Sayyid Abu Bakr Al-Aidarus (saint)
Encyclopedia
Sayyid Abū Bakr Al Adni ibn 'Abdallāh Al-'Aidarūs (1447–1508) was a Hadhrami Arab religious scholar of the Sufi order and a poet of wrote several Arab poems
in the Humayni vernacular style. Abu Bakr led most of his adult life in Aden
, where he was well respected for his societal contributions to the well-being of the city's residents. After his death in 1508, he was mourned by the city's residents, and was later venerated as the Wali
(patron saint) of Aden.
in 1447. In his youth, Abu Bakr studied the teachings of Al-Ghazali
, and in his early adulthood, he was sent to Aden
to undertake missionary duties there. Abu Bakr oversaw the construction of the city's mosque and its Sufi school, and later settled down in the city. Nevertheless, he made occasional return trips to his family in Tarim, many of whom relied on monetary endowment given by charitable traders in the region.)
Abu Bakr was eventually made the Mansab (religious leader) of Aden. He was highly respected by the city's residents, who described him as a very brilliant and kind man with an excellent sense of justice. Abu Bakr was also respected by members of the local Jewish
community, who provided refuge to the Jews who suffer from occasional harassment from the desert bandits. Abu Bakr also travelled to Harar
after settling in Aden and introduced the Qadiriyyah Tariqa among the Ethiopian
natives.
traveller who met Abu Bakr in his dream shortly after Abu Bakr's demise. The Sikh, who was suffering from a stomachache, fell asleep beside his tomb. In his dream, Abu Bakr instructed the Sikh to bathe in a nearby pond and he quickly recovered. Following the ordeal, the grateful Sikh built a mosque over Abu Bakr's grave and shortly before returning to India, he gave a promise to the local residents that he would provide the doors for the newly constructed mosque. The Sikh met Abu Bakr again after his return to India
, who narrated to Abu Bakr of his difficulty of bringing wood to Yemen for the construction of the mosque's doors. Abu Bakr provided instructions to the Sikh on the fate of the wooden logs, to which he duly followed and threw them into the sea. Residents at Sira later reported of receiving the wooden logs which the Sikh had thrown into the sea, and noted an inscription which stated the intended use of the wooden logs. The mosque later became the centre of Sufi learning in Aden, and several of his descendants took on the duty of the mosque's custodians. Renovations works were initiated during the 19th century and again in the 1990s, after the mosque suffered serious structural damage from the North Yemen Civil War
.
, Abu Bakr raised a family of his own and started off a new lineage. The Aidarus clan was an offshoot of the Ba'Alawi Al-Saqqaf clan of Tarim
lineage; and established a new clan many of his descendants established trading links with the Bedouin
s and the Qu'aiti
Sultans and took up prominent political positions. Other descendants migrated to India
, Southeast Asia
and East Africa
from the late 14th century onwards and established new Islamic schools or Muslim ruling houses; among the first descendants to migrate was a grandson, Sayyid Abdallah and another descendant, Sayyid Abdullah
, both of whom migrated to India and Aceh
respectively and established new diaspora communities.
Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present knowledge of poetry in Arabic dates from the 6th century, but oral poetry is believed to predate that. Arabic poetry is categorized into two main types, rhymed, or measured, and prose, with the former greatly preceding the latter...
in the Humayni vernacular style. Abu Bakr led most of his adult life in Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, where he was well respected for his societal contributions to the well-being of the city's residents. After his death in 1508, he was mourned by the city's residents, and was later venerated as the Wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
(patron saint) of Aden.
Biography
Abu Bakr was born in TarimTarim, Yemen
Tarim is a historic town situated in the Hadhramaut Valley of South Yemen, South Arabia. Tarim is widely acknowledged as the theological, juridical, and academic center of the Hadhramaut Valley. An important locus of Islamic learning, it is estimated to contain the highest concentration of...
in 1447. In his youth, Abu Bakr studied the teachings of Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī , known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia was a Persian Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic....
, and in his early adulthood, he was sent to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
to undertake missionary duties there. Abu Bakr oversaw the construction of the city's mosque and its Sufi school, and later settled down in the city. Nevertheless, he made occasional return trips to his family in Tarim, many of whom relied on monetary endowment given by charitable traders in the region.)
Abu Bakr was eventually made the Mansab (religious leader) of Aden. He was highly respected by the city's residents, who described him as a very brilliant and kind man with an excellent sense of justice. Abu Bakr was also respected by members of the local Jewish
Yemenite Jews
Yemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen . Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of Yemen's Jewish population was transported to Israel in Operation Magic Carpet...
community, who provided refuge to the Jews who suffer from occasional harassment from the desert bandits. Abu Bakr also travelled to Harar
Harar
Harar is an eastern city in Ethiopia, and the capital of the modern Harari ethno-political division of Ethiopia...
after settling in Aden and introduced the Qadiriyyah Tariqa among the Ethiopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
natives.
