Shaykh Abd al-Rahmn al-Kettn on the left and Nawf al-Rashd on the right

Shaykh Abd al-Rahmn al-Kettn1

Abd al-Rahmn ibn Abd al-H ay al-Kettn was born in 1920 (1338) in the city of Fez in Morocco into a family that boasts of a legacy of ilm.

He began studying from a young age and foremost among his shuykh are: Shaykh Abd al-Hay al-Kettn (d.1382=1962) under whom he studied and

was fortunate to have read and heard S ahh al-Bukhr completely about six times as well as S ahh Muslim, Sunan Ab Dwd, Sunan al-Nisi, al-Muwat t , al-Adab al-Mufrad, al-Shamil by al-Tirmidh numerous times, al-Shif, Alfiya al-Irq, al-Arban by al-Nawawi, a portion of Sunan al-Tirmidh, Ibn Mjah, al-Risla by Ibn Ab Zayd, Awrif al-Marif, numerous Musalsalt and some qasidas including al-Burda.

1 Prepared by Shoayb Ahmed from the Arabic written by Shaykh Muhammad Ziyd al-Tukla in Minah

al-Minna. I visited Shaykh Abd al-Rahmn at his home in Fez in April 2011 (Jumda al-Ula 1432) along with Moulana Nasm Mtha and Ridwn Akhrifi al-Fs. We read some Hadith to him and he granted us ijza. I visited him the next day and read Hadith from the six famous Hadith compilations and the Muwatta and he again granted me ijza.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Jafar al-Kettn (d.1345=1927). He was Shaykh Abd al-Hays cousin and one of his teachers. Shaykh Abd al-Rah mn met him on his return to Fez and recalls the day and even describes the Shaykh and the manner in which his father welcomed him. Together with his brothers they read the opening Hadiths of the six Hadith works, al-Muwat t , al-Shif, al-Shamil and he granted them ijza. This was on the 16th Jumda al-Ula 1345 when Shaykh Abd al-Rah mn was seven years old.

Shaykh al-Makk ibn Muhammad ibn Al al-Bat wir (d. 1355=1936). He visited Shaykh Abd al-Hay at his home on the 3rd Rab al-Awwal 1343 when Abd al-Ah ad read the beginning of the six Hadith works, Musnad Ahmad, al-Shif and al-Shamil. Shaykh Abd al-Rahmn who was five years old at the time along with his brothers listened.

Shaykh Muhammad Idrs ibn Muhammad al-Mahd ibn Muhammad ibn Al al-Sans (King of Libya) (d. 1403=1982). He visited Shaykh Abd al-Hay in 1953 (1373) and Shaykh Abd al-Rahman heard some Awil and Musalsalt from him that were selected from Iqtif al-Athar by al-Sans .

He was fortunate to have received ijza from many ulama. Some of them are:1 Shaykh Muhammah ibn Muhammad al-Ds al-Bo Sad al-Hmil al-Jaziri

(d. 1339=1921). Shaykh Ahmad Rid Khn al-Barelw (d. 1340=1922). Shaykh Abd al-Hay

met him in Makka in 1905 (1323) when he granted him a written ijza and included his offspring.

Shaykh Muhammad Basyn ibn Basyn al-Qarnshw (d. 1342=1924) Shaykh Ah mad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Khayt al-Zakr al-Fs (d.

1343=1925) Shaykh Muhammad Ab al-Khayr ibn Ahmad Abidn al-Dimashq (d.

1343=1925) Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abd al-Salm al-Alam al-Sarf al-S afs f (d.

1343=1925) Shaykh Hasna ibn Abd Allah al-Naww who was the Shaykh of al-Azhar

(d. 1343=1925) Shaykh Muhammad al-Tayyib ibn Muhammad Ahmad al-Nayfar who was the

Qd and Mufti of Tunisia. (d. 1345=1927) Shaykh Muhammad Ab al-Fad libn Al al-Jzw, Shaykh al-Azhar. (d.

1346=1928) Shaykh Shuayb ibn Al ibn Muhammad al-Jall al-Tilmasn (d. 1347=1929) Shaykh Ysuf al-Nabhn (d. 1350=1932) Shaykh Fath Allah ibn Ab Bakr Bunn (d. 1353=1935) Shaykh Badr al-Dn ibn Ysuf al-Hasan (d. 1354=1936) Shaykh Muhammad Imm ibn Ibrhm al-Saq (d. 1354=1936) Shaykh Muhammad Bakht al-Mut, Mufti of Egypt. (d. 1354=1936) Shaykh Muhammad At Allah ibn Ibrhm al-Kasm, Mufti of Syria. (d.

1357=1939) Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abd al-Salm al-Ghumr (d. 1361=1942) Shaykh Muhammad Habib Allah ibn Abd Allah al-Shanqt (d. 1363=1944)

1 Shaykh Abd al-Rahman and his brothers were included in the ijza their father received from these

ulama.

Shaykh Al ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Qdir al-Adln al-Hasani (d. 1366=1947)

Shaykh Muhammad al-Thr ibn Ashr, Shaykh of al-Zaytuna in Tunis. (d. 1393=1973)

Some of the ulama under whom he studied at the prestigious Qarawiyn in Fez were: Shaykh Ab al-Shit al-S anhj (d. 1365=1946) under whom he studied al-

Mukhtasar al-Khalili bi Sharh al-Dardayr, al-Tuhfa bi al-Shaykh al-Twid ibn Sawda.

Shaykh al-Abbs al-Amrn Shaykh Abd al-Azz ibn al-Khayt (1316-1394=1974) Shaykh al-Jawd al-Siqil Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (d. 1381=1961) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sowda (d. 1368=1949) with whom he read Mifth al-

Sunna by Shaykh Abd al-Azz al-Khawl Shaykh Muh ammad al-Alam (d. 1373=1954) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahmn al-Irq with whom he studied

Alfiya Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Salm Binn (d. 1376=1957) with whom he

studied al-Mukhtasar bi al-Dardayr Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthmn al-Shm Shaykh Ahmad al-Imrn (d. 1370=1951) with whom he studied al-Risla and

Mukhtasar Ibn Abi Jamra

Shaykh Abd al-Rahmn continues to receive students from different parts of the world all eager to read some Hadith to him and then attain ijza from him.

May Allah bless him and grant him good in both the worlds. Amn