The praise of Shaykh Rabia’ al-Madhkhalee for the Muhadith, the ‘Allaama, Shaykh of Hadeeth Muhammad Nasr ud-Deen al-Albaani
Questioner: Is Shaykh al-Albaani at the head of the ahl-ul-Hadeeth of this time?
The Answer of the ‘Allaama al-Muhadith Rabia’ bin Hadi ‘Umair al-Madhkhalee HafidhAllaah, and May Allaah raise his grade in both worlds, was:
‘I swear by Allaah that this is what Shaykh Ibn Baaz and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen submit to, as do the other scholars who have spent time in his company. They submit to the fact that there is none that can be compared with him in hadeeth, never can any one be compared with him, actually, for many centuries no one has reached to where Shaykh al-Albaani has reached.
I hold the opinion, that in study of books, neither Ibn Taymeeyah, nor Ibn Hajr reached him in the study of books. As for memorization, then they memorized more than him, but as for study and research and working extremely hard in research then there is none in comparison to him.
He has offered a library for Islaam. The Islaamic Countries and their institutions fall short in offering this amount. Anyone who now writes about hadeeth has to refer back to this man.
This man was oppressed, and the Arabs never knew his reality. Allaah took this man from the heart of Europe and placed him in the Dhahireeyah library, the best library in the east, where he spent sixty years, and he put forward this great work. What did he get in return from us?
With sadness, the virtue of a people is only known by those who posses it. As for the scholars, they knew his virtue and they acknowledged that, such as the likes of Ibn Baaz, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, and the scholars of Islaam other than them. The scholars of India and Pakistan and the Western Arab Regions and of other places knew the status of this man, from what he placed forward for this Ummah, in ‘Aqeedah, Manhaj and the service to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah – alayhi as-Salaat wa Salaam –, may Allaah have mercy on him, and reward him with goodness for the Deen of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet – alayhi as-Salaat wa Salaam –, the reward for those who do good actions, and for those who gave a service to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah and His Deen. Naaam!
Taken from a gathering in the blessed city of Madina an-Nabaweeyah on the 26/01/1426 A.H.
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Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya
All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance.