Muhammad al-'Arabi al-Tabbani

Muhammad al-'Arabi al-Tabbani (محمد العربي التبّاني; 1897–1970), also known as Abu Hamid ibn Marzuq (أبو حامد بن مرزوق) was an Algerian Maliki jurist (faqih), Ash'ari theologian, Hadith scholar (muhaddith), historian (mu'arrikh), and a genealogist (nassāba), who was the Imam of the Great Mosque in Mecca in his time.

He is considered one of the most prominent hadith scholars of his era; and he is perhaps best known for his criticism of Wahhabism/Salafism, as found in his book entitled, Bara'at al-Ash'ariyyin min 'Aqa'id al-Mukhalifin (The Innocence/Dissociation of the Ash'aris from the Doctrines of the Dissenters/Opponents).

His name 'al-Tabbani' is derived from the town and commune of Ouled Tebben.

Birth
He was born in Ras el-Oued in 1315 AH/1897 AD.

Lineage
His lineage reaches back to 'Abd al-Salam b. Mashish (d. 625/1228), whose lineage ends with al-Hasan b. 'Ali b. Abi Talib (d. 49/669).

Teachers
He studied under many scholars, among them are:
 * 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Badis.
 * Yusuf al-Nabhani.
 * Muhammad Bakhit al-Muti'i.
 * Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Kattani.
 * Muhammad al-Makki ibn 'Azuz.
 * Hamdan ibn Ahmad al-Wanisi.
 * Ahmad ibn al-Khayyat al-Zakari.
 * Mushtaq Ahmad al-Hindi.

Students
Among his celebrated students are:
 * 'Alawi ibn 'Abbas al-Maliki and his son Muhammad 'Alawi al-Maliki.
 * 'Abdullah al-Harari.
 * Muhammad Nur Saif.
 * Hasan al-Mashshat.
 * 'Abdullah b. Sa'id al-Lahji.
 * Muhammad Amin Kutbi.
 * 'Abd al-Qadir b. Ahmad al-Jaza'iri.

Works
Among his books are the following:
 * Bara'at al-Ash'ariyyin min 'Aqa'id al-Mukhalifin (براءة الأشعريين من عقائد المخالفين). In this book, he criticized the doctrinal views advocated by Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328) and his student Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751/1350), and Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1207/1792) and his followers.
 * Al-Ta'aqqub al-Mufid 'ala Hadyy al-Zar'i al-Shadid (التعقب المفيد على هدي الزرعي الشديد). In this book, he criticized Ibn al-Qayyim's book Zad al-Ma'ad.
 * Tahzir al-'Abqari min Muhadarat al-Khudari (تحذير العبقري من محاضرات الخضري). In this book, he criticized the Egyptian legal historian Muhammad al-Khudari (d. 1345/1927).

Death
He died in 1390 AH/1970 AD in Mecca and was buried in Jannat al-Mu'alla cemetery, next to the tomb of Asma' bint Abi Bakr (d. 73/692).