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Rabi' al-Madkhali | |
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| Personal life | |
| Born | 1933 (1933) Jarradiyah, Samtah Governorate, Saudi Arabia |
| Died | (aged 92) Madinah, Saudi Arabia |
| Resting place | Baqī' (the resting place of the Sahaabah) |
| Nationality | Saudi |
| Notable work(s) |
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| Alma mater | Islamic University of Madinah |
| Known for | Calling to the Sunnah and Salafiyyah methodology |
| Occupation | Islamic scholar[2] Universityprofessor (formerly)[3] |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Creed | Athari |
| Movement | Salafi •Madkhalism |
| Muslim leader | |
| Disciple of |
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| Website | http://rabee.net/ |
Rabi' ibn Hadi 'Umayr al-Madkhali (Arabic:ربيع بن هادي عمير المدخلي,romanized: Rabiʿ ibn Hādī ʿUmayr al-Madkhalī; 1933 – 9 July 2025) was a Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar and professor at theIslamic University of Madinah, where he headed theSunnah Studies Department.[4][3][5] He remained active throughout his life in the field of Islamic scholarship anddaʿwah. He was praised by fellow scholars such asal-Uthaymin,Ibn Baz, andal-Albani, who described him as the "imam of criticism and praise" (Arabic:إمام الجرح والتعديل,romanized: Imam al-Jarḥ wal-Tad’īl), although he himself later rejected the title.[3][1][6] His will stresses adherence to theQuran,Sunnah, and the path of the early generations as essential for theUmmah’s success.[7]
Rabīʿ al-Madkhali began seeking knowledge in his villageBanu Shabil from Ahmad bin Muhammad Jabir Al-Madkhali and Muhammad bin Jabir Al-Madkhali after he turned eight years old.[8] His teacher before his study at the 'Ma’had al-’Ilmi' inSamtah was Nasir Khalufah Mubaraki (one of Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Qar’awi's students). After completing several classical Islamic texts with him, he started his education at the Ma’had al-’ilmi in Samtah. The most notable of his teachers were: Hafidh ibn Ahmed Ali al-Hakami, Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Hakami, Ahmad bin Yahya Al-Najmi, Muhammad Aman Al-Jami' and Muhammad Saghir Al-Khamisi.[9]
In 1961, he entered the Faculty of Sharia atImam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh for two months and then switched to the Faculty of Sharia at theIslamic University of Madinah, where his teachers included former Mufti of Saudi Arabia,Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz,Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbad, Muhammad Amin Al-Shanqiti, Saleh Al-Iraqi andAbdul-Ghaffar Hasan Al-Hindi.[9] He graduated four years later with excellence. After working at the University, he returned to complete his higher education. He received his master's degree after publishing his thesis, ″Between imams Muslim and Daruqutni″ and achieved hisdoctorate with distinction with his dissertation. After completing his Doctorate atUmm al-Qura in 1980, Madkhali returned to the Islamic University of Madinah where he taught at the Faculty ofHadith and later became the head of the Department ofSunnah in the Department of Higher Studies. He held the chair until his retirement in the mid-1990s.[10]
Having been an opponent of theHouse of Saud[11][12] but then having turned strongly pro-establishment by the early 1990s, the Saudi government promoted al-Madkhali to lead a countermovement against growing criticisms of the Kingdom's socioeconomic ills, late deliveries of farm subsidies and normalization of ties withIsrael on the condition of a Palestinian state.[13] After theGulf War had concluded, Madkhali distributed a booklet justifying the decision of the Saudi Arabian government to allow the presence of U.S. troops on Arabian soil and criticizing rival controversial radical clericSafar Al-Hawali for the latter's opposition to the government's decision.[14] In 2016, he issued afatwa calling upon "the Salafis of Libya" to rebel against the UN-recognizedGovernment of National Accord in favor ofKhalifa Haftar, who has been described as "Libya's most potent warlord".[15]
Rabīʿal-Madkhali had authored over 30 works in the field of Hadith and Islamic sciences, much of which has been compiled into a 15 volume set[16] In 1984, the book which brought him fame in the Saudi religious field, 'Manhaj Al-Anbiyah Fi Da’wah Ila Allah' (The Methodology of the Prophets in Calling to Allah), caused controversy over Al-Madkhali's criticisms of the Muslim Brotherhood and their methods inMuslim missionary work.[17] According to Lacroix, Al-Madkhali insisted that priority must be given to correctingIslamic creed amongst the people, whereas the Muslim Brotherhood's initial focus was on political reform.[17] Some observers state that Al-Madkhali is most noted for his refutations of Islamic thinkerSayyid Qutb. Al-Madkhali received acclamations for his works refuting radical preacher[18] Sayyid Qutb from other Salafi scholars such asSaleh Al-Fawzan,Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi'i,Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani andMuhammad ibn al Uthaymeen.[19] Of his four books on Sayyid Qutb, 'Adhwa Islamiyyah ala aqidat Sayyid Qutb wa fikrihi' is considered the most important.[20] Apart from his praised works in refutations, his other authorships include:
20th century Salafi scholaral-Albani regarded al-Madkhali to be very knowledgeable in the field of hadith, particularly inal-Jarh wal-Ta’dil. Al-Albani stated that, “the carrier of the flag of [knowledge] of al-Jarh wal-Ta'dil today, in this present time, and rightfully so, is our brother Dr. Rabee’, and those who refute him do so without any knowledge."[21] He has also received praise from other contemporary Salafist scholars such asAbd al-Aziz ibn Baz,Saleh Al-Fawzan,Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen,Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi'i, and theGrand Mufti of Saudi Arabia among many others who praised him for being a firm defender of Islam's core values.[2] Roel Meijer notes that some analysts view Madkhali's followers as having an obsession with his defense and continuously cite scholarly praise of him as a mechanism "for maintaining, defending and enhancing this authority", which is contested by Madkhali's detractors.[22]
Political scientistGilles Kepel has described Madkhali as being the perfect example of pro-regime "court scholars" in the Middle East, as opposed to more radical trends within theSalafist movement.[23] In contrast to his early opposition to the Saudi Arabian government, Madkhali is now considered one of the Saudi royal family's staunchest defenders.[10][11][24][25][26] While politically quietest within his own country, Madkhali has supported violent conflict in other areas, having called on Muslims both inside and outsideIndonesia to participate in theMaluku sectarian conflict.[27][28][29][30]
Madkhali's source of religious authority within the Salafist movement is unclear. He has not been involved with official religious bodies of the Saudi government, does not belong to the significant line of 20th-century Salafist scholars includingAbd al-Aziz ibn Baz andMuhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, and has been described as below the level of contemporaries such asMuhammad ibn al Uthaymeen orSaleh Al-Fawzan.[31] Some anti-Muslim Brotherhood figures likeMuqbil ibn Hadi al Wadi'i are huge supporters of Al-Madkhali and consider him to be a senior scholar. According to Al-Wadi'i:
"From the most insightful of people concerning the [misguided] groups and their taints in this era is the brother, Shaikh Rabī’ bin Hādī, may Allāh preserve him. Whomever he declares to be ahizbī, then it will be unveiled [and made clear] for you after some days that he is indeed ahizbī...I advise you to ask Shaikh Rabī’ bin Hādī, may Allāh preserve him. A great deal of his life has passed with [dealing with]al-Ikhwān al-Muslimīn. He is the most knowledge person concerning them and their realities"[32]
Shaykh Rabīʿ was known for his staunch defence of the Sunnah and his detailed works in al-Jarḥ wa at-Taʿdīl (criticism and praise). His teachings on methodology and refutations of deviant groups became widely respected in Salafi circles. His known students include:
Rabīʿal-Madkhali died inMadinah on 9 July 2025, at the age of 92. Hisjanazah was performed afterFajr, at theProphet's Masjid in Madinah on 10 July. It was led by Khaled al-Muhanna, an imam of the Prophet's Mosque.[34][35]
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