Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din Ahmad al-Saqqaf was a Ba Alawi scholar, Shafi’i jurist, teacher and judge of Tarim. Al-Mashra al-Rawi records that he was born in Tarim in 945 AH, memorised the Quran and several foundational texts, and studied with scholars including Muhammad bin Ali Kharid, Muhammad bin Husayn bin al-Shaykh Ali and Husayn bin Abdullah Bafadl. He also travelled to the Hijaz and studied with scholars there.
After returning to Hadramawt, Abd al-Rahman became known for teaching Quranic commentary, hadith, jurisprudence and Arabic. The source says that many students studied with him and that he later served as judge in Tarim while continuing to teach and issue legal opinions. A later biographical compilation likewise identifies him as the Shafi’i mufti of Hadramawt and records his work as a teacher and judge.
Among those connected with his teaching was his son Abu Bakr bin Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din, whose own biography records study with his father. Abd al-Rahman died in Tarim in Ramadan 1014 AH and was buried in Zanbal Cemetery.
Scholarly connections
Student: Abdullah al-Aydarus al-Hafid. His biography identifies Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din al-Saqqaf among his teachers.
Student: Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Aydarus al-Saqqaf. His biography identifies Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din among his teachers.
Student: Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Hasan Barum. Al-Mashra al-Rawi identifies the judge Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din among Abdullah Barum’s teachers.
Student: Umar bin Abdullah Bashayban. Al-Mashra al-Rawi names Abd al-Rahman bin Shihab al-Din among Umar’s teachers in Tarim.
Lineage and source note
Primary source: Al-Mashra al-Rawi fi Manaqib al-Sada al-Kiram Al Abi Alawi, volume 2. The mapped biography records Abd al-Rahman’s birth in 945 AH, teachers, teaching, judgeship and death in 1014 AH. His identity, role as Shafi’i mufti and judge, and the same dates are independently preserved in later biographical compilations including Khulasat al-Athar and Mulhaq al-Badr al-Tali. Devotional descriptions are not treated as independent historical evidence.