The First Chief Justice in Jordan - Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader Al-Shinqiti
Mohammed Al-Khader Al-Shinqiti, son of Sidi Abdullah bin Ahmed, nicknamed "Ma Yaba" for his generosity and benevolence as he never refused a requester, was named after this trait (Al-Jakni) after one of the greatest tribes of Shinqit that brought together knowledge and influence. "Al-Shinqiti" is a reference to Shinqit, known today as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
Born in the year 1285 AH (1868 AD) in the town of Tikab (eastern Mauritania), he passed away in Medina and lived in Mauritania, Morocco, and visited many Arab countries and India. He received his education from his father, Sheikh Sidi Abdullah, then memorized the Holy Quran, and learned the sciences of language, jurisprudence, and principles from Sheikh Sidi Al-Mukhtar bin Ahmed bin Al-Hadi. Sheikh Sidi Mohammed bin Al-Aqzaf authorized him in memorizing the Holy Quran, and he also studied some jurisprudential texts under his tutelage. He then studied in the presence of Ahl al-Talib Ibrahim al-Takaktin and in the school of Ahl Mohammed bin Mohammed Salem in the far northwest of Mauritania, where he completed his scholarly journey.
He served as a judge in the northern Mauritanian region and founded a learning circle there before returning to his birthplace, where he established a large academic circle. After the French invaded most parts of Mauritania and occupied it, he migrated to Morocco along with some of his brothers and cousins, and after five years, he continued his journey to the East, aiming for the Holy Mosques, and performed the Hajj.
The scholar, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader bin Sidi Abdullah bin Ahmed Mayabi Al-Jakni Al-Shinqiti, came to East Jordan accompanying the founding Prince Abdullah bin Hussein; to be the first to hold the position of Chief Justice in the Jordanian state alongside the ministry position in the first government of the Emirate formed on April 11, 1921, under the presidency of Rashid Tali'a, a figure of the Arab national movement in the early twentieth century of Lebanese origin. When the French colonizers invaded Shinqit, its scholars stood up to the French occupiers, and Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader Al-Shinqiti's fatwa calling for jihad against the French had a significant impact in rallying the people of Shinqit to join the jihad. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader was one of the jihad leaders alongside the ruler of Shinqit, Prince Osman bin Bakkar, and the mujahideen performed admirably in their struggle against the occupiers, but the overwhelming force overcame the faithful few, and the French occupied Shinqit and began chasing the mujahideen. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader then moved to Morocco and stayed there for five years before relocating to the Hejaz and settling in Medina in the year 1330 AH (1912 AD), where he was chosen as the Mufti for the Maliki school of jurisprudence. He had a close relationship with the Sharif of Mecca, Sharif Hussein bin Ali and his sons, and when Prince Abdullah bin Hussein headed to East Jordan in 1921, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader Al-Shinqiti accompanied him and participated in the first Jordanian government after the establishment of the Emirate of East Jordan, which was referred to as the government of the East Arab Government in response to the pan-Arab and unification sentiments prevalent among the people of East Jordan. The Sheikh held the position of Chief Justice and ministerial position in the government known as the Council of Consultants, then served as the Chief Justice in the second government of Rashid Tali'a formed on July 5, 1921, and later held the position of Advisor for Sharia Affairs (equivalent to the Ministry of Waqf) in the government of President Mazhar Raslan formed on August 15, 1921. In the year 1354 AH (1936 AD), Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader bin Sidi Abdullah bin Ahmed Mayabi Al-Jakni Al-Shinqiti returned to Medina and soon after passed away into the mercy of Allah Almighty and was buried in Al-Baqi'.
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khader Al-Shinqiti authored several works, including:
• Kawthar Al-Ma'ani Al-Darari in revealing the secrets of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
• Ibram Al-Naqd for what was said about the preferability of immediate handover.
• Suppressing the deviants and atheists from slandering the imams of jurisprudence.
• Desired of the fruit-picking thief in refuting the slips of Tijani the thief.
• Mandatory conditional factors for the zakat of monetary papers.
• The necessity of a triple talaq divorce in one sitting which cannot be refuted by scholars.
• Suppressing the deviants and atheists from slandering the tradition of imitating the imams of jurisprudence
• The impossibility of divine omnipresence and similar allegorical attributes
• Clarification of Khalil's Summary on the four schools of thought and the most sound evidence.
