Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Karram

al-Sijistani Al-Sijistani refers to people from the historic Sijistan region in present-day Sistan, the border region of eastern Iran and southwestern Afghanistan. Prominent people who have been called Al-Sijistani include: * Abu Da'ud Sulayman ibn Ash`ath al ...

( ar, أبو عبد الله محمد بن كَرَّام السجستاني) was an

ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

, hellfire preacher, hadith narrator, and a literalist

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

who founded the

Karramiyya Karramiyya ( ar-at, كرّاميّه , Karrāmiyyah) was originally a Hanafi-Murji'ah sect in Islam which flourished in the central and eastern parts of the Islamic worlds, and especially in the Iranian regions, from the 9th century until the Mon ...

sect. His views were considered

heretical Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...

, schismatic, and abominable by the majority of

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

scholars. He was accused of holding the doctrine of

anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...

, and that his chief theological doctrine was that God is a substance (jawhar) and that he had a body (jism); for which reason his followers were commonly called the "Mujassima" (corporealists) and "Mushabbiha" (anthropomorphists). Some sources reported that he was of

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

descent, and his lineage belongs to the Bani Nizar, or Bani Turab (the people or sons of Turab), and according to some, to the Arab tribe of the Banu Nadhir. It has been said that

Ibn Taymiyya Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم � ...

(d. 728/1328) took inspiration from him.

Name

His name was Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Karram ibn 'Arraf (or 'Iraq) ibn Khuraya (or Khizana or Hizaba) ibn al-Bara'

al-Nisapuri.

Biography

He was born in

Zarang Zaranj or Zarang (Persian/Pashto/ bal, زرنج) is a city in southwestern Afghanistan, near the border with Iran, which has a population of 160,902 people as of 2015. It is the capital of Nimruz Province and is linked by highways with Lashkargah ...

Sijistan Sistān ( fa, سیستان), known in ancient times as Sakastān ( fa, سَكاستان, "the land of the Saka"), is a historical and geographical region in present-day Eastern Iran ( Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and Southern Afghanistan (N ...

, in around 190/806. He traveled to

Khurasan Greater Khorāsān,Dabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 or Khorāsān ( pal, Xwarāsān; fa, خراسان ), is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plate ...

and studied with Ahmad b. Harb, Ibrahim b. Yusuf, 'Ali b. Hujr in

Marw Merv ( tk, Merw, ', مرو; fa, مرو, ''Marv''), also known as the Merve Oasis, formerly known as Alexandria ( grc-gre, Ἀλεξάνδρεια), Antiochia in Margiana ( grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐν τῇ Μαργιανῇ) and ...

, and 'Abd Allah b. Malik in

Herat Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safēd ...

. Then he moved to

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

and stayed there five years. Then he returned back to his home country Sijistan, and went to

Nisapur Nishapur or officially Romanized as Neyshabur ( fa, ;Or also "نیشاپور" which is closer to its original and historic meaning though it is less commonly used by modern native Persian speakers. In Persian poetry, the name of this city is wri ...

and the local governor Tahir b. 'Abd Allah (230–48/844–62) expelled him, because his teachings caused unrest and strife within society. Then he went to the

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...

and returned to

to preach to the masses. His preaching attracted large crowds. In his speeches, he was opposed and attacked both Sunni and

Shi'a Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...

theology. For this reason, the Tahirid governor Muhammad b. Tahir b. 'Abd Allah jailed him for eight years. After his release from the jail in 251/865, he traveled to

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

Ibn Kathir Abū al-Fiḍā’ ‘Imād ad-Dīn Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī al-Damishqī (Arabic: إسماعيل بن عمر بن كثير القرشي الدمشقي أبو الفداء عماد; – 1373), known as Ibn Kathīr (, was ...

in ''al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya'' (The Beginning and the End) and Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Maqdisi (c. 945–991) in ''Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim'' (The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions), both of them confirmed that Ibn Karram preached his controversial views while sitting near the "column of the cradle of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, where many people used to meet him." Due to his views about iman (belief), his books were burned and he was expelled from Jerusalem by the governor to

Ramla Ramla or Ramle ( he, רַמְלָה, ''Ramlā''; ar, الرملة, ''ar-Ramleh'') is a city in the Central District of Israel. Today, Ramle is one of Israel's mixed cities, with both a significant Jewish and Arab populations. The city was f ...

