Mohammad Hayya Al-Sindhi

Who is Mohammad Hayya Al-Sindhi?

Imam Mohammad Hayyat ibn Ibraaheem al-Sindi was a prominent Muslim scholar, chancellor of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi and Chief Justice of Medina in the eighteenth century during the period of Ottoman Empire.

Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab's teacher Abdallah ibn Ibrahim ibn Sayf introduced the relatively young man to Mohammad Hayya Al-Sindhi in Medina and recommended him as a student. Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab and al-Sindi became very close and Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab stayed with him for some time. Al-Sindi was a renowned scholar of hadith who was well known for repudiating innovations. Scholars have described Muhammad Hayya as having an important influence on Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, encouraging him to denounce rigid imitation of medieval commentaries and to utilize informed individual analysis. Muhammad Hayya also taught Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab to reject popular religious practices associated with 'saints' and their tombs that resembles Orthodox Sunni Islam teachings.