The First Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces - Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab

His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab, Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Haroun, Al-Azab, nicknamed Abu Hamza, was the first Mufti of the Hashemite Jordanian Armed Forces and the founder of Jordanian military fatwa.

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab was born in Ma'an on 1/1/1911. He grew up in an academic environment in the city of Ma'an and was raised in a house of knowledge. His father, a righteous scholar, enabled him to wear the turban of knowledge as a young man, not exceeding fifteen years of age. He studied Islamic law in Damascus and established the military fatwa in 1946. He was among those close to King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein, and his most prominent student was Sheikh Noah Al-Qudah, may God have mercy on him.

His Eminence Dr. Sheikh Noah Al-Qudah, may God have mercy on him, said: (Sheikh Al-Azab received his primary education in Damascus; in its schools, when his father lived there). Sheikh Noah Al-Qudah mentioned several distinguished scholars from whom His Eminence Sheikh Al-Azab received knowledge, including:

• The venerable scholar, Sayyid Ahmad Al-Dabbagh, may God have mercy on him: a divine scholar, a Sufi, with a famous scientific council. His Eminence Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Shuwayyat mentioned that he belongs to the Prophet's family - peace be upon him. Sheikh Al-Shuwayyat said: (People are entrusted with their lineage). Sheikh Al-Dabbagh resided in Tafilah and died in the 1970s.

Sheikh Al-Shuwayyat supported his statement with a letter written by His Eminence Sheikh Al-Azab to King Abdullah I – may God have mercy on him - in 1941, requesting his attention for Sheikh Al-Dabbagh; the letter stated:

(My lord and master, His Royal Highness, may God support and protect you, and aid and guard you in the manner of the Messenger of God and your righteous predecessors, peace be upon you, the mercy of God, and His blessings; thereafter; I write this message without showing it to anyone, so if it meets your care and acceptance, that is my certain hope. If otherwise – God forbid – I will not share it with anyone but God. What pains the heart and breaks the hearts of the people, and melts the livers, is what we see in this life, from the elevation of the lowly, and the humiliation of the elevated. We are not as concerned about this as when it is seen in a country led by a man in knowledge, honor, and religion in the highest place, and sadness and regret increase when the opposite is seen among those we believe to be outside the doctrines of Ahl al-Sunna, far from a high lineage, and the noble merit; in which your Highness indulges, and others cannot dream of. I say this and implore my lord, hoping from his noble character not to hasten, but I ask him and leave the answer to him; would it please those of you from his best lineage – and he is merciful to the believers – that the followers of whims enjoy salary increases and promotions, while the people of virtue and distinguished sons of his lineage; like Sayyid Ahmad Al-Dabbagh, are denied something to help them in calling to God, while you oversee everything, and are capable of spreading virtue by strengthening its people, and raising their status?

For God's sake, Abu Talal, and the wombs; wisdom is known from you, and noble deeds of the family of the house issue and are disposed of by you. People of knowledge, religion, and the Prophet's family in this country have no one but God the Generous and you, my lord...

Abdullah Al-Azab..27/9/1360 AH and 18/9/1941 AD)

The text of the letter ends, showing how much Sheikh Al-Azab carried the concerns of Muslim scholars and the general public.

• The venerable scholar, Sayyid Abdul Aziz Al-Dabbagh: a teacher of the Holy Quran, who granted the continuous chain of narration to the Prophet - peace be upon him - in reciting the Book of God; this was in the Great Mosque in the city of Ma'an.
• The venerable scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khidr Al-Shanqiti: a servant of knowledge in the Holy Mosques, the Mufti of the Maliki school in Medina. Born and learned in Shanqiti, he migrated to Medina and assumed the position of Mufti there, passing away in 1353 AH - 1935 AD.

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab - may God have mercy on him - granted the following scientific licenses at the beginning of his academic life:

(1) A license in Prophetic Hadith.

(2) A general license in Islamic sciences.

(3) A license to open a private school for teaching the Quran, Prophetic Hadith, religious sciences, and the Arabic language.

The first two were granted by his teacher, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khidr Al-Shanqiti, and the third was granted by the Jordanian Ministry of Education on 20/10/1934 AD. Another similar license was granted by the late governor of Ma'an, Khalaf Al-Tal, on 2/9/1937 AD.

His Eminence held the following religious positions:

1.    Imam of the Great Mosque of Ma'an: On 3/1/1937 AD, he was appointed Imam of the Great Mosque in Ma'an, succeeding his teacher, the great scholar Sayyid Abdul Aziz Al-Dabbagh.

2.    The General Mufti of the city of Ma'an: On 14/7/1940 AD, a royal decree was issued appointing him as an honorary Mufti for the city of Ma'an, and on 1/8/1942 AD, he was officially appointed as the General Mufti of Ma'an, with the approval of the Prime Minister.

3.    Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces, the first period: On 7/8/1944 AD, a royal decree was issued appointing him as Mufti of the Arab Army with the rank of Chief - Captain. He established the Directorate of Fatwa in the Arab Army, then was reassigned as Imam in the Jordanian Armed Forces. His son, Hamza Pasha Al-Azab, said: (My father tried to establish a Fatwa Department or Directorate in the army, but the presence of the British prevented this, even remaining in his rank for 12 years; because Glubb did not want a Fatwa in the army). Regardless of the reasons, the position of Mufti was later assigned to Sheikh Sulaiman Ali Al-Ja'bari on 1/3/1954 AD, and Sheikh Al-Azab continued as a preacher; setting the finest examples of patience and sacrifice.

4.    Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces, the second period: During the reign of King Hussein – may God have mercy on him - on 30/6/1956 AD, he was appointed as Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces. He struggled until it became a beacon for the Jordanian Armed Forces. The duty of the Directorate of Fatwa and its guides was not limited to teaching religion only, but he, may God have mercy on him, participated in every battle that occurred, along with the guides; to encourage the soldiers to fight, and urge them to be patient and steadfast, and to fight for the sake of God. He was known for his sincerity and loyalty to the Hashemite house, and was retired on 21/9/1972 AD with the rank of Lieutenant General.

His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab - may God have mercy on him - participated in many debates and scientific and jurisprudential symposiums managed by His Majesty the late King Abdullah I in Ma'an with intellectuals, writers, and religious figures. These debates were a reason for his appointment as the Mufti of the Arab Army. Hamza Pasha Al-Azab said: (When King Abdullah I came to Ma'an, he met my father, and they had a scientific and religious discussion and dialogue; the discussions took place in the council of the founding king, who was impressed by my father's personality and requested him to come to Amman and offered him to be the Mufti of the army, so my father entered the army with the rank of Captain).

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab - may God have mercy on him - began his military life on the day of his enlistment, 7/8/1944, with the rank of Captain, and his rank among the officers in terms of service seniority was (362). His son, retired General Hamza Pasha Al-Azab, said: (I come from a military family; my father, may God have mercy on him, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab, was the Mufti of the Armed Forces, and he founded the Fatwa in 1944 when I was one year old; so my father was a military man; he was a fighter in Palestine; in addition to being a man of knowledge and religion, he practiced military work practically, where he used to go to military units in Palestine, and attended the battle of the fourth battalion, as well as the battles of Bab al-Wad and Latrun and others, where he would tour units in the areas of Jaffa, Haifa, and other regions, and was constantly present among the military units). He received high military medals; including the War Memorial Medal in 1945, the Independence Medal in 1963, and the War Operations Medal in 1967, and was retired on 21/9/1972.

His peers and colleagues in his work praised him - may God have mercy on him; among those who praised him:

1.    His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Noah Al-Qudah: After the death of His Eminence Sheikh Al-Azab, His Eminence Sheikh Noah Al-Qudah - may God have mercy on him - wrote something about his fragrant biography, under the title: In the custody of God, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab, the first Mufti of the Mustafa Army), and at the end of the obituary, he quoted God's saying: {Indeed, God has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of God, so they kill and are killed. A promise binding upon Him in truth in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than God. So rejoice in your transaction which you have transacted; and it is that which is the great attainment}. It was published in the magazine Al-Tadhkirah, and he proved much of what he wrote in the margins of this biography.

2.    His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Ali Mustafa Al-Faqir: Sheikh Al-Azab loved to visit the Imams; and considered visiting them as visiting kin. He loved to be hosted in the surrounding gardens; because he loved nature and simplicity in life, and due to his apparent piety, the Imams would kiss his hand, and I saw a group of guides and Imams kissing his hand whenever they greeted him, even after he was retired, and His Eminence Dr. Ali Al-Faqir still praises him well; and says: He was a virtuous scholar, patient, and had a strong personality.

3.    His Eminence Sheikh Mahmoud Shuwayat: Said: (I was honored to have served with His Eminence for two years and a bit; as I entered the Armed Forces on 1/6/1970, and he was - may God have mercy on him - intelligent, patient, with good policy - making and administration, where he created the Directorate of Fatwa from nothing; as a result of his patience, cunning, and patriotism, and he - may God have mercy on him - loved the Hashemites and his country, especially the Jordanian Armed Forces, and he was a true student of knowledge, loved students of knowledge, brought them close, cared for them, and defended their rights, and I noticed that he had a high capacity for forbearance; as we were young guides with him; so he would guide us, advise us, and overlook many of our mistakes and slips).

