Next pick from me,
Ibnu Qayim, A Sufi from Salafy group. Most Salafist now are banning Sufism since some Sufism teaching contradicts Quran and Hadist, but the things that many Young Salafist dont know is that one of Salafi Master is actually A Sufi Master himself.
Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (also known as
Ibn al-Qayyim ("The son of the principal") or
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah ("Son of the principal of the (school of) Jawziyyah")) (1292–1350 CE / 691 AH–751 AH) was an
Arab Sunni Islamic jurist,
commentator on the
Qur'an and
theologian. Although he is sometimes referred to as "the scholar of the heart",[
citation needed] given his extensive works pertaining to human behavior and
ethics, Ibn al-Qayyim's scholarship was focused on the
sciences of Hadith and
Fiqh.
Biography
Birth and education
Ibn Qayyim was born on Monday 7th of Safar 691 AH (circa January 28, 1292 AD) in the village of Izra' in
Hauran, near
Damascus,
Syria. There is little known of his childhood except that he received a comprehensive Islamic education from his father, centered around
Islamic jurisprudence,
Islamic theology, and `Ulum al-Hadith (lit. the science of Hadith) From an early age, he was interested in the field of
Islamic sciences, learning from the scholars of his time .[
citation needed] He studied under his father who was a principal at of the Madrasah al-Jawziyyah (lit. the Jawziyyah school) one of the few centres devoted to
Hanbali school of thought in
Damascus, and thereafter pursued his quest for knowledge, studying the works and teachings of scholars known in his time.
The Islamic scholar
Ibn Kathir described Ibn al-Qayyim's desire for knowledge in his famous work
Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah:
He acquired from such books what others could not acquire, and he developed a deep understanding of the books of the
Salaf (pious predecessors) and of the khalaf (those who came after the Salaf).
[2]
Teachers
Ibn al-Qayyim's teachers included his father, Abu Bakr, Shihaab al-'Abir, Taqiyyud-Deen Sulaymaan, Safiyyud-Deen al-Hindee, Ismaa'eel Ibn Muhammad al-Harraanee. However, the most notable of his teachers was
Ibn Taymiyyah, whom he accompanied and studied under for sixteen years.
In eulogizing Ibn al-Qayyim, Al-Hafidh
Ibn Kathir stated:
He attained great proficiency in many branches of knowledge; particularly knowledge of
tafsir,
hadith, and
usool. When Shaykh Taqiyyud-Deen
Ibn Taymiyyah returned from
Egypt in the year 712H (c. 1312), he stayed with the Shaykh until he died; learning a great deal of knowledge from him, along with the knowledge that he had already occupied himself in attaining. So he became a single Scholar in many branches of knowledge.
[3]
Disciple of Ibn Taymiyyah
Ibn al-Qayyim ultimately joined the study circle of the Muslim scholar
Ibn Taymiyyah, who kept him in his company as his closest student, disciple and his successor. Ibn Qayyim was fervent in his devotion to Islam, and he was a loyal student and disciple of Ibn Taymiyyah. He defended his religious opinions and approaches, and he compiled and edited most of his works, and taught the same.
Imprisonment
Ibn al-Qayyim was imprisoned along with his teacher
Ibn Taymiyyah. According to the historian
al-Maqrizi, two reasons led to his arrest: the first was a sermon Ibn al-Qayyim had delivered in Jerusalem in which he decried the visitation of holy graves, including the Prophet Muhammad’s grave in Medina, the second was his agreement with Ibn Taymiyyah’s view on the matter of divorce, which contradicted the view of the majority of scholars in Damascus.
[4]
The campaign to have Ibn al-Qayyim imprisoned was led by
Shafi'i and
Maliki scholars, and was also joined by the
Hanbali and
Hanafi judges.
[5]
Whilst in prison Ibn al-Qayyim busied himself with the Qur'an. According to
Ibn Rajab, Ibn al-Qayyim made the most of his time of imprisonment: the immediate result of his delving into the Qur'an while in prison was a series of mystical experiences (described as
dhawq, direct experience of the divine mysteries, and mawjud, ecstasy occasioned by direct encounter with the Divine Reality).
[6]
Following the Death of Ibn Taymiyah
When Ibn Taymiyyah died, Ibn al-Qayyim was freed and subsequently furthered his studies, holding study circles and classes. He taught Islamic Jurisprudence at al-Sadriyya school in Damascus, before he held the position of the Imam of the Jawziyyah school. Most of his writings were compilations, although he authored several books and manuscripts with his own handwriting which are preserved in the central Library of Damascus.
Spiritual Life
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah was an avid and a resolute worshipper. He devoted long hours to his
supererogatory nightly prayers, and was in a constant state of remembrance (
dhikr ذکر), as he was known for his extended prostrations. During Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah's imprisonment in al-Qal'a prison in Damascus, he was constantly reading the Qur'an, and studying its meanings. Ibn Rajab noted that during that period of seclusion, he gained extensive spiritual success, as well as he developed a great analytical wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the prophetic traditions.
Upon his release, he performed the pilgrimage to
Makkah several times, and sometimes he stayed in Makkah for a prolonged period of devotion and circumambulation of the holy
Ka'ba.
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya wrote a lengthy spiritual commentary on a treatise written by the Hanbali Sufi
Khwaja Abdullah Ansari entitled
Madarij al-Salikin.
