Location: Masjid Yaqoot al-A’rshy
He is Muhammad Abdullah bin Mansour the Alexandrian who is commonly known as Makeenudeen al-Asmar or as the Shaykh of the Quranic reciters of Alexandria. He was well versed in the various Qur’anic recitations being taught by Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Safrawy.
Shaykh Makeenudeen al-Asmar was one of the companions of Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili whom he fought side by side with against the French crusaders in the battle of Mansoura (648 AH).
He once said (may God be pleased with him) “I remained forty years figuring out Sufism until God destined for my meeting with al-Shadhili at which all that puzzled and confused me before this blessed encounter vanished.” On the extraordinary character and spirit of Makeenudeen, Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili once said that he was a man ‘who is black in color, white in heart and is from the among the seven Abdal.”
Makeenudeen narrated many of the spiritual states of his teacher, al-Shadhili, to Ibn A’tta-illah al-Iskandary whom, inspired by these wondrous states, incorporated them in his famous book “Lataif al-Minan fee Manaqib al-Shaykayn al-Mursi wa Abu al-Hasan” (Subtleties of the Blessings in the Mountain Passes between the two Shaykh’s al-Mursi and Abu al-Hasan)
He (may God be pleased with him) in the year 692 AH.