Sheikh al-Islam Wad al-Badawi in Brief:

First: His Name and Upbringing:
He is Sheikh Muhammad ibn al-Badawi ibn Naqd ibn Harnan ibn Uthman.
On his mother’s side, he is Sheikh Muhammad al-Badawi ibn al-Tuma bint al-Hajj Ahmad ibn Bishara.

Sheikh al-Islam’s twin mother is the wife of Sheikh Ismail al-Wali – known as
He was born in the northern town of Qanti Merowe in 1848 AD, corresponding to 1265 AH.
The Sheikh had four wives, with whom he had children:
1. Amina and her children: Ahmed, al-Tayeb, Zainab, and Nafisa.
2. Nasra and her children: al-Fatih, al-Qasim, and Fatima.
3. Fatima and her children: al-Fadil, al-Ma’mun, Haram, and Khadija.
4. Nafisa and her children: al-Hanafi, Umm Muslim, Umm Hani, and Hafsa.
Second: His Academic Career:
The Sheikh learned the Quran and the principles of Islamic jurisprudence from his father. His family then migrated to El Obeid, where he found a fertile ground for learning and knowledge.

He memorized the Quran and learned the sciences of monotheism, jurisprudence, and language.
He studied in El Obeid with Sayyid Ahmad al-Kurdufani and the sons of Qadi Arabi.
Third: His Migration to Al-Azhar:
The Sheikh traveled to Al-Azhar in 1286 AH at the age of twenty-one.

During this period, he had passed the stage of the basics and introductory knowledge. At Al-Azhar, he met Sheikh Alish while he was studying (Sharh al-Kharashi ala Khalil), which was the first book he attended to him.

The Sheikh of Islam also learned from Al-Azhar scholars under Sheikh Hassan al-Adawi al-Hamzawi, Sheikh Sharaf al-Din al-Marsafi, and others.
There is a story that Sheikh Muhammad al-Badawi asked his Sheikh, Sheikh Alish, for permission to visit his family in Sudan and then return to continue what he had begun. Sheikh Alish granted him permission, but offered him a license for the knowledge he had learned from him.

The student, the Sheikh, declined this offer, believing he had not yet reached that level, but Sheikh Alish insisted. Before the vacation, the Sheikh of Islam returned to his country. After that, events occurred in Egypt and Sudan, including the Mahdist Revolution and the Urabi Revolution.

The Sheikh was accused and imprisoned until he died in prison.
The Sheikh of Islam’s chain of transmission in Maliki jurisprudence:
Sheikh of Islam Muhammad al-Badawi learned from Sheikh Alish, from Sheikh Muhammad al-Amir al-Saghir, from his father, Sheikh Muhammad al-Amir al-Kabir, from Sheikh al-Adawi al-Sa’idi, from Sheikh Abdullah al-Banani, from Sheikh Muhammad al-Kharashi, from Sheikh al-Ajhuri, from Sheikh Muhammad al-Banofari, from Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Ajhuri, from Shams al-Din al-Laqani, from Sheikh Ali al-Sanhuri, from Sheikh ….. to Imam Malik (refer to the book “Sheikh of Islam Muhammad al-Badawi: His Life and Works” by Sheikh Zain al-Abidin al-Abd Muhammad al-Nur).
Fourth: The Sheikh of Islam in Mahdia:
The Sheikh was a supporter of the Mahdist cause.

He accompanied Imam Mahdi and participated with him in battles, the first of which was the Battle of Shaikan. He remained present until the conquest of Khartoum.
Imam Mahdi appointed him as a judge, and after him, the Caliph as well.

He was a member of the Council of Scholars of Mahdia, which included the most prominent scholars at the time. Fifth: The Sheikh of Islam during the Condominium Era:
Sheikh Ali Adham mentioned that the Governor-General asked Sheikh Muhammad al-Badawi to be a member of his council (the Governor-General’s Council), but the Sheikh declined due to his preoccupation with teaching.

The Governor-General was dissatisfied and asked those in the council, “Does your religion accept this?” They replied, “This has nothing to do with religion.”

He replied, “When the Sheikh is present, remind him of this.”

The Sheikh came, and one of the members stood up and said, reproachfully, “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.”

The Sheikh responded, “Ask this infidel and say to him, ‘Are you of us?'” The council was stunned, embarrassed by the collapse of the argument, and the Governor was awarded the title of infidel.
Seventh: The Sheikh of Islam’s Students:
1. Sheikh Ali Ibrahim Adham
2. Sheikh al-Amin al-Turabi
3. Sheikh Qarib Allah ibn Abi Saleh
4. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah al-Umrabi
5. Sheikh Abdul-Baqi al-Makashifi
6. Imam Abdul-Rahman al-Mahdi
7. Sheikh Omar al-Imam. Imam of the Grand Mosque of Omdurman.
Death of Sheikh al-Islam:
Sheikh al-Islam Sheikh Muhammad al-Badawi died in 1911 AD at the age of sixty-three.

It was said that he was poisoned by the British because he was an obstacle in their path and feared no one for the sake of God.
May God have mercy on Sheikh al-Islam and reward him abundantly for his efforts and contributions to the sciences that benefited all of Sudan.

The fruits of his knowledge continue to this day, represented in the circles and lessons given by the Adhamiya sheikhs, who are students of Sheikh Ali Ibrahim Adham, a student of Sheikh al-Islam. May God benefit us all from them and their knowledge.

The source from which I took this is the book (Sheikh al-Islam Muhammad al-Badawi: His Life and Works) by Sheikh Zain al-Abidin al-Abd Muhammad al-Nur