Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – 1328), full name:
Taqī ad-Dīn Abu 'l-ʿAbbās Ahmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd as-Salām Ibn Taymiya al-Ḥarrānī , was a famous Muslim
scholarUlama could refer to:* Ulema, also spelled "Ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and the Sharia* Ulama, a variety of a Mesoamerican ballgame descended from an Aztec ritual....
born in
HarranHarran, also known as Carrhae, is a district of Şanlıurfa Province in the southeast of Turkey.A very ancient city which was a major Mesopotamian commercial, cultural, and religious center, Harran is a valuable archaeological site...
, located in what is now
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
, close to the
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
n border. He lived during the troubled times of the Mongol invasions. As a member of the school founded by Ibn Hanbal, he sought the return of
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
to its sources, the
Qur'anThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
and the
SunnahSunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the main prophet of Islam....
.
Biography
Ibn Taymiyya was born in 1263 at
HarranHarran, also known as Carrhae, is a district of Şanlıurfa Province in the southeast of Turkey.A very ancient city which was a major Mesopotamian commercial, cultural, and religious center, Harran is a valuable archaeological site...
into a well-known family of theologians. His grandfather, Abu al-Barkat Majd ad-deen ibn Taymiyyah al-Hanbali (d. 1255) was a reputable teacher of the
HanbaliHanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools (Madh'habs (rites) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi`i).Salafi creed aqeedah is based on this Madh'hab of Sunni Islam....
school of law. Likewise, the scholarly achievements of ibn Taymiyyah's father, Shihab al-deen 'Abd al-Haleem ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1284) were well known. Because of the Mongol invasion, ibn Taymiyyah's family moved to
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
in 1268 , which was then ruled by the Mamluks of
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. It was here that his father delivered sermons from the pulpit of the
Umayyad MosqueThe Ummayad Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Damascus , is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world...
, and ibn Taymiyyah followed in his footsteps by studying with the great scholars of his time, among them a woman scholar by the name Zaynab bint Makki from whom he learned
HadithHadith are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith are regarded by traditional schools of jurisprudence as important tools for determining the Muslim way of life, the sunnah. Hadith were originally oral traditions of Muhammad's actions and customs...
.
Ibn Taymiyyah was an industrious student and acquainted himself with the secular and religious sciences of his time. He devoted special attention to
Arabic literatureArabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers of the Arabic language. It does not usually include works written using the Arabic alphabet but not in the Arabic language such as Persian literature and Urdu literature...
and gained mastery over grammar and lexicography as well as studying mathematics and calligraphy.
As for the religions sciences, he studied jurisprudence from his father and became a representative of the
HanbaliHanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools (Madh'habs (rites) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi`i).Salafi creed aqeedah is based on this Madh'hab of Sunni Islam....
school of thought. Though he remained faithful throughout his life to that school, whose doctrines he had decisively mastered, he also acquired an extensive knowledge of the
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic disciplines of the
Qur'anThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
and the
HadithHadith are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith are regarded by traditional schools of jurisprudence as important tools for determining the Muslim way of life, the sunnah. Hadith were originally oral traditions of Muhammad's actions and customs...
. He also studied theology (
kalamKalām is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through dialectic. In Arabic the word means "words, discussion, discourse". A scholar of kalam is referred to as a mutakallim...
), philosophy, and
SufismSufism or ' , also spelled as tasavvuf and tasavvof, is generally understood to be the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ' , though some adherents of the tradition reserve this term only for those practitioners who have attained the goals...
, which he later rejected. He also refuted the Shia Raafidah as well as the Christians. His student Ibn ul-Qayyim al Jawziyyah authored the famous poem "O Christ-Worshipper" which unapologetically examined the dogma of the Trinty propounded by many Christian sects.
His troubles with government began when he went with a delegation of ulamaa to talk to
Ghazan KhanMahmud Ghazan or Qazaan the Khan of the Tartars , was the seventh ruler of the Mongol empire's Ilkhanate division in Iran from 1295 to 1304. Western chroniclers sometimes referred to him as Casanus or Cassanus. Ghazan converted Mongol Persia into Islam...
