| Full Name |
Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Taymiyyah al-Ḥarrānī |
| Kunya |
Abū al-ʿAbbās |
| Birth |
1263 CE / 661 AH — Ḥarrān, Upper Mesopotamia (now Turkey) |
| Death |
1328 CE / 728 AH — Damascus, Syria |
| Title |
Shaykh al-Islām, Theologian, Jurist, Reformer |
| Position |
Hanbali jurist, Theologian, Hadith scholar |
| Notable Works |
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, Darʾ Taʿāruḍ al-ʿAql wa’l-Naql, Al-ʿAqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah |
| Regions of Influence |
Syria, Egypt, Arabian Peninsula, later global Islamic scholarship |
Life, Legacy, and His Scholarship
Early Life and Education
Born in 661 AH (1263 CE) in Ḥarrān, his family fled to Damascus due to Mongol invasions. His father was a Hanbali scholar and gave him his early education. Memorized the Qur’an young and mastered Arabic, tafsīr, fiqh, and hadith sciences early.
Education and Teachers
Studied under prominent scholars such as:
-
Shams al-Dīn al-Maqdisī
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ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Ibn ʿAbd al-Dāʾim
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Shams al-Dīn Ibn Abī ʿUmar
Also benefited from the libraries of Damascus, which he used extensively.
Expertise and Works
A master of Hanbali jurisprudence, creed, and comparative fiqh. His writings defend the Qur’an and Sunnah against philosophical distortions and sectarian innovations.
Key works:
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Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā — 37-volume collection of his legal and theological opinions
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Darʾ Taʿāruḍ al-ʿAql wa’l-Naql — reconciliation of reason and revelation
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Al-ʿAqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah — concise Sunni creed
Famous For
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Refuting heresies and philosophical deviations
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Advocating for direct adherence to Qur’an and Sunnah without blind following (taqlīd)
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Political courage in resisting Mongols and Mamluk misgovernance
Character and Political Stance
Fearless in speaking truth to power. Endured multiple imprisonments for his religious positions. Lived ascetically, devoted to study, writing, and teaching.
Famous Quote
“What can my enemies do to me? My Paradise is in my heart; wherever I go, it goes with me. My imprisonment is seclusion with my Lord, my execution is martyrdom, and my expulsion is a journey.” (Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā)
Legacy
His reformist stance influenced later revivalist movements. His works remain studied by Hanbalis and beyond. Seen as both a theologian and a mujaddid (renewer) of the 8th century AH.
Interesting Facts
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Memorized vast amounts of hadith with their chains of transmission
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Defended Damascus against Mongol threats with both pen and personal participation in battle
-
Continued writing prolifically while imprisoned
References
- Ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī, Al-ʿUqūd al-Durriyyah
- Al-Dhahabī, Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ
- Ibn Kathīr, Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah
