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Imam Ibn Taimiyah's full
name is Taqi ud-Din Ahmad bin 'Abdul-Halim. He was born in Harran on 22
January, 1263 AD (10 Rabi' Al-Awwal, 661 AH). His family had long been
renowned for its learning. His father 'Abdul-Halim, uncle Fakhr ud-Din and
grandfather Majd ud-Din were great scholars of Hanbalite school of
jurisprudence and the authors of many books. His family members were forced
to leave their native place in 1269 AD before the approach of the Mongols
and to take refuge in Damascus. At that time, Ibn Taimiyah was seven years
old. His father 'Abdul-Halim was appointed as Professor and Head of the
Sukkariyah Madrasah. Endowed with a penetrating intellect and a wonderful
memory, Ibn Taimiyah studied, at an early stage, all the disciplines of
jurisprudence, Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
commentaries of the Quran, mathematics and philosophy, and in each he was
far lead of his contemporaries. Among his teachers, was Shams ud-Din Al-
Maqdisi, first Hanbali Chief Justice of Syria following the reform of the
judiciary by Baibars. The number of Ibn Taimiyah's teachers exceeds two
hundred. Ibn Taimiyah was barely seventeen, when Qadi Al-Maqdisi authorized
him to issue Fatwa (legal verdict). Qadi remembered with pride that it was
he who had first permitted an intelligent and learned man like Ibn Taimiyah
to give Fatwa. At the same age, he started delivering lectures. When he was
thirty, he was offered the office of Chief Justice, but refused, as he
could not persuade himself to follow the limitations imposed by the
authorities.
Imam Ibn Taimiyah's
education was essentially that of a Hanbali theologian and jurisconsult.
But to his knowledge of early and classical Hanbalism, he added not only
that of the other schools of jurisprudence but also that of heresiographical
literature, in particular of philosophy and Sufism. He had an extensive
knowledge of Quran, Sunnah,
Greek philosophy, Islamic history, and religious books of others, as is
evident from the variety of the books he wrote. Though he preferred the Hanbali
school of jurisprudence, he was never biased in favor of it. In his
writings, he frequently quoted the opinions of all four of the well-known
schools of jurisprudence, even others. In a number of matters, he himself
held opinions different from those of the four schools. In fact, he was an
original thinker (Mujtahid ) who merely drew upon the wisdom of the four
established schools. In all his reformative efforts, Ibn Taimiyah accepted
the Our an and the Sunnah (traditions
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the basic criteria. In matters where
there was no clear guidance from the Quran and the Sunnah, he never hesitated to venture into rational
thought and took the path of Ijtihad or
creative originality an initiative.
The thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries AD have a distinguished place in Islamic history. Ibn
Al- Atheer described the political and military conditions prevailing in
the Muslim world during Ibn Taimiyah's lifetime in the following words:
"Islam and Muslims
had during that period been afflicted by such disasters that no other
nation had experienced. One such affliction was the invasion by the Tatar.
They came from the east and inflicted overwhelming damages. Another was the
onset of the Prankish people (the Crusaders) from the West to Mesopotamia
and Egypt, they occupied its ports, and nearly subjected all of Egypt to
their rule, had it not been from Allah's Mercy and victory over them. But
another affliction was that the Muslims themselves had been divided, and
their swords lifted up against their fellows.
"In addition to such
horrid conditions facing the Muslims on the political and military front,
Islam as practiced and preached by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and
As-Salaf
As-Salih (the righteous
predecessors) was being seriously challenged by various deviant sects. The Sufi movement which was spearheaded by the teachings
of Al-Ghazali had won over many converts and was exercising a firm hold on
the intellect and patterns of thought of many people. Along with this Al- Ash'ari system of creed had been widely accepted by the
majority of the scholars of Ibn Taimiyah's day. Al-Ash 'ari system of doctrine was a mixture of the Salafi methodology which is based on revelation
centered theology and the Mu'tazilah methodology which is based on a rationalist thought system. Taqleed was practiced widely. Even though information
on the Deen, Fiqh,
Ahadith , etc., was abundantly
available, only a handful of scholars and ordinary people took up the task
of investigating the sources of the knowledge and its vehicle. Most people
blindly accepted the teaching of their Sheikh or
Imam without questioning or investigating the
sources from where the knowledge had come."
Imam Ibn
Taimiyah's struggles and persecutions
Ibn Taimiyah's life was not
confined to the world of books and words. Whenever circumstances demanded,
he took part in political and public affairs too, distinguishing himself
not only through his writings and speeches but also with the sword as a
brave warrior.
