Mohammad Amin Sheikho

Mohammad Amin Sheikho
Born	1890 A.D (1308 A.H)
Died	1964 A.D (1384 A.H)
Known for	Interpretation of the Qur'an

Moh. Amin Sheikho (Arabic: محمد أمين شيخو); (1890–1964 A.D / 1308–1384 A.H) was a scholar and interpreter of the Quran.

Sheikho was born at al-Ward district in Sarouja Quarter. One of the historical districts in Damascus, Syria which was called mini-Istanbul during the Ottoman rule. He was raised in an Arab style house situated opposite the famous public al-Ward Bath house. This house stands there to the present day.

Mohammad Amin Sheikho was still young when his father, the merchant Ismael Sheikho died. Mohammad Saleem, the only and elder brother of Mohammad Amin, was assigned as a director of the Military School during the Ottoman rule.

Education

At the age of twelve he was enrolled at al-Rashidiya School. He then went on to complete his studies in Amber, the Royal Ottoman Faculty in Damascus.

Achievements

• During the period of Turkish rule, he was head of many police-stations in Damascus and its dependent counties.
• During the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon he was appointed a director of the prisons of the citadel of Damascus.
• When the Great Syrian Revolt took place against the French forces, he helped the Syrian revolutionaries. Due to his subversive activities he fell foul of the French governor of Syria resulting in an order being issued for his execution. During this period he was complicit in many attempts to overthrow French rule.
• He was the companion of Sheikh Mohammed Amin Kuftaro for almost twenty years and following his death M. Amin Sheikho followed his footsteps and became the next in succession to guide and teach the disciples of the eminent sheikh.
• His assemblies were distinguished by the profound level of wisdom with which he imparted his teaching and guidance.
• He took great care to draw the attention of his followers to beware of the tales of the Israelites which defame the biography of the noble persons, the Envoys of God (pth), and of anything ascribed to them which conflicts their perfection and impeccability.
• In 1953, the famous coeval philosopher, Sir John Godolphin Bennett came from Britain to visit him. He remained in his company for three weeks that were filled with lengthy dialogues about the religion of Islam and its actuality.
• Sir John asked M. Amin Sheikho many questions about the exact definition of the ‘spirit’ and the difference between that and the ‘soul’, as well as asking for clarification about Godly Justice, a topic which he found difficult to comprehend. As a result of this visit, Sir John practiced Islamic legislation and performed the prayers along with the followers of Mohammad Amin Sheikho.
• This visit was referred to briefly in the autobiography of Sir John Bennett in his book Witness; but after his death, a book containing special personal recollections written by Sir John was published in 1975 under the title Journeys in Islamic Countries, wherein he spoke in detail about this meeting. In this book he gave a detailed account of the personality and character of M. Amin Sheikho, and of his lectures and disciples. He also mentioned the great benefits he had derived from his life-changing meeting with him.
• During his lectures Mohammad Amin Sheikho pointed frequently to the belief in the return of Jesus Christ, from the Islamic perspective. He also indicated the near advent of this significant world event as, according to his explanations, most of the conditions had been fulfilled. This was disclosed in his book: The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: the Return of Jesus Christ.
• In referring to his meeting with Mohammad Amin Sheikho, Sir John made mention of this issue in his two books: Witness and Journeys in Islamic Countries.

Publications

Mohammad Amin Sheikho dictated to his pupils many books about Islam in the Arabic language, some of which have been translated into English and French.