Nasiruddin Albani

By Naima Sohaib

Nasiruddin Albani is a giant figure among the modern scholars of hadith. Born in 1914 and having never pursued a formal degree, his passion for Islamic studies and for hadith sciences in particular led him to become an acknowledged expert in the field. His most impressive achievement was the rigorous authentication, classification and verification of almost the entire collection of ahadith compiled by the early scholars, evaluating their reliability as it had not been evaluated since the early era. The hadith that Albani declares authentic carries a different weight compared to a hadith that he declares as weak. More than just an academic, he was a practicing Muslim and a revolutionary who took up the banner of reviving the Sunnah of the Prophet at a time when innovation was rampant in religion. He stood firm in the face of opposition and showed his fellow Muslims that such a life is possible even in modern times. His life story is an inspiration to read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naima Sohaib
• Release date: Oct 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463986219

Book preview

NASIRUDDIN ALBANI

Naima Sohaib

Muslim Heroes series No. 20

Translated by Rida Sohaib

Copyright  2019 Naima Sohaib

Smashwords Edition

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, including photocopying, recording, Internet or any storage and retrieval system without prior written permission from the Publisher.

Available in print at Dawah Books

dawahbooks.com.pk

Translated from the Urdu book Islami Tareekh ki Qabil-e-Fakhr Shakhsiat by Naima Sohaib

Table of Contents

Title page

Foreword

Who was Nasiruddin Albani?

Birth

Early Life

A Love of the Hadith Sciences

Indexing the Books of Al-Zahiriya Library

Center of Attention for Researchers

Research into Hadith Sciences

Rejection of Innovation in Religion and Spreading the True Message

Facing Opposition

Imprisonment and a Period of Trials

Literary Works

Death

Traits and Characteristics

References

About the Author

About the Translator

Foreword

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Any modern scholar of the Hadith sciences knows well the name of Nasiruddin Albani. Of modern Hadith scholars, Shaikh Albani stands out as a giant figure whose massive accomplishments seem both inspiring and unreal. Born in 1914 and homeschooled, it is astonishing to follow his transformation from a watchmaker and a casual student of Islamic sciences to a dedicated expert in Hadith. He had no degree or diploma from any of the renowned universities, and yet senior lecturers would seek his opinion and advice on Hadith matters.

His main achievement, one that took most of his life to complete, was the rigorous authentication, classification and verification of almost the entire collection of Ahadith compiled by the early scholars. The Hadith that Albani declares authentic carries a different weight.

Shaikh Albani was not just an academic scholar; he took up the banner of reviving the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW), removing innovations in religion and purifying it, and his message struck a chord in the hearts of thousands. His life was not always peaceful or easy, but he stood firm and showed the Muslims that such a life can be led even in modern times. His story is one truly worth reading and learning from.

I would like to thank Naima Sohaib for inspiring me with her reverence for Muslim heroes which is reflected in her writings, and Sohaib Umar for editing this translation. May Allah SWT accept our efforts.

Rida Sohaib

Nasiruddin Albani

The Most Prominent Hadith Scholar of the Modern Era

Who was Nasiruddin Albani?

His name was Muhammad Nasiruddin, his kuniat (nickname) was Abu Abdul Rahman, and his title was Albani. His lineage is as follows: Muhammad Nasiruddin bin Nuh Najati bin Adam.

He belonged to the people of Arnaut, who had migrated from Syria and settled in Albania after the Ottomans conquered it. Much later, Nasiruddin’s family travelled back to Syria and resettled there.

Birth

Muhammad Nasiruddin was born in 1332 AH (1914 CE) in the city of Shkodër, which was then the capital of Albania.

Early Life

Muhammad Nasiruddin was born in a poor family. His father Nuh Najati was a scholar, although he earned his daily bread through his work as a watchmaker. He had graduated from the religious institutes in Istanbul (Constantinople) and taught students in Shkodër who sought him out to