Books

There are several books attributed to Ibn Karram, such as ''Kitab al-Tawhid'' (Book of the Unification), and ''Kitab 'Azab al-Qabr'' (Book of the Torment of the Grave), but none of them remain today. However, his beliefs are mentioned in a number of

tabaqat Tabaqat (طبقات) is a genre of Islamic biographical literature that is organized according to the century in which the notable individuals (such as scholars, poets etc.) lived. Each century or generation is known as a ''Tabaqah'', the plural o ...

works (biographical dictionaries) and

heresiographical In theology or the Development of religion, history of religion, heresiology is the study of heresy, and heresiographies are writings about the topic. Heresiographical works were common in both medieval Christianity and Islam. Heresiology develope ...

works, including ''Maqalat al-Islamiyyin'' (The Ideas of the Muslims) by

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī (; full name: ''Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Isḥāq al-Ashʿarī''; c. 874–936 CE/260–324 AH), often reverently referred to as Imām al-Ashʿarī by Sunnī Muslims, was an Arab Muslim scholar ...

(d. 324/936), ''

Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq is a book by the Shafi'i scholar Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi (d. 1037 CE) outlining the doctrinal positions of various sects and schisms in Islam. Written as an explanation of the hadith regarding the division of the Muslim umma ...

'' (The Difference between the Sects) by 'Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi (d. 429/1037), ''al-Tabsir fi al-Din'' by Abu al-Muzaffar al-Isfarayini (d. 471/1078), Kitab ''

al-Milal wa al-Nihal ''Kitāb al–Milal wa al-Nihal'' (Arabic: كتاب الملل والنحل, ''The Book of Sects and Creeds''), written by the Islamic scholar Muhammad al-Shahrastani (d. 1153 CE), is a non-polemical study of religious communities and philosophies ...

'' (The Book of Religions and Creeds) by Abu al-Fath al-Shahristani (d. 548/1153), and ''I'tiqadat Firaq al-Muslimin wa al-Mushrikin'' by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1210).

Theological views

According to heresiographical works, Ibn Karram is considered one of the Murji'a who held that iman (faith or belief) to be only acknowledgment with the tongue, without the need for recognition by the heart, and confirmation by acts. He used to say: "Allah is a body unlike bodies" and "Allah is firmly seated on the throne and He is in person on the upper side of it." He and his adherents accepted the materialistic pictures of God found in the

Qur'an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...

and tried to understand them in human terms. The followers of Ibn Karram were unsure "whether Allah is as big as his throne, whether it is equal to his breadth." 'Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi gave an exhaustive description of their doctrines in

al-Farq bayn al-Firaq Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq is a book by the Shafi'i scholar Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi (d. 1037 CE) outlining the doctrinal positions of various sects and schisms in Islam. Written as an explanation of the hadith regarding the division of the Muslim umma ...

. In his book, which is entitled 'Azab al-Qabr (The Punishment of the Grave), he described God as He is high above, localized on the Throne, and that God touches His Throne and that the Throne is a place for Him, and that He is sitting on it. He wrote also that God is a Unit of essence and a Unit of substance, had a body with flesh, blood, and limbs, and had direction and so could move from one point to another. He affirmed the beatific vision (seeing God in the hereafter) without securing the doctrine against its potential spatial implications.

Scholarly views on him

Although he claimed to be a follower of

Abu Hanifa Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān ( ar, نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان; –767), commonly known by his '' kunya'' Abū Ḥanīfa ( ar, أبو حنيفة), or reverently as Imam Abū Ḥanīfa by Sunni Mus ...

, his theological views were criticized by the

Hanafis The Hanafi school ( ar, حَنَفِية, translit=Ḥanafiyah; also called Hanafite in English), Hanafism, or the Hanafi fiqh, is the oldest and one of the four traditional major Sunni schools (maddhab) of Islamic Law (Fiqh). It is named afte ...

