Al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Taymi, al-Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 150), called “The Imam” by Abu Dawud, and “The Imam, one of those who have reached the sky” by Ibn Hajar, he is known in the Islamic world as “The Greatest Imam” (al-imâm al-a`zam) and his school has the largest number of followers among the four schools of Ahl al-Sunna. He is the first of the four mujtahid imams and the only Successor (tâbi`i) among them, having seen the Companions Anas ibn Malik, `Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa, Sahl ibn Sa`d al-Sa`idi, Abu al-Tufayl, and `Amir ibn Wathila.

Abu Hanifa is the first in Islam to organize the writing of fiqh under sub-headings embracing the whole of the Law, beginning with purity (tahara) followed by prayer (sala), an order which was retained by all subsequent scholars such as Malik, Shafi`i, Abu Dawud, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, and others. All these and their followers are indebted to him and give him a share of their reward because he was the first to open that road for them, according to the hadith of the Prophet: “He who starts something good in Islam has its reward and the reward of those who practice it until the Day of Judgement, without lessening in the least the reward of those who practice it. The one who starts something bad in Islam will incur its punishment and the punishment of all those who practice it until the Day of Judgement without lessening their punishment in the least.” Al-Shafi`i referred to this when he said: “People are all the children of Abu Hanifa in fiqh, of Ibn Ishaq in history, of Malik in hadith, and of Muqatil in tafsîr.”

Al-Khatib narrated from Abu Hanifa’s student Abu Nu`aym that the latter said: “Muslims should make du`a to Allah on behalf of Abu Hanifa in their prayers, because the Sunan and the fiqh were preserved for them through him. Al-Dhahabi wrote one volume on the life of each of the other three great Imams and said: “The account of Abu Hanifa’s life requires two volumes.” His son Hammad said as he washed his father’s body for burial: “May Allah have mercy on you! You have exhausted whoever tries to catch up with you.”

Abu Hanifa was scrupulously pious and refused Ibn Hubayra’s offer of a judgeship even when the latter had him whipped. Like al-Bukhari and al-Shafi`i, he used to make 60 complete recitations (khatma) of Qur’an every Ramadan: one in the day, one in the night, besides his teaching and other duties. Ibrahim ibn Rustum al-Marwazi said: “Four are the Imams that recited the entire Qur’an in a single rak`a: `Uthman ibn `Affan, Tamim al-Dari, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, and Abu Hanifa.” Ibn al-Mubarak said: “Abu Hanifa for a long time would pray all five prayers with a single ablution.”

Al-Suyuti relates in Tabyid al-Sahifa that a certain visitor came to observe Abu Hanifa and saw him all day long in the mosque, teaching relentlessly, answering every question from both the scholars and the common people, not stopping except to pray, then standing at home in prayer when people were asleep, hardly ever eating or sleeping, and yet the most handsome and gracious of people, always alert and never tired, day after day for a long time, so that in the end the visitor said: “I became convinced that this was not an ordinary matter, but wilâya (Friendship with Allah).”

Al-Shafi`i said: “Knowledge revolves around three men: Malik, al-Layth, and Ibn `Uyayna.” Al-Dhahabi commented: “Rather, it revolves also around al-Awza`i, al-Thawri, Ma`mar, Abu Hanifa, Shu`ba, and the two Hammads [ibn Zayd and ibn Salama].”

Sufyan al-Thawri praised Abu Hanifa when he said: “We were in front of Abu Hanifa like small birds in front of the falcon,” and Sufyan stood up for him when Abu Hanifa visited him after his brother’s death, and he said: “This man holds a high rank in knowledge, and if I did not stand up for his science I would stand up for his age, and if not for his age then for his Godwariness (wara`), and if not for his Godwariness then for his jurisprudence (fiqh).” Ibn al-Mubarak praised Abu Hanifa and called him a sign of Allah. Both Ibn al-Mubarak and Sufyan al-Thawri said: “Abu Hanifa was in his time the most knowledgeable of all people on earth.” Ibn Hajar also related that Ibn al-Mubarak said: “If Allah had not rescued me with Abu Hanifa and Sufyan [al-Thawri] I would have been like the rest of the common people.” Dhahabi relates it as: “I would have been an innovator.”

An example of Abu Hanifa’s perspicuity in inferring legal rulings from source-texts is his reading of the following hadith:

The Prophet said: “Your life in comparison to the lifetime of past nations is like the period between the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (‘asr) and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians is that of a man who employed laborers and said to them: ‘Who will work for me until mid-day for one qirât (a unit of measure, part of a dinar) each?’ The Jews worked until mid-day for one qirât each. Then the man said: ‘Who will work for me from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each?’ The Christians worked from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each. Then the man said: ‘Who will work for me from the `asr prayer until the maghrib prayer for two qirât each?’ And that, in truth, is all of you. In truth, you have double the wages. The Jews and the Christians became angry and said: ‘We did more labor but took less wages.’ But Allah said: ‘Have I wronged you in any of your rights?’ They replied no. Then He said: ‘This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish.’”

It was deduced from the phrase “We did more labor” that the time of mid-day to `asr must always be longer than that between `asr and maghrib. This is confirmed by authentic reports whereby:

The Prophet hastened to pray zuhr and delayed praying `asr.

The Prophet said: “May Allah have mercy on someone who prays four rak`as before `asr.

`Ali delayed praying `asr until shortly before the sun changed, and he reprimanded the mu’adhdhin who was hurrying him with the words: “He is trying to teach us the Sunna!”

Ibrahim al-Nakha`i said: “Those that came before you used to hasten more than you to pray zuhr and delay more than you in praying `asr.” Al-Tahanawi said: “Those that came before you” are the Companions.

Ibn Mas`ud delayed praying `asr.

Sufyan al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and his two companions Muhammad ibn a-Hasan and Abu Yusuf therefore considered it better to lengthen the time between zuhr and `asr by delaying the latter prayer as long as the sun did not begin to redden, while the majority of the authorities considered that praying `asr early is better, on the basis of other sound evidence to that effect.

Like every Friend of Allah, Abu Hanifa had his enemies. `Abdan said that he heard Ibn al-Mubarak say: “If you hear them mention Abu Hanifa derogatively then they are mentioning me derogatively. In truth I fear for them Allah’s displeasure.” Authentically related from Bishr al-Hafi is the statement: “No-one criticizes Abu Hanifa except an envier or an ignoramus.” Hamid ibn Adam al-Marwazi said: I heard Ibn al-Mubarak say: “I never saw anyone more fearful of Allah than Abu Hanifa, even on trial under the whip and through money and property.” Abu Mu`awiya al-Darir said: “Love of Abu Hanifa is part of the Sunna.”

