علماء أصول الفقهLegal Theorists Jurists and Hadith Masters

Scholars of the Principles of Jurisprudence

Ahmad ibn 'Alee Aboo Bakr al-Raazee, known as al-Jassaas, was born in 305 AH. He settled in Baghdad, where the leadership of the Hanafees ultimately came to him. He studied jurisprudence under al-Karkhee and followed his path of asceticism and scrupulous piety. He died in Baghdad in 370 AH.

Aboo al-Hasan 'Alee ibn Muhammad Fakhr al-Islaam al-Bazdawee was a jurist of Transoxiana according to the school of Aboo Haneefah.

He died in 482 AH and was buried in Samarqand. His works include al-Mabsoot, in eleven volumes, and a commentary on al-Jaami' al-Kabeer. His work on the principles has several commentaries, the most famous being al-Kashf.

Shams al-A'immah al-Sarakhsee, Aboo Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad, author of al-Mabsoot, studied under 'Abd al-'Azeez al-Halwaanee. He was a scholar of legal theory, and it became widely known that he dictated al-Mabsoot without consulting any books. He began a work on the principles of jurisprudence while imprisoned at the bottom of a well because of counsel he had given the rulers. His students would gather at the top of the well and write. When he reached the chapter on conditions, he was released. He went out to Fergana, where the amir Hasan honored him; the students then came to him, and he completed the work.

It was once said to him, “Al-Shaafi'ee memorized three hundred notebooks.” He replied, “That is only the zakaah of what I have memorized.” They counted what he had memorized and found it to be twelve thousand notebooks.¹

He died around the year five hundred—may God Most High have mercy on him.

Sayf al-Deen al-Aamidee, 'Alee ibn Muhammad ibn Saalim al-Tha'labee.

He was born in Aamid in 550 AH. He studied the Qur'aanic readings under the scholars of his city and memorized a book according to the school of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He remained upon that for some time, so at the beginning of his studies he belonged to the Hanbalee school. He then moved to the Shaafi'ee school, traveled to Iraq, and spent a period studying in Baghdad, where he acquired knowledge of disputation, disagreement, and debate. He then moved to Syria, occupied himself with the rational sciences, memorized a great deal of them, and became highly proficient in them. In his time, no one knew these sciences better than he did. He authored works on the principles of religion, jurisprudence, logic, philosophy, and legal disagreement, and all his writings are beneficial.

He had learned the sciences of the ancients from the Christians and Jews of al-Karkh, and was consequently suspected in his creed. In fear of the jurists, he fled to Egypt in 592 AH. There he debated, lectured, and displayed works on the sciences of the ancients. They then became hostile toward him, so he left Cairo in disguise. He settled in Hama or Damascus, taught there, and died there in 631 AH.

His works include al-Maahir fee 'Uloom al-Awaa'il wa-al-Awaakhir, in five volumes, and Abkaar al-Afkaar fee Usool al-Deen, in four volumes. Shaykh 'Izz al-Deen ibn 'Abd al-Salaam said, “I have never heard anyone deliver a lesson better than al-Aamidee. We learned the principles of investigation only from him.” He also said, “If a heretic who cast doubt upon the religion were to appear, no one but he would be qualified to debate him.” He also wrote Muntahaa al-Su'aal wa-al-Amal fee 'Ilmay al-Usool wa-al-Jadal, and Ibn al-Haajib's abridgment of it. He produced approximately twenty works.

1 This report is rejected and deemed unlikely by sound reason, although divine power is capable of everything. —Sayyid 'Alee Hasan Khaan, may God Most High preserve him.

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He died in 631 AH and was buried at the foot of Mount Qaasyoon. His birth was in 551 AH. “Al-Aamidee” is a nisbah to Aamid, a large city in Diyaar Bakr adjacent to the lands of the Romans.

Aboo al-Barakaat al-Nasafee, 'Abd Allaah ibn Ahmad Haafidh al-Deen, author of Kanz al-Daqaa'iq, al-Manaar on the principles of jurisprudence, and al-'Umdah on the principles of religion. He studied jurisprudence under Shams al-A'immah al-Kurdaree.

Al-Manaar has commentaries, including Ifaadhat al-Anwaar fee Idhaa'at Usool al-Manaar by Sa'd al-Deen Mahmood al-Dihlawee, may God Most High have mercy on him.

Siraaj al-Deen al-Hindee, Aboo Hafs 'Umar ibn Ishaaq ibn Ahmad al-Ghaznawee, chief judge of the Hanafees in Cairo.

In his homeland he studied jurisprudence under al-Wajeeh al-Raazee, al-Siraaj al-Thaqafee, al-Zayn al-Badwaanee, and other Indian scholars. He performed the pilgrimage, and his virtues became evident. He held standing in every government, was broad in knowledge, and commanded great awe. He was partisan toward the unifying Soofees and punished Ibn Abee Hajalah for his remarks concerning Ibn al-Faaridh.

He died on the same night as Bahaa' al-Subkee, namely the seventh of Rajab in 773 AH. He used to write in his own hand: “My birth was in 704 AH.”

Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Umar Husaam al-Deen al-Akhseekathee. Akhseekath is a village in Transoxiana. He composed the Mukhtasar on the principles of jurisprudence and died—may God Most High have mercy on him—in 644 AH.

Aboo al-Ma'aalee, Imaam al-Haramayn, 'Abd al-Malik ibn 'Abd Allaah ibn Yoosuf al-Juwaynee. His birth is given in al-Kaamil as 410 AH and in the History of Ibn Abee al-Damm as 419 AH. He was the leading scholar of his age and a master of the school.

Among his works is Nihaayat al-Matlab fee Diraayat al-Madhhab. He traveled to Baghdad and then to the Hijaz, residing in Mecca and Medina for four years, teaching, issuing legal opinions, and composing works. He led the prayer in the Two Sacred Mosques, and was given this title on that account. He then returned to Nishapur, where he was entrusted with the sermon, the circle of exhortation, and teaching for thirty years. He enjoyed the favor of Nidhaam al-Mulk, vizier of the sultan Alp Arslan the Seljuq.

Among his students were al-Ghazaalee—you need no further commendation—and Aboo al-Hasan 'Alee, known as Kiyaa al-Harraasee.

Imaam al-Haramayn claimed unrestricted independent reasoning, because its pillars were present in him. He then returned to following Imaam al-Shaafi'ee—may God have mercy on him—knowing that the office of independent reasoning had passed from its era.

He died in the village of Bishtiqaan and was transferred to Nishapur. Years later he was transferred to the cemetery of al-Husayn and buried beside his father. His son Aboo al-Qaasim led the funeral prayer for him. The markets were closed on the day of his death, his pulpit in the mosque was broken, and people sat in mourning for him, composing many elegies, including:

The hearts of the world's people are in anguish … and the days of mankind resemble nights

Can the branch of the people of knowledge ever bear fruit … when Imaam Aboo al-Ma'aalee has died?

At that time his students numbered about four hundred. They broke their inkwells and pens and remained thus for an entire year. This is reported in the History of Ibn al-Wardee.

Ibn Khallikaan said: “He is absolutely the most learned of the later Shaafi'ee scholars, unanimously acknowledged as an imam, and agreed upon as possessing abundant learning and mastery of the sciences, including the principles, the branches, and literature. He was granted an expansiveness in worship unlike anything known of another. He would mention lessons, each of which filled several pages, without faltering over a single word. He traveled to Baghdad and met a group of scholars there. His works became renowned, and the great imams attended his lessons. He had a license from the hadeeth master Aboo Nu'aym al-Isfahaanee, author of Hilyat al-Awliyaa'.”

Among his works are al-Shaamil on the principles of religion, al-Burhaan on the principles of jurisprudence, and Ghiyaath al-Umam on the imamate. When he began discussing the sciences of the Soofees and explaining their statements, he made those present weep. From the beginning of his life to its end, he remained upon a praiseworthy and approved path. End of the abridgment.

Shaykh Safee al-Deen al-Hindee al-Urmawee was a theologian of the Ash'aree school. He was the most learned of people in its doctrine and the best acquainted with its subtleties, deeply versed in the two principles. He studied under Siraaj al-Deen, author of al-Talkhees.

He composed al-Zubdah on theology, al-Nihaayah on the principles of jurisprudence, and al-Faa'iq on it as well. All his works are comprehensive and excellent, especially al-Nihaayah. He was born in India in 644 AH, traveled to Yemen, then performed the pilgrimage and came to Egypt. He then traveled to the lands of Rum, where he met Siraaj al-Deen, and afterward came to Damascus and occupied people with knowledge. He died there in 715 AH.

Sadr al-Sharee'ah 'Abd Allaah ibn Mas'ood ibn Mahmood was a learned, exacting investigator and a meticulous authority. His works include Sharh al-Wiqaayah, al-Wishaah on meanings, Ta'deel al-'Uloom on all the divisions of the rational sciences, and al-Tanqeeh, with its commentary entitled al-Tawdheeh on the principles of jurisprudence—may God Most High grant him abundant mercy.

Mawlaanaa Khusraw, whose name was Muhammad ibn Qaraamuz ibn Khwaajah 'Alee, was a learned, practicing, exacting, and virtuous man. Sultan Muhammad Khaan appointed him chief judge of the army; he then became judge of Constantinople and later its mufti for many years.

He died in 885 AH. He has many works in numerous sciences, such as al-Durar and its commentary al-Ghurar, marginalia on al-Talweeh, marginalia on al-Mutawwal, and other books and treatises.

Chief Judge Muhammad ibn 'Alee al-Shawkaanee—his biography will follow.

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Scholars of Jurisprudence

Imaam Aboo Haneefah, Nu'maan ibn Thaabit—may God be pleased with him—the imam of the Hanafees and the exemplar of the proponents of reason.

He was born in 80 AH after the Hijrah. This is what al-Waaqidee and al-Sam'aanee related from Aboo Yoosuf. It is also said that it was in the year 61, but the former report is more widespread and more firmly established. According to the agreement of the hadeeth scholars, he did not see any of the Companions, though he lived during the time of some of them. The Hanafees have gone to great lengths in Madeenat al-'Uloom to establish that he met and narrated from some of them, but this is not as it should be. He said: “It is established by this detailed account that the imam was among the Successors, even though the hadeeth scholars deny that he was one of them, since his companions apparently know his circumstances better than they do.” End.

This is clearly open to objection, because the hadeeth scholars know more about the deaths of the Companions and the circumstances of the Successors than the proponents of reason do. Their statement that the one who affirms has priority over the one who denies is an argument without reliance. Nor is there any significance in the abundance of his teachers—may God have mercy on them—in comparison with the teachers of al-Shaafi'ee, may God have mercy on him; consideration belongs to reliability, not to the number of teachers. The hadeeth scholars regarded Aboo Haneefah—may God have mercy on him—as weak in hadeeth, and this is indeed apparent when one returns to the jurisprudence of this imam's school and his methods in discussion. Fairness is the finest of qualities. He was not truly learned in the Arabic language and idiom.

There are many books composed about his biography, some of which are available; they suffice in place of prolonging this discussion.

Discussion of preferring the jurisprudence and school of one imam over those of another is not knowledge at all.

The people most afflicted by such fables are the imitators of schools and partisans of particular approaches. The truth is that no preference should be given. The soundest, most correct, and noblest school is whichever conforms to the Qur'aan and Sunnah and remains free of the impurities of speculation and suspicion. With God is success, and in His hand are the reins of exactness and verification.

Imaam Maalik ibn Anas, author of al-Muwatta' in the noble hadeeth, the scholar and imam of Medina, and one of the four independent jurists. He died at the age of ninety, and his grave is in Medina beside Baqee' al-Gharqad. He died during the days of al-Rasheed. He was born with his teeth already present, so he was called Dhahhaak—may God make him laugh in His paradises.

Many people learned from him, among them al-Shaafi'ee, who said: “When the scholars are mentioned, Maalik is the star; and when hadeeth comes from him, hold fast to it.”

Maalik said: “Knowledge is not a great number of narrations; rather, it is a light that God Most High places in the heart.”

It is said in Madeenat al-'Uloom: “The volumes of books and contents of records cannot enumerate the virtues of this lofty, towering mountain and vast, overflowing sea, let alone these pages and lines.” End.

And so it is. His al-Muwatta' occupies the first rank among hadeeth books according to the critical scholars. Its commentator, the author of al-Musaffaa and al-Musawwaa, took such exceptional care with it that he said: “The purpose of this course is to act according to al-Muwatta' and abandon action according to all other subsidiary works and books.”

This demonstrates the greatness of the rank of this composition.

He died in the year 177 or 178 AH. I have given a full biography of him in my books al-Hittah fee Dhikr al-Sihaah al-Sittah and Ithaaf al-Nubalaa', so consult them.

Imaam Muhammad ibn Idrees al-Shaafi'ee, the Qurashee, the third of the independent jurists and the most learned of the godly scholars. When his mother conceived him, she saw as though Jupiter emerged from her womb, broke apart, and a fragment fell in every city. The interpreter explained that a great scholar would emerge from her womb, and it happened as he interpreted.

He was the first to codify the science of the principles of jurisprudence, and was granted complete felicity in his knowledge.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “Al-Shaafi'ee was like the sun to the day and like well-being to people. I pray for him after my prayer: O God, forgive me, my parents, and Muhammad ibn Idrees al-Shaafi'ee.”

It is said in Madeenat al-'Uloom: “In short, he was the scholar of the world and the scholar of the earth, east and west. God gathered for him learning and distinctions such as He had not gathered for any imam after him. His virtues are too numerous to count and can be contained only in volumes.”

Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others narrated from him. He died in Egypt in 206 AH at the age of fifty-four. All scholars—of jurisprudence, the principles, hadeeth, language, grammar, and other fields—agreed upon his trustworthiness, uprightness, asceticism, scrupulous piety, Godfearingness, generosity, excellent conduct, and lofty rank. The one who elaborates in describing him falls short, and the one who expands in praising him remains brief. Many great volumes have been written on this, yet they have not reached the shore of this sea. A group of scholars devoted separate works to his biography.

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Imaam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal al-Shaybaanee al-Marwazee, the imam of the Sunnah without dispute and the unquestioned exemplar of the people of hadeeth.

He was born in Baghdad in 164 AH and died there in 241 AH at the age of seventy-seven. Through him, sound hadeeth was distinguished from weak, and the disparaged narrator from the accredited one.

He traveled to Koofah, Basrah, Mecca, Yemen, Syria, and al-Jazeerah, and wrote from their scholars.

He heard hadeeth from the scholars of Baghdad. The two great masters al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, Aboo Zur'ah, Aboo Daawood al-Sijistaanee, and countless others heard from him. His virtues are numerous, his merits in Islam abundant, his influence famous, and his stations in religion recorded. He is the fourth of the independent jurists, whose opinion, reasoning, and transmission are relied upon.

Ibn Raahwayh said: “He is God's proof against His servants in His land.” He memorized a million hadeeths. His gatherings were gatherings of the Hereafter; he did not mention anything of worldly affairs. He was struck with twenty-nine lashes for denying the createdness of the Qur'aan. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kindee said: “I saw him in a dream and asked, 'What has God done with you?' He replied, 'My Lord forgave me and said: O Ahmad, were you struck for My sake?' I said, 'Yes, my Lord.' He said, 'This is My face; look at it. I have permitted you to look at it.'”

When he died, an uncountable number of Muslims prayed over him. They measured the place where he had been prayed over and found the standing area to be approximately two million three hundred thousand cubits. I have given an adequate biography of him in my books al-Hittah and Ithaaf al-Nubalaa'.

Many independent volumes have been composed on the merits of these four, so there is no need to prolong their discussion here. The most learned of the four in hadeeth, and the teacher of all in it, is that Ahmad, the imam. Had it not been for him, the school of the Sunnah would not have remained in the world. To him belongs the leadership of the science of the Sunnah and its people. Independent jurists appeared in his school in numbers unknown in any other school, and he was granted complete felicity in knowledge and religion.

After the biographies of the four imams, Madeenat al-'Uloom gives full biographies of most Hanafee scholars, because its author was a Hanafee; their inclusion is not among the purposes of this book. It likewise gives biographies of other jurists of the three schools, for their biographies are recorded in the specialized biographical works, each in its proper place. They are too many to count and too numerous to exhaust, and mentioning them would require massive volumes and great records.

Their imams are known and famous. We have merely indicated the biographies of the four independent jurists because they are the imams of the earlier and later jurists. Here I will indicate their names, may God have mercy on them. Among the Hanafee imams are:

Imaam Qaadhee Aboo Yoosuf, who was among the independent jurists.

Imaam Muhammad, who likewise attained the rank of independent reasoning.

Ibn al-Mubaarak, the hadeeth master of Marw.

Imaam Daawood ibn Nusayr al-Taa'ee al-Koofee.

Wakee' ibn al-Jarraah.

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Yahyaa ibn Zakariyyaa.

Al-Hasan ibn Ziyaad al-Lu'lu'ee al-Koofee.

Hammaad ibn Abee Haneefah, the imam.

Ismaa'eel ibn Hammaad, already mentioned.

Yoosuf ibn Khaalid, a companion of Aboo Haneefah.

'Aafiyah ibn Yazeed al-Koofee.

Hibbaan and Mindal, the two sons of 'Alee al-Ghazzee.

'Alee ibn Mushir al-Koofee.

Al-Qaasim ibn Ma'n.

Asad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Aamir.

Ahmad, Aboo Hafs al-Kabeer.

Khalaf ibn Ayyoob, among the companions of Imaam Muhammad.

Shaddaad ibn Hakam, among the companions of Zufar, may God have mercy on him.

Moosaa ibn Nasr al-Deen al-Raazee.

Moosaa ibn Sulaymaan al-Joozjaanee.

Hilaal ibn Yahyaa al-Nasree.

Muhammad ibn Samaa'ah, and Aboo Mutee' al-Hakam ibn 'Abd Allaah al-Qaadhee, narrator of the book al-Fiqh al-Akbar from Aboo Haneefah.

He says in Madeenat al-'Uloom: “The Hanafee imams are too numerous to count, for they spread across most of the inhabited world. It was even said that Aboo Haneefah—may God have mercy on him—had seven hundred and thirty students. This is only the number known; those unknown are more than that.” End. He then mentions the recognized books of Hanafee jurisprudence famous in that age. They are set out at length and in detail in Kashf al-Dhunoon, together with their marginalia and commentaries.

He says: “Know that exhaustive treatment of the Hanafee imams and their works exceeds the capacity of this abridgment. Let us therefore mention afterward a selection of the Shaafi'ee imams, so that the book may be complete at both ends and possess both honors.” These are of two classes:

The first: those honored by accompanying Imaam al-Shaafi'ee.

The second: the imams who came after them.

