Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhī rājiʿūn. Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we are returning.
It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of one of the Ummah’s most influential educators of the Arabic language for the past half a century.
The author of thirty books, Shaykh Dr. V. Abdur Rahim was especially well known throughout the world for his concise series that made the learning of Arabic accessible to hundreds of thousands of non-native speakers. [1]
On his passing on 03 Rabī’ al-Thānī 1445 / 19 October 2023, he was 90 years of age.
“Madinah books”
The late scholar authored a number of educational books, in addition to being well versed in the Qur’ān and Sunnah.
Many would arguably describe as his magnum opus the series on the study of the Arabic language for English-speaking beginners.
Published under the title Durūs al-Lughāti al-Arabiyyah li-Ghayr al-Nātiqīna Bihā (Arabic language lessons for non-native speakers) in three parts, and affectionately known as the “Madinah books”, this body of work has been the foundation for countless aspiring students of Islam for decades. [2]
His efforts have undoubtedly led to the development of a great many scholars and teachers of our way of life.
Background on the late educator
Shaykh Dr. V. Abdur Rahim — raḥimahu Allah — was born in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in 1933, in a small town by the name of Vaniyambadi. [3]
On completing his secondary school education, he enrolled at the University of Madras’ Presidency College; during his time at the university, he majored in English Language and Literature, graduating in 1957. [3]
Seven years later in 1964, he travelled to al-Azhar University, in Cairo, Egypt. Here, he completed an MPhil and PhD in Arabic Philology (the study of language in verbal and written historical sources). [3]
In 1969, he undertook employment at the Islamic University of Madinah to teach Arabic Philology, where he was involved in developing the curriculum of Arabic as a foreign language. The course he devised for this purpose is what has become widely known as the “Madinah books”. [3]
Analysis
ANALYSIS
The passing of Shaykh Dr. V. Abdur Rahim — a renowned scholar who dedicated his life to facilitating the learning of the Arabic language across the globe — is a profound loss, felt not only on a personal level but within the broader scope of Islamic scholarship.
In addition to having worked as a professor at the esteemed Islamic University of Madinah since 1969, his commitment to breaking down the linguistic barriers that often hindered access to the Qur’ān, Hadīth, and Islamic jurisprudence was unwavering. He served as a beacon for countless students who sought to enter the rich field of Islamic knowledge, providing them with the essential scaffolding to navigate the challenges of learning the Arabic language.
What sets his legacy apart is not just his own expertise, but also his ability to impart a love for Arabic to his students. Many of them, under his tutelage, grew into prudent scholars themselves, extending the reach of his teachings and bringing about mass benefit to the Ummah.
His legacy remains eternal, and his rewards continue to grow in the Hereafter, as his life's work echoes the hadīth:
أَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَنْفَعُهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ
'The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people.'
— al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ lil-Ṭabarānī, 6,026
Source: Islam21c
Notes
[1] https://drvaniya.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Books-by-our-Shaykh.pdf
