Shaykh Yaqoot al-‘Arshy, son of Abdullah, the Abyssinian, the Qurayshian was born in the lands of Abyssinia but immigrated to Alexandria in order to be close to his spiritual teacher Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi of whom he would eventually be given the hand of his daughter in marriage. He was considered as one of his most sincere disciples of al-Abbas al-Mursi, particularly known for being one of the few endowed with divine secrets.
Shaykh Yaqoot was nicknamed al-‘Arshy for his heart and mind were continuously occupied with the true reality of the ‘Arsh (the throne of God). He succeeded Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi as the Shaykh of the Shadhili path. In 724 AH, he met the famous historian and explorer Ibn Battuta with whom he shared the verses and litanies of Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili. Ibn Battuta preserved these in his well-known published travel diary titled Rehlah.
He passed away (may God be pleased with him) in the year 732 AH.