Participation in Jihad
1300, the Mongols under
their king Ghazan, invaded Syria and defeated the Sultan's army. Ibn Taimiyah,
by this time well-known, flung himself into the stream of affairs, while
the religious divines and saints were leaving Damascus to take refuge in Egypt.
When Mongol threat arose for a second time, Ibn Taimiyah exhorted people to
Jihad and encouraged them to confront the Mongols boldly. He toured the
cities, called the people to a holy war and fired them with zeal. After a
pitched battle at Shaqhab in which Ibn Taimiyah fought bravely, the
Syrian-Egyptian army won a glorious victory that turned the tide against
the Mongols. This victory, which was to a great extent due to Ibn
Taimiyah's efforts and commitment, stopped the Mongols advance.
Apart from the battle of
Shaqhab, he took part in some other expeditions with the Mamluk
authorities, and also undertook a few expeditions without them.
Opposition of
rival Ulama
Because of his brilliant
performance on the battlefield and his radical thinking, Ibn Taimiyah's
fame spread throughout the realm, and he became a highly distinguished celebrity.
This made a number of jurists jealous. Ibn Kathir has pointed out this
fact, saying that: 'A group of jurisprudents were jealous of Ibn Taimiyah,
as the people paid heed to him. To enjoin good and forbid evil was his
vocation, and because of this he became very popular among the people. His
followers were countless. His religious zeal, learning and actions made
them jealous of him.' For the complaint of rival Ulama , he was imprisoned several times.
His last imprisonment
began on 13 July, 1326 and lasted until his death. His opponents dug up an
old Fatwa, related to tomb visits, given by him some seventeen years before,
which could be provocatively interpreted. In his treatise on the subject (Risalah Ziyarah Al-Qubur) Ibn Taimiyah had questioned the legality of
visiting tombs, even the tomb of the Prophet (peace be upon him). His opponents
distorted the sense and context of this Fatwa to make it objectionable in
the eyes of the public and the Sultan. A great dispute arose and Ibn
Taimiyah was imprisoned in the citadel of Damascus along with some of his pupils
including Ibn Al-Qaiyim. While in prison, Ibn Taimiyah spent all his time
teaching and writing. Many of his works were produced in this period. In
1328, he was deprived of all means of writing, his pen and papers were taken
away.
But this did not stop him
from writing; he wrote many letters and booklets with coal. He never complained
to anybody about his persecution. Only when all reading and writing
materials were taken away from him, did he say: 'Now they really have put
me into prison.' He breathed his last on 26 September, 1328 (20 Dhul-Qa'dah
728 AH) having endured harsh conditions for five months. The whole country
mourned. Schools, shops, hotels and markets were closed to mark his death.
His burial was attended by the great numbers of Damascans; eyewitnesses
confirm that, excepting some invalids, all turned out for his funeral
prayer, both those who had been for him and those against. This is a clear testimony
of his place among the people, of their appreciation of his sacrifices for
public purposes and just cause. Including the two years and three months of
his last imprisonment, Ibn Taimiyah spent about five years in different
prisons.
A great reformer
In the Islamic
perspective, 'reform' is understood quite differently than in Christian
terminology. In Islam, 'reform' means purification of the original Islamic
teachings, and the removal of UN-Islamic new practices (Bid'at) and misconceptions. In this sense of the word,
Ibn Taimiyah was a great reformer.
The main aspects
of his reforms
The most important
elements of Ibn Taimiyah's reforms were: (a) to bring about a revolution
against UN-lslamic practices (Bidht) that had crept into Islam and to
emphasize the concept of Tauhid with all its implications; (b) a return to
the fundamental priorities of Islam and its original spirit, instead of disputing
over secondary and nonfundamental problems.
Attack on
philosophy and logic
Another target of Ibn
Taimiyah's criticism was Greek philosophy and logic. He knew that unless
the crippling falsehood of Greek philosophy was removed, the people would
not be able to grasp the Divine truth of Islam. He studied critically all
the great Muslim philosophers and their works in this regard, and then he
opposed it extremely.
Rejection of
Sufism and deniers of Sifat
He abhorred the Sufi ideas
of pantheism, gnosticism, and deterministic view of total religious resignation.
According to him the implication of these ideas upon the Muslim community
were devastating, because they led to political apathy, religious misconceptions,
and withdrawal from an active community life. A major portion of his
intellectual energies was spent refuting the doctrine of the Sufis.