As for the first, those honored by accompanying Imaam al-Shaafi'ee, they include: Ahmad ibn Khaalid al-Khallaal Aboo Ja'far al-Baghdaadee; Ahmad ibn Sinaan al-Waasitee; Ahmad ibn Saalih Aboo Ja'far al-Tabaree; Ahmad ibn Abee Sarh al-Sabbaah; Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Qurashee; Ahmad ibn 'Amr ibn al-Sarh al-Umawee; the imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, famous throughout the world; Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Waleed, also said to be 'Awn ibn 'Uqbah; Ahmad ibn Yahyaa al-Baghdaadee, the theologian; Ahmad ibn al-Wazeer al-Misree; Ahmad ibn Surayj al-Raazee; Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Hakam al-Misree; Muhammad, the son of Imaam al-Shaafi'ee; Aboo Thawr Ibraaheem ibn Khaalid al-Baghdaadee; Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad, al-Shaafi'ee's cousin; Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad ibn Hurm; Ismaa'eel ibn Yahyaa Aboo Ibraaheem al-Muzanee; Bahr ibn Nasr al-Khawlaanee; al-Haarith al-Naqqaal; Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Sabbaah al-Baghdaadee al-Za'faraanee; Husayn ibn 'Alee al-Karaasee;

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al-Hasan al-Fallaas; Harmalah al-Tujeebee; Rabee' ibn Sulaymaan al-Jabree al-Misree; Rabee' ibn Sulaymaan al-Muraadee; Sulaymaan ibn Daawood al-'Abbaasee; Aboo Bakr al-Humayd ibn Zuhayr; 'Abd al-'Azeez Aboo 'Alee al-Khuzaa'ee; 'Abd al-'Azeez al-Kinaanee; Fadhl ibn al-Rabee'; al-Qaasim ibn Sallaam—with the laam doubled; Qahzam al-Aswaanee, the last of al-Shaafi'ee's companions to die; Moosaa ibn Abee al-Jaarood al-Makkee; Yoosuf ibn Yahyaa al-Buwaytee—Buwayt is in Upper Egypt; and Yoonus ibn 'Alee al-Sadafee al-Misree.

The second class, the Shaafi'ee imams who followed them, includes: Muhammad ibn Idrees Aboo Haatim al-Raazee; Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel al-Bukhaaree; Muhammad ibn 'Alee al-Hakeem al-Tirmidhee the Soofee; Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazee; al-Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Baghdaadee, master of the Soofee order; al-Haarith ibn Asad al-Muhaasibee; Daawood ibn 'Alee al-Baghdaadee, imam of the literalists; Sulaymaan ibn al-Ash'ath al-Sijistaanee; the hadeeth master Aboo Sa'eed al-Daarimee, the traditionist of Herat; Aboo Turaab 'Askar ibn Muhammad al-Takshee; al-Nasaa'ee, author of the Sunan; Ahmad ibn Shurayh al-Qaadhee; Ahmad ibn Muhammad Aboo 'Alee al-Roodhbaaree; Aboo Mansoor Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Azharee the philologist; Aboo Zayd Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Fashaanee al-Marwazee; Aboo Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Haddaad al-Misree; Aboo Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jareer al-Tabaree, one of the world's imams in knowledge and religion; Muhammad ibn Khafeef al-Sheeraazee; Aboo Sahl Muhammad ibn Sulaymaan al-Sa'lookee; Aboo Bakr al-Sayrafee Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allaah; Aboo al-Hasan 'Alee, the shaykh of the Ash'arees; Aboo Ishaaq al-Sheeraazee Ibraaheem ibn 'Alee ibn Yoosuf al-Feeroozaabaadee; Aboo Ishaaq al-Isfaraayeenee Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad; Ismaa'eel ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Saaboonee; Aboo al-Qaasim al-Qushayree Hasan ibn 'Alee; Aboo al-Tayyib Sahl ibn Muhammad al-Sa'lookee; and Qaadhee Aboo al-Tayyib Taahir ibn 'Abd Allaah al-Tabaree, who debated Aboo al-Hasan al-Qudooree of the Hanafees.

When the Iraqis use the word “the judge,” they mean him. The Khurasanis mean Qaadhee Husayn. In principles, the Ash'arees mean Qaadhee Aboo Bakr al-Baaqillaanee. The Mu'tazilees mean 'Abd al-Jabbaar al-Istaraabaadhee. They also include al-Qaffaal al-Marwazee the Younger, whose name was 'Abd Allaah ibn Ahmad; when unqualified, he is the one intended, while the Elder is identified as al-Shaashee; Ibn Hawaazin al-Qushayree; Aboo Muhammad al-Juwaynee, father of Imaam al-Haramayn; Aboo Nasr ibn al-Sabbaagh; 'Abd al-Qaahir al-Tameemee Aboo Mansoor al-Baghdaadee; 'Abd al-Qaahir al-Jurjaanee; Aboo al-Ma'aalee Imaam al-Haramayn; Aboo al-Hasan al-Maawardee, author of al-Haawee and al-Iqnaa'; Aboo Hayyaan al-Tawheedee; Aboo al-Mudhaffar al-Sam'aanee; Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee, author of Ihyaa'; Muhammad al-Khayyooshaanee; Muhyee al-Sunnah al-Farraa' al-Baghawee; Aboo al-Mahaasin al-Rooyaanee; the hadeeth master Ibn 'Asaakir; Shaykh Sadr al-Deen al-Qoonawee; Imaam Fakhr al-Deen al-Raazee; Shaykh 'Izz al-Deen ibn 'Abd al-Salaam; and his students Ibn Daqeeq al-'Eed, Aboo al-Qaasim al-Raafi'ee, Aboo Nasr al-Shahrazooree, Aboo al-Qaasim al-Soofee, Aboo al-Fath al-Mawsilee, Aboo al-'Abbaas Ahmad ibn Muhammad, commentator on al-Waseet, Muhammad al-Turkumaanee al-Dhahabee the hadeeth master, Qaadhee Jalaal al-Deen al-Qazweenee, Safee al-Hindee, Ibn al-Zamalkaanee, Muhammad ibn Sayyid al-Naas the hadeeth master, the blind hadeeth master 'Alam al-Deen al-'Iraaqee, 'Alee ibn 'Abd al-Kaafee al-Subkee the Elder, Ibn Khattaab al-Baajee, and Qaadhee Sharaf al-Deen al-Baarizee. End.

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He then gives brief and extensive biographies of these men, just as he gives biographies of the Hanafee jurists. He gives no biographies of the Maalikee and Hanbalee imams, perhaps because the former are numerous and the latter few: “And few of My servants are grateful.” Their specialized biographical works suffice, however, and have omitted none of them.

Qaadhee Aboo al-Yaman Mujeer al-Deen al-Hanbalee mentions in al-Uns al-Jaleel fee Taareekh al-Quds wa-al-Khaleel a group of scholars and judges of the four schools who were in Jerusalem, including Hanbalee scholars. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee likewise mentions them in his biographical work, as do other historians and biographers in books devoted to this subject.

Most of those whose biographies the author of Madeenat al-'Uloom included are men from Ibn Khallikaan's Wafayaat al-A'yaan. I have challenged him regarding men from that work and elsewhere, pointed out the sources of objection, and left the biographies of most scholars under each science mentioned here, indicating their names so that the student may easily consult the sources and learn about each one.

I will now mention a group of scholars of hadeeth and the Qur'aan, followed by a group of famous Indian scholars associated with the transmitted and rational sciences. I have not placed them under the sciences mentioned here in order to make organization and cross-reference easier; they share in all of them—except what God Most High wills. Keep this in mind. Most of the scholars of the Two Sacred Cities and Yemen whom we have mentioned are the teachers of our teachers, and they belong to our chain of transmission.

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The Shaafi'ee authority Kamaal al-Deen ibn al-Zamalkaanee wrote of Ibn Taymiyyah: “When he was asked about a branch of knowledge, the observer and listener would think that he knew no other branch, and would conclude that no one knew it as he did. Jurists of every group benefited from him in their schools whenever they sat with him.”

He said: “It is not known that he debated anyone and was defeated, nor that he spoke on any science, religious or otherwise, without surpassing its specialists. The conditions of independent reasoning were fully present in him.” End of his words.

He had complete knowledge of men, their criticism and accreditation, their generations, the arts of hadeeth, elevated and lower chains, sound and unsound reports, together with an unmatched memorization of their texts. His ability to recall and extract proofs from them was astonishing. He reached the utmost point in attributing reports to the six books and the Musnad, so that it could be said: “Any hadeeth Ibn Taymiyyah does not know is not a hadeeth.” Yet encompassment belongs to God; he drew from that sea while other imams drew from streams.

As for exegesis, it was surrendered to him. He had an astonishing power to summon verses as evidence. Because of his mastery of exegesis and the greatness of his learning, he exposed errors in many exegetes' statements. By day and night he wrote about four notebooks of exegesis, jurisprudence, the two principles, or refutation of philosophers and the ancients. It is not unlikely that his works have by now reached five hundred volumes. On many subjects he wrote separate works, such as the question of legal stratagems, entitled Bayaan al-Daleel 'alaa Ibtaal al-Tahleel, in one volume, and others.

He wrote a three-volume refutation of Ibn al-Mutahhir al-Raafidhee al-Hillee entitled Minhaaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah fee Naqdh Kalaam al-Shee'ah wa-al-Qadariyyah.

He wrote a seven-volume refutation of al-Raazee's Ta'sees al-Taqdees; a book refuting logic; and al-Muwaafaqah bayna al-Ma'qool wa-al-Manqool, in two volumes. His companions collected six large volumes of his legal opinions. He had extensive knowledge of the schools of the Companions and Successors. Rarely did he discuss a question without mentioning the four schools; he disagreed with them on known questions, composing works on them and supporting his positions with the Qur'aan and Sunnah.

