The Biography of Sheikh Abu Mujaahid Fareed Abdullah
He is the Sheikh, the Scholar, Al-Muhaddeth, Al-Faqeeh Fareed Yusuf Abdullah, Abu Mujaahid of the Bahamas, the resident of Los Angeles.
He was born in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, on the twentieth of Al-Muharram, 1378. He was brought up to follow his parents' religion.
He became a Muslim when he was in high school at about fourteen or fifteen years of age. He eagerly began to learn the religion of Islaam. A year after his conversion, he changed his birth name because he no longer wanted to bear the names of those who oppressed his forefathers.
At that stage, he was driven by the enthusiasm of youth. He used to call his people to Islaam in public and private places, and he would pray wherever he was when the time for prayer came. The people's criticism did not affect him. His mother tried to dissuade him away from Islaam and sought the help of some of their relatives and the church. However, he remained steadfast on the truth.
He then began his journey in seeking knowledge. He traveled to Guyana in South America. He stayed there for a year during which he learned the Arabic language and some other Islamic sciences. He also went to India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
After that, he returned to his country. From there, he went to Saudi Arabia, where he studied at the Islamic University of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud in Riyadh. There, he memorized the Book of Allaah, became established in various Islamic sciences, and met many scholars and sheikhs, including Sheikh Abdul Azeez Ibn Baaz and Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen.
He studied the books of Sheikh Muhammad Nsasirul-Din Al-Albaany. This led him to become interested in the science of Hadeeth which he studied until he excelled in it and had a complete understanding of its branches along with the memorization of its texts. He used to narrate the hadeeth from his memory, hardly making a mistake. He was skilled in recalling ahaadeeth, citing them, and extracting benefits from them.
His memorization of the Book of Allaah was perfect. It was easy for him to recall the verses when citing them, and if the reciter made a mistake or was confused, he was the first to remind or correct him.
His creed was pure Salafee. He memorized the narrations of the companions, recalled the statements of the scholars, and resorted to them in understanding the texts and acting upon them.
He excelled in jurisprudence, especially the jurisprudence of marriage, divorce, and related subjects, and the jurisprudence of trade and financial transactions.
After graduating from the university, he went to Los Angeles in the year 1412. There, he settled, became the imam of Masjid Al-Mu'min and a teacher at Al-Madeena school, and began his Da'wah to Allaah. His method was to follow the Quraan and the Sunnah with the understanding of the righteous predecessors.
He used to travel to far and near places to spread the Da'wah. He traveled to New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Kansas City, Salina, Riverside, Fresno, San Diego and other cities. His Da'wah had a great impact in all the regions he went to, and even in other regions that he did not even travel to. His Da'wah reached West Africa and Europe. He had a great impact on everyone who met him and everyone who learned from him.
In the year 1421, he met Sheikh Muqbil Ibn Haadi Al-Waadi'ee when he came to California for medical treatment. He rejoiced in the Sheikh's arrival since he was thinking about traveling to learn from him. Sheikh Muqbil loved him, praised him, and attested to his knowledge and virtue. He used to let him address the people and answer their questions in his presence.
Sheikh Fareed - may Allaah have mercy on him - loved the Sunnah, adhered to it, and was keen to follow it in every matter, small and large. It's as if the Sunnah had been instilled in his flesh and blood. You could see the effects of that on him in his humility, softness of speech, good manners, and kindness to people.
He was a man of worship, and his prayer was exemplary. He used to pray the Duha prayer and the night prayer even while traveling. When Iqaama was called, he would walk among the people, straightening the lines. When they were straightened, he would advance and say takbeer to start the prayer. After praying the Eid prayer, he would give the Khutbah and then he would go to the women's side and remind them (of Allaah).
He used to give his lessons calmly and had a clear, soft voice. He was fluent in both Arabic and English. The time used to pass so quickly during his lessons and lectures that those present would wish they would not end. This is because of the beautiful words and finesse of diction. It was as if he was taking the attendees on a ride. When Paradise was mentioned, his eyes would light up and he would smile and shake his head as if he could see it.
He was good company both at home and outside. Conversations with him were beautiful. It was never dull. He used to talk to the people, hang out with them, eat with them, and share laughs with them. If a stranger entered his gathering, he would not know that he was the imam of the people, their sheikh, and their teacher because of his extreme humility. He did not like to be called: Sheikh, and he used to get angry at that and would stare firmly at the one who addressed him with it (what a stare!) and say to him: "Abu Mujaahid!"
He was loved by everyone, young and old, since he was respectful of the old and merciful to the young. He greeted the children and played with them. And when he shook someone's hand, he would not be the first to withdraw his hand. He hardly complained to anyone, and his companions used to know that something was bothering him when he said: "Praise be to Allaah in every situation." He never asked anyone for anything of the affairs of this worldly life.
All of this was easy and effortless for him because he was truly following the Sunnah of his Prophet -Salla Allaahu alayhi wa sallam-. If you sat down with him, you would learn from him things that you cannot find in books.
He had beautiful writings, including authoring and commentary. He excelled at collecting and organizing evidence and conveying the sayings of scholars. He would add beneficial comments. He had invaluable footnotes in the books that he acquired.
In the year 1439, he returned to his country of birth and stayed there, teaching and calling to Allaah, until he passed away - may Allaah have mercy on him - on the afternoon of Tuesday, the twenty-first of Al-Muharram, 1445, at sixty-seven years of age.