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

His lineage

He descends from a family of scholars and nobles, whose lineage goes back to Sayyiduna al-Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet (sallAllah `aleihi wa sallam), who came to settle in Damascus in the 4th century H. The most famous member of the family is probably Sheikh Muhammad Amin b. Umar `Abidin  (d. 1252 H.), the author of the famous Hashia, which is considered as “the last word” and final authority of Hanafi madhhab. In the Indian subcontinent he is known as `Abidin al-Shami.

His lineage is:
Muhammad Abul Yusr `Abidin,
b. Muhammad Abul Khayr {d. 1345 H.}
b. Ahmad (d. 1307 H.)
b. `Abd al-Ghani (brother of Muhammad Amin `Abidin, sahib al-Hashia)
b. `Umar
b. Isma’il al-A`raj
b. al-Imam ja`far al-Sadiq
b. al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir
b. al-Imam `Ali Zayn al-`Abidin
b. al-Imam al-Husayn
b. Sayyidina `Ali & Sayyidatina Fatima radia Allah `anhum.

His upbringing and training   He was born in Damascus in Hayy Suqsaruja. His first teacher was his father, the Mufti of Sham Sheikh Muhammad Abu Khayr (d. 1345 H.), From him he learned the Quran in the Hafs-`Asimi qira’a, grammar, mathmatics. logic and fiqh. His father gave him ijaza of everything acquired by reasoning and transmission from his father, Sheikh Ahmad [1], and from the latter’s cousin Sheikh `Ala al-Din. His father taught him to honor people and instilled in him the love for books and learning. He later studied religious´sceíences under the greatest scholars of his time, such as: - Sheikh Salim Samära - Sheikh Amin Suwayd - al-Muhaddith al-Akbar Sheikh Badr al-Din al-Hasani, all of which gave him ijaza verbally and in writing He had ijaza for tasawwuf and tariqa from his grandfather Sheikh Ahmad, who in turn had done his suluk under Ibn `Abidn (the author of al-Hashia), who took it from his Shekh, Mawlana Khalid al-Naqshbandi (d. 1242 H.), who in turn took it from Sheikh al-Dihlawi. From his grandfather Ahmad he also had ijaza in the Khalwati tariqa, which he had from Sheikh al-Mahdi al-Saklawi al-Jaza’iri, who migrated to Syria and passed away there in 1263 H. [11: Sheikh Amad passed away the same year as Abul Yusr was born. His father, well aware of the value of ijaza, took him to his grandfather as a baby, and he was given ijaza, to become effective when he reached the age of maturity. The actual training he received from his father.]

His skills and work   Sheikh Abul Yusr was a phenomenon that very few people in a century could match. At the age of 15 he was already a mature person, acting as an Imam and giving lectures in Fridays – and as such following the example of the young comapnions of the Prophet (sallAllah `alehi wa sallam), like Usama b. Zayd, commander of the expidition ot Tabuk at age 16; `Ata, the governor of Makka at age 18; and Sayyidatuna `Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (sallaAllah `aleihi wa sallam) at age 9. He mastered several languages. Born in 1889, at the end of the Ottoman rule, he studied Turkish and Persian (memorizing many thousand verse lines in Persian). Later, during the french occupation of Syria in 1920, he learned french. He visited many coutnries, and performed hajj several times. He combined studies under the Shuyukh with studies in the govermental institutes, until he entered the faculty of Medicine of the Syrian University, called Center of Medicine (Ma`had al-Tibb), from which he graduated in 1345 H. (1926) at the age of 38. He acquired a certificate in practical medince, and a French certificate in surgery. At that time he was appointed to succeed Sheikh Amin al-Suwayd in teaching Islamic Shari’i subjects in the faculty of Law. hence he was at one at the same teacher in one institute and student in another. He was one of the founders of the Shari’a Faculty at the University of Damascus, which was opened in 1375 H. / 1955, and its principal, and he was he was appointed to teach grammer, sarf and usul there. In 1373, after the passing of the Mufti Sheikh Shukri al-Astawani, the Councel of Fatwa (consising of the the greatest Muftis and scholars) unanimously decided to appoint Sheikh Abul Yurs as the general Mufti of the Syrian Arabic Republic, without him having applied for such a post [2]. He remained in this office until 1382, when he retired after 42 years in public service. He left behind a collection of rare fatwas, that are preserved in the journals of Fatwa, still awaitng publication. [2] He did not nominate himself for fatwa position. A Sheikh is not supposed to apply for a position, rather he should view himself as undeserving –unless if an unqualified person is appointed. In such a case, he should announce himself.  (nfact it then becomes obligatory for him to offer himself for the post.

His jihad   Scholars and saints were the ones who led jihad against the european colonizers in defence of Shari’a, and Sheikh Abul Yusr `Abidin was one of them. When Arab nationalists, supported by the Brittish, revolted againt the Turks in 1915. the Syrian `ulema sided with the Ottoman caliphate. They also condemned the uprising of the Ashraf of Makka against the Ottomans in 1916, when King Faysal, son of Husayn (the Sharif if Makka) ousted them form Hijaz and declared himself “King of the Arab Countries”. His Kingdom was to last for four years. In 1918, he gained power over Syria. The collaps of the Calilhate marked the beginning of the decay of fiqh and the excercise of Shari’a. When, in 1920, Faysal was declared King of Syria, Sheikh Abul Yusr was the one who handed over the command to him, and adviced him to base the Law (Dustur al-Balad) upon the Shari’a, saying: “This is an amana that you have taken off my neck and placed on your onw neck. Know that you kingdom will end if you do not judge according to the Shari’a, and the West will laugh at you, as they are laughing at your brother.” {referring to `ÀbdAllah b. Husayn, whom the Brittish regognized as the King of Jordania} Upon this, the King left him without giving salam. The same year, 1920, the French invaded Syria, In 1925 Sheikh Abul Yusr took an active part in the usrising against the French, supporting the mujahidin with his person and his wealth. He helpt to smuggle arms and medicines by night to fighers in the countryside, donated his own blood when needed, and exposed himself person to many dangers. The “Leage of `Ulema of Syria” (Rabita Ulama’ Suriya) [3] acted to establish a united front against the Brittish and French colonizers and their helpers. When “the great calamity” occurred in 1948 (with the formation of the state of Israel), the `ulema set up a councel to encourage people to jihad, and established training camps, with the aim of liberating Palestine. Sheikh Abul Yusr was amongst those who trained themselves in arms and shooting. He proved himself a great fighter, encourging others to follow his example. In 1958, the Arab Union, formed between Egypt and Syria, wanted to nationalize private wealth, an act that is against the Shari`a. Sheykh Abul Yusr was asked to give a fatwa in support of the project, but refused. He was then ousted from the position of Mufti by pressure from the Egyptian president Jamal Abul Nasir.  The union lasted only three year, after which the office of Mufti of the Republic was again entrusted to Sheikh Abul Yusr. [3] The Leage of `Ulema was founded and led by Sheikh Muhammad al-Makki al-Kettani at the end of the second world war.

