Ahmad Zayni Dahlan
Ahmad Zayni Dahlan أحمد زَيْني دَحْلان | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shaykh al-Islam |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1816 |
| Died | 1886 (aged 69–70) Medina, Hejaz Vilayet, Ottoman Empire |
| Buried | Al-Baqi Cemetery |
| Region | Hejaz |
| Main interest(s) | Sufism, History, Aqidah, Kalam (Islamic theology), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Usul al-Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence), Hadith, Tafsir, Tajwid, Syntax, Rhetoric, Algebra |
| Notable work(s) | Fitnat al-Wahhabiyyah, Al-Durar al-Saniyyah fi al-Radd 'ala al-Wahhabiyyah, Khulasat al-Kalam fi Bayan Umara' al-Balad al-Haram |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Shafi'i |
| Creed | Ash'ari |
| Muslim leader | |
Influenced by
| |
| Part of a series on |
| Ash'arism |
|---|
| Background |
|
Ahmad Zayni Dahlan (1816–1886) was an Islamic scholar who served as the Grand Mufti of Mecca between 1871 and his death. He also held the position of Shaykh al-Islam in the Hejaz and Imam of the Haramayn (imam of Mecca and Medina).
Theologically and juridically, he followed the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence and Ash'ari school of theology. He was known for his harsh criticism of Wahhabism, being one of their main adversaries, and his recognition of Sufi principles. A leader of the conservative faction among the Shafi'is, he was particularly important in Asia, where his influence grew with his many disciples.
He was the descendant of 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani. He authored, and personally published numerous works on history, fiqh, and the Islamic sciences in general. He taught to many Muslims scholars, including Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca and sometimes considered the last Caliph and many foreign Islamic scholars, like Arsyad Thawil al-Bantani and Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, a leading figure of the Deobandi movement, as well as Ahmad Raza Khan, the founder of the Barelvi movement.
He died in Medina in 1886.