Shaykh Mohamed Mlamali Adam was born in Zanzibar into a family well known for piety. He became known in Britain as Shaykh Mohamed Adam. In East African circles he was known as Shaykh Mohamed Mlamali.
Shaykh Adam named our organization “Fountain.” When asked about the meaning, he explained, “From it, many will come to drink.” Though this was hard to fully grasp over 20 years ago, today we see how it has blossomed in our town of Luton, Alhamdulillah.
He grew up in an environment which nourished his faith. From an early age he showed signs of great intelligence. His father oversaw his Islamic education, first taking him to study in a local Quran school. He then chose teachers who were known for their knowledge and uprightness, the first of these being Shaykh Abdullah Mu’adhin and Mu’allim Hi mid Hajj under whom he studied the basic books in the Islamic sciences. He then became a student of Shaykh Muhammad Qamus, whose lessons he constantly attended in the Shaykh’s mosque in Mbuyuni, where he studied advanced books with him. He had passion for gaining knowledge and had love for being in the presence with the scholars and the pious. He was so attached to Imam al-Ghazali and his books that he would carry a volume of the lhya Ulum al-Din with him wherever he went, even to school to the annoyance of some of his teachers.
Among his other teachers was the great scholar, Shaykh Su layman al-Alawi with whom he studied in Masjid Gofu, Sayyid Ahmad bin Hasan Jamal al-Layland Sayyid Ahmad Hamid Mansib bin Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim, who had returned to Zanzibar after ten years of study in the famous Ribot of Tarim. Shaykh Mohamed also studied with Sayyid Umar bin Abdullah bin Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim. Keeping company with Sayyid Umar made an indelible mark on Shaykh Mohamed that his teaching style and approach to dawah reflected this. Their hearts remained attached and when Sayyid Umar finished teaching Imam al-Haddad’s book ‘the Complete Call’ in the last month of his life in the Ribot of Moroni in the Comoros Islands, Shaykh Mohamed at the same time, his student, completed the translation of the same book into English in London.
Perhaps the scholar from whom he received most in terms of knowledge and etiquette was Habib Umar bin Ahmad bin Sumayt, whom he first met as a child. Shaykh Mohamed fell in love with him and constantly kept his company. He said at times he would sit at a distance from Habib Umar in order to enjoy the pleasure of gazing at him. Habib Umar later authorised him to teach and initiated him into the spiritual path. Shaykh Mohamed had a strong attachment to Habib Ahmad Mashhur bin Taha al-Haddad. So keen was he to learn from Habib Ahmad that he would call him from London and read to him and ask him questions over the phone. Habib Ahmad at the time was in Kenya and later in Jeddah. He was the first person to translate Habib Ahmad’s unique work, ‘Key to the Paradise’
He also studied under Habib Abd al-Qadir bin Abd al-Rahman al-Junayd whom he once met at the house of Habib Ahmad Mashhur bin Taha al-Haddad in Jeddah. He studied a number of books with him over the phone and received ijazah from him. He was always learning and teaching himself new things. He kept up to date with current affairs and new developments in a range of different areas. He always had a book in his hand and as soon as he heard of a book that had been published or had become available, he would make every effort to get his hands on it. Whenever he spoke, regardless of the topic, he would make reference to a Quranic verse or a hadith or a saying of one of the great imams. His love of learning and humility drove him to learn from his students and those far younger than him. He would often call his students and spend hours discussing a particular issue or analysing something of interest. He had a gift for languages and was fluent in several, excelling particularly in English and Arabic. Habib Umar bin Sumayt directed him to become a translator which he did with great success. He became a court interpreter while he was still in Zanzibar and later translated a number of books from Arabic into English and Swahili which many people benefited from. One of his more recent translations was Habib Ali al-Jifri’s ‘Wayfarers to God’.
He moved to Britain in the mid late-1970s to work in journalism. His teachers Habib Ahmad Mashhur bin Taha al-Haddad and Sayyid Umar Abdullah directed him to start teaching and he duly did so. His house in London was an oasis of knowledge and remembrance. He taught in Arabic, English and Swahili, welcoming students seeking knowledge, and where countless texts in a variety of disciplines were read and concluded. He established a class in Wembley in 1989 with the permission and encouragement of Habib Habib Ahmad Mashhur bin Taha al-Haddad which continued until shortly before his death. Over the years a great many people benefited from his unique teaching style.
His heart was attached to the great imams of Hadramawt. He knew so much about the people and places of Hadramawt especially Tarim that it was as if he had lived there even though he never visited the city. He knew the works of Imam al-Haddad, both poetry and prose almost by heart. He spent his whole life learning and teaching. Even towards the end of his life when his health was failing he continued to teach and help others. He was like a father to his students. He spent a lot of his time not just teaching them but helping them in their personal affairs and assisting them on their path.
The last book Shaykh Mohamed taught in his house before his admission to hospital was alÂFawa’id AI-Shatiriyyah, by Habib Salim bin Abdullah al-Shatiri. Habib Salim had gifted the book to Shaykh Mohamed along with his ijazah not long before his own death on pt Jamad al-Thani 1439, 18th January 2018. The final discussion I had with him over the phone revolved around the death of Habib Ali alÂAydarus, a close companion of Imam al-Haddad who died in India. Shaykh Mohamed passed away in London on 7th Safar 1441 / 5th October 2019. May Allah raise his rank and continue to benefit us by him.
Biography written by Mohammed Ahmed Mbaye
