Abdulrahman Alhoot

Abdulrahman Alhoot

His name:

- The scholar Sheikh Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Darwish al-Hout al-Beiruti al-Shafi’i al-‘Alawi was one of the most prominent Muslim scholars in Beirut during the second half of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century.

- He was a Sunni Shafi'i Muslim, his nickname Abu Zayd, and was called the scholar Sheikh al-Muhaqqiq, and he belonged to Al Ash'ari school.

His lineage and birth:

- His lineage goes back to the family of the Prophet Muhammad, specifically to Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, the fourth of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.

- Abd al-Rahman al-Hoot was born in Beirut in the year 1846AD/1262 AH. He is the son of the eminent Sheikh of Beirut, the imam "Muhammad al-Hoot al-Kabir", the author of thirty-five books in all religious sciences.

His life:

- He took most of his knowledge from his father, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hoot, then he moved to Damascus and learn from a group of scholars.

- He was famous for his asceticism, humility, and love for charitable deeds, as he spent his life concerned with the burdens of education, the call to Islam and social work.

- A number of Muslim scholars visited him to study, and a number of modern figures of the Renaissance in Lebanon, the Levant and some parts of the Arab world had learned from him.

- He was loved by the original Christians of the city (the Greek Orthodox) and the newly settled people from the mountain (the Maronites) due to his far-sightedness and wide tolerance and because he was the son of Sheikh Muhammad al-Hoot Al Kabir who played a prominent role in protecting and sheltering many poor Christians who were displaced from Mount Lebanon during massacres in 1860 AD.

- He contributed to the construction and restoration of most of the mosques, nooks and crannies of Beirut during his lifetime, and it was known that he spent most of his money on that, and gave up everything that was offered to him on a personal level for the benefit of the Muslims in Beirut, until Beiruti people called him Al Wali and considered him one of the righteous.

His writings:

- Sheikh "Abd al-Rahman al-Hoot" left a number of books on religious sciences, the most prominent of which are:

• Resalat Maraqi Al-Saadatfi Alhath ala Adaa' Al Salawat fi Awl Alawqat wa Alzagr aan Tarkiha wa Altahawon beha wa Ta'khiriha.

• Resalat Ershad Alawam ela sabel Al Salam.

• (Al Resala Al Naseha) book.

• The book (Asna Al-Matalib fi Ahadeth Mokhtalifat Al Maeateb).

- He also contributed to showing a number of his father's books, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hoot Al-Kabir.

His death:

- He died in 1916 AD / 1336 AH, and lived (70 years).

- When "Abd al-Rahman al-Hoot" died, he was buried in a large funeral in which thousands of Beiruti people participated. He was buried in the "Bashoura Cemetery", on the outskirts of old Beirut, near the tomb of his father and brother, and his mausoleum there is famous and visited.

Resources:

assamir website

mdar website

Research “Serat Al Alama Al Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Hoot (1846-1919)” prepared by Ibrahim Anwar al-Hoot

Beirut Dar Al-Kholoud for Press, Printing, Publishing and Distribution 2012