Location: Bani Aamir – al-Zaqzeeq
He is Abu Muhammad Mahmood and his father (may God be pleased with him) is the gnostic Ahmed Abu Hashim who was an old Azhari scholar; the kind that would learn knowledge for the sake of teaching and benefiting others for the sake of God’s pleasure.
The Shaykh Ahmed Abu Hashim was the spiritual leader who effectively influenced the lives of the people of Sharqeyya province and subsequently the empty quarters of Egypt. Surrounding him were his students and disciples living off of his love while practicing dhikr, reciting litanies and calling to Allah with proper guidance and insight.
As for his grandfather Shaykh Muhammad Abu Hashim (may be pleased with him), he emigrated from the Hejaz (Western Arabia) to Egypt eventually settling down in the place called Bani Aamir spreading true and correct knowledge far from the superstitions that were rampant in that area. He attracted followers with many different social and cultural backgrounds filling the courtyard with his growing number of students. They found pure spiritual nourishment, torrents of knowledge, generosity at the level of Hatim and sermons on the sacred law. These blessings were a result of the fact that his distant grandfather was al-Mustafa (the chosen one (peace be upon him)). Carrying this prophetic inheritance, the Shaykh Mahmood Abu Hashim was born in the month of Dhul Qa’ida in the year 1338 AH with Alawy and Hashimy origins.
He was a great Azhari scholar (may God be pleased with him) as well as an instructor. He was unique in his generosity since he inherited from his Turkish mother great wealth and but he distributed all of it to the poor among the Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
It must be paid due credit to Shaykh Mahmood for developing mechanisms that facilitated students and teachers of Azhar to learn and teach. During the time that al-Zaqazeeq area was affiliated with Azhar, the Shaykh was given the task of administering this area, which included the districts of al-Sharqeyya, the cities of the Suez Canal and al-Areesh.
As for his spiritual life he was (may God be pleased with him) a man of prophecies and miracles as well as a notable poet. The words that he expressed about his great grandfather al-Mustafaﷺ attests to his poetic gift.
Apologies to the Emissary of God if I have been negligent in
describing you, for truly your beauty cannot be described
From time long ago an atom of your light
was used by The Most Merciful to beautify Yusuf
I swear by Allah if all the genius’s gathered
to describe your blessings they would be incapacitated
I swear by Allah if the water of all the oceans
were the means by which to describe Ahmed it still would not suffice
I swear by Allah if the pen of time from the start of time
until the end of time continued writing it would not be enough
I swear by Allah if the garden of the Prophet exploded forth
its light would make the sunrise turn away and hide
The meeting he had in the highest heavens is enough [Israa & Miraj]
the presence of the Lord is what he was honored with
It is enough that his light eclipses the sunrise
but the Muhammadan light is never eclipsed
The Shaykh Mahmood left behind great works. The most important ones are “Diwan al-Hashimiat”, “Diwan Dayniat”, “Matn al-Misbah fee Ulum al-Balagha”, and “Mu’alafat Nathria.”