Muhammad bin Abi Bakr al-Shilli (1030-1093 AH / 1621-1682 CE) was a Ba Alawi scholar, historian, teacher and author from Tarim. In the autobiographical section of Al-Mashra al-Rawi, he records that he was born in the middle of Sha’ban 1030 AH, memorised the Quran under Abdullah bin Umar Bagharib, and then pursued hadith, jurisprudence, legal theory, Arabic sciences and tasawwuf with scholars in Hadramawt and beyond. His studies took him through Dhofar and India before he settled in the Hijaz. In Mecca he studied with a wide circle of scholars and later taught for several years in the Sacred Mosque.
Among the teachers he names is Abu Bakr bin Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din, from whom he studied Quranic commentary, hadith, legal theory and Arabic. His other teachers included Abd al-Rahman bin Alawi Bafaqih, Abdullah bin Abi Bakr al-Khatib, Muhammad bin Muhammad Baridwan, Ahmad bin Husayn Balfqih, Ahmad bin Umar Aidid and a number of scholars he met in the Hijaz.
Al-Shilli is best known as the author of Al-Mashra al-Rawi fi Manaqib al-Sada al-Kiram Al Abi Alawi, an important early biographical compilation devoted to the Ba Alawi tradition. His autobiographical account also records works on biography, chronology, astronomy, inheritance calculation and other subjects. Later catalogues identify him as the author of Al-Mashra al-Rawi and date his life to 1621-1682 CE. He died in Mecca in 1093 AH and was buried in al-Ma’la Cemetery.
Scholarly connections
Teacher: Abu Bakr bin Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din. Al-Shilli records studying Quranic commentary, hadith, legal theory and Arabic with him.
Teacher: Ahmad bin Umar al-Bayti al-Saqqaf. In Ahmad al-Bayti’s biography, al-Shilli states directly that he studied with him early in life.
Student: Ahmad bin Umar bin Ahmad bin Aqil al-Hinduwan. Al-Shilli states in the first person that Ahmad studied works with him in the Haramain, received his general authorisation and was invested with the khirqa.
Teacher: Abdullah bin Muhammad Ba Alawi. Al-Shilli states that he took knowledge from Abdullah in Madinah and benefited from his company in Makkah.
Lineage and source note
Primary source: Al-Mashra al-Rawi fi Manaqib al-Sada al-Kiram Al Abi Alawi, volume 2, autobiographical section by Muhammad bin Abi Bakr al-Shilli. The source directly identifies him as the author, gives his Ba Alawi lineage, education, travels, teachers and works. Author identity and dates are corroborated by library catalogues for Al-Mashra al-Rawi.