His personality and way of life   He was of medium hight, fairskinned, with an awe-inspring beard. He used to cover his head with a white turban. and to wear wear Qiba’ and Jubba. When he was working in the Fatwa office, he would wear trousers under a long overcoat. His life pace was intense, his life revolving around his clinic, his home and his halaqas, giving equal attention to the needs of his own family, his patients, his students, and public issues. He presided the society of Khayr of his neighbourhood, taking care of people’s needs and helping the poor ones and the widows among them. He was devoted to worship of Allah, and managed with little of this world. His food was light, and many a time he would perform fajr salat with the wudu of `isha. He practiced medicne for thirty years, treadting both body and heart. Although qualified in both the naqshbandi and Khalwati paths, he did not have murids. Like many scholars of the past, he disliked forming groups around him, nor did he give public talks. His speech was brief – a few words would be sufficient to enter people’s hearts. His students where scholars in their own right. While his father was still alive – and with his permission – he assumed the office of Imam and Friday speaker and teacher in the Barsabay mosque, known as Jami`al-Ward, to which his home in Suqsaruja was attached, and he remained there until sickness forced him to quit. He paid attention ot books of salaf and the traditional principles of the sciences. He had a halaqa in his home, which was never interrupted until his last illness, where he used to go over and comment books according to the method of the salaf, verifying them in scholarly manner. His house was always full of young men for almost eighty years. He taught the Hashia of Ibn `Abidin and his epistles, the book al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya, the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Sahih al-Bukhari and its commentary Fath al-Bari, Sahih Muslims and its commentary by Imam al-Nawawi, Jami`al-usul etc. His special students would come to him regularly for profound study of delicate matters. This in addition to the many circles of study he conducted in the various mosques of Damascus. His knowledge was firm and profound, and his way was that of deliberation, prudence, and care in details. Even the greatest `ulema of time turned to him to consult his opinion, and he would spend days and nights looking up fatwas. Although, when asked, he could give an immediate answer, yet out of humblesness, he would often rather say: “I don’t know, let’s look it up.” Scholars, judges. members of parliament would come to him with their issues. and he would not stop attedning to them, even after his retirement from the Board of Fatwa – even during his last illment he was still resolving scholarly issues while very sick. If he didn’t find a certain book with him, he would encharge one of his students to go and buy it and read it. He was an upright scholar and a deep knower of fiqh, who would keep his honor and integrity without self-interest, and without ceding for people of power, and always spoke the truth even if against great odds. He was a magnanimous soul, generous with his weath and his person. He was intelligent and quick-witted, and knew how to handle issues. His pesonality was humble, yet people reverred him and raised him in esteem. In his time, when people met scholars in public, they would step aside and kiss thier hands, yet he would not allow anyone to do that except young boys, He adhered to the way of sufis, loved the scholars and the righteous, and liked to visit both the living ones and the dead ones among them.

His books and library   He autherd some fifty books, many of wich are great references, among them: “Aghalith al-Mu’arrikin” – Errors of historians, 350 pages, addressing made-up accounts from the `Abbaside times, concerning Mu`awiya and Yazid, and how Alh al-Bayt were treated in Damascus “Lima summiya” –  Why it was named “Awrad al-Da’ima” – Dayly Wird “Hakaya Sufiya” – Sufi stories “On women” – about female scholars A treatese on the qira’at A book on Usul al-Fiqh (originally compiled for the university) Kitab al-Fara’id Kitab al-ahwal al-shakhsiyya A cllection of poetry (diwan) etc. He left behind a immense library, parts of which he inherited from his father and grandfather, and to which he added. It is maybe the rarest in the Islamic world containing 3000 manuscripts, among them handwritings of Ibn Taymiyya, members of the Subki family, Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani, Imam al-Suyuti, Imam al-Sha`rani, Imam al-Nawawi etc.

His passing   During his last days, his soul became very serene, and he had many visions of schoalrs and saints who preceded him to his Lord. In his last days, he became ill and his body beame weak, until he died on the 8th of Rajab year 1401 / 1981. The funeral prayer was held in Jami`al-Ward on the same day, and he was buried in teh graveyard of Bab Saghir in his father’s grave, close to the grave of Sheikh Abd al-Karim al-Afghani and Sheikh `Ala al-Din al-Haskafi and Sheikh Muhammad `Abidin and Sheikh `Ala al-Din `Abidin.

Relation to the Yaqoubi family   Isnad: One of the highest isnads of hadith in the world today goes through the Yaqoubis, through the `Abidins, through the Kuzbaris etc down to Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani, as follows: Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi from Sheikh Abul Yusr `Abidin (d. 1401) from Sheikh Ahmad `Abidin (d. 1307) from Sheikh `Abd al-Rahman al-Kuzbari (d. 1262) from Imam Mustafa al-Rahmati al-Ayyubi al-Ansari al-Hanafi (d. 1205) from Imam `Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi al-Hanafi (d. 1143) from Imam Najm al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzi al-Diamshqi from his father al-Hafiz Badr al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzi from Shekh al-Islam al-Qadi Zakariyya al-Ansari from Amir al-Mu’minin Imam Ahmad ibn `Ali known as Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani al-Shafi`I (d. 852) Tariqa: The Khalwati tariqa was revived in Damascus by Sheikh al-Mahdi al-Saklawi al-Jaza’iri (d. 1278). Among his murids where the greatest scholars of Damascus, such as his son-in-law Sheikh Siddiq al-Yaqoubi (d. 1307), and his son Sheikh Sharif al-Yaqoubi (d. 1362) his son-in-law Sheikh Muhammad al-Mubarak (the elder), and his son Sheikh Muhammad al-Tayyib (d. 1313) Sheikh Abu Nasr al-Khatib al-Shami (who was older that sheikh al-Saklawi) Sheikh Ahmad `Abidin (d. 1306), grandfather of Sheikh Abul Yusr `Abidin Sheikh Abul Yusr was 30 years older that Sheikh Ibrahim, and passed away a few years before him. He ranked Sheikh Ibrahnim al-Yaqoubi as the top scholar if Usul al-Fiqh in Damascus, and said: “Sheikh Ibrahim is the authority if you don’t find me” Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi was 18 years of age when Sheikh Abu Yusr passed away, He sat with his special students in the halaqa in his home, and he saw his library. He was given verbal ijaza by Sheikh Abul Yusr. At the funeral of Sheikh Abul Yusr, Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi recited a poem in forty lines, written by his father Sheikh Ibrahim in eulogy of  Sheikh Abul Yusr:

References   - Tarikh`Ulema Dimashq 14th century, Vol 2 p. 968 ff - Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi: “Lata’if al-Tawashih mima iahtaji ileihi qari’u al-Musnadi al-Sahih” (Risala containing his isnads for Sahih Muslim, 2007 / 1428) - Lectures on the love of the Scholars, given by Sheikh Muhammad al-yaqoubi in New York, NY, November 2002. and notes from other lectures - Diverse articles on modern history of the Middle East

Abd al-Qahir ibn Tahir ibn Muhammad, Abu Mansur al-Naysaburi al-Tamimi al-Baghdadi al-Shafi`i al-Ash`ari (d. 429), al-Ustadh, the imam, jurist, scholar of principles and kalam, man of letters, poet, prosodist, grammarian, and mathematician, praised by Shaykh al-Islam Abu `Uthman al-Sabuni as “one of the imams of the principles of the Religion and foremost authorities of Islam by consensus of its most eminent and competent scholars.”

He is al-Bayhaqi’s senior and the exact contemporary of Abu Dharr al-Harawi and Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni among the third-generation Ash`ari imams. He came to Naysabur with his father and spent his entire fortune in support of the scholars of knowledge until he became able to teach in seventeen different disciplines. He was Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini’s senior student and, together with Abu Sahl al-Su`luki, they staunchly defended the position related from al-Shafi`i that “the Book cannot be abrogated by the Sunna.”<sup>1</sup> Abu Mansur succeeded Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini as headmaster in the mosque of `Aqil, where al-Bayhaqi, Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri and Nasir al-Marwazi studied under him. He narrated hadith from al-Isma`ili and Abu Ahmad ibn `Adi. Among his works:

1. Ahkam al-Wat’ al-Tamm, also known as Iltiqa’ al-Khitanayn, a book on sexual ethics and pertaining laws in Islam, in four volumes.
2. Bulugh al-Mada min Usul al-Huda
3. Fada’ih al-Karramiyya
4. Fada’ih al-Mu`tazila
5. al-Fakhir fi al-Awa’il wa al-Awakhir
6. al-Farq Bayn al-Firaq, his major heresiological reference-work together with the Milal. In it he states the following positions:

- “It is obligatory to declare as unbeliever someone who says that Allah has limits.” The anthropomorphist creed is that “Allah has limits that He knows of.”

- “Ahl al-Sunna reached consensus that Allah, the Flawless, the Exalted, is not bounded by location.” He then reports the saying of `Ali (r): “Allah created the Throne as an indication of His power, not for taking it as a place for Himself.”

- “Know that Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a are divided in eight groups of people… the sixth group being the Sufi Ascetics (al-zuhhad al-sufiyya), who have seen things for what they are and therefore have abstained, who have known by experience and therefore have taken heed truly, who have accepted Allah’s allotment and contented themselves with what is within reach.”

7. Ibtal al-Qawl bi al-Tawallud
8. al-`Imad fi Mawarith al-`Ibad, on inheritance laws.
9. al-Iman wa Usuluh
10. al-Kalam wa al-Wa`id
11. Manaqib al-Imam al-Shafi`i
12. Mashariq al-Nur wa Madarik al-Surur fi al-Kalam
13. al-Milal wa al-Nihal, a heresiological reference-work.
14. Mi`yar al-Nazar
15. Nafy Khalq al-Qur’an
16. Naqd Abi `Abd Allah al-Jurjani fi Tarjih Madhhab Abi Hanifa in which he states that Imam al-Shafi`i authored a book in refutation of Brahmans in which he adduces the proofs of Prophethood.
17. Nasikh al-Qur’an wa Mansukhuh
18. al-Qadaya fi al-Dawr wa al-Wasaya
19. Sharh Hadith Iftiraq Ummati `ala Ihda wa Sab`in Firqa
20. Sharh Miftah Ibn al-Qass on Shafi`i fiqh, in which he states the following positions:

- “The sunna of ablution (wudu’) is to say, upon rinsing one’s hands: Bismillah, wa billah, wa `ala millati Rasulillah — Allah bless and greet him –.”2

- “The sunna of iqama is to dispatch it, but one must not move from his spot while he raises it until he reaches the words qad qamat al-salat.” The Shafi`i position is that one does not move from one’s spot until the end of the iqama once he begins it.3

- “One makes intention for salat al-janaza to accomplish a collective obligation (fard kifaya), as in other obligations.”

- “Some of the Shafi`is forbid the joining of prayer for non-travelers during rain.” The fatwa in the School is the contrary and they consider it permissible even in the absence of rain, when one fears that one will be unable to accomplish prayers in their proper time.

21. al-Sifat
22. Tafdil al-Faqir al-Sabir `ala al-Ghani al-Shakir
23. Tafsir al-Qur’an
24. al-Tahsil fi al-Usul
25. al-Takmila fi al-Hisab
26. Ta’wil Mutashabih al-Akhbar
27. Usul al-Din, in which he cites, among those who consider the verse of istiwa’ one of the mutashabihat or Qur’anic ambiguities, Imam Malik ibn Anas, the seven jurists of Madina, and al-Asma`i. In it he states:

- “Allah’s establishment on the Throne is an action He has created named istiwa’ and related to the Throne, just as He has created an action named ityan (coming) related to a certain people; and all this implies neither descent nor movement.”