, such as Abu Bakr al-Samarqandi (d. 268/881–2),

al-Hakim al-Samarqandi Al-Hakim Abu al-Qasim Ishaq al-Samarqandi ( ar, الحكيم أبو القاسم إسحاق السمرقندي), was a Sunni-Hanafi scholar, qadi (judge), and sage from Transoxania who studied Sufism in Balkh with Abu Bakr al-Warraq. Some source ...

(d. 342/953),

Abu al-Yusr al-Bazdawi Abu al-Yusr al-Bazdawi ( ar, أبو الْيُسر الْبَزْدَوي) (c.1030-c.1100), who was given the honorific title of ''Sadr al-Islam'', was a prominent Central Asian Hanafi-Maturidi scholar and a qadi (judge) in Samarqand in the late e ...

(d. 482/1089),

Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi ( uz, Абул-Муин ан-Насафи; ar, أبو المعين النسفي), was considered to be the most important Central Asian Hanafi theologian in the Maturidite school of Sunni Islam after Imam Abu Mansur al-M ...

(d. 508/1114), and al-Saffar al-Bukhari (d. 534/1139). He was accused of being a fabricator of

Hadith Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval ...

by several scholars, including

Ibn Hibban Muḥammad ibn Hibbān al-Bustī () (c. 270–354/884–965) was a Muslim Arab scholar, Muhaddith, historian and author of well-known works, “Sheikh of Greater Khorasan, Khorasan”. Biography Ibn Hibban was born in 270 AH (884 CE) in Bust or ...

(d. 354/ 965),

al-Dhahabi Shams ad-Dīn adh-Dhahabī (), also known as Shams ad-Dīn Abū ʿAbdillāh Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn ʿUthmān ibn Qāymāẓ ibn ʿAbdillāh at-Turkumānī al-Fāriqī ad-Dimashqī (5 October 1274 – 3 February 1348) was an Islamic historia ...

(d. 748/1348),

(d. 774/1373), and

Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī or ''Ibn Ḥajar'' ( ar, ابن حجر العسقلاني, full name: ''Shihābud-Dīn Abul-Faḍl Aḥmad ibn Nūrud-Dīn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī al-Kināni'') (18 February 1372 – 2 Febru ...

(d. 852/1449), all of them confirmed that the reporting of Ibn Karram is unreliable, because he is a fabricator. Salah al-Din al-Safadi (d. 764/1363) in his work, entitled: ''Al-Wafi bi al-Wafayat'' ( ar, الوافي بالوفيات, lit=The Complement to the Deaths), described him as a deviant and misguided anthropomorphist, and he said that Ibn Karram was praised by Ibn Khuzayma (d. 311/923) and met him more than once.

(d. 728/1328) in his book ''Sharh al-'Aqida al-Asfahaniyya'' ( ar, شرح العقيدة الأصفهانية) considered him to be a

, as he stated in his own words:

Death

He died in Bayt al-Maqdis (

) in

Safar Ṣafar ( ar, صَفَر) also spelt as Safer in Turkish, is the second month of the lunar Islamic calendar. The Arabic word ''ṣafar'' means "travel, migration", corresponding to the pre-Islamic Arabian time period when muslims flee the oppr ...

in the year 255 AH/869 CE, and was buried at Bab Ariha (Gate of

Jericho Jericho ( ; ar, أريحا ; he, יְרִיחוֹ ) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It is the administrative seat of the Jericho Gove ...

Notes

References

External links

MUHAMMED b. KERRÂM
—

İslâm Ansiklopedisi The ''İslâm Ansiklopedisi'' (İA) () is a Turkish academic encyclopedia for Islamic studies published by ' ( eng, Turkish Religious Foundation). Its most recent 44-volume edition, called ''Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi'' ( ...

{{Authority control Anthropomorphism in Islam Hellfire preachers Islamic philosophers 9th-century Muslim theologians Muslim ascetics Sufi mystics People from Sistan 806 births 868 deaths 869 deaths 9th-century Arabs 9th-century people from the Abbasid Caliphate Scholars from the Abbasid Caliphate Mystics from Iran