, the
KhanKhan is an originally Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, first used by medieval Altaic-speaking nomadic tribes living to the north of China and the center of Rumelia Kailar yoruks are mentioned as yorukkhans in Ottoman arvhives...
of the Mongol Ilkhans in Iran, to stop his attack on the Muslims. It is reported that not one of the ulamaa dared to say anything to the Khan except Ibn Taymiyyah who said: "You claim that you are Muslim and you have with you Mu'adhdhins, Muftis, Imams and Shaykhs but you invaded us and reached our country for what? While your father and your grandfather, Hulagu were non-believers, they did not attack and they kept their promise. But you promised and broke your promise."
His Struggle
Ibn Taymiyyah rejected the recourse to
kalamKalām is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through dialectic. In Arabic the word means "words, discussion, discourse". A scholar of kalam is referred to as a mutakallim...
towards understanding the Asma Wa Sifat (Divine Names and Attributes of God) as that was not the precedence established by the
salafThis is a list of notable Salaf, Muslims in the first three generations of proponents of the religion.-Second generation:* Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd-Allah* Abu Hanifa* Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani* Abu Suhail an-Nafi' ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman...
. He argued that the companions and the early generations didn't resort to philosophical explanations towards understanding the Divine Names and Attributes. He further argued that had salaf found any benefit in resorting to Kalam they would have done it and encouraged it. Therefore, Ibn Taymiyyah was accused by his opponents albeit speciously that he was anthropomorphic in his stance towards Names and Attributes of Allah.
In fact, in his book Kitabul Wasitiyyah, Ibn Taymiya refutes the stance of the Mushabbihah (those who liken the creation with Allah: anthropomorphism) and those who deny, negate, and resort to allegorical/metaphorical interpretations of the Divine Names and Attributes. He contends that the methodology of the salaf is to take the middle path between the extremes of anthropomorphism and negation/distortion. He further states that salaf affirmed all the Names & Attributes of Allah without
tashbih (establishing likeness), takyeef (speculating as to "how" they are manifested in the divine), ta'teel (negating/denying their apparent meaning, and without ta'weel (giving it secondary/symbolic meaning which is different from the apparent meaning).
Often cited is the famous incidence of Imam Malik in which he succinctly responded to a man who inquired: How did Allah rise over (istawa) over the Throne? He responded that rising over (istiwa) is known, "how" is not understood, having faith upon it is mandatory, and inquiring and questioning regarding such matters is a reprehensible innovation (bid'a). So Imam Malik affirms the apparent meaning without likening, establishing howness, and neither resorting to metaphorical explanations.
Ibn Taymiyyah also censured the scholars for blindly conforming to the precedence of early jurists without any resort to Qur'an & Sunnah. He contended that although juridical precedence has its place, blindly giving it authority without contextualization, sensitivity to societal changes, and evaluative mindset in light of Qur'an & Sunnah can lead to ignorance and stagnancy in Islamic Law. Ibn Taimiya likened the extremism of Taqleed (blind conformity to juridical precedence or school of thought) to the practice of Jews who took their rabbis as gods besides Allah.
Due to Ibn Taymiya's outspokenness, uncompromising deference to the salaf, and utter intolerance for any views other than his own, he was imprisoned several times for conflicting with the 'ijma of jurists and theologians of his day.
Apart from that, he led the resistance of the Mongol invasion of
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
in 1300. In the years that followed, Ibn Taymiyyah was engaged in intensive polemic activity against: (1) the Kasrawan Shi'a in
LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon
[Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
, (2) the
Rifa'iThe Rifa'i are a Sufi order most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey, the Balkans and South Asia. It was founded by Ahmed ar-Rifa'i.-History:...
Sufi order, and (3) the
ittihadiyah school, a school that grew out of the teaching of Ibn 'Arabi, whose views were widely denounced as heretical.
In 1306 Ibn Taymiyyah was imprisoned in the citadel of
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
for eighteen months on the charge of
anthropomorphismAnthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts. Examples include animals and plants depicted as creatures with human motivation able to reason and converse and forces of nature such as...
. He was incarcerated again in 1308 for several months.