He wrote al-Siyaasah al-Shar'iyyah fee Islaah al-Raa'ee wa-al-Ra'iyyah and Raf' al-Malaam 'an al-A'immah al-A'laam. For several years he issued no opinion according to a particular school, but only according to what the evidence established for him. He championed the pure Sunnah and the early traditionist method, supporting them with proofs and premises no one before him had used. He expressed positions from which earlier and later scholars had shrunk, while he dared to affirm them. A great number of Egyptian and Syrian scholars rose against him, declaring him an innovator, debating and confronting him. He remained firm, neither flattering nor showing favoritism, but stated the bitter truth to which his independent reasoning, sharp mind, and broad command of transmitted reports and opinions had led him.

Armed campaigns and battles took place between him and them in Syria and Egypt.

He revered God's sacred limits, constantly supplicated, frequently sought help, and possessed strong reliance and steadfast courage. He maintained regular litanies and invocations. On the other side, he had admirers among scholars, righteous people, soldiers, commanders, merchants, eminent men, and the general public. They loved him for his courage, which became proverbial, and which even the greatest heroes imitated.

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God raised him during Ghazan's campaign. He personally shouldered the burden of the affair and met the king twice, as well as Khwaajaa and Boolaay. Qaykh was amazed at his boldness and courage before the Mongols.

Qaadhee al-Munshee Shihaab al-Deen Aboo al-'Abbaas Ahmad ibn Fadhl Allaah said in his biography: “The shaykh sat before Sultan Mahmood Ghazan, while lions crouched in their thickets, hearts fell within their bodies, fire weakened in its blaze, and swords trembled in their sheaths, fearing that ambushing beast and cunning Nimrod, and the destiny that no schemer can repel. He sat before him, pointed to his own chest, faced him, and turned toward his throat. Ghazan asked him to pray, so he raised his hands and offered a just prayer, most of which was against him, while Ghazan said, 'Amen.'”

Ibn al-Zamalkaanee wrote these verses on one of Ibn Taymiyyah's works:

What can those describing him say … when his attributes transcend enumeration?

He is a compelling proof of God … among us, a wonder of the age.

He is a manifest sign among creation … whose lights exceed the dawn.

Qaadhee Aboo al-Fath Ibn Daqeeq al-'Eed said: “When I met Ibn Taymiyyah, I saw a man with all the sciences before his eyes; he took what he wished and left what he wished.” The master grammarian Aboo Hayyaan attended him and said, “My eyes have never seen his like.” He spontaneously composed verses about him, including:

Ibn Taymiyyah rose to support our law … as Taym's master rose when Mudhar rebelled;

He made truth manifest when its traces had faded … and quenched evil when its sparks had flown.

We used to speak of a master who would come … and here you are, the awaited imam.

Ibn al-Wardee says in his history: “After all this, he is too great for one like me to point out his qualities. If I swore between the Corner and the Station, I would swear that my eyes never saw his equal, nor did he see anyone like himself in knowledge. He had little diplomacy and generally lacked deliberation. He was not a man of government and did not follow its conventions. He helped his enemies against himself by entering difficult questions beyond the minds and learning of the people of his age, such as declaring an oath by divorce to be unbelief, saying that a triple divorce counts only as one, and saying that divorce during menstruation does not take effect.

“He governed himself in a remarkable way. He was imprisoned successively in Egypt, Damascus, and Alexandria; he rose and fell, and followed his own judgment. Perhaps this was expiation for him. How often he entered a difficulty through the strength of his character, and God delivered him. He had moderate poetry, never married, took no concubine, and possessed only a small stipend. His brother managed his affairs. He generally asked neither lunch nor dinner from them. The world meant little to him. Regarding many shaykhs he would say that their condition was satanic or ego-driven, and would examine whether the shaykh followed the Book and Sunnah. If so, his condition was sound and his unveiling generally divine—but he was not infallible. He wrote several works on this, amounting to volumes of extraordinary wonder. Many people possessed by jinn were cured merely by his threatening the jinn. Several incidents of this occurred; he did no more than recite verses and say: 'Leave this afflicted person, or we will apply the law to you; otherwise we will do with you what pleases God and His Messenger.'”

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At the end, they found against him the question of traveling to visit the graves of the prophets, claiming that traveling and undertaking journeys for that purpose are prohibited by the saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Journeys are undertaken only to three mosques.” He acknowledged that visiting without undertaking a journey was a devotional act, but they denounced him for this position. A group wrote that prohibiting it contained a suggestion of disparagement of prophethood and therefore amounted to unbelief.

Several jurists issued the opinion that he had merely erred as independent jurists may err, with their errors forgiven. A group agreed with him. The matter grew serious, and he was returned to a chamber in the citadel, where he remained for more than twenty months. Eventually he was forbidden to write and study; they left him neither notebook nor inkpot. He spent months in this state, then turned to recitation, night prayer, and worship until certainty came to him. The people were suddenly informed of his death, for they had not known him to be ill. Crowds gathered at the citadel gate and at the mosque, as dense as the Friday-prayer crowd. People accompanied him from the city's four gates, carrying him on their heads. He lived sixty-seven years and some months. He was dark-haired, with little gray in his beard, of medium height, loud-voiced, and light-eyed.

I say: Once, while we were in Aleppo, someone disparaged Ibn Taymiyyah before Qaadhee Ibn al-Zamalkaanee, and I was present. He said: “Who could be like Shaykh Taqee al-Deen in asceticism, patience, courage, generosity, and learning? By God, were we not attributing him to the early authorities, he would shoulder them aside.” This is a brief biography of the shaykh, most of it taken from al-Durrah al-Yateemah fee al-Seerah al-Taymiyyah by the imam and hadeeth master Shams al-Deen Muhammad al-Dhahabee, may God have mercy on him.

Ibn al-Wardee said: “In 723 AH, on the night of Monday, the twenty-second of Dhoo al-Qa'dah, Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah—may God be pleased with him—died imprisoned in the citadel of Damascus. He was washed, shrouded, and first prayed over in the citadel by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Tammaam. After noon he was taken through Baab al-Faraj to the congregational mosque of Damascus. The crowd became dense in the horse market. His brother led the prayer there, and people cast their handkerchiefs and turbans upon him for blessing. They pressed around his bier. Fifteen thousand women attended, and it was said that the men numbered two hundred thousand. Weeping over him was abundant, several complete recitations were dedicated to him, people visited his grave for days, and sound dreams concerning him were seen.”

I say: I composed an elegy for him in the rhyme of taa'; it spread and became famous, and scholars and eminent men from the regions requested it from me. It begins:

They reproached him, though a people of power … sought to gather the jewels of his scattered words.

Taqee al-Deen Ahmad, the finest of scholars … through him the knots of hard questions are tied.

He died imprisoned and alone … with no inclination toward the world.

Had they attended him at his death … they would have found blissful angels surrounding him.

He fulfilled his appointed term, with no equal … and no peer had ever been swaddled.

In knowledge he became unique … and difficult questions were entrusted to him.

He called mankind to piety … and forbade a faction that drank and committed sodomy.

The jinn scattered before his might … his admonition was a whip upon hearts.

By God, what a grave enclosed … and by God, what the pavement covered.

They envied him what they could not attain … so they plotted and went astray.

They were lazy upon his path … yet energetic in harming him.

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The pearl's confinement in shells is a distinction … and the shaykh found joy in prison.

He followed the family of Haashim … they tasted death but did not submit.

The sons of Taymiyyah were present, then departed … stars of knowledge overtaken by decline.

But what regret for those who imprisoned him … through him the needle of polytheism was removed.

How pleased the Jews are with what you did … an adversary delights in confusion.

Was there among you no rightly guided man … who would rage at the imprisonment of the imam?

An imam who sought no office … nor endowment or outpost was assigned to him.

He did not compete with you in acquiring wealth … nor had he any known association with you.

Why then did you imprison and admonish him … was punishment for harming him required?

His imprisonment displeases one like me … in it men like you are diminished.

By God, were it not for keeping my secret … and fear of evil, I would have untied the bonds.

I would have said what I had to say … but with learned men, excess is not fitting.

No one calls to fairness … everyone is caught up in his desire.

Your intent, jailers, will become clear … and we shall tell you when the path is set up.

He has not died so that you may rest from him … so do what you wished to do.

Untie and bind without reproach … and let that little gathering be folded away.

I met him in Damascus in 715 AH, at his mosque in al-Qassaa'een. I debated before him on jurisprudence, exegesis, and grammar; he admired my speech and kissed my face, and I hope for blessing from that. He told me about his famous incident on Mount Kisrawaan. I spent a night with him and saw much of his chivalry, manliness, and love for the people of knowledge, especially strangers. I prayed the Ramadan night prayer behind him and saw profound humility in his recitation and a tenderness in his prayer that seized the hearts. End of the words of Imaam Zayn al-Deen 'Umar ibn al-Wardee, who died in Aleppo in 749 AH, quoted verbatim.

I have given Ibn Taymiyyah—may God have mercy on him—a full Persian biography in my book Ithaaf al-Nubalaa' al-Muttaqeen.

He—may his sacred spirit be honored—has many fine biographies, collected with care by a large number of learned and excellent scholars.

Among them is al-Qawl al-Jalee fee Tarjamat Shaykh al-Islaam Taqee al-Deen ibn Taymiyyah al-Hanbalee by Sayyid Safee al-Deen Ahmad al-Hanafee al-Bukhaaree, resident of Nablus, may God have mercy on him. It is a short treatise, with commendations by the learned shaykh Muhammad al-Taafilaanee, mufti of the Hanafees in Jerusalem, and Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Shaafi'ee al-Dimashqee, known as al-Kazburee.

Another is al-Kawaakib al-Durriyyah fee Manaaqib Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah by Shaykh Imaam Mar'ee.

