Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari

Muhammad Zahid ibn al-Hasan al-Kawthari (1879-1952 CE / 1296-1371 AH) was an Ottoman-era Hanafi scholar of Circassian origin who served as the deputy to the last Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire. Born in Duzce in what is now Turkey, he received a thorough Ottoman scholarly education and rose to the highest religious office. After the abolition of the caliphate, he moved to Egypt where he spent the rest of his life.

Al-Kawthari was a fierce defender of the Hanafi legal school and the Maturidi theological tradition. His works include Maqalat al-Kawthari, a collection of his critical essays and research papers; Ta'nib al-Khatib, a detailed critique of al-Khatib al-Baghdadi's Tarikh Baghdad in defense of Imam Abu Hanifah; Ihqaq al-Haqq bi-Ibtal al-Batil, defending Ash'ari-Maturidi positions; and Fiqh Ahl al-Iraq wa-Hadithuhum, demonstrating the strong hadith foundations of Hanafi jurisprudence. He also edited and published numerous classical manuscripts.

Al-Kawthari was known for his sharp polemical style and his robust defense of traditional Sunni scholarship against what he perceived as heterodox tendencies. He engaged in scholarly debates with several contemporaries, including al-Albani, on matters of hadith methodology and creed. His editorial work in recovering and publishing classical manuscripts from Ottoman and Egyptian libraries was a significant contribution to Islamic scholarship. He passed away in Cairo and remains a highly regarded figure among traditionally oriented Hanafi scholars.