Full Name: Muhammad Naasir ad Deen ibn Haaj Nooh al-Albaanee.
Country of Origin: Albania
Al ‘Allaamah, al Faqeeh, the Muhaddith of our time, it is said that he revived the knowledge of Hadeeth in our time, it was also said that he revived the time of al Haafidh ibn Hajar and al Haafidh ibn Katheer again. He was amongst the few who specialized in the knowledge of Jarh wa Ta’deel and Mustalah al Hadeeth
He was born to a poor religious family, his father used to be the reference point in religion in his area, teaching people their religion.
He later migrated to Damascus along with his father. Acting upon his father’s advice, he did not complete his secular education and started studying the Qur-aan, Tawheed, Arabic and Hanafee Figh according to a curriculum set by his father. He studied under his father and other scholars in his area.
Contradicting his father’s directions of blindly following the Hanafee Madh-hab and warning him from the knowledge of Hadeeth, he started studying the knowledge of Hadeeth around the age of twenty and became engrossed by it.
He then went on to carry the banner of calling to Tawheed and the Sunnah in Syria and the world over.
Amongst his achievements:
He was selected by the Faculty of Sharee’ah in the University of Damascus to make Takhreej of the Ahaadeeth of transactions that were specifically collected by the University and published in 1955.
He was selected to be a member of the Committee of Hadeeth that was founded during the union between Egypt and Syria. It was tasked to oversee the publication and editing of the books of the Sunnah.
He was requested by the Salafee University in Banaris, India, to be responsible of the affairs of Hadeeth. He excused himself from the position due to the difficulty of taking his family there during the time of war between India and Pakistan.
In 1388 H. Shaykh Hassan ibn ‘Abdullaah Aal ash Shaykh requested that he assume the position of supervisor for higher education in the faculty of Islaamic studies in the University of Makkah, he was unable to take up the position.
He was selected to be a member of the Higher Committee in the Islaamic University of Madeenah from 1395 – 1398 H. He also lectured at the University.
He accepted the request of the noble Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, to travel to Egypt, Morocco and Britain to call to Tawheed and the adherence to the Qur-aan and Sunnah with the correct Islaamic methodology.
He received the National King Faisal prize for Islaamic Studies in 1419 H. for ‘Efforts on the knowledge of Prophetic Hadeeth’
His praise amongst the scholars:
Al ‘Allaamah ‘Abdul ‘Azeez ibn Baaz stated:
“I have not seen a scholar of Hadeeth under the shade of the skies like al ‘Allaamah Muhammad Naasir ad Deen al Albaanee in this time period.”
He was also asked: ‘Who is the Mujaddid (reviver) of this century?’ He replied: ‘In my opinion, the Mujaddid of this time period is Shaykh Muhammad Naasir ad Deen al Albaanee and Allaah knows best.’
Al ‘Allaamah Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthamymeen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, stated:.
“…he possesses vast knowledge of Hadeeth, whether it is in the chains of narration or the understanding of the texts. Allaah has benefited many people through his written works, in terms of knowledge, Manhaj, and inclination to the knowledge of Hadeeth. He has had an enormous influence over the Muslims, and all praise is due to Allaah."
Al ‘Allaamah Muqbil ibn Haadee al Waadi’ee stated:
“What I firmly believe and worship Allaah with is that Shaykh Muhammad Naasir ad Deen al Albaanee, may Allaah preserve him, is from the Muhadithoon, those whom the following statement of the Messenger of Allaah - صلى الله عليه وسلم – falls true upon: “Indeed Allaah sends someone who revives the affair of the religion at the end of every hundred years.’
Al ‘Allaamah ‘Abdul Muhsin al ‘Abbaad stated:
“I do not know anyone of his caliber in this time period, in caring for Hadeeth and the extent of his knowledge. I or other than me cannot do without his books and benefiting from them.”
He bequeathed his entire library to the Islaamic University of Madeenah
A more complete biography of the Shaykh can be found here
His complete biography in Arabic can be found here