Madina Archives

Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
01/24/03 at 12:25:43
[center]Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim — 1 [i]Edited by Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/center][/i] The highly distinguished scholar we are introducing today is known as Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyah, or Ibn Al-Qayyim for short. His real name is hardly ever used, even on the title pages of his books. In fact, his nickname is particularly significant. Al-Jawziyah is the name of a school specialized in Islamic studies, or by today’s standards, it would be a college or a university faculty. It was established in 652 A.H., corresponding to 1254 C.E., in Damascus by Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi. Hence, its name. It became highly distinguished, and run by a succession of distinguished scholars. In fact, Ibn Katheer, the well-known commentator on the Qur’an and historian, describes it as one of the best schools. Our scholar’s father was its manager for a long period, and the manager was given the title Al-Qayyim. Hence our scholar is known as Ibn Al-Qayyim, or Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyah. Before we speak about the scholar, it may be useful to mention that the school, located at the top of Al-Buzouriyah market place in Damascus, continued to function until 820 A.H., (1417 C.E.), when it was completely ruined by fire. However, Shams Al-Din Al-Nabulsi renovated it. As time passed, neighbors took several portions of its space, and it was turned into a court. It continued to function as such until 1327 A.H., (1909) when it was closed down for a while. It was reopened as a children’s school under the care of a charity known as Jamiyat Al-Is’af Al-Khayri, but it was burned down again in 1925. Later it was turned into a few shops with a small mosque on top of them. Our scholar, Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Ayyoob ibn Saad was born in 691 A.H., corresponding to 1292 C.E., in a village called Zar’ in the Hawran County which is about 90 km to the southeast of Damascus. He then moved to Damascus with his family and studied under a number of the city’s top scholars. Under his father, who was highly praised by Imam Ibn Hajar, he studied the specialized discipline of inheritance, as his father was particularly competent in this discipline. He also studied the Hadith under several teachers, such as Al-Shihab Al-Nabulsi, Taqiy Al-Din Sulaiman and Abu Bakr ibn Abd Al-Da’im. Among his teachers of Hadith we also find the name of a woman scholar, [i]Fatimah bint Jawhar,[/i] which goes to show that it was normal for women to achieve scholarly distinction and to have circles frequented by students of both sexes. He also studied Arabic language and literature, achieving a high standard that is reflected in his superb style which combines simplicity with precision and lucidity. In Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence, his teachers included Safiy Al-Din Al-Hindi, Ismaeel Al-Harrani and Imam Ibn Taimiyah. In fact the latter was his main and closest teacher. The two met on Ibn Taimiyah’s return to Damascus after his long stay in Egypt. That was in 712. Ibn Al-Qayyim was then a young man of 21, dedicated to scholarship, and he was Ibn Taimiyah’s closest associate until his death 16 years later, in 728. Thus, Ibn Al-Qayyim was able to absorb all Ibn Taimiyah’s scholarship, supported all his views, particularly on questions where Ibn Taimiyah used his independent scholarly discretion, or ijtihad. Ibn Al-Qayyim was able to elucidate these views, provide further supporting evidence, and show the flimsiness of counter arguments. Furthermore, Ibn Al-Qayyim was instrumental in spreading his teacher’s views and publicizing them further. Perhaps the most important quality that Ibn Al-Qayyim learned from his teacher is the continued advocacy of holding fast to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and the need to understand them in the way they were understood by the Prophet’s companions and the two generations that succeeded them. He further advocated the need to purge Islam of the many practices that have crept into the life of Muslims while they had no basis in Islamic teachings. Thus all deviation from the Qur’an and the Sunnah should be rejected, even though it took the form of established practices among the Muslim community. This stand brought Ibn Taimiyah, and also Ibn Al-Qayyim, much trouble. It was the cause of Ibn Taimiyah’s last imprisonment in the Qal’ah prison in Damascus. Ibn Al-Qayyim shared that last imprisonment with his teacher, and was not released until after Ibn Taimiyah’s death. However, this stand in support of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, to the exclusion of all deviation, was instrumental in enabling the Muslim community to take a strong stand in facing its enemies, particularly the Tatars, at a time when the Muslim world suffered much internal upheaval in addition to several external threats. It also revived the strong role of scholars and their independence. Ibn Al-Qayyim achieved a position of distinction which enabled him to exercise independent scholarly discretion. Although, like Ibn Taimiyah, he practically belonged to the Hanbali school of Fiqh, he did not always conform to a particular school. He might support a view of any school, or adopt an independent view contrary to all schools. Again in this, he followed Ibn Taimiyah in reviving ijtihad. Ibn Al-Qayyim had a large number of students, many of whom achieved positions of distinction as scholars in their own right. Among the best known of his students were Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali who has lavished praise on him, describing him in the following terms: “He was a devout scholar, spending much time in night worship, praying at length. I never saw his like, and never knew anyone with more knowledge, particularly in the Qur’an and the Hadith, and the true nature of belief.” Another well known scholar among his students was Ibn Katheer who says of him: “He was a man of good manners, very friendly, free of grudge and envy. He never spoke ill of anyone in his absence. I was often in his company and was among his dearest students.” Many scholars praise him in clear terms, commending his strong stand in support of the Prophet’s Sunnah and in fighting deviation, or bid’at. Indeed, his scholarship continued to inspire students and scholars up to the present day. We will be discussing some of his many books, showing the diversity of his scholarship in our second article, God willing. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 20 January 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=22102&ArY=2003&ArM=1&ArD=20[/url]
02/03/03 at 03:36:40
Abu_Atheek

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
01/26/03 at 22:35:36
[slm] [center]Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim — 2 [i]Edited by Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] We mentioned last week that Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim was a very keen disciple of Imam Ibn Taimiyah. In fact, he remained in Ibn Taimiyah’s company for over 16 years, from the time when Ibn Taimiyah returned to Damascus until his death. The two are often mentioned together, particularly because Ibn Al-Qayyim was instrumental in disseminating Ibn Taimiyah’s rulings, fatwas and teachings. Yet the two had very different personalities. Ibn Taimiyah grew up at a time when the Tatars invasion had swept through great parts of the Muslim world. Although the Tatars converted to Islam, as a result of their interaction with the Muslim populations, they did not undergo the change which Islam would have produced, had they understood its principles and values, and put them into practice. They were professing to be Muslims but continued to tyrannize over the Muslim population. Battles were continuing between the two sides. Ibn Taimiyah was outspoken in his opposition to them and encouraged fighting them. To the question how could he justify fighting people who claimed to be Muslims, Ibn Taimiyah answered: “These are in the same category of the people who rebelled against Ali ibn Abu Talib, the fourth caliph. They claim to be working for the truth when their actions belie their claims.” He also declared: “If you see me on their side, with a copy of the Qur’an over my head, do not hesitate to kill me.” There could have been no clearer verdict on the issue of fighting the Tatars. Such outspokenness and clarity of vision and attitude were characteristic of Ibn Taimiyah. He was fiery and committed, taking part in every battle where Islam or the Muslim community were threatened. We also see the same fiery temperament in his attitude to those who upheld beliefs incompatible with Islam, claiming that they were Islamic. He described them as total unbelievers. Ibn Al-Qayyim on the other hand adopted a far more relaxed and cool way in all situations. His views were no different from those of his teacher, but his approach and temperament were far more relaxed. Where we find Ibn Taimiyah speaking in clear and absolute terms about followers of deviant creeds, such as those who advocate pantheism, labeling them as unbelievers, Ibn Al-Qayyim discusses their views and beliefs, approving what is right and pointing out what is wrong, deviant or false, providing always clear and strong evidence to support his views. Thus, the two complemented each other. Ibn Taimiyah treated Ibn Al-Qayyim as he would have treated his own son, and considered their association as one of God’s blessings. Ibn Al-Qayyim respected his teacher’s views, but he was no blind follower. He always looked for their basis and considered the evidence they relied upon. Hence, when he defended those views, his defense was always rational, lucid, strong and well-supported by Qur’anic and Hadith texts. Ibn Al-Qayyim was a prolific author, writing on a variety of subjects. Most of his books have survived and they are read today with full admiration by students and scholars. One of his best known books is Zad Al-Ma’ad, which he devotes to explaining the guidance provided by the Prophet in a wide variety of areas, including the essential and obligatory types of worship, family matters, advocacy of the faith, conducting the affairs of the Muslim community, dealings with unbelievers, and what the Prophet used or recommended in disease treatment. In every aspect, Ibn Al-Qayyim provides the relevant information, analyses it and points out the lessons to be learnt from it. The book is a gem of highly useful and relevant information, making the Prophet’s guidance accessible to readers in simple and easy terms. The book has been published many times, but its most recent edition is thoroughly edited by two contemporary scholars of Hadith and published in six large volumes. In Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence, Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote several books, the best known of which is given the title I’lam Al-Muwaqqieen, in four volumes, which covers a wide range of issues. It discusses the views of famous scholars and their rulings on these issues, pointing out which is the better supported and defending what Ibn Al-Qayyim considered to be the correct one. This may be the view of any school of Fiqh, or may differ with them all. When his view on a particular question differs with other scholars, he points out the two or more views in clear terms, showing the evidence the opposite views rely upon and then discusses the weakness of those views, before he gives his argument and evidence in support of what he feels to be the right ruling. He never uses scathing criticism, but always speaks of others in a very civilized and polite way. Two other books in this area are Al-Turuq Al-Hukmiyah and Ahkam Ahl Al-Dhimmah. An important and lovely book is known as Tuhfat Al-Mawdood Fi Ahkam Al-Mawlood. This book is devoted to Islamic teachings related to children and their upbringing, from the time of their birth. In his introduction, Ibn Al-Qayyim dedicates the book to his son, who was about to have his first child. Ibn Al-Qayyim wanted to give his son a suitable gift on that occasion, but he was in particularly difficult circumstances and could not afford an appropriate gift, so he decided to write this book as his gift to his son. In fact, it is a gift to every new parent who would find the book highly informative and useful. Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote several books about the main Islamic beliefs, pointing out the errors of those who tried to explain God’s attributes in human terms, or those who denied such attributes. The fact that he devoted such time and effort to these questions indicates that the issues involved were still causing problems among the Muslim population. There are always those who try to impose their own perspective on Islam, interpreting its main principles in deviant and erroneous ways. This apparently caused great problems at the time of Ibn Taimiyah and Ibn Al-Qayyim. Hence, it figures very prominently in their writings. Ibn Al-Qayyim’s efforts in this regard are particularly important, because of his relaxed approach, clear thinking, and his lucid style combining simplicity and clarity with powerful argument based on strong and undeniable evidence. Another area in which Ibn Al-Qayyim’s writings provide a highly interesting reading is that of the spirit. His book Al-Rooh includes a wealth of information about the human soul; a subject rarely discussed by scholars. Again, his thorough scholarship and immaculate research shine in this book to provide an extremely good reading. One can hardly lay down the book. A similarly interesting book is known as Hadi Al-Arwah ila Bilad Al-Afrah, which speaks of heaven as the ultimate goal of those who are blessed with God’s grace. The title means how the souls of these people are guided to their place in heaven. He first begins with a discussion of heaven and its being already created. Then he discusses its description in the Qur’an, before he speaks of what happens to the human soul after death. Ibn Al-Qayyim’s style is highly literary, reflecting his great command of the Arabic language. It is so rich with imagery that it could be treated as literary text. However, the author is always focused on his subject under discussion to ensure that his point is not lost under the endless procession of images and figures of speech. He was also a fine poet. Ibn Al-Qayyim died on 23 Rajab 751 A.H., at the age of 60. His funeral was taken to the grand mosque in Damascus where a great number of people offered the normal funeral prayer for him. He was buried in Bab Al-Sagheer graveyard, and his grave is well marked. May God shower His grace on him. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 27 January 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=22286[/url]
02/03/03 at 03:37:40
Abu_Atheek

Re: Scholar of renown: Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim — 1 & 2
BoldMuslim
01/30/03 at 05:42:11
Asalamu alaykum, Perhaps his most famous work is Madaaarij Asalekeen bana manaazil iyaaka nabudu wa iyaakh nastaeen. "The stations of the traveler (to Allah) between the scales of, "You alone we worship and You alone we implore for assistance." Indeed, I have never read a book like it on the subject of sound tasawuuf. Abu Shifaa

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
02/03/03 at 01:36:31