Introduction of coffee
At least three Arab texts, namely the Ta'rikh of al-Nadjm al-Ghazzi, Djami Karamat al-Awliya and Istifa' al-Safwa li-Tashyat al-Kahwa, mentioned of Sayyid Abu Bakr's role in the introduction of coffee to the Hadhramaut region. According to the Ta'rikh of al-Nadjm al-Ghazzi, Sayyid Abu Bakr became impressed with the strong stimulating effect of the coffee fruit after he ate the berries of a coffee tree during his wanderings. Sayyid Abu Bakr, apparently praised with the effects of the coffee fruit, took the coffee berries as a fruit and introduced them to his disciples. The other two sources, Djami Karamat al-Awliya and the Istifa' al-Safwa li-Tashyat al-Kahwa mentioned of Sayyid Abu Bakr's fondness of coffee and accredited him for the introduction of coffee to the Southern Arab regions.Death and legacy
Abu Bakr's death in 1508 (although some source suggested that he died in 1503) was greatly mourned by the Adenis. The city residents published copies of obituaries commemorating the life of Abu Bakr, and an account of Abu Bakr's birthplace, Tarim was also published. His grave has since been visited by thousands of Muslim pilgrims every year who continue to pay their respects.Aidarus mosque
Several people alleged the Abu Bakr may have possessed mystical powers and claimed that they had met his spirit while sleeping; a legend mentioned of a SikhSikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
traveller who met Abu Bakr in his dream shortly after Abu Bakr's demise. The Sikh, who was suffering from a stomachache, fell asleep beside his tomb. In his dream, Abu Bakr instructed the Sikh to bathe in a nearby pond and he quickly recovered. Following the ordeal, the grateful Sikh built a mosque over Abu Bakr's grave and shortly before returning to India, he gave a promise to the local residents that he would provide the doors for the newly constructed mosque. The Sikh met Abu Bakr again after his return to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, who narrated to Abu Bakr of his difficulty of bringing wood to Yemen for the construction of the mosque's doors. Abu Bakr provided instructions to the Sikh on the fate of the wooden logs, to which he duly followed and threw them into the sea. Residents at Sira later reported of receiving the wooden logs which the Sikh had thrown into the sea, and noted an inscription which stated the intended use of the wooden logs. The mosque later became the centre of Sufi learning in Aden, and several of his descendants took on the duty of the mosque's custodians. Renovations works were initiated during the 19th century and again in the 1990s, after the mosque suffered serious structural damage from the North Yemen Civil War
North Yemen Civil War
The North Yemen Civil War was fought in North Yemen between royalists of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and factions of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1962 to 1970. The war began with a coup d'état carried out by the republican leader, Abdullah as-Sallal, which dethroned the newly crowned Imam...
.
Descendants
After relocating to AdenAden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, Abu Bakr raised a family of his own and started off a new lineage. The Aidarus clan was an offshoot of the Ba'Alawi Al-Saqqaf clan of Tarim
Tarim, Yemen
Tarim is a historic town situated in the Hadhramaut Valley of South Yemen, South Arabia. Tarim is widely acknowledged as the theological, juridical, and academic center of the Hadhramaut Valley. An important locus of Islamic learning, it is estimated to contain the highest concentration of...
lineage; and established a new clan many of his descendants established trading links with the Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
s and the Qu'aiti
Qu'aiti
Qu'aiti , officially the Qu'aiti State in Hadhramaut Qu'aiti , officially the Qu'aiti State in Hadhramaut Qu'aiti , officially the Qu'aiti State in Hadhramaut (Arabic: (الدولة القعيطية الحضرمية) or the Qu'aiti Sultanate of Shihr and Mukalla (Arabic:سلطنة الشحر والمكلاا ), was a sultanate in the...
Sultans and took up prominent political positions. Other descendants migrated to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
from the late 14th century onwards and established new Islamic schools or Muslim ruling houses; among the first descendants to migrate was a grandson, Sayyid Abdallah and another descendant, Sayyid Abdullah
Sayyid Abdullah Al-Aidarus
Sayyid Abdullah ibn Syekh Al-Aidarūs was a Hadhrami Arab religious leader who lived in the 16th century. He is best known for being the great-grandfather of Tun Habib Abdul Majid, the Bendahara of the Johor-Pahang empire whose descendants have established ruling houses in Malaysia and the Riau...
, both of whom migrated to India and Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
respectively and established new diaspora communities.