All praises to Allah, the one who have been sending great people to foster the religion of truth, and may His blessing be upon the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who explain the messages of Allah to us. That said, the life and times of Ibn Taymiyyah is such an impressive one that will remind you of the boldness of the prophet and the Sahabah.
They are fearless in judgement and submissive to the rule of Allah.
However, you are going to know about the scholar of Islam who is commonly referred to as Shaykh Al Islam – Ibn Taymiyyah. He is one of those people in the history of Islam, who you have to study his life and how he lives because it will benefit you as a student of knowledge (and a Muslim)
Likewise, you may go through his ideas if you truly study Islam. In contrast like most of any figure of importance to knowledge, people either love or hate Ibn Taymiyyah. This is the Sunnah of every scholar who has reached this degree and as well as every prophet of Allah (SWT).
In short, it is worth noting that you cannot understand Islam, even if you disagree with some of his ideas. Because Ibn Taymiyyah ideas are the same as that of the prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and the prophet companions. So your understanding of Islam is hanging somewhere in between if you don’t know the ideas of Ibn Taymiyya.
Put straight, this post is to explain the life and times of Ibn Taymiyyah not to explain his ideas on Islamic knowledge. That way, you will get to know his heroism living the life and times of Ibn Taymiyyah, the tale of the fearless scholars.
Ibn Taymiyyah Was Born During The Mongol Invasion
Ibn Taymiyyah was born in the worst time of this Ummah, it was during the Mongol Invasion. The Invasion is when none other than Genghis Khan or Ghangez Khan brutally attacked and invaded the Muslim Nation.
For you to be clear, Genghis or Ghangez is not a Muslim, he just happened to have the surname ‘Khan’
Worst as it sounds, Genghis Khan out of nowhere invaded the Muslim lands when the Muslims Politically were at the pinnacle of success.
The invader’s warriors include Genghis Khan, his children, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren for over a hundred years. Together brought the Muslim Ummah to ruins.
In 13th Century C.E
Something around 13th Century C.E. Ghulatu Khan made his way to Baghdad – the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Where he destroyed the entire city and brought an end to the Abbasid Caliphate. He burnt the library and destroy the Muslim books of knowledge. While over a million people were massacred in Baghdad.
That Ghulatu Khan did not use Nuclear Weapons but beheading people by making them stand in a queue for several days before beheading them. Sadly, these Muslims didn’t move from the queue, they were afraid that the Mongols warriors will crucify them.
It was a great political Fitna from the outside. At least until before the 20th century.
That been said, at this time Ibn Taymiyyah was born. It was in this unstable period that Ibn Taymiyyah studies Islam. Oh let just say he studied the whole knowledge. He studied like never before and never after.
Other posts:
- The Story of the Destruction of Fir‘awn and His Armies – Part 1
- How Muslims Can Get Rid of Bad Attitude
- Eid Ul Ad’ha: What Are The Rules For Slaughtering Animals For Sacrifice?
Ibn Taymiyya Is A Teacher For Ibn Al Qayyim and some others
If you are asked to give a name or giving me one name of a scholar from medieval Islam, you will probably say Ibn Katheer (May Allah Have mercy on Him, because his name is common. Maybe you will say Adh Hanifa, Shafi’ but these two scholars are early scholars.
Ibn Khatheer authored, Tafseer Ibn Khatheer or Stories of the prophet, Qusso Al Anbiya.
Likewise, let say you are asked another name you will somehow say Ibn Al Qayyim
Hmm! You should have heard of Ibn Al Qayyim?
I’m saying this for a reason. And that because Ibn Katheer, Ibn al Qayyim and Imam Adh Dhahabi all of them, were the student of Ibn Taymiyyah.
I’m somehow sure you have heard of Ibn Katheer, Ibn Qayyim, Adh Dhahab.
So, Ibn Katheer is a Mufassir. He did write the most famous work on the Tafseer of the Quran. A Historian, He wrote the Largest encyclopedia of History Al Bidaya Wan Nihaya – The beginning and the end.
If you also look at Ibn Al Qayyim, He is a great Historian, and among the Faqih, he is one of the Greatest the Ummah has produced. Same as Adh Dhahabi, not just a historian and a fiqih but a great Muhaddith.
Just what did Ibn Taymiyya teach them?
All of Inn Taymiyyah’s students are Masters at Several different fields of knowledge, and Ibn Taymiyyah himself was at the peak of knowledge in so many fields of Islam.
He was a true polymath.
This is the end of series 1 of the life and times of ibn Taymiyyah, the series 2 will be available soon.