[slm] [center]Nafeesah bint Al-Hassan [i]Edited by Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] Some readers have asked whether there were women scholars in Islamic history. Since the start of this series we only wrote about Aishah, the Prophet’s wife, as a scholar in her own right. No other woman was included. The fact is that there was a long line of women scholars who attained high positions and were renowned for their excellence as scholars. However, their fame suffered over the years because of the dark period when the status of women was reduced to a lowly position throughout the Muslim world. It is only recently that Muslim women began to take steps to regain the position of equality with men that God has given them and the Prophet has emphasized. One thing that hampered women scholars in the past was their inability to travel. It was essential for a scholar to travel far and wide in order to achieve a high standard of scholarship. A scholar needed to read under many scholars, to attend their circles and listen to them as they taught, particularly if such a scholar wished to pursue the study of Hadith. Women could not undertake such trips unless they were accompanied by a mahram, who must be a close relative or a husband. Hence, women scholars lived mostly in their own hometowns. While they could achieve a position of fame there, they might remain virtually unknown in other areas. Considering these circumstances, it is not surprising that biographies of women scholars are mostly very brief. Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing a few such scholars, giving only short notes about each of them. This is by no means deliberate, but the scarcity of reliable information compels us to do so. Nafeesah bint Al-Hassan was born in Makkah in 145 A.H., corresponding to 762 CE, into a household known for its tradition of scholarship. Her ancestry reads as follows: Nafeesah bint Al-Hassan ibn Zaid ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abu Talib. Thus, her great grandfather was Al-Hassan, the Prophet’s grandson born to his youngest daughter, Fatimah. Nafeesah was married to Ishaq ibn Jaafar Al-Sadiq, who was also a descendent of the Prophet through his daughter Fatimah and her other son, Al-Hussain. Jaafar was a leading scholar of high renown, as were many of the members of that household. Nafeesah was a scholar in her own right, and many scholars sought to read under her, or attended her as she taught. Apparently, Al-Shafie was a frequent visitor of Nafeesah, and he sometimes prayed at her place and she prayed with him. When he died, she asked for his funeral to be brought into her home so that she could pray the special janazah prayer for his soul. It is reported that she traveled with her husband, or with her father, to Egypt where she settled. Her father was appointed Governor of Egypt by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansoor. However, after staying five years in that post, the caliph sacked him and put him in jail in Baghdad. After the caliph’s death, his son who succeeded him, Al-Mahdi, released her father and returned to him all his confiscated property. Nafeesah memorized the Qur’an at an early age, and she studied the Hadith, attaining a very high standard. It is reported that when Imam Al-Shafie settled in Egypt, he attended her circle and listened to her as she taught Hadith. Another well known figure, Bishr Al-Hafi, renowned for his ascetic lifestyle, denying himself all worldly pleasures, used to visit her. However, when he fell ill, she went to visit him. As she was there, another visitor came to see him who was none other than Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He asked Bishr to introduce the lady visiting him. When Imam Ahmad learned that she was Nafeesah, he said to Bishr: ‘Would you request her to pray for us.’ When he did, she prayed thus: “My Lord, Bishr ibn Al-Harith and Ahmad ibn Hanbal seek refuge with You from the fire of hell. Please grant them Your refuge.” A woman held in such high esteem by the founders of two of the four major schools of Fiqh must have achieved a very high standard indeed. Her learning made her very courageous in stating the truth loud and clear. Ahmad ibn Toloon was the governor of Egypt and he started his reign pursuing heavy-handed policies. People were very angry but they needed someone to speak for them. They went to Nafeesah complaining. They also informed her of the time when he habitually rode into the city. She wrote a few lines on a piece of paper and went out at the right time. As he passed close to her, she called out to him by his name: “Ahmad ibn Toloon!” He looked at her and recognized her. Therefore he dismounted and took her paper from her to read. She had written: “As you are in power, you follow a policy of injustice and oppression, and you fire people unfairly, ruining their livelihood. Yet you know that prayer at night, before dawn, is always answered by God, particularly when they are addressed by hearts that you have hurt and bodies that you have left hungry and without proper clothing. It is impossible that the oppressed vanish and the oppressor remains. You may do as you please, and we will bear that with patient perseverance. You may continue with your injustice, but we will seek God’s justice. Certainly, the unjust will come to rue their injustice.” Her appeal touched the right cord with Ahmad ibn Toloon, and he immediately began to change his policy direction. From that moment onward, he became very keen to establish justice. Nafeesah was great in her voluntary worship. She spent long hours in night worship, and she fasted voluntarily so often, praying to God that she would be fasting on her day of death. Her husband was away at the time, but he arrived back in Egypt on the day she died in 208 A.H. He announced his intention to take her body to Madinah so that she would be buried in its cemetery with her ancestors and the Prophet’s companions. The people of Egypt were very upset, and they raised a large amount of money and presented it to him if he would only let her be buried in Egypt, but he refused. However, the following day they went to him to try again, only to be surprised that he immediately accepted their request. When they wondered about this change of heart, he told them that he saw the Prophet in his dream that night, and he said to him: “Return the money to the people of Egypt and bury her in their city.” He actually buried her in her home. Today, the place is attached to a large mosque known as the Lady Nafeesah Mosque. People always visit the mosque and her grave. Many are those who attribute to her some miracles that they claim she performed after her death. This is totally against Islam. Nothing of this is true. She was a great woman in her learning and her piety. May God shower His mercy on her. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 3 February 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=22483[/url]
02/03/03 at 03:38:45
Abu_Atheek

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
02/10/03 at 02:42:56
[slm] [center]Asmaa bint Yazeed [i]Edited by Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] Asmaa bint Yazeed ibn Al-Sakan was a woman from the Ansar, and a companion of the Prophet. She was distinguished for her sagacity and eloquence. Indeed, she was nicknamed the “Orator of all Women”. But she was also a woman of learning, and she reported the Prophet’s Hadith. She was clearly reliable as a reporter. Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nassaie and Ibn Majah, as well as other major scholars of Hadith, related a total of 81 Hadiths of her reporting. As such, she ranks among the best learned of the Prophet’s women companions. Asmaa was also keen on jihad, joining Muslim armies on several occasions. She accompanied the Prophet on his expedition that led to the fall of Makkah to Islam. She also participated in the great Battle of Al-Yarmook, against the Byzantines, during the reign of Umar ibn Al-Khattab. She is reported to have killed nine enemy soldiers, using the pole of her own tent. In order to appreciate her knowledge we may relate the following story. One day she came to the Prophet as he was sitting with a number of his companions. Addressing him, she said: “Messenger of God, may both my parents be sacrificed for you. ‘This was a traditional phrase of endearment, used mostly figuratively.’ I am an emissary from women to you. God has sent you as His messenger to both men and women. We believe in you and your Lord. Yet we, women, are restricted, home bound. We stay in your ‘i.e. men’s’ homes, give you your pleasure, and bear your children. You, men, have been favored over us with attending Friday prayer and congregational prayers in mosques, visiting the sick, attending funerals, offering the pilgrimage repeatedly, and with what is more than that: fighting for God’s cause. When a man goes out intending pilgrimage or jihad, we take care of your property, sew your clothes, and bring up your children for you. Do we have a share of your reward?” The Prophet turned to his companions asking them: “Have you ever heard a better statement by a woman than this one who is asking about matters of her faith?” They said: “We would not have thought that a woman would ever be able to express such meanings as this lady.” The Prophet turned to Asmaa and said: “Listen, woman, and inform other women who sent you that a woman who is a goodly wife, keen to please her husband and doing what he likes is equal to all that.” As she left, she was glorifying God and repeating statements of His oneness. May God be pleased with Asmaa, the Prophet’s companion, who obtained from him this definitive statement that women are in no way less than men in their faith or their reward. It should be added that the Prophet’s words stress that the woman should always try to ensure that the atmosphere in her home is always relaxed and pleasant, so that she leads a happy marital life and her children grow up in a homely environment. As she takes care of the future generation, she earns as much reward as man who is assigned the task of looking after the present generation. [center]Hafsah bint Seereen[/center] Hafsah bint Seereen was one of the best known scholars of the tabieen generation, which followed that of the Prophet’s companions. Her brother Muhammad ibn Seereen ranks high among the tabieen scholars. She learned the Qur’an by heart when she was 12 years of age, but apparently she excelled in it to the extent that if her brother, Muhammad, was unsure about a particular word or phrase in the Qur’an, he would send to her for clarification, and she always gave an authoritative ruling. Her reputation as a scholar of the highest caliber was well-established among her contemporaries. Iyas ibn Mu’awiah says: “I have not met anyone whom I would place above Hafsah bint Seereen.” He was asked: “What about Al-Hassan Al-Basri and Muhammad ibn Seereen?” He said: “As for me, I do not rate anyone above her.” Needless to say, if she is preferred to such figures who remain quoted for authoritative views even today, and the preference is stated by a scholar like Iyas, then she must be among the best scholars of all times. Hafsah was distinguished in Fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence, the Qur’an and the Hadith. She reported Hadiths from her brother Yahya, Anas ibn Malik, Umm Atiyah of the Ansar, Al-Rabab Umm Al-Raih, Abu Dhubyan Khaleefah ibn Kaab, Khayrah, who was Al-Hassan Al-Basri’s mother and others. A large number of scholars learned from her and reported her Hadiths, including her brother Muhammad, Qatadah, Aasim Al-Ahwal, and Ayyoob. Yahya ibn Maeen, a great authority on Hadith reporters, rates her as most reliable. Similarly Ibn Hibban, a distinguished Hadith scholar, mentions her among reliable reporters. Hafsah died in 101 H, corresponding to 720 CE. May God shower His mercy on her. [center]Almaa’ bint Ahmad[/center] Almaa’ bint Ahmad ibn Zuhayrah was a scholar of Hadith, known for her piety and high scholarly standing. She read under many renowned scholars, and was certified as a scholar by a number of them, such as Al-Alla’ie, Al-Izz ibn Jumma’ah, Al-Qalanisi, Nassir Al-Deen Al-Fariqi and many more. To be certified by such scholars who attained a very high scholarly standing is a proof of her achievement. Hence, it was only natural that younger scholars should seek to read under her, attend her circle or listen to her as she taught Hadith. Thus, we read among her students names like Al-Taqi ibn Fahd, his brother and his son Abu Bakr. She died in Makkah in 818 H, corresponding to 1415 CE. May God bestow His mercy on her. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 10 February 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=22663[/url]
02/16/03 at 23:56:16
Abu_Atheek

Scholars of renown
Nawawi
02/15/03 at 10:11:21
Imaam AL-SUYUTI In Short, He was Shafi in Fiqh, Ashari in Aqeedah, and Shadhili in Tariqa.  A defender of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah and what Islam stands for.  He had reached the highest level of scholarship, studied under over 200 scholars, and wrote many works.  He was known for his soundness in Fiqh, Aqeedah, hadith and the likes.  One of the most beautiful things I admire about Imaam Suyuti, is that he never spoke ill of any scholar, not that I know of.  We should learn from that. I think he truly understood the saying of the Prophet [s.a.w.] As Allah's Messenger has said,[color=blue] "It is enough evil for a Muslim to look down upon his (Muslim) brother.''[/color] [Muslim].   To the Bio: `Abd al-Rahman ibn Kamal al-Din Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Sabiq al-Din, Jalal al-Din al-Misri al-Suyuti al-Shafi`i al-Ash`ari, also known as Ibn al-Asyuti (849-911), the mujtahid imam and renewer of the tenth Islamic century, foremost hadith master, jurist, Sufi, philologist, and historian, he authored works in virtually every Islamic science. Born to a Turkish mother and non-Arab father and raised as an orphan in Cairo, he memorized the Qur'an at eight, then several complete works of Sacred Law, fundamentals of jurisprudence, and Arabic grammar; after which he devoted himself to studying the Sacred Sciences under about a hundred and fifty shaykhs. Among them the foremost Shafi`i and Hanafis shaykhs at the time, such as the hadith master and Shaykh al-Islam Siraj al-Din Bulqini, with whom he studied Shafi`i jurisprudence until his death; the hadith scholar Shaykh al-Islam Sharaf al-Din al-Munawi, with whom he read Qur'anic exegesis and who commented al-Suyuti's al-Jami` al-Saghir in a book entitled Fayd al-Qadir; Taqi al-Din al-Shamani in hadith and the sciences of Arabic; the specialist in the principles of the law Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli, together with whom he compiled the most widespread condensed commentary of Qur'an in our time, Tafsir al-Jalalayn; Burhan al-Din al-Biqa`i; Shams al-Din al-Sakhawi; he also studied with the Hanafi shaykhs Taqi al-Din al-Shamni, Shihab al-Din al-Sharmisahi, Muhyi al-Din al-Kafayji, and the hadith master Sayf al-Din Qasim ibn Qatlubagha. He travelled in the pursuit of knowledge to Damascus, the Hijaz, Yemen, India, Morocco, the lands south of Morocco, as well as to centers of learning in Egypt such as Mahalla, Dumyat, and Fayyum. He was some time head teacher of hadith at the Shaykhuniyya school in Cairo at the recommendation of Imam Kamal al-Din ibn al-Humam, then the Baybarsiyya, out of which he was divested through the complaints of disgruntled shaykhs which he had replaced as teachers. He then retired into scholarly seclusion, never to go back to teaching. Ibn Iyas in Tarikh Misr states that when al-Suyuti reached forty years of age, he abandoned the company of men for the solitude of the Garden of al-Miqyas by the side of the Nile, avoiding his former colleagues as though he had never known them, and it was here that he authored most of his nearly six hundred books and treatises. Wealthy Muslims and princes would visit him with offers of money and gifts, but he put all of them off, and when the sultan requested his presence a number of times, he refused. He once said to the sultan's envoy: "Do not ever come back to us with a gift, for in truth Allah has put an end to all such needs for us." Blessed with success in his years of solitude, it is difficult to name a field in which al-Suyuti did not make outstanding contributions, among them his ten-volume hadith work Jam` al-Jawami` ("The Collection of Collections"); his Qur'anic exegesis Tafsir al-Jalalayn ("Commentary of the Two Jalals"), of which he finished the second half of an uncompleted manuscript by Jalal al-Din Mahalli in just forty days; his classic commentary on the sciences of hadith Tadrib al-Rawi fi Sharh Taqrib al-Nawawi ("The Training of the Hadith Transmitter: An Exegesis of Nawawi's `The Facilitation'"); and many others. A giant among contemporaries, he remained alone, producing a sustained output of scholarly writings until his death at the age of sixty-two. He was buried in Hawsh Qawsun in Cairo. In the introduction to his book entitled al-Riyad al-Aniqa on the names of the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- he said: "It is my hope that Allah accept this book and that through this book I shall gain the Prophet's -- Allah bless and greet him -- intercession. Perhaps it shall be that Allah make it the seal of all my works, and grant me what I have asked Him with longing regarding the Honorable One." The editors of the Dalil Makhtutat al-Suyuti ("Guide to al-Suyuti's Manuscripts") have listed 723 works to al-Suyuti's name.1 Some of these are brief fatwas which do not exceed four pages, like his notes on the hadith "Whoever says: `I am knowledgeable,' he is ignorant"2 entitled A`dhab al-Manahil fi Hadith Man Qala Ana `Alim; while others, like the Itqan fi `Ulum al-Qur'an or Tadrib al-Rawi, are full-fledged tomes. Al-Tabarani stated that the hadith "Whoever says: `I am knowledgeable,' he is ignorant" is not narrated except through the chain containing al-Layth ibn Abi Sulaym, who is weak. Al-`Ajluni in Kashf al-Khafa' states that this hadith is narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat from Ibn `Umar rather than the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --, and that al-Haytami said in his Fatawa Hadithiyya that it is actually a saying of (the Tabi`i) Yahya ibn Kathir. For his part, Ibn Kathir cites it from `Umar in his Tafsir in commentary of the verse: (Have you not seen those who praise themselves for purity?( (4:49) Three narrations are indeed mentioned from `Umar in Kanz al-`Ummal, but all are weak. Al-`Iraqi in his al-Mughni said that the part actually attributed to Yahya ibn Kathir is: "Whoever says: `I am a believer,' he is a disbeliever," while al-Haythami in Majma` al-Zawa'id cites it from Yahya ibn Kathir with a weak chain as follows: "Whoever says: `I am knowledgeable,' he is ignorant, and whoever says: `I am ignorant,' he is ignorant. Whoever says: `I am in Paradise,' he is in the Fire, and whoever says: `I am in the Fire,' he is in the Fire." Al-Haytami further said: "It is established from countless Companions and others that they said they were knowledgeable, and they would not commit something which the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- had blamed. A greater proof yet is Yusuf's statement: `I am a knowledgeable guardian' (12:55)." However, the narration of al-Layth is confirmed by the hadith of the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --: "Islam shall be on the rise until traders take to the sea [carrying it], and horses charge in the cause of Allah. After that a people will come and recite the Qur'an, saying: Who recites it better than us? Who is more knowledgeable than us? Who is wiser than us?" Then he turned to his Companions and asked: "Is there any good in such as these?" They said: "Allah and His Prophet know best." He said: "Those are from among you, O Umma! Those are fodder for the Fire."2 What reconciles the two views is that the hadith of Ibn Abi Sulaym applies to those who claim knowledge either undeservedly, or proudly, and not to those who act out of sincerity and obligation. Ibn `Ata' Allah said in his Hikam: The root of every disobedience, forgetfulness, and desire is contentment with the self, while the root of every obedience, vigilance, and continence is your dissatisfaction with it. That you accompany an ignorant who is not pleased with his self is better for you than to accompany a knowledgeable person who is pleased with his self. And what ignorance is that of one who is dissatisfied with himself? And what knowledge is that of one who is satisfied with himself? Imam al-Sha`rani in al-`Uhud al-Muhammadiyya ("The Pledges We Made to the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --") said something similar: The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- took our pledge that we should not claim to possess knowledge except for a licit cause, and that we should never say: "We are the most knowledgeable of people" - not with our mouths, and not with our hearts. How could we say such a thing when we know full well that in our country, let alone our region, there is one who is more knowledgeable than we? But if it is one day ordained for us to claim knowledge, then we must immediately follow this with repentance and ask forgiveness lest punishment descend on us. This is a problem which no wise person ever faces, for there is no science which one has looked up except the scholars of knowledge anticipated him and wrote books about it - scholars whose pupil he might not even deserve to be. Al-Suyuti's student and biographer Shams al-Din al-Dawudi al-Maliki - the author of Tabaqat al-Mufassirin al-Kubra - said: "I saw the shaykh with my own eyes writing and finishing three works in one day which he himself authored and proofread. At the same time he was dictating hadith and replying beautifully to whatever was brought to his attention." Sakhawi reproached him his plagiarism of past books, and others said that the profusion of his works made for their lack of completion and the frequency of flaws and contradictions in them. This is a charge commonly laid at the door of prolific authors, such as Ibn al-Jawzi and Ibn Taymiyya. Note also that there was some animosity between al-Suyuti and his shaykh al-Sakhawi, as shown by the former's tract al-Kawi fi al-Radd `ala al-Sakhawi ("The Searing Brand in Refuting al-Sakhawi") and his unflattering mention in the poem Nazm al-`Iqyan fi A`yan al-A`yan. His chain of transmission in tasawwuf goes back to Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani, and al-Suyuti belonged to the Shadhili tariqa, which he eulogized in his brief defense of tasawwuf entitled Tashyid al-Haqiqa al-`Aliyya. In the latter book he states: "I have looked at the matters which the Imams of Shari`a have criticized in Sufis, and I did not see a single true Sufi holding such positions. Rather, they are held by the people of innovation and the extremists who have claimed for themselves the title of Sufi while in reality they are not." In the Tashyid he also produces narrative chains of transmission proving that al-Hasan al-Basri did in fact narrate directly from `Ali ibn Abi Talib - Allah be well-pleased with him. This goes against commonly received opinion among the scholars of hadith,3 although it was also the opinion of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.4 When one of his shaykhs, Burhan al-Din Ibrahim ibn `Umar al-Biqa`i (d. 885), attacked Ibn `Arabi in a tract entitled Tanbih al-Ghabi ila Takfir Ibn `Arabi ("Warning to the Dolt That Ibn `Arabi is an Apostate"), al-Suyuti countered with a tract entitled Tanbih Al-Ghabi fi Takhti'a Ibn `Arabi ("Warning to the Dolt That Faults Ibn `Arabi"). Both epistles have been published.5 In his reply al-Suyuti states that he considers Ibn `Arabi a Friend of Allah whose writings are forbidden to those who read them without first learning the technical terms used by the Sufis. He cites from Ibn Hajar's list in Anba' al-Ghumr, among the trusted scholars who kept a good opinion of Ibn `Arabi or counted him a wali: Ibn `Ata' Allah al-Sakandari (d. 709), al-Yafi`i (d. 678), Ibn `Abd al-Salam after the latter's meeting with al-Shadhili, Shihab al-Din Abu al-`Abbas Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Malwi al-Tilimsani (d. 776), Siraj al-Din Abu Hafs `Umar ibn Ishaq al-Hindi al-Hanafi (d. 773) the author of Sharh al-Hidaya and Sharh al-`Ayni, Najm al-Din al-Bahi al-Hanbali (d. 802), al-Jabarti (d. 806), the major lexicographer al-Fayruzabadi (d. 818), Shams al-Din al-Bisati al-Maliki (d. 842), al-Munawi (d. 871), and others. Of note with regard to the above is the abundant use of Ibn `Arabi's sayings by al-Munawi in his commentary of al-Suyuti's Jami` al-Saghir entitled Fayd al-Qadir, and by Fayruzabadi in his commentary on Bukhari's Sahih. Al-Suyuti was Ash`ari in his doctrine as shown in many of his works. In Masalik al-Hunafa' fi Walidayy al-Mustafa ("Methods Of Those With Pure Belief Concerning the Parents of The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --") he says: The Prophet's -- Allah bless and greet him -- parents died before he was sent as Prophet and there is no punishment for them, since (We never punish until We send a messenger (whom they reject)( (17:15 ). Our Ash`ari Imams among those in kalam, usul, and fiqh agree on the statement that one who dies while da`wa has not reached him, dies saved. This has been defined by Imam al-Shafi`i.. . . Some of the fuqaha' explained that the reason is, such a person follows fitra or Primordial Disposition, and has not stubbornly refused nor rejected any Messenger.6 Al-Suyuti was taken to task for his claim that he was capable of independent scholarly exertion or ijtihad mutlaq. He explained: "I did not mean by that that I was similar to one of the Four Imams, but only that I was an affiliated mujtahid (mujtahid muntasib). For, when I reached the level of tarjih or distinguishing the best fatwa inside the school, I did not contravene al-Nawawi's tarjih. And when I reached the level of ijtihad mutlaq, I did not contravene al-Shafi`is school." He continued: "There is not in our time, on the face of the earth, from East to West, anyone more knowledgeable than myself in hadith and the Arabic language, save al-Khidr or the Pole of saints or some other Wali - none of whom do I include into my statement - and Allah knows best."7 He also said of himself: "When I went on hajj I drank Zamzam water for several matters. Among them: (I asked) that I reach, in fiqh, the level of Shaykh Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini and in hadith, that of the hafiz Ibn Hajar."8 Main sources: Ibn Fahd, Dhayl Tadhkira al-Huffaz p. 6-10; al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa', introduction p. 5-10; Nuh Keller, Reliance of the Traveller p. 1100. NOTES 1Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shaybani and Ahmad al-Khazindar, eds. Dalil Makhtutat al-Suyuti, 2nd ed. (Kuwait: Manshurat Markaz al-Makhtutat, 1995). 2Narrated from `Umar by al-Bazzar with a sound chain as stated by al-Haythami. 3See, for example, al-Sakhawi's words in his Maqasid, in the entry khirqa. 4Ibn Abi Ya`la, Tabaqat al-Hanabila (1:192): "My father (al-Qadi Abu Ya`la) narrated to me in writing: `Isa ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali narrated to us: I heard `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad (Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi) say: I heard Abu `Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal say: `al-Hasan did narrate (qad rawa) from `Ali ibn Abi Talib.'" `Abd al-Razzaq in his Musannaf (7:412) narrates that `Ali even consulted al-Hasan in a certain judicial case. For the listing of the chains of transmission establishing that al-Hasan narrated from `Ali see al-Suyuti's Ta'yid al-Haqiqa al-`Aliyya wa Tashyid al-Tariqa al-Shadhiliyya and Ahmad al-Ghumari's al-Burhan al-Jali fi Tahqiq Intisab al-Sufiyya ila `Ali. 5Al-Biqa`i, Masra` al-Tasawwuf, aw, Tanbih Al-Ghabi Ila Takfir Ibn `Arabi, ed. `Abd al-Rahman al-Wakil (Bilbis: Dar al-Taqwa, <1989>); al-Suyuti, Tanbih Al-Ghabi Fi Takhti'a Ibn `Arabi, ed. `Abd al-Rahman Hasan Mahmud (Cairo: Maktaba al-Adab, 1990). 6It is related that some of the Ash`ari imams such as al-Qurtubi, al-Subki, and al-Sha`rani said that Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, was also saved, according to Shaykh Ahmad Zayni Dahlan in his epistle Asna al-Matalib fi Najat Abi Talib (Cairo: Muhammad Effendi Mustafa, 1305/1886) who cites Imam al-Suhaymi and the Hanafi Mufti of Mecca Shaykh Ahmad ibn `Abd Allah Mirghani to that effect. They mention, among other evidence, the narration of al-`Abbas - Allah be well-pleased with him -: Ibn Sa`d said in his Tabaqat al-Kubra (1:118): `Affan ibn Muslim told us: Hammad ibn Salama told us: From Thabit [ibn Aslam al-Bunani]: From Ishaq ibn `Abd Allah ibn al-Harith [ibn Nawfal] who said: al-`Abbas said: "I said: `O Messenger of Allah, do you hope anything for Abu Talib?' He replied: `I hope everything good from my Lord.'" The above narrators are all trustworthy and their transmission is sound, except that the meaning of the hadith is unspecific. Further, al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir (for verses 6:26 and 9:53) and Ibn al-Subki in Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (1:91-94) hold different positions than those ascribed to them above, and the sound evidence to the contrary is explicit and abundant but Allah knows best. 7Al-Suyuti, al-Radd `ala man Akhlada ila al-Ard (p. 116). 8Al-Suyuti, Husn al-Muhadara fi Akhbar Misr wa al-Qahira (p. 157). Allah's blessings and peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions.
02/15/03 at 10:22:22
Nawawi

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
02/16/03 at 23:53:50
[slm] [center]Amrah bint Abd Al-Rahman [i]Edited by Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] Amrah bint Abd Al-Rahman ibn As’ad belonged to the tabieen generation which followed the generation of the Prophet’s companions. In fact, her grandfather, As’ad ibn Zurarah, was one of the very first people from Madinah to accept Islam. He was one of six people from the Khazraj tribe whom the Prophet met when they came to Makkah for pilgrimage. He spoke to them stating that he was God’s messenger, and a prophet receiving God’s revelations. As’ad and his five friends accepted Islam on that day. The following year he was one of twelve Muslims from Madinah to come to Makkah, meet the Prophet and pledge their loyalty to him. He sent with them his companion Mus’ab ibn Umayr to teach the Qur’an to them and their fellow-Muslims in Madinah, and to call on its people to accept Islam. The following year when a large delegation of Muslims from Madinah came over to Makkah in the pilgrimage season, As’ad was one of them. They agreed with the Prophet that he would migrate to Madinah. He then selected 12 of them to be responsible for the Muslims in their community. As’ad was one of these 12. Prior to this trip, As’ad was the first to establish the Friday prayer in Madinah, organizing it at a place belonging to Al-Nabeet family. A total of 40 men attended that first Friday prayer in Madinah. Amrah, then, belonged to a household of very strong commitment to Islam. Furthermore, she grew up under the care of Aishah, the Prophet’s wife, and she learned much from Aishah, particularly her reported Hadiths. It is well-known that Aishah was one of the most prolific reporters of Hadith among the Prophet’s relatives and companions. Hence, Amrah’s close association with Aishah benefited her so as to become one of the best and most reliable transmitters of Hadiths reported by Aishah. Amrah also transmitted Hadiths reported by Hamnah bint Jahsh, the Prophet’s cousin and sister-in-law, as well as Umm Salamah, the Prophet’s wife, Habeebah bint Sahl, Rafi’ ibn Khadeej, and she also transmitted Hadiths from her half-sister, Umm Hisham bint Harithah. Numerous are the scholars who transmitted Hadiths from her. Among these was Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr, her brother Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Rahman, her grandson Harithah ibn Abu Al-Rajjal, Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm, Amr ibn Dinar and the stalwart of Hadith scholarship at the time, Al-Zuhri. Her standing is such that all Hadith scholars who classified reporters and transmitters according to their reliability rate her very highly. Yahya ibn Maeen says: “Amrah is reliable and authoritative.” Ali ibn Al-Madini describes her in superlative terms: “Amrah is one of the most reliable scholars, and most knowledgeable with regard to Aishah’s reported Hadiths.” Umar ibn Abd Al-Aziz was keen that what she reported must be recorded. Therefore, he wrote to Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm: “Review whatever is available of the Prophet’s Hadith or recognized Sunnah, as well as Hadiths transmitted by Amrah and record all that. I fear that scholarship might die down when scholars have gone.” He further describes her scholarship, rating her very highly: “None is left who is more knowledgeable in Aishah’s reported Hadiths than Amrah.” All six major collections of Hadith include a number of what she transmitted. This is a great testimony by all six scholars who made these classifications. Amrah died in 98 H, corresponding to 717 CE. May God bless her and bestow His grace on her. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 17 February 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=22844[/url]

Re: Scholars of renown
Mohja
02/17/03 at 11:12:47
[slm] Great thread! Jazakum Allahu kheyran for starting it bro :)

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
02/25/03 at 06:06:58
[slm] [center]Abu Dawood As-Sijistani [i]By Adil Salahi[/i][/center] Sulaiman ibn Al-Sahaath Al-Azdi was one of the six great scholars of Hadith whose compilations are recognized as the most authentic, scholarly and accurate. Like all scholars of his age, he is identified by his place of birth, Sijistan, which was part of the eastern part of the Muslim state. He is more widely known as Abu Dawood, which is the appellation of respect in Arabic and Islamic tradition. Abu Dawood was born in the year 202 of the Islamic calendar. Having studied the Qur'an and Arabic literature, as was customary at the time, he began his study of Hadith at a very young age; and traveled to Baghdad even before he was 20. His travels took him to Khorassan, Rayy, Kufah, Baghdad, Damascus, Egypt, Basrah and Tartous, spending in these places more than 20 years of his 1ife. He studied under the supervision of some of the greatest scholars of Hadith at the time, most notably Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Maeen. Abu Dawood gained very wide reputation in his lifetime, and was highly respected among the scholars of all times. Famous scholars like At-Tirmidhi and An-Nassaie reported Hadiths which they have heard from him, as did his teacher; Ahmadibn Hanbal, who also commended his compilation of Hadiths. Rulers and governors held him in high esteem. In the year 257 Basrah was deserted due to the disturbance caused by the Zanj who rebelled against the Muslim state and caused the population of the city to flee. Later, when the rebellion was suppressed, the governor of Basrah, Abu Ahmad Al-Muwaffaq, went to Abu Dawood in his home in Baghdad. Abu Dawood received him well and inquired how he could be of help to him: The governor wanted three things from Abu Dawood. First, that he should consent to move to Basrah and reside there. That was a guarantee that Basrah would be well populated again. Scholars and students would come to Basrah from all over the Muslim world to learn from Abu Dawood. This indicated the governor's recognition of the importance of scholarship and how a famous scholar would serve as a great attraction to scholars from far away places to visit the city. Abu Dawood consented to this and resided in Basrah for some time. The other two requests of the governor were more personal. He asked Abu Dawood to teach the governor's children the Sunan, i.e. the compilation of Hadiths which he prepared. Abu Dawood readily consented to that. The third request, however, was that this should be in private lessons which might not be attended by ordinary people. Abu Dawood flatly refused that. He said that all people were alike when it came to learning. There could be no distinction between the children of the governor and the children of ordinary people. Recognizing Abu Dawood's firm stand, the governor had no option but to consent that his children should attend Abu Dawood's ordinary lessons in the mosque. Scholars are unanimous about Abu Dawood's great ability, scholarly reliability, trustworthiness, honesty and accuracy. He was not only a narrator of Hadith and a good compiler, but also well read in Islamic jurisprudence and a very good critic. It is interesting to read that Abu Dawood sometimes checked the written material, papers and ink to discover their age as part of critical work on Hadith. Abu Dawood was married and had a number of children. One of his teen-age sons used to go with him to study in the circles of Hadith scholars. Abu Dawood died on Friday, Shawwal 15, in the year 275 in Basrah. Abu Dawood wrote a number of works, the most important of which is his compilation which is known as "Sunan." "Sunan" works on Hadith are divided into chapters according to their relevant subjects in Islamic jurisprudence. Thus a chapter is devoted to purification, or taharah, another to prayer, a third to zakah, etc. Each chapter contains Hadiths attributed to the Prophet. Opinions of the Prophet's companions are usually not mentioned. The Sunan of Abu Dawood includes something like 4,800 Hadiths which he had selected from nearly half a million which he had learned. He was content to include one or two Hadiths in every chapter. He thought that to include more would make his book very long. He sacrificed length for the sake of easy usage. This book was very widely circulated in Abu Dawood's own lifetime. Ali ibn Hassan said that he listened to this book six times as Abu Dawood read it to his students who wrote it as it was read, in the fashion of scholastic practice at the time. It should be remembered that not all the Hadiths recorded by Abu Dawood in this book are absolutely authentic. Abu Dawood himself pointed out several Hadiths which he considered to be weak, but he nevertheless included them in his book. A number of other Hadiths are classified by other scholars as weak, while the compiler himself has not classified them as such. In the opinion of Abu Dawood, a weak Hadith is better than the personal opinion of a scholar. It is for this reason that he has recorded some of them instead of including the legal opinions of early scholars. Many commentaries have been written on Abu Dawood's compilation of Hadiths, and the best known of these commentaries is the one written by Shamsul Haq Azimabadi. An equally good commentary is that written by Khaleel Ahmad Ansari who lived in the last century. Another important work in Arabic has been published under the title "Tahdheeb Sunan Abu Dawood" edited by Ahmad Shakir and others in eight volumes. This book, which is published in Cairo, includes the books written by Al-Munthiri and Ibn Al-Qayyim who were leading scholars in the seventh and eighth centuries. More recently, a very valuable and scholarly work on Abu Dawood and his work has been published by Dr. Muhammad Lutfi As-Sabbagh of the King Saud University in Riyadh. Dr. As-Sabbagh is one of best contemporary scholars ofHadith. [i]"Islam in Perspective" - Arab News - 15 December 1997[/i]

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
03/03/03 at 00:54:46
[slm] [center]Aishah Bint Ali Ibn Muhammad [i]Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] Aishah bint Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdullah was born in Cairo in 761 H, corresponding to 1360 CE. She studied under many teachers of high repute. Her studies are documented in detail. Thus, we know, for example, that she studied five out of eight sessions of Al-Fawaid Al-Ghailaniyah under her maternal grandfather Abu Al-Hazm. She also studied the two first volumes of Al-Fawid by Ibn Bushran under Ibn Jumma’ah and Al-Muwaffaq. She was certified by several scholars, such as Ibn Qadi Al-Jabal and Al-Khallati as well as a few Syrian and Egyptian scholars. She apparently learnt calligraphy and became adept in it. As a scholar Aishah bint Ali was versatile. She was mainly well versed in Hadith, and her Hadiths are related by Al-Zain Radwan in a collection of Hadiths with chains of transmission limited to nine or 10 reporters only. Scholars have praised her for her sharp intelligence, and her understanding of Fiqh was noted with admiration. She seems to have an exceptionally good memory. She could memorize a poem or a text after reading it once only. She utilized this in her study of the Seerah, or life of the Prophet. Her knowledge of the Prophet’s history was exemplary. In fact, she could read from memory large chunks of the Prophet’s Seerah at ease. Moreover, she learnt by heart much poetry. All this made her a really good scholar. Aishah bint Ali was also noted for her piety. She was highly devout, attending to her worship most regularly. She died in 840 H, at the age of 79. May God grant her His mercy. [center]Shahdah Bint Ahmad Ibn Al-Faraj[/center] Shahdah bint Ahmad Al-Daynooriyah was known as Fakhr Al-Nisa’, or Women’s Pride. She was a scholar of high standing, a good writer who was well known for her piety and generosity. She was born in Baghdad, perhaps in the last third of the fifth century of the Islamic era. She read under some of the best scholars of her time, such as Nasr ibn Ahmad