[7] He expressed his love and appreciation for Ansari in this commentary with his statement
"Certainly I love the Sheikh, but I love the truth more!'.
[8] Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya refers to Ansari with the honorific title "
Sheikh al-Islam" in his work
Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyab [9]
Death
Ibn al-Qayyim died at the age of 60 years 5 months & 5 days, on the 13th night of
Rajab, 751 AH (September 15, 1350 AD), and was buried besides his father at
Bab al-Saghīr Cemetery.
Views
Natural sciences
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah was also an
astronomer and
chemist, and a critic of
alchemy and
astrology. In his
Miftah Dar al-Sa'adah, he used
empirical arguments in
astronomy and
chemistry in order to refute the practice of alchemy and
astrology along with the theories associated with them, such as
divination and the
transmutation of metals.
[10]
He recognized that the
stars are much larger than the
planets, and thus argued:
[11]
"And if you astrologers answer that it is precisely because of this distance and smallness that their influences are negligible, then why is it that you claim a great influence for the smallest heavenly body, Mercury? Why is it that you have given an influence to al-Ra's and al-Dhanab, which are two imaginary points [ascending and descending nodes]?"
He also recognized the
Milky Way galaxy as "a myriad of tiny stars packed together in the sphere of the fixed stars" and thus argued that "it is certainly impossible to have knowledge of their influences."
[11]
Reception
Ibn Qayyim was respected by a number of scholars during and after his life.
Ibn Kathir stated that,
He [Ibn al-Qayyim] was the most affectionate person. He was never envious of anyone, nor did he hurt anyone. He never disgraced anyone, nor did he hate anyone. [12]
He also stated that,
I do not know in this world in our time someone who is more dedicated to acts of devotion [13]
Ibn Rajab mentioned that,
Although, he was by no means infallible, no one could compete with him in the understanding of the texts. [12]
He also remarked that :
He was constant in worship and performing tahajjud (the night Prayer), reaching the limits in lengthening his Salah (Prayer) and devotion. He was constantly in a state of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and had an intense love for Allah. He also had a deep love for turning to Allah in repentance, humbling himself to Him with a deep sense of humility and helplessness. He would throw himself at the doors of Divine obedience and servitude. Indeed, I have not seen the likes of him with regards to such matters.[14]
Despite being praised by a number of sunni scholars, he was also criticised by others.
The influential shafi'i chief judge of Damascus
Taqi al-Din al-Subki condemned Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, on the acceptability of the triple divorce
[15] and on account of his view permitting the conduct of horse races without the participation of a third competitor.
[16]
Subki also stated that,
The only thing this man [Ibn al-Qayyim] wants for the commoners is to establish that there is no Muslim but him and his partisans.[17]
He also wrote a treatise entitled
"The Burnished sword in refuting Ibn al-Qayyim" regarding his position on the attributes of God.
[18]
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami stated that,
Do not read what is in the books of Ibn al-Qayyim and others like him who have taken their own whim as their God, and who have been led astray by Allah. There hearts and ears have been sealed, and there eyes have been covered.[19]
Legacy
Works
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah's contributions to the Islamic library are extensive, and they particularly deal with the Qur'anic commentaries, and understanding and analysis of the prophetic traditions (
Fiqh-us Sunnah) (فقه ):
- Zad al-Ma'ad (Provision of the hereafter)
- Al-Waabil Sayyib minal kalim tayyib – a commentary on hadith about Prophet Yahya ibn Zakariyya.
- I'laam ul Muwaqqi'een 'an Rabb il 'Aalameen (Information for Those who Write on Behalf of the Lord of the Worlds)
- Tahthib Sunan Abi Da'ud
- Madaarij Saalikeen which is a rearrangement of the book by Shaikh Abu Ismail al-Ansari al-Harawi al-Sufi, Manazil-u Sa'ireen (Stations of the Seekers);
- Tafsir Mu'awwadhatain (Tafsir of Surah Falaq and Nas);
- Badāʾiʿ al-Fawāʾid (بدائع الفوائد): Amazing Points of Benefit
- Ad-Dā'i wa Dawā also known as Al Jawābul kāfi liman sa'ala 'an Dawā'i Shaafi
- Haadi Arwah ila biladil Afrah
- Uddat as-Sabirin wa Dhakhiratu ash-Shakirin (عدة الصابرين وذخيرة الشاكرين)
- Ighathatu lahfaan min masaa'id ash-shaytan (إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان) : Aid for the Yearning One in Resisting the Shayṭān
- Rawdhatul Muhibbīn
- Ahkām ahl al-dhimma"
- Tuhfatul Mawdud bi Ahkam al-Mawlud: A Gift to the Loved One Regarding the Rulings of the Newborn
- Miftah Dar As-Sa'adah
- Jala al-afham fi fadhl salati ala khayral anam
- Al-Manar al-Munif
- Al-Tibb al-Nabawi – a book on Prophetic medicine (available in English as "The Prophetic Medicine", printed by Dar al-Fikr in Beirut (Lebanon), or as "Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet (sal allahu `alayhi wa salim)", printed by Darussalam Publications.
- Al-Furusiyya[20]
- Shifa al-Alil (Healing of the Sick)
- Mukhtasar al-Sawa'iq
- Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Arfah (Spurring Souls on to the Realms of Joy)
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And you can continue to believe that what I call the all-present all-powerful Nature you call that entity as Allah.