Ibn Taymiyyah spent his last fifteen years in
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
where a circle of disciples formed around him from every social class. The most famous of these, Ibn Qayyim, was to share in Ibn Taymiyyah's renewed persecutions. From August 1320 to February 1321 Ibn Taymiyyah was imprisoned on orders from
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
in the citadel of
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
for supporting a doctrine that would curtail the ease with which a
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
man could traditionally divorce his wife.
Ibn Taymiyyah was also a staunch critic of veneration of tombs and treating them as place of worship and supplication. He stated that when a Muslim says "La ILAHA ILLA ALLAH" (also known as the
ShahadahThe Shahada, also spelled shahadah, is the Islamic creed. The Shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as his prophet. The declaration reads: laa ilāha illa Allāh, wa Muḥammad rasūl Allāh “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of...
), he/she testifies that he/she will worship Allah and Allah alone. Therefore, going through intermediaries, invoking them, and seeking their assistance is an act of shirk (associating partners in the worship of Allah). Ibn Taymiya argued that
salafThis is a list of notable Salaf, Muslims in the first three generations of proponents of the religion.-Second generation:* Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd-Allah* Abu Hanifa* Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani* Abu Suhail an-Nafi' ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman...
affirmed that belief in Tawheed entails believing in Allah's Lordship that He alone is the Rabb, and secondly one must worship Him and Him alone. Belief that Allah alone is worthy of worship is central to Islam and it is crucial reason why pagans of Muhammad's time rejected him even though they believed Allah as Rabb and affirmed His existence. However, they opposed Muhammad when it came to the second point, and that is to worship Allah alone, and repudiate completely worship, supplication, seeking assistance, and deification of any other object.
Ibn Taymiyyah further explains that worship (also known as ibada) has a broad scope in Islam for it requires complete uboodiyah(servitude) to Allah. Therefore, worship in Islam includes conventional acts of worship such as five times daily prayers and fasting
along with Dua (supplication), Istia'dha(seeking protection or refuge), Ist'ana (seeking help), and istigatha (seeking benefits). Therefore, making dua to something other than Allah, or seeking supernatural help and protection which is only befitting of a divine being from something other than Allah are acts of shirk and contradict Tawheed. Therefore, he strongly condemned those who excessively venerated graves and saints supplicating to them, invoking them in times of need, and seeking to draw closer to Allah through them. He condemned them for treating the saints who had passed away as intercessors, protectors, and benefactors for no one deserves to be Loved, Feared, Invoked in times of Need, sought refuge in, and supplicated to other than Allah. He concludes that seeking to draw closer to Allah by means of righteous intermediaries was the practice of pagans of Muhammad's time for they treated their idols as their intercessors with Allah.
Opponents and critics of Ibn Taymiyah claim that he rejected Intercession completely as proved in Qur'an and Sunnah. However, his proponents argue citing evidence from his writings that the type of intercession Ibn Taymiya rejected was the type not sanctioned by
Qur'anThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
or
SunnahSunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the main prophet of Islam....
and neither by the conduct of Salaf. In fact, Ibn Taymiya upheld that anyone who rejected the Intercession of Muhammad on the day of Judgment had indeed disbelieved. He also affirmed that Allah will allow the martyrs, scholars, memorizers of Qur'an, and angels to intercede on behalf of the believers on the Day of Judgement. However, what he condemned was asking them while they are no longer alive for their intercession since two conditions of Intercession are that (1) Allah chooses the intercessor, and (2) chooses the people on whose behalf intercession is possible. Therefore, Allah should be asked when intercession is sought.
Furthermore, Ibn Taymiyyah states that types of intercession that are legal are: (1) Intercession through the Names and Attributes of Allah, (2) intercession through one's good deed, and (3) intercession through requesting the righteous people who are alive for dua. He further explains that on the day of Judgement, Muhammad and everyone else will be alive and therefore, their intercession can be sought just like in this world, we ask each other to make dua for the other. Ibn Taymiyyah rejected the notion that saints and prophets should be invoked for intercession while they have departed from this world. He argues that Allah is the Most Merciful, and seeking intercession and intermediaries towards forgiveness implies that a saint or a prophet is more merciful and understanding than Allah.
