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Abd al-Razzaq

ʿAbd al-Razzāq Aḥmad al-Sanhūrī (11 August 1895 – 22 May 1971) was an Egyptian jurist and legal scholar who drafted the Egyptian Civil Code of 1949, integrating principles from Islamic jurisprudence (), French civil law, and local customs into a unified system that influenced civil codes in , , , and other Arab states. Born in to a modest , he pursued legal studies at before earning advanced degrees from the and the in , where he specialized in . Al-Sanhūrī's career included teaching at , serving as a on the Mixed Courts, and holding positions such as of the law faculty and minister of education in 1945–1946. His magnum opus, the , rejected wholesale adoption of foreign laws in favor of a hybrid approach that revived authentic Islamic legal concepts while adapting them to contemporary needs, earning praise for its balance but criticism from both secular nationalists who viewed it as insufficiently modern and religious conservatives who deemed it overly influenced by models. Al-Sanhūrī also contributed to , authoring commentaries on Egypt's 1923 and 1956 constitutions, and led the State Council (Majlis al-Dawla) from 1949 to 1954, where he advocated . Following the 1952 revolution, he faced political reprisals under , including imprisonment in 1954 amid accusations of ties to the and opposition to revolutionary policies, leading to his dismissal and partial revision of his to align with socialist reforms. Despite these setbacks, al-Sanhūrī's framework endured as a of Arab legal systems, underscoring his enduring legacy in reconciling tradition with modernity.

Etymology and cultural significance

Linguistic origin and meaning

The name Abd al-Razzaq (Arabic: عبد الرزاق) is a theophoric compound of origin, literally translating to "servant of the Provider." The prefix abd (عبد) denotes "servant" or "slave of," a standard element in Muslim personal names that expresses to , often paired with one of the divine attributes. The definite article al- (ال) connects it grammatically to razzaq (رزاق), an active derived from the triliteral root r-z-q (ر ز ق), which connotes providing sustenance, bestowal of gifts, or allocation of provisions as a form of divine favor. In Islamic , al-Razzaq specifically refers to one of names (or attributes) of enumerated in the , emphasizing God as the ultimate source of all material and spiritual nourishment, independent of created means. This root appears in Quranic verses such as (51:58), where is described as *al-Razzaq al-Alim ("the Provider, the Knowing"), underscoring a causal link between divine will and existential provision without intermediaries. Linguistically, the form razzaq intensifies the verb razaqa (to provide), implying continuous, all-encompassing provision, which aligns with pre-Islamic usage for tribal benefactors but elevates to theological absoluteness in Islamic context. The name's structure reflects Arabic morphological patterns for agentive nouns (fa''al form), where razzaq denotes an actor who habitually provides, a convention traceable to but standardized in the Quran's revelation around 610–632 CE. Variant transliterations like Abdur Razzaq or Abdul Razzaq arise from dialectal pronunciations or orthographic adaptations in non-Arabic scripts, but the core semantics remain tied to this etymon.

Religious connotations in Islam

In Islamic , al-Razzaq (الرزاق) is one of names of , denoting "The Provider" or "The Sustainer," signifying the divine attribute of creating and bestowing all forms of sustenance upon creation, including material nourishment, knowledge, and spiritual growth, irrespective of the recipients' faith or merit. This name appears explicitly in the in Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:58): "Indeed, it is who is the [continual] Provider, the possessor of firm strength," underscoring Allah's exclusive role in originating and distributing rizq (provision) to all creatures, from humans and animals to , without dependency on secondary causes. The compound name Abd al-Razzaq (عبد الرزاق), translating to "Servant of the Provider," follows the traditional Arabic theophoric naming convention where abd (servant or slave) precedes one of Allah's attributes, a practice rooted in early Islamic custom to affirm human servitude (ubudiyyah) to God and invoke remembrance of His oneness (tawhid). Such names are permissible and encouraged in Sunni jurisprudence, as they align with prophetic examples—e.g., companions like Abdullah ibn Abbas—and promote attributes of reliance (tawakkul) on divine sustenance over self-sufficiency, countering materialistic tendencies by attributing all provision ultimately to Allah. Religiously, bearing Abd al-Razzaq carries connotations of humility and gratitude, reminding the individual of 's comprehensive providence (rizq mutlaq), which encompasses not only physical needs but also intellectual and moral faculties, as elaborated in traditions where al-Razzaq implies enabling attainment of sustenance through created means while affirming its divine origin. This fosters a of causal realism, where human effort is secondary to God's decree, supported by hadiths such as the Prophet Muhammad's statement: "If you were to rely upon Allah with reliance due to Him, He would provide for you just as He provides for the birds; they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening" (reported in Tirmidhi). In Shi'a , it similarly emphasizes Allah's favor in making sustenance accessible, reinforcing ethical imperatives like () as channels of divine flow rather than human invention.

As a given name

Early Islamic scholars and jurists

ʿAbd al-Razzāq ibn Hammām al-Ṣanʿānī (126 AH/744 CE – 211 AH/827 CE) was a Yemeni scholar and recognized for his contributions to early Islamic and tradition compilation. Born in Sana'a to a family associated with the tribe, he descended from Nafiʿ al-ʿAbsī, and his father Hammām was also a transmitter. Al-Ṣanʿānī began his studies at age 20 in Sana'a under local scholars like Maʿmar ibn Rāshid, then traveled extensively to , , , and to collect narrations from over 1,000 teachers, including Sufyān al-Thawrī and . As a , al-Ṣanʿānī initially followed the methodology of Sufyān al-Thawrī but developed an independent approach emphasizing direct transmission of prophetic traditions over analogical reasoning alone. His major work, Al-Muṣannaf, comprises approximately 20,000 hadiths organized topically by legal chapters rather than alphabetically, predating similar collections and serving as a foundational source for later compilations like those of Ibn Abī . This structure reflected early priorities, prioritizing practical rulings derived from Companion and Successor opinions alongside prophetic reports. Al-Ṣanʿānī taught in and , influencing students such as and al-Nasāʾī, and was regarded by contemporaries like Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal as a master of with exceptional memory, earning the title ḥāfiẓ. He narrated from key figures across madhabs, contributing to the preservation of diverse early legal opinions, though some later critics noted occasional inclusion of weaker chains, which he himself sometimes critiqued in his transmissions. His emphasis on verbatim reporting over selective underscored a commitment to comprehensive archival of Islamic legal heritage.

Medieval diplomats, historians, and officials

ʿAbd al-Razzāq Samarqandī (1413–1482), born on 7 November 1413 in to the qāżī Jalāl-al-Dīn Esḥāq, emerged as a key figure in the Timurid bureaucracy, serving as qāżī of the court and royal camp after 1437 CE. He later held administrative roles including ṣadr, nāʾeb, or ḵāṣṣ in Samarqand from 1449 to 1451 CE, and from January 1463 until his death, acted as shaikh of Šāhroḵ’s ḵānaqāh and , overseeing religious and educational endowments. As a , Samarqandī led an extended Timurid mission to from January 1442 to December 1444 CE, engaging with regional powers including the under , whose court he documented in detail regarding administration, military, and customs. Additional diplomatic assignments took him to Gīlān in 1446 CE and Gorgān in 1458 CE, reflecting the Timurids' efforts to maintain influence over peripheral territories amid internal strife. These travels, undertaken reluctantly at times due to his scholarly inclinations, provided firsthand observations that informed his writings on cross-cultural encounters and statecraft. Samarqandī's primary contribution as a lies in his Maṭlaʿ-e saʿdayn va maǰmaʿ-e baḥrayn, a detailed history of Tīmūr and the up to the 1460s, completed in phases with major sections finalized in October-November 1466 CE and September 1470 CE. Drawing from archives, personal diaries, and eyewitness accounts—including his embassy—the work offers insights into Timurid , disputes, and diplomatic relations, though it reflects the biases of an embedded intellectual favoring stability under Šāhroḵ and his successors. Manuscripts of the text survive in collections such as those in , the , and , with printed editions appearing in the . Samarqandī died in July-August 1482 CE, leaving a legacy as one of the era's most informed chroniclers of Central Asian and South Asian interactions.