4.    His Eminence Sheikh Abdul Karim Al-Khasawneh: Said: (I did not meet Sheikh Al-Azab in service, but I know that he founded the Directorate of Fatwa in the most difficult circumstances; as the army leadership was British, and he was gracious, a precise scholar in issuing fatwas, knowledgeable of its conditions, and bold, keen to show the virtues of Islam when dealing with People of the Book “Ahl al-Kitāb”, and was keen to protect the Directorate of Fatwa from negative influences; and any alien thought; and for this, he was honored by His Majesty King Hussein, may God have mercy on him, and as a result of this honor and others, the Hashemite leadership was loved by the Imams, and Sheikh Al-Azab loved the Imams, and instilled hope in their souls, and they told me that they used to stipulate that he recruit the Imams for a month; the month of Ramadan, so he was keen on recruiting them and then sought to continue their service).
5.    His Eminence Sheikh Ali Hussein Jabr, the reciter of the Jordanian Armed Forces: Said: (Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab was a scholar among the scholars of Jordan; he loved to increase the number of mosques and imams in the army; so that there would be a mosque and an Imam in every unit, and he aspired for every Imam to be a role model; performing his duties with sincerity, and he would check on the condition of the Imams, and care for their affairs, and was a lover of the Aal al-Bayt, and offered advice to the best of his ability).

After the death of His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab - may God have mercy on him - his son, retired General Hamza Al-Azab, donated his father's library to the Directorate of Fatwa, and Sheikh Noah Al-Qudah placed it in the college library; it contains famous books in Islamic sciences; like Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the book Mughni al-Muhtaj in Shafi'i jurisprudence by Al-Khatib Al-Shirbini, Al-Mabsut by Al-Sarakhsi, Ibn Abidin's Hashiya ibn A’abdeen in Hanafi jurisprudence, Al-Tawsi's Al-Luma' in Sufism, Al-Nawawi's Al-Adhkar, Al-Alusi's Ruh al-Ma'ani in interpretation, Al-Shawkani's Nail al-Awtar, Ibn al-Qayyim's Zad al-Ma'ad, Ibn Hajar's Al-Sawaiq al-Muhriqah, Al-Misbah al-Munir and Al-Qamus al-Muhit in language, and Al-Farida in the calculation of inheritance by Muhammad Al-Baytar.

I found one of his writings in the magazine: (The Leap of the Army) titled: (The Mufti of the Army Speaks to the Army), in which he said, «A word to our noble army men on the occasion of the blessed leap ... Among the most important works, the highest in status, and the noblest in place, is the honorable military profession; for its great virtue in serving humanity, if used correctly, like guarding the interests of the nation, restraining the hands of criminals, restoring rights to their owners, defending its sanctities, and sacrificing lives for its dignity and honor.

Among the greatest foundations on which the military profession is based, making it suitable to assume the highest positions befitting it, are obedience to the ruler, sincerity in work, and trustworthiness in what the soldier is entrusted with, great or small, and good patience in hardship and ease.

The strongest motivator for instilling these noble characteristics in a soldier is the knowledge of their divinely ordained nature from Allah - Glorified and Exalted be He - and that he is rewarded by Him - the Exalted - for embodying them. He will find happiness in both worlds for adhering to them, and will face punishment and disgrace in both lives for neglecting any of them. A soldier is a crucial member of his nation's body and must act righteously and fulfill the purpose for which he was created. Otherwise, the order of the body is disrupted, and he himself is disrupted by its disorder. Through his true service, he serves his religion, king, and country, which is enough motivation to strive for the highest ideals. Therefore, O soldier, be sincere in all your actions; for deeds are judged by intentions, be trustworthy in what you are entrusted with; for successful are those who keep their trusts and covenants, be patient during encounters; for victory requires patience for an hour, and be obedient to your superiors, regardless of their ranks; for Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - says: }O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you{ [Al-Nisa: 59]. Remember the incident of {Uhud} as a lesson. The polytheists attacked the Muslims in the third year of the Prophet's migration - peace be upon him. He - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - placed the group of archers at a gap behind the Islamic army, commanding them to hold their position and not to leave it even if they saw birds snatching the army. Their role was to shower arrows to prevent the enemy from attacking the army from behind. Initially, the Muslims dominated the enemy, and the polytheists retreated. However, when the archers saw the enemy's defeat, they left their position, which they were ordered to guard, calling out for the spoils of war. Their leader, Abdullah bin Jubair - may Allah be pleased with him - reminded them of the Prophet's - peace be upon him - command, but they did not listen, thinking the enemy would not return. By leaving the gap unguarded, the enemy passed through it and surrounded the Muslims, killing seventy companions, and on that day, the Prophet - peace be upon him - was injured in his cheek, and his tooth was broken. Had Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - not steadied His Messenger - peace be upon him - and his senior companions - may Allah be pleased with them - with patience and sacrifice that day, the Muslims would not have stood again. This was due to the unfortunate disobedience of the archers. However, it was a great lesson for them and a warning for those who came after them about the dire consequences of disobeying orders. After that incident, they became more cautious, vigilant, and careful to avoid the causes of abandonment, and they became the best examples in obedience and dedication, spreading peace among the regions.

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azab - may Allah have mercy on him and forgive him - passed away on Monday, 1st of Dhu al-Qi'dah 1409 AH, corresponding to 5th June 1989 AD. He was buried in the cemetery of Ma'an city, and his funeral was a grand and majestic one, attended by many scholars and people of virtue.