Ibn Taymiyyah was known for his prodigious memory and encyclopedic knowledge. Al-Subkî said: "He memorized a lot and did not discipline himself with a shaykh." He taught, authored books, gave formal legal opinions, and generally distinguished himself for his quick wit and photographic memory. And about his encyclopedic knowledge, we learn from Kamaal ad-Deen Ibn az-Zamlakaanee, who debated with Ibn Taymiyyah on more than one occasion, that :
Jihad
Ibn Taymiyyah is known for his devotion to
jihadJihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād is a noun meaning "struggle." Jihad appears frequently in the Qur'an and common usage as the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of Allah "...
, or what he called
the best of the forms of voluntary service man can devote to God. The ulema agree in proclaiming it superior to pilgrimageThe Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca . It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, for men, and to the `umra, as well as to prayer and supererogatory fastsSawm is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means "to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse". The observance of sawm during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, but is not confined...
, as is shown in the BookThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
and in the Prophetic SunnahSunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the main prophet of Islam....
.
Mongol Invasion
What has been called Ibn Taymiyyah "most famous" fatwa was issued against the
MongolsThe name Mongol specifies one or several ethnic groups, now mainly located in Mongolia, China, and Russia.-Definition:...
(or Tartars), in the Mamluk's war. Ibn Taymiyyah declaring jihad upon the Mongols not only permissible, but
obligatoryFard also farida is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty. The word is also used in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu in the same meaning....
. He based this ruling on the grounds that the Mongols could not be true Muslims despite the fact that they had converted to Sunni Islam because they ruled using 'man-made laws' (their traditional
Yassa codeYassa was a secret written code of law created by Genghis Khan. It was the principal law under the Mongol Empire even though no copies were made available...
) rather than Islamic law or Shari'ah, and thus were living in a state of jahiliyya, or pre-Islamic pagan ignorance.
Madh'hab
Ibn Taymiyyah held that much of the
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic scholarship of his time had declined into modes that were inherently against the proper understanding of the
Qur'anThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
and the
SunnahSunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the main prophet of Islam....
. He strove to:
- revive the Islamic faith's
Islam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
understanding of true adherence to TawhidTawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It holds God is one and unique ....
,
- eradicate beliefs and customs that he held to be foreign to Islam
Islam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
, and
- to rejuvenate correct Islam
Islam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic thought and its related sciences.
Ibn Taymiyyah believed that the first three generations of
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
– uhammad](peace be upon him)], his
companionsIn Islam, the ' were the companions of the Islamic prophet . This form is plural; the singular is masculine , feminine . A list of the best-known companions can be found in the List of Sahaba.- Definitions of "Companion" :...
, and the followers of the companions from the earliest generations of
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
s – were the best role models for
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic life. Their practice, together with the
Qur'anThe Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
, constituted a seemingly infallible guide to life. Any deviation from their practice was viewed as bidah, or innovation, and to be forbidden.
Meaning of the Qur'an
When it came to the Divine Names and Attributes, Ibn Taimiyyah held that apparent meanings of the words are to be affirmed. He rejected resorting to allegorical interpretations, speculative theology (kalam), and other philosophical methodologies when it came to understanding Divine Essence and Being. Ibn Taimiyyah firmly believed that Divine Names and Attributes are to be understood as understood by the salaf: without likening them to the creation, without distorting their meaning, and without negating them.
Ibn Taimiyyah's opponent often charged Ibn Taimiyyah with anthropomorphism on the grounds that he affirmed the apparent meanings of the words such as "Hand" and "Face" of Allah. However, in his various books, Ibn Taimiyyah categorically rejects likening Allah to the creation, and considered it to be an act of
kufr (disbelief), and staunchly denounced the mushabbihas.
However, Ibn Taiymiyyah argued that just as one of the names of Allah is
As-Samee (The All-Hearing), and since you human beings are also capable of hearing does not mean there is similarity between the Creator and the created. Rather, Allah is All-Hearing "in a manner that befits His Majesty." Similarly, when Qur'an states that Allah has the attribute of a Face, than this attribute is specific only to Him without having any similarity to the creation even though creation has a face.
It should be noted that Ibn Taimiyyah was not a dhahiri (those who take the apparent/literal meaning in matters of jurisprudence thus rejecting analogical reasoning, purpose, and wisdom behind the rulings as a source of understanding and deducing Islamic Law). Ibn Taimiyyah referred to all four major school of thoughts but presented the opinion which he thought was the strongest given the evidence.
