Ahmad al-Dardiri

Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Dardiri (1127–1201 AH / 1731–1786 CE) was one of the most important Maliki scholars of 18th-century Egypt. He taught at al-Azhar and is celebrated for his two commentaries on Mukhtasar Khalil: al-Sharh al-Kabir (the large commentary) and al-Sharh al-Saghir (the small commentary, also called Aqrab al-Masalik). These are among the most widely-used Maliki fiqh references today, particularly in West Africa and Egypt. He was known for his piety, simple lifestyle, and his defense of the poor against oppression by Ottoman authorities. Al-Sawi wrote his famous gloss on al-Sharh al-Saghir.