Another is al-Radd al-Waafir 'alaa man Za'ama anna man Sammaa Ibn Taymiyyah Shaykh al-Islaam Kaafir by Shaykh, imam, and hadeeth master Aboo 'Abd Allaah Muhammad ibn Shams al-Deen Abee Bakr ibn Naasir al-Deen al-Shaafi'ee al-Dimashqee. It bears commendations by the hadeeth master Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalaanee, author of Fath al-Baaree; Qaadhee al-Qudhaat Saalih ibn 'Umar al-Bulqeenee; Shaykh and imam 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Tafhaanee al-Hanafee; and the learned shaykh Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Bisaatee.

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The Maalikee Qaadhee Noor al-Deen Mahmood ibn Ahmad al-'Aynee al-Hanafee also wrote a commendation; it is the longest of these commendations, all written in 835 AH. It also bears commendations by the imam and learned judge of judges of the Hanbalees in Egypt, Aboo al-'Abbaas Ahmad ibn Nasr Allaah ibn Ahmad al-Baghdaadee, later Egyptian, written in 836 AH at Saalihiyyah in Damascus, in the Ashrafiyyah hadeeth house; and by the Aleppo traditionist, the imam and hadeeth master Aboo al-Wafaa' Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad al-Na'eem Ridhwaan ibn Muhammad ibn Yoosuf al-'Uqbee al-Misree al-Shaafi'ee. Others from various lands also commended it, including Qaadhee Siraaj al-Deen al-Himsee al-Shaafi'ee and many more.

In the ninth century a man named 'Alaa' al-Deen Muhammad al-Bukhaaree emerged in Damascus. He became fanatical against the shaykh and issued a legal opinion declaring him and anyone who called him “Shaykh al-Islaam” unbelievers. The author refuted him in this book and listed those called “Shaykh al-Islaam” among the imams of every school, including his opponents such as al-Subkee and others. After completing it, he sent it to Egypt, where those mentioned above wrote commendations for it. Among those who praised Shaykh al-Islaam in long, excellent poems was the learned shaykh Ishaaq ibn Abee Bakr al-Nazlee al-Misree, the jurist and traditionist Najm al-Deen Aboo al-Fadhl. Its opening is:

An ignorant man, riding no mount like mine … reproaches me for seeking the highest rank.

The poem continues to its end and is extremely precious.

All these commendations are effectively useful biographies. They make clear the lofty station of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah—may God have mercy on him—in knowledge and learning.

His excellence and attainment of the rank of independent reasoning were acknowledged by innumerable scholars, including the hadeeth masters al-Dhahabee, al-Suyootee, al-Sakhaawee, al-Mizzee, Ibn Katheer, Ibn Daqeeq al-'Eed, Fath al-Deen al-Ya'muree known as Ibn Sayyid al-Naas, and 'Alam al-Deen al-Barzaalee. Ibn Hajar gave his biography in al-Durar al-Kaaminah, Shihaab al-Deen ibn Fadhl Allaah al-'Umaree in Masaalik al-Absaar, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee in his biographical classes, Ibn Shaakir in his history, and the learned hadeeth master Shams al-Deen 'Abd al-Haadee in a very full entry in Tadhkirat al-Huffaadh. Salaah al-Deen al-Kutubee also listed many of his works in Fawaat al-Wafayaat, too many for this place.

Our learned judge Muhammad ibn 'Alee al-Shawkaanee praised him at the end of Sharh al-Sudoor fee Tahreem Raf' al-Quboor. His opponents likewise testified to his excellence, knowledge, breadth of learning, and complete scrupulousness, including Kamaal al-Deen al-Zamalkaanee, Sadr al-Deen ibn al-Wakeel, and Aboo al-Hasan Taqee al-Deen al-Subkee, who opposed him on visiting graves.

The author of al-Saarim al-Munkee 'alaa Nahr Ibn al-Subkee refuted that opposition. God willing, I will gather a full independent biography of him in a separate book, so let this much suffice here.

Shaykh and learned hadeeth master Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Abee Bakr ibn Ayyoob ibn Sa'd ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah al-Dimashqee al-Hanbalee.

He was born in 691 AH. He studied under Taqee al-Deen Sulaymaan the judge, Aboo Bakr ibn 'Abd al-Daa'im, Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah,

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the interpreter al-Shihaab al-Naabulusee, Faatimah bint Jawhar, 'Eesaa al-Mut'im, and others. He studied the principles under Safee al-Hindee. He mastered the school, issued legal opinions, and excelled in the sciences of books. He was unrivaled in exegesis, supreme in the principles of religion, and unmatched in hadeeth, its meanings, jurisprudence, and subtle deductions. He had great authority in jurisprudence and its principles, Arabic, theology, and the statements, allusions, and subtleties of the Soofees. In every field he possessed broad knowledge and command.

He knew the religions, sects, and doctrines of the world with a knowledge more exact and comprehensive than that of their adherents. He was courageous, possessed broad learning and expression, knew disagreement and the methods of the early authorities, and was so devoted to Ibn Taymiyyah—may God have mercy on him—that he departed from none of his opinions, defending him in everything. He refined his books and spread his knowledge. He held standing among the Egyptian rulers and was imprisoned with his shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah in the citadel after being humiliated, paraded on a beaten camel, and struck with a whip. When his shaykh died, he was released.

He was tested again because of Ibn Taymiyyah's legal opinions. He criticized the scholars of his age, and they criticized him; his criticism was justified, theirs not. al-Dhahabee said that he was once imprisoned for denying that one should undertake a journey to visit the grave of al-Khaleel. He later taught and spread knowledge, though he was impressed with his own opinions and bold in difficult matters. He remained with Ibn Taymiyyah for twelve years, from his return from Egypt until Ibn Taymiyyah's death.

Ibn Katheer said: “He remained occupied with learning day and night, prayed and recited much, had excellent character, and showed great affection. He neither envied nor bore grudges. I know no scholar in our age more devoted to worship. He prolonged the prayer greatly and extended its bowing and prostration. People sought his legal opinion on divorce, which led to lengthy disputes with Ibn al-Subkee and others.”

After the dawn prayer he would sit in his place remembering God until the day grew bright, saying: “This is my worship; if I abandoned it, my strength would fail.” He was passionately devoted to collecting books, acquiring an uncountable number; after his death his children sold them for a long time, apart from what they selected for themselves.

Among his works are Zaad al-Ma'aad fee Hady Khayr al-'Ibaad, in four volumes, a very great book; I'laam al-Muwaqqi'een 'an Rabb al-'Aalameen, in three volumes; Badaa'i' al-Fawaa'id, in two volumes; Jalaa' al-Afhaam; Ighaathat al-Lahfaan; the large Miftaah Daar al-Sa'aadah; al-Rooh; Haadee al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad al-Afraah; al-Sawaa'iq al-Munazzalah 'alaa al-Jahmiyyah wa-al-Mu'attilah, in several volumes; and other works.

He composed a poem of seven thousand lines entitled al-Kaafiyah al-Shaafiyah fee al-Intisaar li-al-Firqah al-Naajiyah, in one volume. He said: “Through patience and poverty, one attains leadership in religion.” He also said: “The wayfarer must have a modest aspiration to raise him and knowledge to make him see and guide him.”

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All his works are sought among the various groups. He writes at length for clarity; most of his material derives from his shaykh's words, which he reshapes with powerful mastery and lofty aspiration. He continually returns to Ibn Taymiyyah's distinctive positions, defending and supporting them.

He died in 751 AH, on 13 Rajab. His honored funeral was very well attended, and good dreams concerning him were seen after his death. Before his death he said that he had seen his shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah in a dream and asked about his rank. Ibn Taymiyyah said that he had been placed above a certain eminent person, then told him: “You nearly caught up with us, but you are now in the rank of Ibn Khuzaymah.”

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee said: “He possessed worship, night vigil, and prayer of the utmost length; devotion, constant remembrance, love, repentance, neediness before God, humility, and prostration at the threshold of servitude. I have witnessed no one like him in this, nor seen anyone broader in knowledge or more acquainted with the meanings of the Qur'aan and Sunnah and the realities of faith. He was not infallible, but I have seen no equal in his field. He was tested and harmed repeatedly, and in the final imprisonment he was confined separately from his shaykh. He occupied himself in prison with reflective recitation of the Qur'aan, through which abundant good was opened to him and he gained great experiences of sound spiritual perception. He thereby became able to discuss the sciences of the people of spiritual knowledge and their subtleties, and his works are full of this. He performed the pilgrimage many times and resided in Mecca; its people reported astonishing devotion and abundant circumambulation. I kept his company for more than a year before his death, heard from him his long Nooniyyah on the Sunnah, and studied some of his works.”

Many people learned from him during his shaykh's life and until his death and benefited from him. Eminent men honored him and became his students, including Ibn 'Abd al-Haadee. Qaadhee Burhaan al-Deen al-Dar'ee said: “Under the sky there is no one broader in knowledge than he.” He taught at al-Sadriyyah and led prayer at al-Jawziyyah for a long period. He copied, composed, studied, and collected books in indescribable quantity, acquiring more books than anyone else.

Among his works are Tahdheeb Sunan Abee Daawood wa-Eedhaah Mushkilaatih, one volume; Safar al-Hijratayn wa-Baab al-Sa'aadatayn, a large volume; his valuable commentary on Manaazil al-Saa'ireen; Sharh Asmaa' al-Kitaab al-'Azeez; Zaad al-Musaafireen ilaa Manaazil al-Su'adaa' fee Hady Khaatam al-Anbiyaa'; Naqd al-Manqool wa-al-Mahakk al-Mumayyiz bayna al-Mardood wa-al-Maqbool; Nuzhat al-Mushtaaqeen wa-Rawdhat al-Muhibbeen; al-Daa' wa-al-Dawaa'; and Tuhfat al-Wadood fee Ahkaam al-Mawlood.