Sufism
He rejected the creed popular amongst many Sufis entirely (the
Ash`ari creedThe Ashʿari theology is a school of early Muslim speculative theology founded by the theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari...
) in many of his works, especially
al-Aqeedat al-Waasittiyah wherein he refuted the
Asha'iraThe Ashʿari theology is a school of early Muslim speculative theology founded by the theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari...
, the Jahmiyya and the
Mu'tazilaMuʿtazilah is a distinct Islamic school of speculative theology that flourished in the cities of Basra and Baghdad during the 8th–10th centuries CE. It is still adopted by a small, dispersed minority of Muslim intellectuals...
– the methodology of whom latter day Sufis have adopted.
Nevertheless, Ibn Taymiyah was praised by the Sufi Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Qawwam, who said: "Our Sufism became sound only at the hands of Ibn Taymiyah."
Shi'a
Ibn Taymiyyah believed Shia Islam to be a heresy and developed a formal refutation of Shi'ism that is popular with modern day Sunni opponents. He sanctioned violence against Shia, and has been said to "set the tone" for much later conflict between the two movements. He also rejected the Shi'ite dogma of the
ImamateThe word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.Theological usage:...
on the grounds that there is no mention of Imamate in the Quran or in the established
SunnahSunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the main prophet of Islam....
of the Prophet. He argued the Quran has no esoteric meaning since it should be read literally.
Non-Muslims
Ibn Taymiyyah strongly opposed borrowing from
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
or other non-Muslim religions. In his text
On the Necessity of the Straight Path (
kitab iqtida al-sirat al-mustaqim) he preached that the beginning of Muslim life was the point at which `a perfect dissimilarity with the non-Muslims has been achieved.` To this end he opposed the celebration of the
Prophet Muhammad's birthdayMawlid ' is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal, the...
or the construction of
mosqueA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, masjid, —...
s around the tombs of Sufi "saints" saying: `Many of them [the Muslims] do not even know of the Christian origins of these practices. Accursed be Christianity and its adherents!`
Shrines
Since he was a strong proponent of
TawhidTawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It holds God is one and unique ....
, ibn Taymiyyah opposed giving any undue religious honors to shrines (even that of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa), to approach or rival in any way the
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic sanctity of the two most holy
mosqueA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, masjid, —...
s within
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
,
MeccaMecca , sometimes spelled Makkah is the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion. The city is modern, cosmopolitan and whilst being closed to non-Muslims is nonetheless ethnically diverse.Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to Ishmael's descendants...
(Masjid al Haram) and
MedinaMedina is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province...
(Masjid al-Nabawi).
On governance and Islamic history
Ibn Taymiyya eulogized various Islamic rulers throughout history, notably,
Abu Mansur Sebuk TiginAbu Mansur Sabuktigin , also spelled as Sabuktagin, Sabuktakin, Sebüktegin and Sebük Tigin, a Turkish soldier who is generally regarded by historians as the founder of the Ghaznavid Empire and dynasty centered in modern day Afghanistan in the city of Ghazni. The empire extended throughout parts...
, the pious 10th century Ghaznavid ruler.
Sebük TiginAbu Mansur Sabuktigin , also spelled as Sabuktagin, Sabuktakin, Sebüktegin and Sebük Tigin, a Turkish soldier who is generally regarded by historians as the founder of the Ghaznavid Empire and dynasty centered in modern day Afghanistan in the city of Ghazni. The empire extended throughout parts...
had grown concerned over the increasing amount of innovation (commonly known as bidah) in the Islamic creed, and he consequently censured those who he believed were promulgating heretical doctrines or beliefs that contravened orthodox Sunni principles.
Ibn Taymiyyah duly eulogizes the Ghaznavid ruler, stating that he:
Quotes
- “What can my enemies possibly do to me? My paradise is in my heart; wherever I go it goes with me, inseparable from me. For me, prison is a place of (religious) retreat; execution is my opportunity for martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief, usually religious.-Meaning:...
dom; and exile from my town is but a chance to travel.”