- “The correct position according to us is the interpretation of the Throne in this verse (20:4) to mean sovereignty (al-mulk), as if He meant that sovereignty has not been established for any but Him. This interpretation is taken from the saying of the Arabs: ‘So-and-so’s throne has toppled’ if he lost his power.” He then cites three examples from Arabic poetry illustrating this. Like Ibn Battal, he attributes the interpretation of istawa as istawla (“He conquered”) chiefly to the Mu`tazila.

- “The book Tarikh al-Sufiyya (History of the Sufis, more commonly known as Tabaqat al-Sufiyya) by Abu `Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami comprises the biographies of nearly a thousand sheikhs of the Sufis, none of whom belonged to heretical sects and all of whom were of the Sunni community, with the exception of only three of them: Abu Hilman of Damascus, who pretended to be of the Sufis but actually believed in incarnationism (hulul); Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, whose case remains problematic, though Ibn `Ata’ Allah, Ibn Khafif, and Abu al-Qasim al-Nasir Abadi approved of him [as did the Hanbalis Ibn `Aqil, Ibn Qudama, and al-Tufi]; and al-Qannad, whom the Sufis accused of being a Mu`tazili and rejected, for the good does not accept the wicked.”

Toward the end of Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi’s life the Turkmen dissension forced him out of Naysabur to Isfarayin, where he died and was buried next to his teacher Abu Ishaq.

Main sources: Ibn `Asakir, Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (p. 249-250); al-Dhahabi, Siyar A`lam al-Nubala’ (13:372 #3991); Ibn al-Subki, Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (5:136-148 #468).

NOTES

¹ This position was refuted by Ibn Furak and the majority of Shafi`is, and Ibn al-Subki discussed the dubious authenticity of its attribution to al-Shafi`i in his Sharh al-Minhaj.
² See al-Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, book of Tahara, chapter on the invocations that pertain to ablution (al-tasmiya `ala al-wudu’).
<sup>3</sup> As stated by Ibn al-Subki in al-Tabaqat al-Wusta, cited in his Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (5:143 n. 5).

Allah’s Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and all his Companions.

 

 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

 

Sayyidi Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak

(118/736 – 181/797), a renowned Khorasani scholar

from Qadi ‘Iyad’sTartib al-Madarik

He was the client of the Banu Tamim, then the Banu Hanifa. His kunya was Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman.

He listened to Ibn Abi Layla, Hisham ibn ‘Urwa, al-A’mash, Sulayman at-Tamimi, Humayd at-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id, Ibn ‘Awn, Musa ibn ‘Uqba, the two Sufyans, al-Awza’i, Ibn Abi Dhib, Malik, Ma’mar, Shu’ba, and Haywa ibn Shurayh, and he studied with Abu ‘Amr ibn al-’Ala’, al-Layth and others.

Ibn Mahdi, ‘Abdu’r-Razzaq, Yahya ibn al-Qattan, Ibn Wahb and others related from him.

Ibn Wahb said, “Ibn al-Mubarak listened to all our shaykhs except ‘Amr ibn al-Harith.”

Ash-Shirazi said, “He learned fiqh with Malik and ath-Thawri, and he was the first of Abu Hanifa’s companions. Then he left him and abandoned his madhhab.”

Ibn Waddah said, “In the end, he avoided mentioning Abu Hanifa in his books, and he did not read his work to people.”

 

Concerning his position in knowledge and praise of him

Abu Ishaq al-Fazzari said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was the Imam of the Muslims.” Al-Fazzari used to sit in front of him and ask him questions.”

Ibn Mahdi said, “I met four fuqaha’: Malik, Shu’ba, Sufyan and Ibn al-Mubarak. (One of them had ‘Hammad’ in place of Shu’ba.) I did not see anyone with better counsel for the community than Ibn al-Mubarak. If Ibn al-Mubarak did not acknowledge a hadith, we would not acknowlege it.”

Ibn Mahdi was asked about him and and ath-Thawri and which of them was better. He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He was asked, “And if the people disagree with you?” He replied, “The people have not made any tests. I have not see the like of Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related to us, and he was unique.”

When Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna was told that Ibn al-Mubarak had died, he said, “May Allah have mercy on him. He was a man of fiqh, knowledge, worship, asceticism, and generosity. He was courageous and a poet.”

He also said, “No one has come to us like Ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi Ziyada.”

Muhammad ibn al-Mu’tamir said, “When ath-Thawri died, I asked my father, ‘Who is the faqih of the Arabs?” He replied, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

Al-Awza’i said to Abu ‘Uthman al-Kalbi about him, “If I had seen him, I would have been delighted.”

An-Nasa’i said, “There was not known in the time of Ibn al-Mubarak anyone more glorious or excellent than him nor anyone who had more virtues than he possessed.”

Salam ibn Muti’ said, “No one like him came in the east afterwards. I prefer Ibn al-Mubarak to ath-Thawri.”

Ibn Waddah said, “I listened to a group of the people of knowledge relate, ‘Knowledge, taqwa, hadith, recognition of the men, poetry, generosity, worship and scrupulousness were comibined in Ibn al-Mubarak.

 

The Beginning of his quest, the reason for his asceticism and the sum of his virtues and knowledge

Qadi Abu’l-Fadl said that as-Sadafi mentioned, “When Ibn al-Mubarak came of age, his father sent him 50,000 to use for commerce. He sought after knowledge until he had spent the money. When it was gone, his father met him and said, ‘What have you bought?’ He brought out his books for him and said, ‘This is my trade.’ His father went into the house and gave him 30,000 dirhams more and said, ‘Take this and follow your trade with them,’ and he spent them.”

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I studied adab for thirty years and I studied knowledge for twenty years.”

Ibn Hanbal said, “In the time of Ibn al-Mubarak, there was no one who sought after knowledge more than him. He went to the Yemen, Egypt, Syria, the Hijaz, Basra and Kufa, and whoever related knowledge and was worthy of it. He wrote from young men and old men. He omitted what was rare. He gave hadiths from books.”

Ibn Waddah said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related about 25,000 hadiths. He was asked, ‘Up until when did you study knowledge?’ He said, ‘I hope that you will find me doing that until I die.”

Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi said, “A man with good deportment came one day to Malik. I used to see Malik say to him, ‘Come here.’ Then he made room for him in his assembly, and I did not see Malik make room for anyone else. He sat Ibn al-Mubarak near him. Sometimes Malik was asked about a question and he answered it. Then he would lean over to the man and say to him, ‘What do your companions say about it?’ The man would reply softly so we could not hear or understand. I saw him do that for some days, and I admired the adab of the man. I did not see him ask about anything until he departed. He was content with what he heard and Malik told us, ‘This is Ibn al-Mubarak, the faqih of Khorasan.’”

One day Ibn al-Mubarak prayed at the side of Abu Hanifa. Ibn al-Mubarak began to lift his hands in each takbir. Abu Hanifa said to him, ‘Do you want to fly?’ He replied, ‘If I had wanted to, I would have flown in the first one.’”

He said, “The ascetic is the one who is not happy when he gets this world and is not sad if he lacks it.”

Ibn Shahin said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was with Hammad ibn Zayd and greeted him. The people of hadith went to Hammad to ask Ibn al-Mubarak to give them hadith. Ibn al-Mubarak said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Shall I give hadith while you are present?’ He said, ‘I beg you to do it,’ or words to that effect. He said, ‘Abu Isma’il Hammad ibn Zayd related to us,’ and did not give any hadith except from him.”

Ibn al-Mubarak used to say, “The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation, and then spreading it.”

It was said, “He went on hajj one year and raiding the next year. Whenever he came to Madina, he said to its shaykhs among the people of knowledge and decrease. Whoever wants to go on hajj, come out with me. Their provision is enough for them. He did the same when he went on raids.”

Al-Fasawi the worshipper said, “I was with Ibn al-Mubarak raiding on a cold, rainy night. He wept and I said, ‘Are you weeping for the like of this?’ He said, ‘I am weeping for the previous nights which did not have the like of this hardship so that we could be rewarded for them.’”

Ibn al-Musayyab said, “Ibn al-Mubarak sent 70,000 dirhams to Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and said, ‘Use it to stop the lack of censure of you.’”

Nu’aym ibn Hammad said, “Ibn al-Mubarak used to stay in his house a lot. He was asked, ‘Are you isolating yourself?’ He said, ‘How can I isolate myself when I am with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions?’”

He related that Iblis came to Ibn al-Mubarak when he was doing wudu’ and said, “You did not wipe.’” He said, “I did wipe.” He said, “You did not wipe.” He said, ‘You are a claimant, so present your proof.’”

Ibn al-Mubarak said to one of his companions, “Do not neglect a day which Allah has mentioned in 63 places in His Book.”

A man said to Ibn al-Mubarak, “Yesterday I read the entire Qur’an in a single rak’at.” Ibn al-Mubarak said, “But I know a man who did not cease to recite ‘Rivalry’ (102) yesterday until the Subh prayer. He could not get past it,” i.e. himself.

He and another man mentioned that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked about the beginning of his quest for knowledge. He said, “I was a young man who drank nabidh-wine, loved wealth and rejoiced in those foul things. I invited some brothers of mine to a garden when the apples and other fruits were ripe, and we ate and drank until we were overcome by drunkenness and sleep. I woke up at the end of the period before dawn. I took up the lute which I played and composed:

                  Is it not time that you had mercy on us
                      and defied the critics and censors?

“Then I could not make it rhyme as I wished. When I repeated it to it, the lute spoke to me as a man speaks, ‘Is it not time that the hearts of those who believe should be humbled to the remembrance of Allah?’ (57:15) I said, ‘Yes, Lord.’ I broke the lute and spilled out the nabidh, and repentance came by Allah’s favour with its realities, and I turned to knowledge and worship.”

He related that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak entered Kufa when he was intending to go on the hajj. There was a woman sitting on a rubbish-heap plucking a duck. It occurred to him that it was carrion. He stopped on his mule and said to her, ‘Women! Is this duck carrion or sacrificed?’ She said, ‘Carrion.’ He said, ‘Then why are you plucking it?’ She said, ‘So that my family and I can eat it.’ He said, ‘Woman! Allah Almighty has forbidden you carrion while you are in a land like this!’ She said, ‘Man, go away.’ They continued to exchange words until he said to her,’Where in Kufa do you live?’ She said, ‘In the quarter of the Banu so-and-so.’ He said, ‘By what is your house known?’ She said, ‘The Banu so-and-so.’ He left her and went to the inn. Then he asked about the tribe and they directed him to it. He said to a man, ‘You have a dirham if you come with me to the place.’
      ”He went until he came to the tribe which the woman had mentioned. He said to the man, ‘Go.’ Then he went to the door and knocked on the door with a stick that he had. The old woman said, ‘Who is it?’ He said to her, ‘Open the door.’ She opened it part way. He said, ‘Open it all the way.’ Then he got off his mule and hit it with the stick and the mule went into the house. Then he said to the woman, ‘This mule and the provision, money and clothes on it is yours, and you will have what is halal from it in this world and the Next.’
     ”Then Ibn al-Mubarak remained hidden until the people returned from the hajj. Some of the people of his land came to him to greet him and congratualate him on the hajj. He turned to say to them, ‘I had an illness and did not go on hajj this year.’
      “One of them said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Did I not leave you my goods with you while we were at Mina and we were going to ‘Arafat?’ Another said, ‘Did you not buy for me in the same way?’ He turned to say, ‘I do not know what you are saying. As for myself, I did not go on hajj this year.’

“He dreamt of someone saying in the night to him, ”Abdullah, rejoice! Allah accepted your sadaqa and He sent an angel in your form who performed the hajj for you.’”

 

Some of His Wisdoms, Poetry and Wit

He said:

            Fight your tongue. The tongue is quick to kill a man.
              The tongue is the posting of the heart. It shows man his intellect.

He said,

            I see that some people are content with the least of the deen,
               but I do not see them pleased with meagerness in this life.

            Be rich with Allah, independent of the world of the kings
               as the kings are free of the deen with their worldly things.

He said:

            People’s enjoyment of worship and taqwa is the sweetest bliss,
                 not the pleasure of the wine.

            Their sources enjoy it for all their lives, and they, by Allah,
                have provision until they reach the graves.

            In a moment they obtain might and taqwa.
               Does not the enjoyment of life lie in piety and steadfastness?

He said:

            I see every life as unhappy and miserable
               except for planting the spear in the shade of the horse

            And standing in the dark nights, vigilant,
               guarding the people in the furthest outpost.

