and experience.’”
Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā an-Najmī (d. 1429 AH/2008 CE) ؒ and Shaykh Zayd ibn Muḥammad al-Madkhalī ؒ wrote:
“The aforementioned person is among the scholars of this region and those actively calling to Allah upon sure insight through sermons, teaching, lectures and efforts at reform. We therefore consider him suitable to deliver sermons and lead congregations, along with the sound Salafī creed and methodology that he possesses. In response to his request that we write what we know of his circumstances, including his constant companionship with us for most of the time, we have written these lines, seeking only what is right. May Allah grant us all success in attaining His pleasure, and may blessings and salutations be upon our Prophet Muḥammad, his household and Companions.”
Conclusion
To conclude this concise biography of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr, we would like to point out that this is a humble version of the biography that has been committed to paper by the students of the Shaykh and other admirers in an attempt to honour and value the Shaykh for what he has put forth for us and the rest of the Muslims.
On the authority of ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar , the Prophet said:
وَمَنْ صَنَعَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَعْرُوفًا فَكَافِئُوهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا مَا تُكَافِئُونَهُ فَادْعُوا لَهُ حَتَّى تَرَوْا أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ كَافَأْتُمُوهُ
“If someone does you a kindness, recompense him. If you cannot find anything with which to recompense him, pray for him until you consider that you have recompensed him.” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, no. 1672, excerpt.)
References
Abū Dāwūd, Sulaymān ibn al-Ashʿath (d. 275 AH/889 CE). Sunan Abī Dāwūd, no. 1672 (Sunnah.com numbering).
An-Nawawī, Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf (d. 676 AH/1277 CE). Al-Arbaʿūn an-Nawawiyyah.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb, Muḥammad (d. 1206 AH/1792 CE). Al-Uṣūl ath-Thalāthah.
Sahab.net. Biography of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr
