Ibn Taymiyya

Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328) is one of the most influential Muslim Theologian 

Full Name:

  • Laqab ( Nick Name): Shayakh al-Islam
  • Kunya (Prefix): Abū al-ʿAbbās.
  • First Name: Taqī al-Dīn Ahmad b. Abd al-Ḥalīm b. Muḥammad b. Abd al-Salām (Majd al-Dīn).
  • Family Name: Ibn Taymiyya.
  • Widely known as: Sheyakh al-Islam.
  • City Named after: al-Ḥarānī (from Kurdish Ḥarrān in Northern Iraq-Western Syria).

Biography:

Original Source Biography:

  • Ibn Taymiyya: Obituary from Ibn Khathir’s history book: al-Bidāyya wal-nihāyya. (link -in searchable Arabic text)- and in pdf facsimile of the print edition (link)

Additional Source Biography:

  • Ibn-Taymiyya: Biography From Routledge 
  • Ibn Taymiyya: had interesting opinions on philosophy and al-Ghazali too. (English-html)
  • Ibn Taymiyya: by Abul Hasan al-Nadawi. Beirut: Dar al-Qalam, 2002; in pdf facsimile of the print edition (link)

Standard web Biographies:

  • A better than average web biography. by J. Pavlin. (link in English)
  • A brief biography – Including a list of his works (link -in English)
  • Who was Ibn Taymiyya ? by Aisha bint Muhammad (link -in English)
  • His role in the war against the Mongols. (link -in English)
  • A brief biography -includes hyperlinks. (link -in English)
  • Yet another Bio. (link -in English)

His Works:Ibn Taymiyya was a very prolific writer even when he was in prison he maintained the pace of his prodigious output. His works can be divided up into two major categories. One Fatāway (rulings) and the other is books. There are many printed books that gathered up from his Fatāwa which can create difficulty for scholars studying his works. 

Works about his thought:

New Publications:

Shameless Plug: Prof. Yahya Michot who has kindly send us many of translations of Ibn Taymiyya’s fatway has just published 2 new volumes of translations. I urge you to buy them without hesitation right now just because they are in French and include excellent introductory essays. The essays cover the effect of the thought of Ibn Taymiyya on the current Islamic Movements through the writings of its major proponents. I do not want to mention any names!

  • Ibn Taymiyya. Fetwa de Mardin (See pdf for Table des matières) Un ouvrage de XII & 176p. (13X19) ISBN: 2841612554 (12€) La Librairie de l’Orient (El-Bouraq éditions) Site web: www.orient-lib.com
  • Ibn Taymiyya. Un Dieu Hésitant? See pdf for Table des matières) Un ouvrage de VI & 37p. (14X21) ISBN: 2841612554 (4€) La Librairie de l’Orient (El-Bouraq éditions) Site web: www.orient-lib.com.
  • Ibn Taymiyya. Le haschich et l’extase. Textes traduits de l’arabe, présentés et annotés, « Fetwas d’Ibn Taymiyya, 3 », Paris, Albouraq, 2001, VIII & 200 p. – ISBN 2-84161-174-4.
  • Ibn Taymiyya. Mécréance, tolérance et pardon. Textes traduits de l’arabe, présentés et annotés, « Écrits spirituels d’Ibn Taymiyya, 2 », Paris, Albouraq. À paraître en 1026/2005.
  • Ibn Sînâ. Lettre au vizir Abû Sa‘d. Editio princeps d’après le manuscrit de Bursa, traduction de l’arabe, introduction, notes et lexique, « Sagesses Musulmanes, 4 », Paris, Albouraq, 1421/2000, XII, 130*, 61, 4 et 186 p. ISBN 2-84161-150-7. Prof. Michot is an Ibn Sina scholar too!

Related Philosophers & Muslim Scholars:

  • al-Ghazali. enough said. (Web site)
  • Ibn Sina and al-Farabi, the Muslim philosophers that al-Ghazali refuted.
  • Ibn Rushd, one of the Muslim philosophers that tried to refute some of al-Ghazali’s arguments.
  • Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi. Need I say more. (link) see this as well.
  • Ahmad bin Hanbal. (link -in English)
  • Imam al-Jawazi. A Hanabali and a famous Orator in his own right.
    • Standard web Bio in English. (link)
    • Sayad al-Khahatir  (Capturing what comes to mind) in Arabic. (link) His best and last work.
    • Sifat al-Safawh  (Description of the Elite) in Arabic. (link) Biographies of Eminent people.
  • Imam ibn Qiyam al-Jawaziyah a famous student of Ibn Taymiayah. (Arabic Link – Biography)
    • Standard Bio in English. (link)
    • Another Standard bio in English (link)
    • Madarij al-Salikeen  (Stations of Seekers) in Arabic. (link) Sufi work
    • Tarik al-Hijrateen  (Path of dual Migrations) in Arabic. (link) yet another Sufi work
    • Ighathat al-Lafhan min Masayid al-Shiytan  (Rescuing the Bedazzled from Satan’s Traps) in Arabic. (link) A very unique work on Human psychology!
    • Rawadat al-Muhibeen  (Lover’s Garden) in Arabic. (link) yes! a book on Love!
    • Miftah Dar al-Saadah   (Keys to the abode of Bliss) in Arabic. (link) How to get to paradise.
    • Hadi al-Arwah  (Uniter of Souls) in Arabic. (link) How to get to Paradise
    • Idat al-Sabreen  (Tools for Patience) in Arabic. (link) How to be Patient in times of trouble.
    • al-Fawaid  (What is Beneficial) in Arabic. (link) Unique commentary on Hadith.
    • ahkam ahl-al-thimah  (Laws of Dhimis) in Arabic. (link)
    • Furisyah  (Foresight) in Arabic. (link) insights into foresight -It beats Sherlock Holmes!
    • Taruq al-Hikmyah  (Guidelines for Judges) in Arabic. (link)

Further Research on the net:

Research note: Ibn Tayimyah is credited with the start of Salafi revival what is called neo-Hanbalism. Actually this salafi revival was started by two diametrically opposed lines of Islamic thought at the turn of the last century by Ibn Abdel Wahab (hence whabhism) and Muhammad Abdo / Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani. There is a tremendous renewed interest in him in the Muslim world today. (At least countries that surround the Gulf).

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