Shrine of Sheikh Budeiri at Alaqsa mosque

Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Budeir Ibn Mohammed Ibn Mahmoud Ibn Hubeish al-Shafi’i al-Maqdisi, also known in several sources as Al-Budeiri, Al-Haj Budeiri, Ibn Budeir, Ibn Hubeish and Mohammed Afandi. Mostly referred to as Sheikh Budeiri. a man of faith and knowledge, a Palestinian sufi scholar and poet. According to al-Jabrati’s book The wonders of antiquities in biographies and news, Sheikh Budeiri Was born in Jerusalem, Palestine around the year 1160 AH/AD 1747 under the ottoman rule to a religious wealthy family.
His father Budeir Ibn Mohammed Ibn Mahmoud Ibn Hubeish was a wealthy man who worked in the knitting industry. Some sources indicate that he is a descendant of an immigrated family who came from Andalusia to Jerusalem in the first half of the fifteenth century.

According to Al-Zubaidi when Sheikh Budeiri was 7 years old, his father took him to Cairo, Egypt. the knowledge center of the Islamic world at that time. to study and acquire knowledge in religious topics and various sciences.
The Sheikh remained in Egypt for about thirty years studying in different schools under various important Sheikhs of that era, his thirst for acquiring knowledge eventually led his way to get enrolled at al-Azhar university for education and Islamic sciences. where he studied different subjects such as mathematics, astrology, philosophy, poetry, Arabic literature , Qur’an, Hadith, and various Islamic subjects. After graduating with an Ijaza (an equivalent to a doctorate) in Islamic sciences and Arabic literature. He started teaching there at al-Azhar university for a couple of years. Sheikh Ibn Hubaysh was an Azharite star of his time, his fame rose during the period he lived there. He was a poet of the first degree. Fortunately, his works remained in the cabinets of his library including manuscripts of his poems and several books. He also led convening groups of theology discussions. This intellectual was also the leader of the Sufi order brotherhood Al-Khalwatieh in Jerusalem.

At the age of 32 the Sheikh decides on his return to Jerusalem. By the advice of His professor Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Kurdi 1195 AH/AD 1780 to spread the knowledge he acquired in Egypt to people in his hometown and to preach Sufism. Sheikh Budeiri co-professors and friends supported his decision knowing that he will assume his activities in teaching in Jerusalem. The Sheikh lived up to their expectations; he opened a school and established a library. The Sheikh also bought a house (Zawiya al-Wafa’iya) and settled next to Al-Aqsa Mosque until he died and was buried there on Monday, 27 Sha’ban 1220 AH corresponding to AD 20/11/1805.
An example of the Sheikh’s Poetry taken from a poem called Futintu Biheh (I was fascinated by him)

فُتِنتُ به من حيث أدري ولا أدري
I was fascinated by him (God) as far as I know and I don’t know
فهمتُ به في الشفع والوتر والفجرِ
I thought of him in the pre-dawn, during the night, and the dawn
وصرت به مُغرًى معنّىً متيَّمًا
I became seduced by it with a passionate meaning
كئيبًا نحيبًا عادم الوصل والصبر
gloomy, wailing, exhausting without connection and patience

Sheikh Budeiri authored books on Islamic subjects, Arabic literature, history, Sufi philosophy, and composed poems. The Sheikh started to collect manuscripts at the age of 15. Which helped in his library to be used by students of Jerusalem. It included books that he purchased in Egypt from well-known collectors, books that he copied, his scholarly works on various scientific and religious subjects, in addition to books that he received as gifts. The subject matters of the collection are Islamic religion, Quranic sciences, Hadith, Fiqh, and Sufism. It also contains books on literature, poetry, astronomy, and mathematics. The collection includes 6 unique manuscripts and 18 manuscripts copied by Sheikh Budeiri himself. The oldest manuscript in the collection, Al-Rissala al-Qushayriyya. Which dates to AD 1167 The majority of the collection is written in Arabic, though there are a few works in Ottoman Turkish and Persian. Before he passed away, he specified in his will that his collection should remain in the library and be available for knowledge seekers from all over the world. We see in the picture below an avenue dedicated to Sheikh Budeiri in Al-Aqsa mosque.

It is unclear why the family was known as Hubeish , and where did the name come from? Is it created by Sheikh Ibn Budeir? Or from his father? Or is it old? In the era of the Sheikh and later on. This family was attributed to Ibn Budeir, i.e. to the Shaikh himself, on the grounds that his father was called Budeir, and then the (I) was added as the Arab custom to become the Budeiri family.

The Sheikh had his social, religious and Sufi position in the city of Jerusalem and beyond. Therefore, he faced multiple difficulties during his lifetime, and therefore accusations were hatched against him that were not true. His name was mentioned in the letter addressed by the military judge of Anatolia Musa Mahmoud Al-Khalidi to the notables of the city, telling them that the French invasion had arrived in Egypt, and that they should prepare to face these infidels, as his name was mentioned in the petition entitled “Picture of the people of Egypt for the people of Jerusalem”, addressed to the elders of the city informing them of the French invasion (Record 279, Image 78, pp. 151-152).

In the second generation of the Sheikh’s sons, specifically in the eighties of the thirteenth century, an overlap in the family name of Hubeish is observed with the name Islamboli, and it was called Hubeish Islamboli, but how was this done? Is there a relationship between the two names? Or are they different? That’s what I couldn’t find, and it needs a lot of research and exploration.
He lived in Jerusalem next to Al-Aqsa mosque until his last days; the Sheikh was buried under his house next to the library on Monday 27 Sha’ban 1220 AH/AD November 20, 1805.