Ahmed ibn Ahmed ibn abi-Hamid al'Adawi al-Maliki al-Azhari al-Khalwati ad-Dardir (1715 – 1786 CE) (AH 1127 – 1204 AH ) known as Imam ad-Dardir or Dardir was a prominent late jurist in the Maliki school from Egypt.
His Sharh as-Saghir and Sharh al-Kabir are two of the most important books of fatwa (Islamic legal rulings) in the Maliki school. His al-Kharida al-Bahiyya ("The Radiant Pearl") is a widespread primer on Ash'ari aqida.
Biography Early life and education Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Hamid al-Umari al-Adawi al-Maliki al-Azhari al-Khalwati was born in 1715 (1127 AH) in the village of Bani Adi in Asyut, Upper Egypt. He belonged to the al-Umari branch of the Quraysh tribe, tracing his lineage back to the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab. He was nicknamed "al-Dardir" after a pious Arab scholar who had settled in his village.
He moved to Cairo to study at Al-Azhar University, where he memorized the Quran and excelled in religious sciences. He studied under several renowned scholars, most notably: Ali al-Sa'idi al-Adawi: From whom he mastered Maliki jurisprudence. Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Salim al-Hifni: Grand Shaykh of al-Azhar, who initiated him into the Khalwati order of Sufism. Sheikh al-Malawi and Sheikh al-Jawhari.
Career and character Al-Dardir eventually became the head of the Maliki scholars at Al-Azhar and the supervisor of the Upper Egyptian students' quarters (Riwat al-Sa'ayida). He was known for his asceticism and his firm stance against injustice.
A famous anecdote regarding his character involves a visit from an Ottoman governor. When the governor entered Al-Azhar, al-Dardir remained seated, continuing his recitations without standing for the official. When the governor later sent him a bag of money as a gift, al-Dardir refused it, famously stating: "Tell your master, he who stretches out his legs [in prayer] does not stretch out his hand [for money]."
Works Al-Dardir authored numerous influential works in the fields of law, theology, and spirituality: Aqrab al-Masalik limadhhab al-Imam Malik: A primary manual of Maliki jurisprudence that remains a standard textbook. Al-Sharh al-Saghir: His own commentary on Aqrab al-Masalik, widely used for issuing legal rulings (fatwas). Al-Kharida al-Bahiyya: A celebrated didactic poem on Ash'ari creed (theology). Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil: A commentary on the foundational Maliki text by Khalil ibn Ishaq al-Jundi. Tuhfat al-Ikhwan: A treatise on the etiquette and practices of Sufism. Risala fi al-Mawlid al-Nabawi: A work regarding the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birth. La croyance en islam, septembre 2025, Editions i, ISBN 978-2-37650-189-3
Death Al-Dardir died on 27 December 1786 (6 Rabi' al-Awwal 1201 AH). His funeral was held at Al-Azhar Mosque, attended by a vast multitude of students and scholars. He was buried in the mosque complex he established in Cairo, which still bears his name today.
See also
List of Ash'aris and Maturidis List of Muslim theologians List of Islamic scholars
References