Early modern philosophers and artists

ʿAbd al-Razzāq Lāhījī (died c. 1661-62), a prominent Shiʿa theologian, philosopher, and poet active in Safavid Iran, studied philosophy under Mullā Ṣadrā Shīrāzī in Kāshān and Isfahan before teaching at the Madrasa-ye Maʿṣūma in Qom. His works, including the Persian Gawhar-e morād dedicated to Shah ʿAbbās II and the Arabic Šawāreq al-elhām (a commentary on Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī's Tajrīd al-iʿtiqād), emphasized Avicennan falsafa over kalām theology, advocating rational proofs (burhān) and a philosophical interpretation of the unity of being (waḥdat al-wujūd) while rejecting Mullā Ṣadrā's concepts of substantial motion and strong Sufi-illuminationist elements. Lāhījī's treatises bridged theological and philosophical traditions, serving as textbooks that influenced later scholars like Qāżī Saʿīd Qomī, though his adherence to orthodox Avicennism limited his prominence compared to more innovative contemporaries. In Safavid artistic circles, a calligrapher named ʿAbd al-Razzāq, active in during the late 16th and early 17th centuries under Shah ʿAbbās I, contributed to the development of nastaʿlīq script as the nephew and pupil of the master calligrapher Mīr ʿEmād. His work exemplified the refined, fluid styles that characterized Safavid , integrating technical precision with aesthetic elegance amid the patronage of the ʿAbbāsid court, though specific attributed pieces remain scarce in surviving records. This figure's contributions aligned with the broader Safavid emphasis on as a sacred and imperial art form, distinct from earlier Timurid traditions. Abdur Razzaq was a prominent Bangladeshi specializing in and a senior advocate at the , who also held the position of general of the Islamist party until his resignation on February 16, 2019. He cited the party's refusal to apologize for its collaboration with Pakistani forces during the 1971 , in which members participated in atrocities against Bengali civilians and independence fighters, as a key reason for his departure. Razzaq passed away on May 4, 2025, after treatment for cancer, leaving a legacy noted for his legal expertise and contributions to Islamic scholarship despite the controversies surrounding his political affiliations. Abderrazak Makri, born in 1965, has served as president of Algeria's (), the country's largest legal Islamist party with ties to the , since his election to the role in 2013. The advocates conservative Islamist policies, including promotion of Sharia-influenced governance, and Makri has positioned the party within Algeria's while facing criticism for aligning with military-backed regimes to maintain political relevance. In the 2021 legislative elections, secured 45 seats, reflecting Makri's strategy of pragmatic alliances amid Algeria's post-Hirak protest political landscape. Abdul Wahhab Abdul Razzaq Hassan Abdul Wahhab is an Egyptian politician who founded and chaired the Mostaqbal Watan (Future of the Homeland) Party, a pro-government entity supporting President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's administration. He was elected President of Egypt's Senate in 2020, overseeing the upper house's legislative and oversight functions in a system dominated by Sisi loyalists following the 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. Abdul Razzaq Haj Mohammed emerged as a vocal figure, critiquing the transitional administration's constitutional declaration on March 17, 2025, for failing to address core issues like and in post-Assad . As a active in exile networks, he has advocated for decentralized governance to prevent centralized authoritarian resurgence, drawing on his experience in Syrian circles during the .

Figures in arts, entertainment, and sports

Abdul Razzaq (born December 2, 1979) is a retired Pakistani cricketer renowned for his all-round abilities, including right-arm fast-medium bowling and middle-order batting. He debuted internationally in 1996 and played 46 Test matches from 1999 to 2007, capturing 100 wickets at an average of 36.75 and amassing 1,945 runs with two centuries. In One Day Internationals, he featured in 265 matches between 1996 and 2011, securing 269 wickets and scoring 5,085 runs, including three centuries, contributing to Pakistan's 2009 T20 World Cup victory where he took key wickets in the final. Razzaq's domestic career included captaining Blues and playing in leagues like the for the in 2008. Abderrazak Hamdallah (born December 17, 1990) is a Moroccan professional footballer positioned as a , currently with club Al-Nassr. He began his career at Zem before moving to with clubs like AS Excelsior and Maghreb Fez, then securing transfers to , , and Al-Nassr in 2018, where he has scored prolifically, including 18 goals in the 2022-23 season amid high-profile competitions for his signature by Saudi teams like Al-Fateh and Al-Taawun as of September 2025. In entertainment, Abdur Razzak (January 23, 1942 – August 21, 2017), often called Nayak Raj Razzak or the "King of Heroes" in Bangladeshi cinema, was a prolific and who appeared in over 300 Dhallywood films from the onward. Notable works include Neel Akasher Nichey (1987), Jibon Theke Neya ( era hit), and Abirbhab, earning acclaim for romantic and heroic roles that shaped popular narratives. Razzak directed several films and received the Bangladesh National Award for multiple times, influencing the industry's golden age post-independence.

As a surname

Notable bearers

Abdullah H. Abdur-Razzaq (December 20, 1931 – November 21, 2014), born James Monroe King Warden, was an African-American Muslim activist and a key figure in of , serving as chief secretary and close confidant to at Temple No. 7 in during the early . After 's split from in 1964, Abdur-Razzaq continued activism, including and later pursuing , reflecting his transition from James 67X to his adopted Muslim name. His role underscored the internal dynamics of Black nationalist movements, with accounts from contemporaries highlighting his loyalty amid tensions leading to 's in 1965.

References

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