Al-Batrawani (d. 494 H) who was famous for his knowledge of the Qur’an and the Hadith, Talhah ibn Muhammad Al-Zaynabi, Ali ibn Al-Husain, Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Shashi and many others. Her studies are documented in great detail. Thus, we know for example that she read under Tarrad ibn Muhammad Al-Zaynabi four books by Ibn Abi Al-Dunya, a famous scholar of the second century, as well as the book known as Al-Amwal by Al-Qasim ibn Sallam and the Hadiths reported by Sufyan ibn Uyainah. The same sort of documentation of her studies under other teachers and scholars is provided. These details make a very long list, which is a testimony for the breadth of her studies. Similarly, we have a detailed record of what she taught her students, and we read among them some of the highly celebrated names. Thus, we learn that an imam of very high standing as Ibn Al-Jawzi has read under her Muhammad Al-Ajiri’s book concerning seeing God on the Day of Judgment. Likewise, Ali ibn Hibatullah read under her the first volume of the unfamiliar Hadiths by Malik ibn Anas, while Abdullah ibn Umar ibn Abu Bakr Al-Maqdisi learnt from her the fifth volume of a book called Al-Muntaqa min Hadith Al-Husain ibn Shadhan. Again the list is very long. Such detailed recording of education specifying not only the names of the teachers and the students, but also what exactly each student read under a particular teacher is a main feature of Islamic scholarship. It contributes to reliability and accuracy which are main qualities of our culture. Shahdah bint Ahmad died on Sunday 13 Muharram 574 H, corresponding to 1179 CE. May God bless her with His grace. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 3 March 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=23248[/url]

Re: Scholars of renown
paula
03/03/03 at 01:33:58
[slm] [size=2][font=Book Antiqua...][color=Navy]Jazak Allahu Khairan  ;-) Abu_Atheek It is with true sincerity that I appreciate your posts here in Madina(t)... not only on this wonderful thread but elseware... I can honestly say that I have found answers for some most important questions I have had personally in some of your articles.  You've lead me to answering some of my strongest prayers with your information...... "Thank-you" ......... Alhamdu lillah[/color][/font][/size] [wlm]
03/03/03 at 01:58:39
paula

Re: Scholars of renown
Abu_Atheek
03/09/03 at 22:16:37
[slm] [center]Zainab Bint Ismaeel [i]Adil Salahi, Arab News Staff[/i][/center] Zainab bint Ismaeel ibn Ibraheem ibn Al-Khabbaz was born in 659 H, corresponding to 1279 CE, i.e. three years after the fall of Baghdad, the capital of the Muslim state to the Tatars. The fall was the lowest ebb in Islamic history, because it signaled the end of central government in the Islamic world for a long time to come. Moreover, the Tatar invasion augmented the Crusaders advances and their ability to establish their own kingdoms, forts and strongholds in the Muslim world. It was a period of collaboration between two brute powers against Islam and Islamic civilization. Nevertheless, this was a period of great scholarly activity. A large number of great scholars and scientists emerged in this period, some of whom were instrumental in defending the land of Islam. Others contributed to the development of learning and scholarship. Women scholars were also putting in a very useful contribution. When the Tatars took over Baghdad, they destroyed all libraries in the capital. It is reported that the books they threw in the Tigris, one of the main rivers in the world, formed a bridge which they used to cross from one part of the city to the other riding their horses. Yet this did not stop the progress of Islamic scholarship. The Tatars’ march was halted by the Egyptian army in the famous battle of Ein Jaloot, when they suffered a very heavy defeat. The main figure that contributed most to this famous victory was a renowned scholar with the name of Izz Al-Din ibn Abd Al-Salam. Zainab bint Ismaeel was a scholar of the generation that followed the fall of Baghdad. This was a generation that tried hard to preserve and advance Islamic scholarship. Her learning is well documented with great detail. She is ranked among Hadith scholars of the period. She read the Hadith works by Saboor, Al-Ajiri, Ayyoob, Al-Baghawi and many others. Under Al-Karmani, she read Al-Mukhallidi’s sessions, and she attended the circle of Abdullah ibn Abu Umar Al-Maqdisi. Her education was broad indeed. We have also a long list of the books that were read under her by many students. This list shows her to be a scholar of high achievement, with students flocking to her circle for learning. It is such documentation showing the names of scholars and the books they read as well as the teachers whom they attended that establishes the unique feature of Islamic scholarship. This feature establishes the accuracy of what is reported, particularly by scholars of Hadith. No other civilization has ever maintained such authoritative and reliable documentation. [center]Zainab Bint Abd Al-Rahman[/center] Zainab bint Abd Al-Rahman ibn Al-Hassan Al-Jurjani was a Hadith scholar of high caliber. She was born in Naisapur in 524 H, corresponding to 1130 CE. As a young girl, she showed great promise and aptitude for learning. She was able to read under a number of distinguished scholars, who certified her to report what she learned from them. Such certification is equivalent today to the degrees awarded by universities and academic institutes. Among her teachers was Ismaeel ibn Abu Al-Qassim Al-Naisapuri who was a Qur’anic scholar. She was then certified by other figures in the Qur’an and Hadith scholarship, such as Abd Al-Ghafir ibn Ismaeel Al-Farisi and Abu Umar Mahmood Al-Zamakhshari. Similar documentation of her students and what she taught is also available. Thus, we know that Ali Al-Maqdisi reported what he learned from her of Hadith, while Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad Al-Bakri learned from her a volume of Hadiths. Other students listened to her as she taught the third volume of a book known as Al-Zuhd by Wakie’ Al-Jarrah, and also Al-Arbaeen, which she reports as having heard from Fatimah bint Al-Baghdadi while she was certified in this book by Al-Sa’idi. There are mere examples of what she read and taught. There is no doubt that she was a very fine scholar. She was well in her eighties when she died in Naisapur in 615 H. May God bestow His grace on her. [center]Safiyyah Bint Shaibah Ibn Uthman[/center] Women scholars in our tradition are by no means a new addition. Women have always tried to acquire knowledge and they were encouraged by their families and also by scholars. This is due to the fact that the Qur’anic address is always made to men and women alike. If there are to be men scholars, then women are encouraged in the same way to pursue scholarship. Thus, we see women scholars among the Prophet’s companions and the generation that followed them, i.e. the tabi’een, with their numbers ever on the increase. Safiyyah bint Shaibah belonged to this early tradition. She reported the Prophet’s Hadith from a number of his companions, one of these was a slave woman married by Safiyyah’s own father, and also from the mother of Uthman ibn Abu Sufyan, as well as a few of the Prophet’s wives such as Aishah, Umm Habeebah and Umm Salamah. She also reported from Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s sister-in-law, and others. Among her students we read the names of a number of her close relatives, such as her son Mansoor ibn Abd Al-Rahman Al-Hajbi, her nephew, the son of her uncle Musab ibn Shaibah, her grandson, Muhammad ibn Imran, as well as many others who were not related to her. Her reporting of Hadiths is related in some of the main Hadith collections, such as those of Abu Dawood, Al-Nassaie and Ibn Majah. Safiyyah bint Shaibah died around 90 H, corresponding to 709 CE. May God shower His mercy on her. Arab News [i]Islam[/i] 10 March 2003 [url]http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=23527[/url]
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board A R C H I V E S Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author. The rest © Jannah.Org