- "The perfection of tawhid
Tawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It holds God is one and unique ....
is found when there remains nothing in the heart except [the remembrance of] AllahAllah is the standard Arabic word for God. While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God"...
, the servant is left loving those He loves and what He loves, hating those He hates and what He hates, showing allegiance to those He has allegiance to, showing enmity to those He shows enmity towards, ordering what He orders and prohibiting what He prohibits."
- "Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming the vast garden of tawhid
Tawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It holds God is one and unique ....
and reaping the fruits of righteous actions."
- "The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah
Allah is the standard Arabic word for God. While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God"...
, and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him."
Analogical Reasoning
Ibn Taymiyyah made significant contribution to the formalization of Analogical Reasoning. He believed reasoning of real world, universal propositions can only be derived by induction while admitting logical deductions when applied to purely mental constructions in mathematics. The
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
research scientist John Safa published his thesis describing Ibn Taymiyyah's influence on Analogical Reasoning in the International Conference on Conceptual Structures in
DresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
.
Works written by ibn Taymiyyah
Ibn Taymiyyah left a considerable body of work (350 works listed by his student Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya and 500 by other student
al-DhahabiMuhammad ibn Ahmad ibn `Uthman ibn Qaymaz ibn `Abd Allah, Shams al-Din Abu `Abd Allah al-Turkmani al-Diyarbakri al-Fariqi al-Dimashqi al-Dhahabi al-Shafi`i , known as Al-Dhahabi , a Shafi'i Muhaddith and historian of Islam.-Biography:...
) that has been republished extensively in
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
, Arabia, and
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. His work extended and justified his religious and political involvements and was characterized by its rich content, sobriety, and skillful polemical style. Extant books and essays written by ibn Taymiyyah include:
- A Great Compilation of Fatwa
The Great Compilation of Fatwa is a collection of religious tracts written by the 13th century Sunni Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah.-Description:...
—(Majmu al-Fatwa al-Kubra) This was collected centuries after his death, and contains several of the works mentioned below.
- Minhaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah
Minhaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah is a four volume work by Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiya.It is an extensive refutation of the Shia sect.-References:...
—(The Pathway of as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah)—Volumes 1–4
- Majmoo' al-Fatawa—(Compilation of Fatawa) Volumes 1–36
- al-Aqeedah Al-Hamawiyyah—(The Creed to the People of Hamawiyyah)
- al-Aqeedah Al-Waasittiyah
Al-Aqeedah al-Waasittiyah was one of Ibn Taymiyyah's more famous books written in response to a request from one judge from Wasith. He asked Ibn Taymiyyah to write his views about theology in Islam. This book contains several chapters. In the first chapter Ibn Taymiyyah defines one group that's...
—(The Creed to the People of Waasittiyah)
- al-Asma wa's-Sifaat—(Allah's Names and Attributes) Volumes 1–2
- al-Iman—(Faith)
- al-Jawab as Sahih li man Baddala Din al-Masih (Literally, "The Correct Response to those who have Corrupted the Deen
is an Arabic word usually translated as "religion" but also as "way of life", especially referring to Islam, known as "the deen", or "the true deen" . It is, however, not exclusive to Islam, as Arab Christians also use it to refer to their religion and religion in general...
(Religion) of the Messiah"; A Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
theologian's response to ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
)—seven volumes, over a thousand pages.
- as-Sarim al-Maslul ‘ala Shatim ar-Rasul—a response to a Christian's critics against Muhammad
Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
. The book is well-known because he wrote it entirely by memory, while in jail, and quoting more than hundreds of references.
- Fatawa al-Kubra
- Fatawa al-Misriyyah
- ar-Radd 'ala al-Mantiqiyyin (Refutation of Greek
The Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
Logicians)
- Naqd at-Ta'sis
- al-Uboodiyyah—(Subjection to Allah)
- Iqtida' as-Sirat al-Mustaqim—(Following The Straight Path)
- al-Siyasa al-shar'iyya
- at-Tawassul wal-Waseela
- Sharh Futuh al-Ghayb—(Commentary on Revelations of the Unseen by Abdul-Qadir Gilani)
Many of his books are now available in Arabic language online at: http://arabic.islamicweb.com/Books/taimiya.asp
Some of his other works have been translated to
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
. They include:
- The Friends of Allah and the Friends of Shaytan
- Kitab al Iman: The Book of Faith
- Diseases of the Hearts and their Cures
- The Relief from Distress
- Fundamentals of Enjoining Good & Forbidding Evil
- The Concise Legacy
- The Goodly Word
- The Madinan Way
- Ibn Taymiyya against the Greek logicians
Students and intellectual heirs
- Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was an Islamic scholar and renowned commentator on the Qur'an.-Biography:His full name is Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi. He was born in 1301 in Busra, Syria . He was taught by Ibn Taymiyya in Damascus, Syria and Abu al-Hajjaj...
