Al- Habib Kadhim Ja‘far Muhammad al-Saqqaf was born in Tarim, Hadramaut. He was taught the Qur’an and other Islamic disciplines by his eminent teachers at the school of Qur’an Literacy and Memorisation Abu Murayyim and the prestigious school of classical learning the Ribat of Tarim. After graduation from the two aforementioned institutions he continued his studies at the hands of some of the most qualified scholars and teachers of Tarim. Thereafter he travelled in search of knowledge to the northern Yemeni city of Bayda, registering at the famous Ribat of Bayda where he was blessed to study with some of the greatest scholars of recent times such as al-Habib Muhammad b. Abd-Allah al-Haddar, al-Habib Ibrahim b. Aqil b. Yahya and al-Habib Zain b. Sumait.

He then returned to Tarim were he continued his studies as well as embarking upon the continual task of da‘wah. He was appointed the principal and head teacher of the Ribat of Shihr, occupying that post for the next six years, thereafter transferring to the Ribat of Mukalla once again as principal and head teacher for a further two years.

He has taught internationally in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

He currently teaches at the prestigious Islamic institute Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim as well as sitting on the Council for Legal Verdicts at the same establishment. He is also extremely active in all parts of Hadramaut, regularly lecturing and participating in conferences.