The death of our esteemed Sheikh Abdul Majid Al-Zindani represents a great loss for Yemen and the Islamic Ummah at a time when it is in desperate need of a great man like him. Despite the magnitude of this loss, we can only say what pleases our Lord and what He has commanded us in His Book: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return,” and what our Prophet, peace be upon him, advised: “O Allah, reward us in our affliction and replace it with something better.”
By your life, the tragedy is not in the loss of wealth, nor in the death of a sheep or a camel,
But rather the tragedy is in the loss of a nobleman,
For with his death, many lives come to an end.
Sheikh Al-Zindani's Virtues and Characteristics
Our esteemed teacher, the educator, is well-known, but I feel it is my duty to point out a matter that has drawn my attention for some time: the extent to which Sheikh Al-Zindani embodies the virtues and characteristics mentioned in the prophetic hadith regarding the people of Yemen, and how these are realized in his personality. I will discuss brief and concise references found in a well-known hadith praising the people of Yemen and their virtues, which, in my humble opinion and limited knowledge, the most fitting Yemeni personality that can be applied to in the present era is our Sheikh Al-Zindani, may Allah have mercy on him.
Loyalty and Understanding the Prophetic Hadith
These references serve two purposes:
First: Out of the obligation of loyalty to our Sheikh after his passing, as we used to refrain from praising him during his life, for he detested such actions.
Second: From the perspective of understanding the application of the prophetic hadith and its validity in reality, societies, nations, and individuals, which is part of the knowledge of the unseen that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, informed us would occur after his passing.
This hadith is narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Huraira concerning the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “The people of Yemen have come to you; they are gentler in heart and softer in spirit. Faith is from Yemen, and wisdom is Yemeni.” In a narration by Muslim: “The people of Yemen have come; they are gentler in hearts. Faith is from Yemen, fiqh is from Yemen, and wisdom is Yemeni.”
General Praise for the People of Yemen
To start with clarifying any misunderstanding that may arise among some individuals with ill intentions, and to close the door on those with malicious intentions, it is clear from the hadith that the praise mentioned is general for the people of Yemen and not specific to an individual or a tribe. The characteristics described in the hadith are expressions of generality that include every Yemeni in any era that applies to them; thus, anyone who embodies these traits falls under the meaning of the hadith.
It is right for those who observe and reflect on the conditions of people in any time and place to examine their circumstances and characteristics and how closely they align with or diverge from these traits mentioned in the hadith. This is the custom of scholars and da'wah (invitation to Islam) in every time and place, and this is the profound wisdom behind the texts and rulings of the Shari'ah that they should manifest as truths in the lives of individuals and communities.
Applicability to Individuals
For example, regarding individuals, the description of Abdullah bin Mas'ud about Mu'adh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with them both, is that he was “an upright nation devoted to Allah.” This story has been mentioned by scholars of tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) and others, like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, when interpreting Allah’s saying: “Indeed, Ibrahim was a nation, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining to truth and not among those who associate others with Allah.” (An-Nahl: 120). Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: “Indeed, Mu'adh was an upright nation devoted to Allah.” Some of those present thought he had made a mistake regarding the verse, so they told him: “But Allah said: (Indeed, Ibrahim was a nation…)” He replied: “Do you know what an ‘ummah’ and a ‘qanit’ are?” I said: “Allah and His Messenger know best!” He said: “An ‘ummah’ is the one who teaches people goodness, and a ‘qanit’ is obedient to Allah and His Messenger, and likewise, Mu'adh was a teacher of good and was obedient to Allah and His Messenger.”
The Sheikh's Tender Heart
Regarding the applicability of the hadith to Sheikh Abdul Majid Al-Zindani, may Allah have mercy on him, there are several aspects:
First: His saying, peace be upon him, in the previous hadith: "They have the softest hearts and the gentlest souls":
It has been widely reported and acknowledged by those who accompanied the Sheikh that he had a tender heart when listening to the Holy Quran. This was especially evident in his prayer, as he would shed tears easily and weep intensely, his sobbing being unmistakable, and the sound of his chest would move those praying beside him.
Additionally, some who accompanied him on Hajj or Umrah noted the remarkable devotion of the Sheikh in performing the rituals, in terms of feeling the spiritual meanings, the presence of the heart, fear, and crying, to the extent that one of them said: "We felt with him that we were ignorant of the true essence of Hajj and Umrah, and we learned the realities only from him."
Another aspect of his gentle heart is that he was kind, easygoing, humble with people in general, and with learners and scholars in particular, even with those who opposed him. This was widely known about him; his hospitality and warm welcome were unparalleled, and his joy and smiling demeanor toward them were boundless.
