PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Omar Ba’alawi in Islamic Studies (Hadith and Its Sciences)
Mr. Omar Hamed Mohammed Ba’alawi was awarded a PhD degree in Islamic Studies (Hadith and Its Sciences) for his dissertation titled: Muntaha Al-Elmam bi Ahadith Al-Ahkam (From the Beginning of the Book: The Chapter ‘What Has Been Reported Concerning Islam’ to the Chapter on the Virtue of Congregational Prayer) by the Scholar Mohammed bin Saleh bin Hadi Al-Samawi, Known as Ibn Harywah (d. 1241 AH): A Critical Study and Investigation, which was submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Matari | External Examiner | Chair |
| 2 | Prof. Adel Saleh Al-Faqih | Main Supervisor | Member |
| 3 | Prof. Mutie Mohammed Ahmed Shabalah | Internal Examiner | Member |
The dissertation aimed to:
- Revive Islamic heritage in general and Yemeni heritage in particular.
- Highlight the scholarly status of the scholar Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Samawi (Ibn Harywah).
- Produce a verified edition of Muntaha Al-Elmam and documenting its references.
- Reveal the author’s critical methodology in dealing with hadiths of legal rulings.
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
- The manuscript text was edited and presented in an accurate scholarly form.
- All hadiths and narrations were traced back to their original sources.
- The study demonstrated that Al-Samawi followed a rigorous methodological approach.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:
- Printing and publishing the book.
- Completing the critical edition of the remaining parts of Muntaha Al-Elmam.
- Conducting in-depth analytical studies on the book’s content.
The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and specialists, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.
