Scholar of Riyadha Mosque

Sayyid Ali was born in Lamu in 1903. He was the first son/child of Sayyid Ahmad Badawy. His mother, Aisha (popularly known as Makhale), was the daughter of the Great Lamu scholar Sheikh Abdallah bin Muhammad Bakathir.

Sayyid Ali grew up under the tutorship of his father and grandfather both of who were men of High Caliber and Integrity in Religious and Academic endeavors

During his youth, Sayyid Ali studied under many scholars of Lamu and beyond. His teachers include:

  • Sheikh Muhammad bin Ali Al-Maawy (d. 1955)
  • Sayyid Abu Bakr bin Abdulrahman Al-Hussein (Mwenye Manswabu)
  • Sayyid Muhammad Adnan Al-Ahdal
  • Sayyid Muhammad bin Abdallah Al- Rudainy (d. 1955)
    • and the famous Mombasa scholar
  • Sheikh Al-Amin Mazrui (d. 1947)

Sayyid Ali Badawy never involved himself in anything else apart from academic activities. He pioneered many radical changes in the Islamic religious education system. He is credited to be the first scholar who brought the idea of an organized madrasah system in East Africa. Previously students used to study in the mosques and/or in houses of their teachers. He became the first principal of Madrastul Falah (of/in Mombasa) when it was opened in 1932. He also became the first headmaster of Madrassah al-Najah in Lamu in 1934

In 1948 C.E, he was appointed by the British colonial administration to be the Chief Kadhi of Kenya, a post he held briefly for two years before deciding to go back to his most important career - Teaching.

Later on, he was invited to teach at the Muslim Academy of Zanzibar (1950’s – 1960’s). He lived there for a good number of years.

Sayyid Ali Badawy was a man of great wisdom and intellect; he had memorized many of the classical Islamic works both in Jurisprudence, Grammar, Logic, Tafseer and Ahadith. He spent most of his time disseminating knowledge all over East Africa. Among his famous students include:

  • The mufti of Oman Sheikh Ahmad bin Hamad al – Khalili (b. 1942)
  • his son Sharif Muhammad Bahsan (d. 1979)
  • Shariff Abdulrahman Khitamy (d. 2005)
  • Ustadh Harith Swaleh ( b. 1935)
  • Sayyid Muhammad Twalib Rudainy (d. 1981)
  • Sayyid Umar bin Abdallah (Mwinyi Baraka)
  • Sheikh Mudhafar bin Maamun Nabhani
and many others.

Apart from being an eloquent public speaker, Sayyid Ali was also a prolific writer. He wrote many works which include:

  • Twareeqatul Sahlah li maarifatil Awqat wal Qiblah
  • Bullatul Awam fee Ahkam dhawil Arham
  • Khayru Nnida nadhm Qatru Nnada
  • Twarfatul Ahbab nadhm Matnul Ahbab
  • Mukhtasar rub’u nadhma
  • Mandhumat Nuzhatu Nadhar fee Ilmil Mustalah Al-Athar
  • Twarfatul Khallan fee Fannil Bayaan
among others.

Sayyid Ali was considered to be among the greatest scholars of East and Central Africa. His long and fruitful life came to an end in 1988 at his home town of Lamu. He was buried in between the graves of his father and grandfather in Lamu