The renowned scholar and judge, Sidi Al-Hajj Ahmed Skirj, was born in Fes in the middle of Rabi’ al-Thani in 1295 AH / April 1878 CE. He was raised in a distinguished family known for its knowledge and literary contributions, with many of its members being scholars, writers, and historians. He began his education in Fes under the supervision of his father, Al-Hajj Al-Ayashi Skirj, who took a special interest in him due to his intelligence and sharpness. He was able to acquire the knowledge of Al-Qarawiyyin University, excelling in jurisprudence, grammar, language, as well as Sufism, literature, and poetry.
His education was further shaped by a select group of scholars from Al-Qarawiyyin, including Abdullah Al-Badrawi, Abdul-Malik Al-Alawi, and Al-Habib Al-Daoudi. Ahmed Skirj was a prolific scholar, having authored over 200 books in various scientific fields, driven by his great passion for books and research.
He held several judicial and administrative positions throughout his life, including overseeing the Awqaf (religious endowments) of Fes Al-Jadid, serving as a judge in Oujda, as a member of the Supreme Court in Rabat, as a judge in El Jadida, and later as a judge in Settat until his death in 1363 AH / 1944 CE.
He was a model of devotion, piety, and knowledge, both in Fes and the other cities he resided in. He was known for his diligence, religious commitment, knowledge, piety, gratitude, and contentment. Despite his high status, he was humble, free from arrogance and pretension, and not inclined toward boasting or seeking attention. He was a man of great piety and steadfastness in truth, always enjoining good and forbidding wrong. He often took action against wrongdoing with his own hands. He had a gentle soul, sweet in speech, and possessed a brilliant sense of humor. Despite suffering from diabetes, he never let his illness hinder his service to his religion, his generation, and his country.
