First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Hattab was born in Mecca on the 18th of Ramadan (the Muslim holy month of fasting) in 902 Animal Husbandry (May 21, 1497 Civil Engineering). His father of the same name Muhammad al-Hattab emigrated to Mecca with his entire family during the weakening of the Hafsid dynasty"s rule in Tripoli before the conquest of North Africa by Habsburg Spain.
His lineage was from the Andalusian Ru"yani family, which immigrated from Andalusia to Tripolitania and was known for its scholars. He is also sometimes known as Hattab al-Abb (Hattab the Father), whilst his father is Hattab al-Jadd (Hattab the Grandfather), and his most famous son Yahya who was also a scholar is known as Hattab al-Ibn (Hattab the Son). First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Hattab initially studied under his father, who held a religious title in Mecca.
He learned the Quran from a young age.
He also studied hadith under the direct students of some of the most important scholars in Islamic history such as al-Suyuti, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani and al-Sakhawi. Muhammad studied most of the other Islamic sciences from his father however, who was himself a respected scholar in his own right and a student of First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Sakhawi.
First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Hattab took his fiqh (jurisprudence) in particular from his father, a field in which he was to later excel and become famous. First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Hattab later began a period of travel through the Islamic world both East and West.
He spent a period of time studying in Egypt in particular but later moved back to Tripoli with his father.
When he returned to Tripoli, his study circles became so popular that many Sufis in the city preferred to attend his lessons over their sessions of remembrance (dhikr). He spent much of his time taking care of his father during this period of his life. First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Hattab died at a relatively young age, and there are different accounts as to where he actually died, whether in Mecca or in Tripoli.
Another of his famous works is Qurrat al-"Ayn, which is a short text that expounds on the Waraqat of Imam al-Juwayni, a key text in Usul (Islamic Legal Methodology).