Faith and Knowledge
Second: His saying, peace be upon him: "Faith is from Yemen":
Sheikh Al-Zindani is regarded by many in our time as a renewer of the science of faith and a reviver of its truths. His books, lectures, and lessons focused on the aspect of faith, its concepts, foundations, principles, proofs, and evidence, especially in the field of scientific miracles in the Quran and Sunnah.
The remarkable feature of his faith-based methodology is that it combines both transmission and reason in a way that is accessible to the simple layperson in rural areas and to the educated elite in urban settings. Moreover, it astonishes specialists in various academic fields, such as medicine, as they marvel at how this Sheikh speaks with such knowledge and begin to reconsider their own understanding. Some Muslim and non-Muslim scientists, such as astronomers and natural scientists, were convinced of the truth of Islam after hearing these proofs and evidence, as was the case with several Western scholars during the Sheikh's encounters with them.
Many still recall the story of a Western intellectual who wanted to inquire about Islam and visited several scholars in Arab countries but found no conviction with any of them. However, when he visited Sheikh Abdul Majid, he was so impressed by his discourse that he embraced Islam after just one session.
Jurisprudence from Yemen
Third: His saying, peace be upon him: "And jurisprudence is from Yemen":
The prophetic intent here refers to jurisprudence in a general sense, not in the specific sense which scholars later defined relating to legal branches. Jurisprudence in its general sense encompasses all aspects of Islam, including beliefs, acts of worship, ethics, social matters, economics, and others. It also involves the objectives of Sharia, its secrets, fundamentals, and universals. Thus, some earlier scholars are known for referring to the science of creed as "the greater jurisprudence," as was recognized from Imam Abu Hanifah, who had a book called "The Greater Jurisprudence."
Sheikh Al-Zindani was the renewer of this jurisprudence, as he brought the religion back to its Quranic essence of "faith" after the terms "creed" and "oneness" and others that are correct within the realms of science and education overshadowed it. However, the term "faith" is an original Quranic term, making it the foremost.
The understanding of Al-Zindani regarding faith is that his method is the original pure approach found in the Quran and Sunnah, which was known by the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and upon which they were educated before the emergence of the science of rhetoric, philosophy, and the spread of deviant and misguided sects. From the insight of the Sheikh is his deep understanding of the spirit of Islam and its principles, the foundations of Sharia, its purposes, and its universals. This is evident in the scientific, da'wah (invitation to Islam), political, and economic projects he established or contributed to, such as the University of Iman and the Scientific Miraculousness Authority, among others.
Wisdom is Yemeni
Fourth: His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Wisdom is Yemeni":
Wisdom, with all its meanings and dimensions, is evident in the character of Sheikh Al-Zindani, in his efforts, his scientific and da'wah movement, and his interactions with others. Anyone who has known, associated, or interacted with him, attended his lessons, studied under him, or heard his words knows that he is a wise man of the highest caliber. This is exemplified in several ways, including:
- His wisdom in his scientific and da'wah approach.
- His wisdom in dealing with people in general.
- His wisdom in dealing with preachers, scholars, and Islamic groups and his efforts in unifying their words.
- His wisdom in the political arena with the state and political parties.
- His wisdom in addressing issues of scientific, da'wah, and political differences.
- His wisdom in dialogue, persuasion, and presenting logical and rational arguments, for which he has had remarkable moments.
Thus, the wise and discerning individuals, from the state's leadership, tribal chiefs, and heads of Islamic groups and political parties, both in Yemen and abroad, valued his opinion and respected him, even when they sometimes disagreed with him, due to their recognition of his wisdom, honesty, and sincerity. This is a divine favor bestowed upon him by Allah: "He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever is given wisdom has certainly been given much good; and none will remember except those of understanding" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 269).
The Sheikh has a story regarding this hadith that I heard from him, which may have played a role in his attempt to embody the characteristics mentioned in the hadith in his personality. It is that when he visited one of the countries - I believe it was Pakistan - and met with its scholars, they mentioned to him this prophetic hadith praising the people of Yemen, with admiration and delight, wishing they had a similar hadith. Some even jokingly asked the Sheikh: "Is it possible for us to buy this hadith from you, O people of Yemen?" He replied: "Seek it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who said it, not from us," as a way to reciprocate the humor.
In conclusion, what I have provided here is merely my effort in applying the hadith to certain individuals, and it is prone to error and correctness, stemming from my loyalty to the Sheikh, which may be tinged with emotion and affection; I can only rely on my good intentions.
------
Read the article in Arabic
