Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Zayd

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd was born in 1944 CE (1364 AH) in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. He received his Islamic education in Riyadh, studying at the Scientific Institute and the Faculty of Sharia at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. He went on to earn a master's degree and doctorate from the Higher Judicial Institute, specializing in Islamic legal methodology. He studied under several leading scholars of his time, including Sheikh Ibn Baz, and his thorough academic training combined with his natural scholarly inclination produced a scholar of exceptional precision and breadth.

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd held several prominent positions throughout his career. He served as a judge in Madinah, where he gained practical experience in applying Islamic law. He was appointed as a member of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia. He served as the head of the Islamic Fiqh Academy (Majma' al-Fiqh al-Islami) in Jeddah, a major international body that addresses contemporary Islamic legal questions. These positions gave him unique insight into both the theoretical and practical dimensions of Islamic jurisprudence.

His scholarly works are distinguished by their practical orientation and accessible style. His Hilyat Talib al-Ilm (The Etiquette of the Knowledge Seeker) has become a standard text read by students at the beginning of their Islamic education. His Mu'jam al-Manahi al-Lafziyyah (Dictionary of Prohibited Expressions) and his works on innovations in worship have helped Muslims distinguish between authentic practice and introduced innovations. He fell ill in his later years and passed away in 2008 CE (1429 AH), leaving behind a scholarly legacy characterized by precision, practicality, and devotion to authentic Islamic practice.