Page 27 - Liwa18-E

Libraries in Ajman from the beginning of the Twentieth Century until the Formation of the Union

benefit of his nephew Sheikh Humaid bin Saleh Al Ghanem Al Suwaidi (Imam,
preacher and marriage solemnizer (Ma’zoun)).

2. The Library of Sheikh Abdul Kareem bin Ali Al Bakri (1873-1950):
Sheikh Abdul Kareem is a faqih (Islamic jurist) and Hadith (Prophet’s sayings) expert
from Al Qassim in Najd. He studied in Najd and India. Since the early twentieth
century, he settled in Sharjah and was a schoolmaster and headmaster at Al Taymiyah
Al Mahmoudiyah School. He then moved to Ajman in the late 1920s, where he
became in charge of the Fatwa (religious rulings) and the Judiciary. 2

His school (Al Fateh School) is the most famous semi-formal school in Ajman. A
large number of students graduated from it until its closure around 1944.

Sheikh Kareem’s library boasted an extensive collection of books about Fiqh (Islamic
Jurisprudence), Hadith and Tafseer (Interpretation of the Qur’an). He brought most
of them from India when he returned home after finishing the study of Hadith under
Hadith scholars. Such books included Tafseer Al Tabari, Tafseer Ibn Katheer, the Six
Sihahs, Muata’ Al Imam Malek, Kitab Al Umm by Al Shafii, Bolough Al Maram min
Adillat Al Ahkaam by Ibn Hajar Al ‘Asqalani, Al kaafiyah Al Shaafiyah fi Al Intisar lil
Firqah Al Najiyah by Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyah, together with some titles by Sheikh Al
Islam Ibn Taymiyah, titles by his disciple Shams Al Din ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyah, and
books written by Sheikh Al Islam Mohammad bin Abdul Wahab, etc.

Great benefits were drawn from these books by Sheikh Kareem, his senior students,
educated individuals and knowledge seekers in general. They were stacked at the
windows of the room in which he lived at school. He used to receive issues of Umm
Al Qura newspaper from Holy Mecca. When senior students got stuck on any subject
they came across, they would turn to Sheikh Abdul Kareem to clarify any ambiguity.

The Sheikh moved to Sharjah around 1944 and left his books in safe custody with his
neighbor Khalfan bin Seif bin Salem Al ‘Abbar Al Matroushi. Just before he died in
the Emirate of Dubai in March 1950, his nephew, Ali bin ‘Omair bin Ali Al Bakri,
arrived and took delivery of his books from Khalfan bin Seif Al ‘Abbar. Over time,
these books were scattered and lost. Today, Sheikh Abdul Kareem’s heirs are left with
nothing.

3. The Library of Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Sheibah Al Nu’aimi
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Yousif bin Ahmad bin Yousif Al Bou Dhaynain
Al Nu’aimi was the son of Maryam bint Abdullah bin Miftah Al Shamsi.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad was known by the name “Weld Al Sheibah” (the old

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