152. Hitti, op. cit., p. 639; Maqrīzī, Khiṭaṭ, Vol. I, pp. 171–2; and Kitāb al-Sulūk, Vol. 2, p. 262.
153. Qalqashandī, op. cit., Vol. 4, pp. 54–5.
154. Cf. Ibn Taimīyah, MFS, op. cit., Vol. 28, p. 572; Suyūṭī, op. cit., Vol. 2, p. 99.
Ibn Taimīyah – A Brief Biography
A. His family, education and personal character
The personality of an author and his ideas are inevitably linked. As there are many factors – environment, family, education, etc. – which contribute to the making of a personality, it naturally follows that for the serious study of a scholar of the stature of Ibn Taimīyah, some biographical background is essential.
Ibn Taimīyah’s full name is Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad bin ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm. He was born in Ḥarrān on 22 January, 1263 AD (10 Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 661 AH). His family had long been renowned for its learning. His father ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm, uncle Fakhr al-Dīn and grandfather Majd al-Dīn were great scholars of Hanbalite jurisprudence and the authors of many books. His family were forced to leave their native place in 1269 AD before the approach of the Mongols and to take refuge in Damascus.1 At that time Ibn Taimīyah was seven years old. His father ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm was appointed as Professor and head of the Sukkariyah Madrasah. Endowed with a penetrating intellect and a wonderful memory, Ibn Taimīyah studied at an early stage all the disciplines of jurisprudences, traditions of the Prophet, and commentaries of the Qur’ān, mathematics and philosophy and in each he was far ahead of his contemporaries.2 Among his teachers was Shams al-Dīn al-Maqdisī, first Ḥanbali Chief Justice of Syria following the reform of the judiciary by Baibars.3 The number of Ibn Taimīyah’s teachers exceeds two hundred; besides Shams al-Dīn, among other famous teachers were Ibn Abī al-Yusr, al-Kamāl bin ‘Abd, al-Majd bin ‘Asākir, Yaḥyā bin al-Ṣairafī, Aḥmad bin Abū al-Khair, etc.4 Ibn Taimīyah was barely seventeen when the Qāḍī al-Maqdisī authorized him to issue fatwā (legal ruling). The Qāḍī remembered with pride that it was he who had first permitted an intelligent and learned man like Ibn Taimīyah to give fatwā.5 At the same age he started delivering lectures. When he was thirty, he was offered the office of Chief Justice, but refused, as he could not persuade himself to follow the limitations imposed by the authorities.6
Ibn Taimīyah remained a confirmed bachelor. Once Ḥāfiẓ Dhahabī wrote about him that he was free from the passions of food, clothing and sex. He was interested in nothing except spreading knowledge and inspiring action in accordance with it.7 His brother used to take care of his expenses, which were slight as his lifestyle was very simple. He was more concerned with the interests of others.8
Ibn Taimīyah’s education was essentially that of a Hanbali theologian and jurisconsult. But to his knowledge of early and classical Hanbalism he added not only that of the other schools of jurisprudence but also that of heresiographical literature, in particular of philosophy and Sufism. He had an extensive knowledge of Greek and Islamic history, and religious books of others, as is evident from the variety of the books he wrote. Though he preferred the Hanbali school of jurisprudence, he was never biased in favour of it. In his writings, he frequently quoted the opinions of all four of the well-known schools of jurisprudence, even others. In a number of matters he himself held opinions different from those of the four schools. In fact he was an original thinker (mujtahid)9 who merely drew upon the wisdom of the four established schools.
In all his reformative efforts, Ibn Taimīyah accepted the Qur’ān and the Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet) as the basic criteria. In matters where there was no clear guidance from the Qur’ān and the Sunnah, he never hesitated to venture into rational thought and took the path of ijtihād or creative originality and initiative.
The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries AD have a distinguished place in Islamic history. But their importance lies rather in the expanding than the deepening of knowledge. The means of acquiring knowledge were easily available as libraries and schools were established in large numbers.10 But in general there was a want of original thinking (ijtihād), a want that Ibn Taimīyah did much to supply. He examined the existing branches of learning critically and laid new foundations for research. A strong opponent of Ibn Taimīyah in his lifetime, Chief Justice Subkī (d. 1356) once wrote to the great Islamic historian, al-Dhahabī: ‘I highly respect him (i.e. Ibn Taimīyah), and appreciate his expertise in education, Sharī’ah, and rational sciences. I also recognize the high place he achieved in original thinking and intellectual ability, which words cannot describe. Such a unique personality had not been present for centuries.’11
Ibn Taimīyah was very generous and kind-hearted, especially towards the poor and the needy. Amīrs, army officers, traders and all classes of people loved him, as he worked for their interests in every possible way. He used to spend money generously on the poor.12 Though he himself never engaged in trade and commerce, he had contacts with such people and hence understood their problems, as is evident from the Fatāwā in which a large number of enquiries were addressed to him about trade, commerce, business enterprises and contracts.
Al-Dabahī al-Zāhid (d. 1311) was a major trader before he joined Ibn Taimīyah’s disciples.13 All kinds of people used to benefit from Ibn Taimīyah’s lectures. He was always very firm and uncompromising in support of a right stand. For this same reason he made a number of enemies.14
B. His struggles and persecutions
Ibn Taimīyah’s life was not confined to the world of books and words. Whenever circumstances demanded, he took part in political and public affairs too, distinguishing himself not only through his writings and speeches but also with the sword as a brave warrior. Here is a brief account of his war deeds, a crucial aspect of his life.
In 1300, the Mongols under their king Ghazan invaded Syria and defeated the Sultan’s army. Ibn Taimīyah, by this time well-known, flung himself into the stream of affairs, while the religious divines and saints were leaving Damascus to take refuge in Egypt. There were disturbances everywhere. Prisoners escaped from jails, unruly elements began looting and plundering the city before the Mongols arrived.15 Ibn Taimīyah did his best to restore order in the city; together with the remaining ‘ulamā’ he met the Mongol chief, Il-Khan Ghazan. So forcefully did he plead the case of the people of Damascus before Ghazan that he secured the release of many prisoners and succeeded in obtaining a declaration of safety for civilians.16
During 1300, when the Mongol threat arose for a second time, Ibn Taimīyah exhorted people to jihād and encouraged them to confront the Mongols boldly. He was asked by the Governor of Damascus to go to Cairo and persuade Sultan Nāṣir to intervene in Syria. He left for Cairo in January 1301. When he saw that the Sultan was reluctant to face the Mongols, he warned him: ‘If you wish to avoid coming out to protect Syria, we shall choose another Sultan who will defend and protect the land in time of war just as he enjoys its resources in peace time.’ He further argued: ‘Though you were not the ruler of Syria, yet if its inhabitants asked you to help them, you must come