(1301 – 1372)
- Ibn al-Qayyim
Ibn al-Qayyim was a famous Sunni Islamic jurist, commentator on the Qur'an, astronomer, chemist, philosopher, psychologist, scientist and theologian...
(1292 – 1350)
- al-Dhahabi
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn `Uthman ibn Qaymaz ibn `Abd Allah, Shams al-Din Abu `Abd Allah al-Turkmani al-Diyarbakri al-Fariqi al-Dimashqi al-Dhahabi al-Shafi`i , known as Al-Dhahabi , a Shafi'i Muhaddith and historian of Islam.-Biography:...
(1274 – 1348)
- Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab
Muhammad ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab ibn Sulaiman ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rashid Al-Tamimi was an Islamic scholar born in Najd, in present-day Saudi Arabia...
(1703 – 1792)
Historical views
Throughout history, many scholars and thinkers have praised ibn Taymiyyah and his works.
Ibn Taymiyya's views and manners created intense controversy both in his life and after his death.
- Imâm S.alâh. al-Dîn al-S.afadî said: "The Shaykh, Imâm, and erudite scholar Taqî al-Dîn Ah.mad ibn Taymiyya - Allâh have mercy on him! - was immensely learned but he had a defective intelligence (`aqluhu nâqis.) that embroiled him into perils and made him fall into hardships."
- Ibn Taymiyyah's student and renowned scholar in his own right, Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was an Islamic scholar and renowned commentator on the Qur'an.-Biography:His full name is Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi. He was born in 1301 in Busra, Syria . He was taught by Ibn Taymiyya in Damascus, Syria and Abu al-Hajjaj...
stated:
- Ibn Taymiyyah's other student, Al-Dhahabi
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn `Uthman ibn Qaymaz ibn `Abd Allah, Shams al-Din Abu `Abd Allah al-Turkmani al-Diyarbakri al-Fariqi al-Dimashqi al-Dhahabi al-Shafi`i , known as Al-Dhahabi , a Shafi'i Muhaddith and historian of Islam.-Biography:...
stated: Adh-Dhahabi however, after praising his teacher Ibn Taymiyya, also states: "He also had some strange opinions on account of which he was attacked."
- Al-Sakhâwî noted: "Certain people gave rise to disavowal and a general reluctance to make use of their knowledge despite their stature in knowledge, pious scrupulosity, and asceticism. The reason for this was the looseness of their tongues and their tactlessness in blunt speech and excessive criticism, such as Ibn H.azm and Ibn Taymiyya, who were subsequently tried and harmed."
- The widely-known Hanbali
Hanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools Hanbali is one of the four schools (Madh'habs (rites) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi`i).Salafi creed aqeedah is based on this Madh'hab of Sunni Islam....
scholar, Ibn RajabZain ad-Din Abu al-Faraj 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Abi al-Barakat Mas'ud as-Sulami al-Baghdadi al-Hanbali, also known as ibn Rajab, which was a nickname he inherited from his grandfather who was born the month of Rajab, was a Muslim...
stated :
- The famed Shafi scholar, Al-Mizzi stated:
- The famous muhaddith, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani stated:
More modern thinkers include an 18th century Arabian scholar named
Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-WahhabMuhammad ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab ibn Sulaiman ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rashid Al-Tamimi was an Islamic scholar born in Najd, in present-day Saudi Arabia...
, who studied the works of ibn Taymiyyah and aimed to revive his teachings.
Ibn Taymiyyah is also revered as an intellectual and spiritual exemplar by many contemporary Salafis.
Academic links
Ibn Taymiyyah links