A man came to Ibn al-Mubarak and said to him, “May Allah be pleased with you! Describe for me those who are wild and distracted by love of Allah. He replied, “They are as I will tell you:

            Alert, on mounts as if they were a caravan desiring to pass,
                that is how they are moved.

            Their limbs are restrained from every foul action.
               Truthfulness is their school, as well as zuhd and fear.

Another person asked him to describe the fearful. He said:

            When the night is darkest, they endure it,
                and it travels from them while they are still bowing.

            Fear dispelled their sleep, so they stood alert while the people of security
                in this world were sleeping peacefully.

            While they are prostrating under the cloak the darkness,
               their groan pierces their ribs.

            They are mute in the day by the length of their silence.
               They have tranquillity from their humility.

He also composed:

            Seize the two rak’ats of nearness if you are free and at rest.

            When you desire to speak about the false, put glorification in its place.

            Seizing silence is better than plunging,
                  even if you are eloquent in speech.

Ibn al-Mubarak has a lot of poetry in more than one subject. He had a short poem in rajaz-metre on the Companions and the Followers and long qasidas on constancy and jihad which are famous. He has the Kitab ar-Raqa’iq which is famous, and The Book of the Objectives of Jihad.

Ibn al-Mubarak was asked, “Who are the people?” “The scholars,” he replied He was asked, “Who are the kings?” He said, “The men of detachment (zuhd).” He was asked, “Who are the rabble?” “Harthima and Khuzayma ibn Hazim,” he answered. It was said, “Who are the fools?” He said, “The one who sells the Next World for the worldly portion of someone else.”

He used to say, “The trace of ink on the garment of the master of hadith is better than the perfume on the bride’s garment.”

He was asked, “Which person has the best state?” He said, “The one who devotes himself to his Lord.”

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I passed by a weaver when I had broken the throng of my sandal and he gave me with a strap. I asked, ‘Did you do it for pay?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ When I passed by him, I leaned towards him and greeted him. Then I missed him and found that he had closed his shop. I asked one of the neighbours about him. I said, ‘If he is sick, I will visit him. If he is busy, I will help him. If he is poor, I will share with him.’

“They said, ‘We have no knowledge of him.’ I asked permission to enter his house and he came out to me. I asked him, ‘What has kept you from your shop?’ He said to me, ‘You, Ibn al-Mubarak. People see you inclining to me, so they have put a shirt on me which I do not deserve.’

“I took his sleeve and went with him to the graves. I said, ‘This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such. This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such.’

“He said to me, ‘Ibn al-Mubarak, I do not know what you are saying. The man is not all the man whom the tongues describe and the man is not all the man whom the eyes see. The man is the one whom Allah veils in his life and makes him enter the grave veiled and then He brings him out on the Day of Rising when there is no abasement or rebellion on him. That is the man.’”

Abu Bakr al-Khatib related that al-Hasan ibn ‘Isa ibn Masrajis used to pass by Ibn al-Mubarak while he was a Christian. Al-Hasan had a very beautiful face. Ibn al-Mubarak asked about him and was told, “He is a Christian.” He said, “O Allah, provide him with Islam.” Allah answered his supplication and al-Hasan became an excellent Muslim. He was one of the scholars of the Community and one of those who travelled in quest of knowledge and the Sunna in all regions and people studied with him. He possessed scrupulousness, intellect and reliability.

One of the men who kept the company of Ibn al-Mubarak inclined to this world and kept the Sultan’s company. He met him one day and greeted him. He said to him, “My brother!

          All is from rice, wheat and barley bread,
             And it crushes. O person! Allah has guided you from the amir’s abode,

          So do not visit it! Avoid it it! They are false sparks.
              It takes away the deen and brings you near to great wrong action.”

The man was ashamed and left the Sultan’s company and returned to his company.

Concerning his position in riwaya and hadith

One of the Sufis who had heard him say that one of the transmitters of hadith was weak, said to him, “Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, do you slander?” He said, “Be quiet. If we do not clarify, who will know the true from the false?”

Ibn al-Mubarak died in Hit, returning from a naval expedition and was buried in Hit in Ramadan in 181.

Al-Bukhari said that he was born in 118.

When he was near death, he told Nasr, his client, “Put my head on the earth.” Nasr wept. He said, “Why do you weep?” He said, “I remember what you had in it of blessing and now you are dying a stranger and a pauper.” He told him, “Be quiet. I asked Allah to let me live the life of the rich and to make me die the death of the poor.” Then he said, “Put me down and do not address me again unless I speak again. Put me down so that it is my last words.”

 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Muhammad ibn `Umar ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn<sup>1</sup> Abu `Abd Allah al-Qurashi, al-Bakri, al-Taymi, al-Tabaristani al-Shafi`i, known as Ibn al-Khatib and as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (543-606), Shaykh al-Islam, the imam of the learned scholars of kalam and the foundations of belief, a major jurist of the Shafi`i school, specialist of usul, Sufi, commentator of the Qur’an, philologist, genealogist, heresiographer, logician, and physician. “An ocean that contains more pearls than the ocean.” The principal spokesman of Ahl al-Sunna in his time, he refuted all the sects with which he came into contact, particularly the multifarious groups of the Mu`tazila, Shi`a, and Hashwiyya as well as  the Jews and Christians. A student of his father Khatib al-Rayy Diya’ al-Din `Umar and Majd al-Din al-Jili al-Maraghi principally, then Abu Muhammad al-Baghawi and Kamal al-Din al-Simnani, he memorized early on Imam al-Haramayn’s work in kalam entitled al-Shamil. He began his scholarly career in poverty and died at sixty-three at the height of fame and wealth, poisoned, it is said, by the Karramiyya²of Herat who were envious of his great following among the princes of Khurasan.

