Sheikh Dr. Ikrima Saeed Sabri, born in the city of Qalqilya in 1938 and a resident of Jerusalem, stands as a living witness to the memory and spirit of Jerusalem. He grew up in its humble neighborhoods, carrying in his childhood the imprint of the Nakba and the voices of refugees flowing into the city. From an early age, he developed the conviction that Jerusalem is not merely a place but a message, a duty, and a continuous act of worship.
His upbringing instilled in him a spirit of giving and the inclination to support liberation movements. During his university years, he embraced the values of tolerance and respect for all schools of thought before choosing the profession of teaching, “the noblest of professions,” as he describes it. With his transition into public religious service, he first established the preaching department within the Ministry of Awqaf, and later the Fatwa Department, after being appointed Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories. He elevated the standards of imams and preachers, and contributed to authoring books and preparing instructional publications that still stand as testimony to a golden era of Islamic work in the city.
His influence extends beyond Palestine. He has participated in more than one hundred international conferences around the world, including in Europe, America, Africa, and the Arab and Islamic worlds. He has authored fifteen books that have been published in Jerusalem, Amman, Beirut, and Cairo, addressing Palestinian rights, the cause of Jerusalem, and various religious and intellectual issues. His works have been translated into Malay, Hindi, Albanian, Turkish, and English, evidence of the global reach of his vision. He is currently republishing his memoirs with new additions, “in service of the blessed city,” as he says.
Sheikh Sabri faced persecution and was banned from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque due to his bold stances, yet he remained in his natural place: a voice rising from the stones of Jerusalem, and a guide to a generation that he admonishes to remain steadfast, engage in learning, practice unity, and safeguard the trust of the people.