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He also wrote Ijtimaa' al-Juyoosh al-Islaamiyyah 'alaa Ghazw al-Firqah al-Jahmiyyah; Raf' al-Yadayn fee al-Salaah; Tafdheel'alaa al-Madeenah; Fadhl al-'Ilm; 'Uddat al-Saabireen; al-Kabaa'ir; and Hukm Taariki al-Salaah.

His other works include Noor al-Mu'min wa-Hayaatuh; al-Tahreer on what is lawful and unlawful of silk clothing; Answers to the Cross-Worshippers, showing that their religion is the religion of Satan; The Invalidity of Alchemy from Forty Perspectives; the distinction between intimacy and love; al-Kalim al-Tayyib wa-al-'Amal al-Saalih; al-Fath al-Qudsee; Qur'aanic Parables; the Faith of the Qur'aan; al-Masaa'il al-Taraabulusiyyah, in three volumes; al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem on the laws concerning the people of Hell; and al-Taa'oon. End of Ibn Rajab's words, abridged.

I possess most of these books and, by God's grace, benefited from them in a way for which I cannot express sufficient thanks. I encountered some of them during a journey through the Hijaz and gathered some benefits from them.

He—may God have mercy on him—has countless works beyond those mentioned, but they are rare in this age. Spiders of forgetfulness have woven over them; they have disappeared from view and entered the annals of what once was, through the corruption and partisanship of the people of the age and the indifference of captives of imitation. I believe that whoever possesses a work of this great and eminent scholar, or of his shaykh, the learned imam and defender of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, the pearl of Harraan's mine, or of our shaykh and blessing Qaadhee Muhammad ibn 'Alee al-Shawkaanee, sun of the orbit of faith, or of the learned Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel al-Ameer al-Yamaanee, would possess enough for the felicity of this world and the next. He would need no later or earlier author to grasp the realities of faith, God willing. Success is from the Generous One; guidance is in His hand, and He is the One whose help is sought.

The father of Ibn al-Qayyim, Aboo Bakr ibn Ayyoob, was devout and unassuming. He studied under al-Rasheed al-'Aamiree, narrated from him, and died in Dhoo al-Hijjah in 723 AH.

As for the son of the hadeeth master Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad, he was born in 716 AH. He studied under Ayyoob al-Kahhaal and heard from Ibn al-Shihnah and others. He became famous, advanced, issued legal opinions, and taught. al-Dhahabee mentions him in his biographical dictionary: “He studied jurisprudence with his father, shared his mastery of Arabic, heard and read, and occupied himself with knowledge.”

Among his anecdotes is a dispute with the hadeeth master 'Imaad al-Deen Ibn Katheer over teaching. Ibn Katheer said, “You dislike me because I am Ash'aree.” He replied, “If you had hair from head to foot, people would not believe your claim that you are Ash'aree while your shaykh was Ibn Taymiyyah.” He wrote a commentary on Ibn Maalik's Alfiyyah, was excellent in grammar, hadeeth, and jurisprudence according to his father's method, and taught in many places.

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He died in Safar in 767 AH. His other son, 'Abd Allaah ibn Muhammad, was born in 723 AH. He studied with his father and others and possessed extraordinary intelligence: he memorized Soorat al-A'raaf in two days, then studied al-Muharrar in jurisprudence, al-Muharrar in hadeeth, al-Kaafiyah, and al-Shaatibiyyah. He heard much hadeeth from the companions of Ibn 'Abd al-Daa'im and others, heard the Saheeh in the Hijaz, excelled in knowledge, issued opinions, taught, and performed the pilgrimage repeatedly. Ibn Katheer described him as sharp-minded and sound in judgment. Ibn Rajab said he was the wonder of his age and unique in his generation. He died in 756 AH. Ibn Hajar gives their biographies in al-Durar al-Kaaminah.

Aboo Muhammad 'Alee ibn Ahmad ibn Sa'eed ibn Hazm al-Dhaahiree, the famous imam, was Persian by origin and was born in Córdoba, Andalusia, on Wednesday before sunrise at the end of Ramadan in 384 AH. His highest ancestor was a client of Yazeed ibn Mu'aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan al-Umawee. He was a memorizer and scholar of hadeeth and its jurisprudence, deriving rulings from the Qur'aan and Sunnah. He had been Shaafi'ee, then moved to the school of the literalists. He mastered numerous sciences, acted upon his knowledge, and lived ascetically after the authority held by him and his father before him in ministry and administration of the realm. He was humble, possessed many virtues, and composed many works.

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He wrote a book on the jurisprudence of hadeeth entitled al-Eesaal ilaa Fahm al-Khisaal al-Jaami'ah li-Jumal Sharaa'i' al-Islaam, concerning the obligatory, lawful, unlawful, Sunnah, and consensus. He recorded the statements of the Companions, Successors, and later Muslim imams, with the evidence for and against every group. It is a large book. Ibn Bashkuwaal said: “Aboo Muhammad was the most comprehensive of all Andalusians in the sciences of Islam, with the broadest knowledge of language, abundant eloquence, poetry, history, and reports. He copied in his own hand about four hundred volumes of his works, containing nearly eighty thousand pages.”

The hadeeth master al-Humaydee said: “We have seen no one equal to him in combined intelligence, rapid memory, nobility of spirit, and devotion. I have not seen anyone compose spontaneous poetry more quickly. He frequently attacked earlier scholars, and almost no one escaped his tongue. Hearts therefore turned away from him. The jurists of his age targeted him, united in hating him, rejected his opinions, agreed in declaring him misguided, denounced him, warned their rulers of his danger, and forbade common people to approach or learn from him. The kings banished him from his homeland until he reached the wilderness of Labla, where he died at the end of the day in Sha'baan, 456 AH. It is also said he died at Munt Leesham, the village of Ibn Hazm.”

Ibn al-'Areef said: “Ibn Hazm's tongue and al-Hajjaaj al-Thaqafee's sword were twin brothers.” He said this because of Ibn Hazm's frequent attacks on the imams. His father had been vizier of the 'Aamirid state, as Ibn Khallikaan mentions in his history.

I say: Shaykh Ibn 'Arabee, author of al-Futoohaat, said he saw Aboo Hazm in a dream embracing the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him; one disappeared into the other, and he could not distinguish one from the other. This is the meaning of his account. It indicates a good end, subtle knowledge, and a chosen path, as well as union with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Nothing lies beyond that. God knows best.

The literalists are the imams and early authorities of the community and the exemplars of Muslims in every age; their school is the purest of the schools possible. How excellent are these lines:

An affliction without equal in affliction … the enmity of one without lineage or religion;

He permits you to violate an honor he did not protect … and grazes in an honor you have kept protected.

Qaadhee Aboo al-Fadhl 'Iyaadh ibn Moosaa al-Yahsubee al-Sabtee was the imam of his age in hadeeth, its sciences, grammar, language, Arab speech, history, and genealogies. His useful works include al-Ikmaal fee Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Mashaariq al-Anwaar fee Ghareeb al-Hadeeth, and al-Shifaa' fee Huqooq al-Mustafaa.

He entered Andalusia seeking knowledge, studied with a group in Córdoba, and collected a great deal of hadeeth, taking exceptional care to gather and record it. He was certain, intelligent, perceptive, and understanding in knowledge. He served for a long time as judge in Ceuta, where his conduct was praised, then was transferred to the judgeship of Granada, though his tenure there was brief. He had fine poetry and eloquent prose. He was born in 476 AH and died in Granada in 544 AH.

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Aboo 'Abd Allaah Muhammad ibn Yahyaa ibn Mandah al-'Abdee was the famous hadeeth master and author of Taareekh Isfahaan, one of the reliable memorizers. He came from a distinguished family that produced many scholars. He died in 301 AH.

Aboo Bakr Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allaah ibn Muhammad, known as Ibn al-'Arabee, the Andalusian Sevillian Maalikee, was the famous hadeeth master and author of al-Qabas fee Sharh Muwatta' Maalik ibn Anas. Ibn Bashkuwaal said he was the culmination of Andalusian scholars and its last imam and hadeeth master. He traveled east, entering Syria and Baghdad, where he heard from a group. He went to the Hijaz, performed the pilgrimage, returned to Baghdad, and accompanied Aboo Bakr al-Shaashee, Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee, and others. In Egypt and Alexandria he met traditionists, from whom he wrote and benefited and to whom he imparted knowledge.

He returned to Andalusia and came to Seville with learning such as no previous traveler east had brought. He mastered and gathered the sciences, led all fields of knowledge, spoke in them, penetrated their depths, and eagerly taught and spread them. He combined this with excellent character, sociability, gentleness, patience, generosity, loyalty, and constancy of affection. He became judge in his city and benefited its people through firmness and effective judgments; his severity toward oppressors was feared. He was later removed from the judgeship and devoted himself to spreading knowledge. He was born in 468 AH and died in Fez in 543 AH. His works include 'Aaridhat al-Ahwadhee fee Sharh al-Tirmidhee. “'Aaridhah” means capacity in speech, and “ahwadhee” means deft in a matter through mastery; al-Asma'ee explained it as one who overcomes affairs and lets nothing escape him.

Aboo 'Abd Allaah Muhammad ibn Abee al-Qaasim al-Khidhr ibn Muhammad ibn al-Khidhr ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abd Allaah, known as Ibn Taymiyyah al-Harraanee and titled Fakhr al-Deen, was a preacher and eloquent speaker. He was outstanding and unique in his land for knowledge, a religious authority. He met scholars and learned from them, came to Baghdad, studied jurisprudence there, heard hadeeth, and composed an excellent abridgment of Ahmad's school. His famous collection of sermons is exceptionally good, and he had fine poetry. He held the preaching office in Harraan, which remained with his family after him. He was born there in 543 AH and died there in 621 AH. Ibn Salaamah praised him in Taareekh Harraan. Ibn al-Mustawfee said in Taareekh Irbil that he visited Irbil as a pilgrim, taught exegesis, and was an excellent storyteller with sweet speech and pleasing manners, fully accepted by elite and commoner.

When asked about the name “Taymiyyah,” he said that his father or grandfather—he was unsure which—performed the pilgrimage and, upon returning to Harraan, found that his wife had given birth to a girl. When they presented her to him, he said, “O Taymiyyah, O Taymiyyah,” because she resembled a woman he had seen at Taymaa', and so she was named, or words to that effect. Taymaa' is a small town in the desert of Tabook, halfway between Khaybar and Syria. “Taymiyyah” is attributed to it; technically it should be “Taymaawiyyah,” but the former became established.

Yoosuf ibn 'Abd al-Barr ibn Muhammad al-Nimree al-Qurtubee was the imam of his age in hadeeth, and their related sciences. No one in Andalusia equaled him in knowledge of the Sunnah. He was the leading hadeeth memorizer of the Maghreb, devoted himself to learning, issued opinions, and surpassed earlier Andalusian scholars. He wrote useful books on al-Muwatta', including al-Tamheed; Ibn Hazm said, “I know no one equal to him in discussing the jurisprudence of hadeeth, let alone better.” He also wrote al-Istidhkaar fee Madhaahib al-Amsaar, al-Istee'aab, and Jaami' Bayaan al-'Ilm wa-Fadhlih wa-Maa Yanbaghee fee Riwaayatih wa-Hamlih. He was successful and aided in composition, and had extensive knowledge of genealogy. He left Córdoba, traveled through western Andalusia, lived at different times in Denia, Valencia, and Játiva, and served as judge of Lisbon and Santarém. He died in Játiva in 463 AH.

Aboo Sulaymaan Daawood ibn 'Alee ibn Khalaf al-Isfahaanee, the famous literalist imam, was ascetic, frugal, and intensely scrupulous. He studied under Ishaaq ibn Raahwayh, Aboo Thawr, and others. He founded an independent school followed by many, known as the literalists. His son Aboo Bakr Muhammad followed his school and became the leader of learning in Baghdad and imam of the literalists. Aboo al-'Abbaas Tha'lab said: “Daawood's intellect exceeded his learning.” He would say: “The best speech is that which enters the ears without permission.” He was born in Koofah in 202 AH, grew up in Baghdad, and died in 307 AH. His son saw him in a dream and asked what God had done with him. He said, “He forgave and pardoned me.” His son replied, “May God forgive you; for what did He pardon you?” He answered, “My son, the matter is immense, and all woe belongs to one who is not pardoned.”

Aboo al-Qaasim Sulaymaan ibn Ahmad ibn Ayyoob al-Lakhmee al-Tabaraanee was the hadeeth master of his age. He traveled in pursuit of hadeeth from Syria to Iraq, the Hijaz, Yemen, Egypt, and al-Jazeerah, spending thirty-three years traveling. He heard much; his teachers numbered a thousand. His useful, enjoyable works include the three Mu'jams: the Great, the Middle, and the Small, his most famous books. Aboo Nu'aym and many others narrated from him. He died in 360 AH. al-Tabaraanee is a nisbah to Tiberias; al-Tabaree is a nisbah to Tabaristan.

Aboo al-Waleed Sulaymaan ibn Khalaf al-Baajee al-Andalusee al-Maalikee was among the scholars and hadeeth masters of Andalusia. He lived in eastern Andalusia, traveled east, stayed in Mecca with Aboo Dharr al-Harawee for three years, and performed the pilgrimage. He then traveled to Baghdad and spent three years reading hadeeth and teaching jurisprudence. There he met Aboo al-Tayyib al-Tabaree and Aboo Ishaaq al-Sheeraazee, narrated from al-Khateeb, and al-Khateeb narrated from him. He wrote al-Tajreeh wa-al-Ta'deel concerning those from whom al-Bukhaaree narrated in the Saheeh and other works. He was one of the imams of Islam, returned to Andalusia, and became a judge there. He died in Almería in 471 AH. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, author of al-Istee'aab, learned from him. He and Aboo Muhammad Ibn Hazm the literalist held many discussions and debates. al-Baajee is a nisbah to Baajah in Andalusia; there is also a Baajah in Africa and another village near Isfahaan.

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Aboo 'Amr 'Uthmaan ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Uthmaan al-Kurdee al-Shahrazooree, known as Ibn al-Salaah, was among the outstanding scholars of his age in exegesis, hadeeth, narrator biographies, the sciences related to hadeeth, language transmission, and jurisprudence. Ibn Khallikaan said: “He is one of my teachers from whom I benefited.” He taught at the Naasiriyyah school in Jerusalem, where people studied with and benefited from him. He then moved to Damascus, where he possessed an eminent station in knowledge and religion. He composed a useful book on the sciences of hadeeth and remained upright, pious, industrious, and beneficial until he died at dawn on Wednesday in Rabee' al-Thaanee, 640 AH, in Damascus. He was born in 577 AH in Sharakhaan.

Aboo al-Hasan 'Alee ibn 'Umar ibn Ahmad, the hadeeth master al-Daaraqutnee, was learned and memorizing. He was unrivaled as the imam of hadeeth in his age. At the end of his life he taught the readings in Baghdad. He knew the disagreements of jurists and memorized many Arabic poetic collections. Aboo Nu'aym al-Isfahaanee, author of Hilyat al-Awliyaa', narrated from him. When Qaadhee Ibn Ma'roof accepted his testimony, he later regretted it, saying: “He used to accept my solitary report from the Messenger of God, but now he will not accept my report except with another.” He composed al-Sunan, al-Mukhtalif wa-al-Mu'talif, and other works. He left Baghdad for Egypt, excelled in many sciences, and was an imam in the Qur'aanic sciences. He was born in 306 AH and died in 385 AH, buried near Ma'roof al-Karkhee. Daar al-Qutn is a large quarter of Baghdad.

Aboo al-Hasan 'Alee ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Waahidee, author of the commentaries, was the master of his age in exegesis and grammar. He was granted success in his compositions, whose excellence everyone acknowledged and which teachers cited in their lessons: al-Baseet, al-Waseet, and al-Wajeez. From them Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee took the names of his three books. He also wrote Asbaab Nuzool al-Qur'aan and a commentary on al-Mutanabbee's deewaan. He was a student of the exegete al-Tha'labee, from whom he learned exegesis and whom he surpassed. He died after a prolonged illness in Nishapur in 467 AH.

The hadeeth master of the Maghreb, whose birth was in 368 AH, was to the West what al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee was to the East; both died in the same year and were imams of this science.

Aboo Bakr Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Bayhaqee was unique in his age and peerless in the sciences. He was among al-Haakim's leading students in hadeeth, then surpassed him in other sciences. He traveled to the mountains, Hijaz, and Iraq for hadeeth, heard from Khurasan's scholars, and produced a thousand volumes. He first collected the transmitted positions of Imaam al-Shaafi'ee. His works include the Small and Great Sunan, Dalaa'il al-Nubuwwah, Shu'ab al-Eemaan, and the merits of al-Shaafi'ee and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He lived content with little. Imaam al-Haramayn said: “Every Shaafi'ee owes al-Shaafi'ee a debt, except Ahmad al-Bayhaqee, for al-Bayhaqee owes al-Shaafi'ee a debt.” He moved to Nishapur to spread knowledge, followed the early authorities, and taught many eminent men. He was born in 384 AH, died in Nishapur in 458 AH, and was transferred to Bayhaq, villages near Nishapur.

Aboo 'Abd al-Rahmaan Ahmad ibn 'Alee ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasaa'ee was the imam of his age in hadeeth. He lived in Egypt, where his Sunan and other works spread. He was tested in Damascus, attained martyrdom, and was carried to Mecca, where he died in 303 AH and was buried between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. He fasted every other day and was a reliable, firm memorizer. Nasaa is a city in Khurasan. His biography is given in al-Hittah and Ithaaf with the other authors of the six books.

Shaykh al-Islaam Majd al-Deen Aboo al-Barakaat 'Abd al-Salaam ibn 'Abd Allaah ibn Taymiyyah al-Harraanee, grandfather of Taqee al-Deen, was called by al-Shawkaanee the authority of his age, an unrestricted independent jurist, and the imam of the Hanbalees. al-Dhahabee says he was born around 590 AH and died on the Feast of Breaking the Fast in 652 AH. He studied under his uncle, traveled to Baghdad as a youth, heard from Ahmad ibn Sakeenah, Ibn Tabarzad, and Yoosuf ibn Kaamil, and transmitted to al-Dimyaatee, his son, and others. He mastered jurisprudence, issued opinions, taught the Qur'aan, composed works, and performed the pilgrimage in 651 AH. Ibn Maalik said: “I make jurisprudence easy for Majd al-Deen as I make hadeeth easy for Daawood.” He was an astonishing memorizer of texts and schools, an imam in jurisprudence and hadeeth, a master of exegesis and principles, and unequaled in his age. His works include al-Muntaqaa, Sharh al-Hidaayah, a poem on reading, and a book on legal theory. His al-Muntaqaa was later explained by Muhammad ibn 'Alee al-Shawkaanee in Nayl al-Awtaar min Asraar Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar.

Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Haadee al-Maqdisee al-Hanbalee was a renowned intelligent scholar and imam of jurists and traditionists. Born in Rajab 755 AH, he studied under Taqee al-Deen Sulaymaan, Ibn Sa'd, Ibn Muslim, and Ibn Taymiyyah, and excelled in hadeeth, jurisprudence, principles, Arabic, and other sciences. al-Safadee praised his torrent-like command of literary and grammatical questions; al-Dhahabee called him an accomplished jurist, reader, traditionist, memorizer, and grammarian; Ibn Katheer called him a critical memorizer and mountain in defects, chains, and narrators. His works include al-Ahkaam in eight volumes, al-Saarim al-Munkee refuting al-Subkee's attack on Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Muharrar in hadeeth, Sharh al-Tasheel, discussions with Aboo Hayyaan, a commentary on Ibn al-Haajib's hadeeths, a jurisprudential commentary on defects, a collected exegesis left incomplete, and al-Mughnee. He died on 10 Jumaadaa al-Awwal in 744 AH. Ibn Hajar included his biography in al-Durar al-Kaaminah.

Jamaal al-Islaam Kamaal al-Deen Muhammad ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abd al-Waahid, known as Ibn al-Zamalkaanee al-Ansaaree al-Dimashqee, chief judge of the Shaafi'ees in his age, was eloquent, swift, intelligent, sound-minded, and learned in his school and its principles. He was handsome and exquisitely groomed, with a luminous gray beard, and was Ash'aree in creed. He wrote a refutation of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, but later acknowledged his excellence and praised him greatly.

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He taught at the al-Shaamiyyah al-Baraaniyyah, al-Taahiriyyah, and al-Rawaahiyyah schools, and composed a treatise called Raabi' Arba'ah. He died in 727 AH. He was highly cautious and prone to imagining distant possibilities, which exhausted him and brought him hostility and envy. He composed a poem mentioning the Sacred Ka'bah and praising the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, beginning: “I love you, O mistress of veils, I love you … though your dwelling is far from mine.” He produced several notebooks on it entitled 'Ajaalat al-Raakib fee Ashraf al-Manaaqib. Biographical authors give him fine entries.

Muhammad ibn 'Alee ibn Wahb ibn Mutee', the learned imam and Shaykh al-Islaam Taqee al-Deen Aboo al-Fath Ibn Daqeeq al-'Eed al-Qushayree al-Manfalootee al-Misree, was a Maalikee then Shaafi'ee, a leading authority and chief judge. He was born in 625 AH near Yanbu' and died on Friday, 11 Safar 702 AH. He heard from Ibn 'Abd al-Daa'im, al-Zayn Khaalid, Ibn Rawwaah, and others.

His excellent works include al-Imaam fee Sharh al-Ilmaam; al-Ilmaam bi-Ahaadeeth al-Ahkaam in the sciences of hadeeth; a commentary on 'Umdat al-Ahkaam; a commentary on al-Mutarrizee's introduction to legal theory; and a collection of forty reports from the Lord of the Worlds. He was a precise imam, accomplished traditionist, excellent hadeeth scholar, exacting jurist, legal theorist, literary man, poet, grammarian, intelligent interpreter of meanings, independent jurist, composed, sparing in speech, perfectly scrupulous, deeply religious, sleepless in study, and devoted to reading and collecting. Few eyes have seen his equal in generosity. He was overcome by scruples concerning water and impurities, with many stories about this. He had several sons named after the ten Companions promised Paradise. He studied jurisprudence under his father and 'Izz al-Deen ibn 'Abd al-Salaam, and became famous during their lifetimes. Some of his poetry says: “Beloveds of my heart, whose remembrance … I cling to through all the years”; and in praise of the Messenger: “No hope remains but you … I take no pleasure in any face but yours.”

These biographees are the finest of the hadeeth memorizers. We may have omitted many of their peers. In that age a single gathering could contain more than ten thousand inkwells, as people wrote prophetic reports and devoted themselves to this science,

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including about two hundred imams who had emerged and become qualified to issue legal opinions. Then the people of hadeeth declined and disappeared. They were replaced by students mocked and ridiculed by the people of hadeeth and Sunnah. The scholars and eminent men of the regions generally clung to imitation in subsidiary matters without examining them, and immersed themselves in the rationalities of ancient philosophy and theologians' opinions without understanding most of them. Affliction spread and passions hardened. The first signs of knowledge being lifted from people appeared. May God have mercy on one who attends to his own affairs, restrains his tongue, devotes himself to reciting his Qur'aan, weeps over his age, studies the two Saheehs, and worships God before death comes. O God, grant success and mercy.

Al-Dhahabee said in the biographical classes: “In that age and nearby, there were many imams of prophetic hadeeth in the world; we have not mentioned even a tenth of them here, and most appear in my great history. There were also many imams of reason and subsidiary law, and many leaders among the Mu'tazilees, Shi'ees, and theologians who followed rational thought and turned away from the early authorities' adherence to prophetic reports. Imitation appeared among jurists and independent reasoning became contradictory. Glory be to Him who possesses creation and command.”

He says: “By God, shaykh, be gentle with yourself and hold to fairness. Do not look at these brilliant predecessors with deficiency, nor imagine that they were like the traditionists of our time. Far from it! Every one of those named was, praise God, perceptive in religion and knowledgeable of the path of salvation. None of the great traditionists of our time reaches their rank in knowledge. I fear that excessive passion and broad ignorance may lead you to ask: Who is Ahmad? What is Ibn al-Madeenee? What is Aboo Zur'ah? You might say that these traditionists knew neither jurisprudence nor its principles, nor opinion, rhetoric, meanings, subtleties, proof, or logic, and were not jurists of the community. Be silent with forbearance or speak with knowledge. Beneficial knowledge is what came from men like these. Your relation to the imams of jurisprudence is like that of our contemporary traditionists to the imams of hadeeth. Neither you nor we determine merit; only a person of merit recognizes it. Whoever is mindful of God acknowledges his deficiency. Turn away from one who speaks from ignorance, rank, or honor, for his end is ruin.” End of the abridgment.

In the final section of his biographical work he says: “Islam and its people possessed complete honor, abundant knowledge, banners of jihad were displayed, Sunnahs were famous, innovations suppressed, speakers of truth numerous, worshippers abundant, and people lived in ease, security, and abundance of Muhammad's armies from the far Maghreb and Andalusia to near the kingdom of Khitaa and parts of India and Ethiopia.” The caliphs of that age were Aboo Ja'far, then al-Mahdee, then Haaroon al-Rasheed. Among the righteous were Ibraaheem ibn Adham, Daawood al-Taa'ee, and Sufyaan al-Thawree; among grammarians 'Eesaa ibn 'Umar, al-Khaleel ibn Ahmad, and Hammaad ibn Salamah; among readers Hamzah ibn Habeeb, Ibn al-'Alaa', and Naafi'; among poets Marwaan ibn Abee Hafsah and Bashshaar ibn Burd; and among jurists Aboo Haneefah, Maalik, and al-Awzaa'ee.

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Yahyaa al-Tameemee related that he heard Qaadhee Aboo Yoosuf, companion of Aboo Haneefah, say at his death: “I retract every legal opinion I gave except what agrees with the Book and Sunnah.” In another wording: “Except what agrees with the Qur'aan and upon which the Muslims have reached consensus.”

This was the way of the early authorities. We transmitted from Ibn Khuzaymah that he said: “No one has a statement against the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, when the report is sound.” Ibn al-Mundhir was an independent jurist who followed no one. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr was a man of adherence and Sunnah. Ibn Wahb al-Fihree was a memorizing independent jurist who followed no one. Likewise Baqee ibn Makhlad al-Qurtubee, the exegete and traditionist, followed no one. They opposed him because he rejected the school of the people of his age, but the amir of Andalusia, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Marwaanee, defended him, copied his books, and told him: “Spread your knowledge.” Baqee said: “I have planted for the Muslims in Andalusia a planting that will not be uprooted until the Dajjaal emerges.”

So too Qaasim ibn Muhammad ibn Sayyaar was an independent imam who followed no one; his school was investigation and proof, and no one in Andalusia equaled him in sound reasoning. He died in 376 AH. There were countless others. Thus the critical scholars said that imitation and imitators are not knowledge or scholars, and the names “knowledge” and “scholar” should not be applied to them.

Imitation arose only when knowledge weakened, the ignorant and common people clung to it, and its affliction spread through the ages.

Sufyaan al-Thawree said: “Seeking hadeeth is not part of the provisions for death; it is an ailment with which a man occupies his heart.” By God, he spoke truly, for seeking hadeeth is something other than hadeeth.

“Seeking hadeeth” is a conventional name for matters additional to attaining the essence of hadeeth. Many of them are ladders toward knowledge, but many of the things that fascinate a traditionist—obtaining beautiful copies, seeking elevated chains, multiplying teachers, rejoicing in titles, delighting in praise, wishing for a long life in which to narrate, and loving distinction—belong to the desires of the self rather than to divine works.

If your pursuit of prophetic hadeeth is surrounded by these maladies, when will you escape them into sincerity? If the science of transmitted reports has been corrupted, what do you think of logic, disputation, and the wisdom of the ancients, which strip away faith and produce doubt and bewilderment—things that, by God, were not among the knowledge of the Companions or Successors, nor of al-Awzaa'ee, al-Thawree, Maalik, Aboo Haneefah, Ibn Abee Dhi'b, or Shu'bah? By God, Ibn al-Mubaarak, Aboo Yoosuf, Wakee', Ibn Wahb, al-Shaafi'ee, Aboo 'Ubayd, Ibn al-Madeenee, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, al-Muzanee, al-Bukhaaree, al-Athram, Muslim, al-Nasaa'ee, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Shurayh, Ibn al-Mundhir, and their peers did not know them. Their sciences were the Qur'aan, hadeeth, grammar, history, and the like.

Sufyaan also said: “No deed is better than seeking hadeeth when the intention in it is sound.”

This is the end of what I have benefited from the words of the hadeeth master al-Dhahabee. Success is from God, and He is the One whose help is sought.

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