 A superb teacher, al-Razi could debate and preach in both Arabic and Persian, and he answered gracefully and at length the questions of the scholars of all four schools in Herat. He would often break into emotional states while preaching, moving to tears whoever listened to him. He was expelled from Khwarizm and Transoxiana by the Mu`tazila and returned to his native Rayy where he authored a series of works which achieved widespread fame in a short time. Among them:³

1. Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, also known as Mafatih al-Ghayb, among the greatest commentaries of Qur’an in Islam, in twelve to thirty volumes depending on the edition, he spent the last fifteen years of his life working on it and did not finish it. The commentator Abu Hayyan criticized its prolixity in acerbic terms.⁴
2. `Isma al-Anbiya’.
3. Bahr al-Ansab.
4. Kitab al-Mantiq al-Kabir.
5. Al-Mahsul wa al-Muntakhab, in which he amended Abu al-Husayn Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Basri al-Mu`tazili al-Shafi`i’s (d. 463) al-Mu`tamad fi Usul al-Fiqh.
6. Al-Arba`in.
7. Nihaya al-`Uqul
8. Al-Bayan wa al-Burhan fi al-Radd `ala Ahl al-Zaygh wa al-Tughyan
9. Al-Mabahith al-`Imadiyya fi al-Matalib al-Ma`adiyya
10. Al-Mabahith al-Mashriqiyya.
11. Ta’sis al-Taqdis fi Ta’wil al-Sifat, a methodical refutation of the anthropomorphists. Ibn Taymiyya attacked it in a book entitled al-Asas Radd al-Ta’sis.
12. Irshad al-Nuzzar ila Lata’if al-Asrar.
13. Al-Zubda.
14. Al-Ma`alim fi Usul al-Din, a commentary on Abu al-Ma`ali al-Juwayni’s Luma` al-Adilla.
15. Al-Ma`alim fi Usul al-Fiqh
16. Sharh Asma’ Allah al-Husna
17. Sharh Nisf al-Wajiz li al-Ghazzali
18. Sharh al-Isharat.
19. Al-Mulakhkhas fi al-Falsafa.
20. Al-Matalib al-`Aliyya.
21. Al-Milal wa al-Nihal.
22. Sharh Kulliyyat al-Qanun fi al-Tibb.
23. Manaqib al-Shafi`i.
24. Sharh Siqt al-Zand li Abi al-`Ala’.
25. Al-Tariqa al-Baha’iyya fi al-Khilaf. Siraj al-Din al-Ghaznawitranslated it into Arabic from its original Persian.
26. Sharh Mufassal al-Zamakhshari.
27. `Uyun al-Hikma.
28. The spurious Asrar al-Nujum on magic and divination, falsely attributed to the Imam.⁵

 Imam al-Razi said in his “Testament” (wasiyya):

 I have explored the ways of kalam and the methods of philosophy, and I did not see in them a benefit that compares with the benefit I found in the Qur’an. For the latter hurries us to acknowledge that greatness and majesty belong only to Allah, precluding us from involvement into the explication of objections and contentions. This is for no other reason than because human minds find themselves deadened in those deep, vexing exercises and obscure ways [of kalam and philosophy].

 Therefore, I say that everything that stands established by literal proofs concerning the necessity of Allah’s existence, His oneness, His exemption from any and all partners, as well as His beginninglessness and pre-existence, His disposal of all things, His exclusive efficacy: that is what I also believe, and what I hope to meet Allah with.

 As for what is ultimately subtle and unclear, as well as all that is mentioned in the Qur’an and the sound books of hadith that specifically bears one meaning: it is all exactly as the text says. Whatever is otherwise, I say: O God of the worlds, I see that all of creation concur that You are the most generous of all generous ones,  and the most merciful of them; therefore, concerning anything I wrote or thought, I bear witness that if You saw that I tried to declare true something false, or declare false something true, then do with me as I deserve; but if you saw that I only tried to declare transcendent whatever I considered truly transcendent, and believed so truthfully, then let Your mercy be commensurate with my intention, not with my outcome….

 As for the books which I authored and in which I listed and explicated countless questions, let whoever looks into them remember me kindly and pray for me out of compassion and benevolence, or else, strike out any wrong words. For I did not intend other than abundant investigation and the sharpening of thought, all the while relying upon Allah.⁶

 Ibn al-Subki quotes the following lines of poetry from Imam al-Razi:

  The daring of minds ends in shackles,   Most of mankind’s undertakings are folly.   Our souls are indifferent to what our bodies do,   And the sum of our lives is affliction and harm.   We did not benefit from our lifelong search   Except in collecting what these said, and those.   Atop many a mountain men have triumphed   And gone, while the mountains remained.   How many men and states have we seen   Goaded to disappear one and all.

 Al-Razi is, with al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi, among those to whom Shaykh Muhyi al-Din Ibn `Arabi frequently refers in his books.

 Main sources: Ibn al-Subki, Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra 8:81-96 #1089; Ibn Qadi Shuhba, Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya 1:-396-398 #366.

 NOTES

1In Ibn Qadi Shuhba: Ibn `Umar Ibn al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan.

2 The Karramiyya are the followers of Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Karram al-Sijistani (d. 255) who used to say: “Allah is a body unlike bodies” and “Allah is firmly seated on the throne and He is in person (dhâtan) on the upper side of it.” Al-Shahrastani, al-Milal wa al-Nihal (1:108) and al-Dhahabi, Siyar (10:10). Al-Baghdadi gave an exhaustive description of their doctrines in al-Farq Bayn al-Firaq (1977 ed. p. 202-214).

3List taken from Ibn al-Subki’s TSK, Ibn Qadi Shuhba, and Hajji Khalifa’s Kasfh al-Zunun (1:224, 2:1198, 2:1527, 2:1561, 2:1864).

4To the point he said: “One of the scholars said that his Tafsir contains everything but Tafsir!” In Hajji Khalifa, Kashf al-Zunun (1:431) and elsewhere.

5Al-Dhahabi included an entry on Imam al-Razi in his compendium of narrator-discreditation entitled Mizan al-I`tidal in which he says: “He [al-Razi] authored a book named Asrar al-Nujum which contains blatant sorcery.” Al-Dhahabi, Mizan al-I`tidal. Ibn al-Subki in TSK (8:88) rejects this attribution as spurious and rightly attributes its mention to al-Dhahabi’s anti-Ash`ari bias, noting that since al-Razi is not even known as a hadith narrator he did not belong in the Mizan in the first place – the latter being a compendium of narrators whose name was brought up in connection with narrator-discreditation. `Abd al-Karim ibn Khaldun al-Maghribi al-Maliki in the introduction to his Tarikh and Ibn Qadi Shuhba cite the book as al-Sirr al-Maktum fi Mukhataba al-Shams wa al-Nujum and similarly cast doubt on the authenticity of its attribution to al-Razi.

6In Ibn al-Subki, Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (8:91-92).