The Shi 'ah were also
subjected to harsh criticism by Ibn Taimiyah because of the many flaws in
their doctrines and beliefs. He strongly denounced their falsification of
the historical facts and forging of the Sunnah to support their own
political views. Ibn Taimiyah also attacked Al-Jahmiyah and Al-Jabariyah --
the determinists -- who denied the human being's responsibility for any of
his actions. He also denounced Al-Mu'tazilah and Al- Qadariyah -- the rationalists
-- who held human free will as the basis of human action. He also did doctrinal
battle with the followers of Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'ari on various issues
including determinism/free will, the Names and Attributes of Allah, and
other issues of the Islamic creed.
As a result of his
confrontation with the Sufis and the scholasticists, he made many enemies
among them. Many of their leaders who exercised political clout used it
against him, and as a result, he was once exiled in Alexandria and
imprisoned on three different occasions.
Ibn Tamiyah gave himself
relentlessly to pointing the way to the knowledge which, in his own words, means:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) shown the fundamentals and
applications of religion, its intent as well as its expression, its
(intellectual) knowledge and its action. This fact is the foundation of all
fundamental knowledge and belief; and he who most adheres to this
foundation is most worthy of the truth -- both, to know it and to do
it."
Method of teaching
Ibn Taimiyah's method of
teaching was both elegant and striking, replete with authentic references, strengthened
with rational arguments, and evidence from the Ahadith .For a lecture on
any subject, he would refer to verses of the Quran and discuss their
meanings with cross references from the Quran. He would also note evidence
from Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and check
their authenticity. He would then expound the relevant opinions of the four
schools of jurisprudence and of other famous experts in jurisprudence.
Having discussed the matter fully in this way, the problem and its solution
would become clear in the minds of his listeners. Ibn Taimiyah had a
prodigiously good memory which helped him overwhelm his adversaries in
polemic.
Style of writing
His style of writing is
clear and elegant. His writings are so richly steeped in references to the
Quran, to Ahadith, to the sayings of the Companions and their followers,
and to opinions of other experts in jurisprudence, that any Muslim reader
must feel that he is living in the blessed age. From the literal
point of view too, his
writings have great merit. Because of their clear expression and choice of
idiom, even his technical works seem to be literary ones.
His disciples
Imam Ibn Taimiyah's disciples
spread from Syria to Egypt and Cairo to Alexandria. Some of them scattered
to very far-off places. They preached and developed his intellectual
heritage, and shared their master's persecutions. One of the most famous of
them is Imam Ibn Qaiyim al-Jawziyah (Allah's mercy be upon him) (d. 1350),
a great writer in his own right. He so mingled his personality with that of
his teacher that we find in his books echoes of Ibn Taimiyah's thought.
Among other distinguished disciples were Ibn'Abdul-Hadi (d. 1343), who died
at the age of forty but left valuable works. He wrote a biography of his
master, Al-'Uqud Al-Durriyah; Ibn Kathir (d.1373), the famous historian and
commentator of the Quran, whose book Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah contains a
detailed biography of his teacher; Hafiz Dhahabi (d. 1348), the great
Islamic historian of traditions; Al-Mizzi(d.l341), another expert on
traditions; Muhammad bin Muflih (d.1362), writer of many books; Abu Hafs
Al-Bazzar (d. 1349), the author of a biography of Ibn Taimiyah; Ibn Al-Wardi
(d.1348), expert in literature, grammar and some of her branches of
learning; and Qadi Ibn Fadl-ullah (d. 1349), a famous writer.
Impact of Ibn
Taimiyah through the ages
Ibn Taimiyah created a
climate of revolutionary thinking both through his ideas and his reformist endeavors
whose impact was felt not only in his own time but ever since. In his
lifetime people were divided either into those who were strong opponents or
strong supporters fully in agreement with him, or uncommitted, those who agreed
with some views and disagreed with others. Ibn Taimiyah left behind a large
number of books and disciplines. His opponents soon sank into anonymity,
while the value of and appreciation for his works has increased.
In his own lifetime, Ibn
Taimiyah's fame and influence extended beyond the boundaries of Egypt and Syria.
When he was imprisoned for the last time in the citadel of Damascus, many
letters came from the inhabitants of Baghdad protesting against his arrest
and demanding his release. When he died, funeral prayers in absentia were
performed even as far as China.
Almost all historians have
recognized his deep impact on the most prominent reformer of eighteenth century,
Sheikh Muhammad bin 'Abdul-Wahhab (d. 1792).
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