Ibn 'Asakir

Ibn Asakir ( ar-at, ابن عساكر, Ibn ‘Asākir; 1105–c. 1176) was a Syrian Sunni Islamic scholar,Ibn Asakir
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Name and Titles

His full name was ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Hibat Allāh ibn `Abd Allāh, Thiqat al-Dīn, Abū al-Qasim, known as Ibn `Asakir al-Dimashqi al-Shafi`i al-Ash`ari (الحافظ المورخ علی بن الحسن بن ھبۃ اللہ بن عبداللہ بن الحسین الدمشقی الشافعی).

Ibn Asakir is often given the honorary epithets such as Al-Imam, al-'Allamah, al-Hafidh al-Kabeer, Fakhruddin, al-Mujawwid, Muhaddith ash-Sham.

Life

Born in Damascus, during the reign of ''atabeg'' Toghtekin, he started his religious education at the age of six years old, attending with his father and older brother to the learning centres of several renowned Damascene scholars. Ibn Asakir received an extensive education, as befitting someone from a wealthy family. Between 520/1126 and 535/1141, Ibn Asakir embarked on his two major education journeys that took him to the most important educational centers in the Islamic world, from Egypt to Hejaz ( Mecca and Medina) to Iran and Central Asia (Khurasan and Transoxiana); he wrote a three volume book, Mu al-shuyukh, in which he mentioned some fourteen hundred teachers whom he met and studied with, including studying under 80 female Muslim scholars. The massive knowledge that he had gained, especially in hadith, law, and scriptural exegesis, earned him the title of Ḥāfiẓ (great memorizer), and he became the most learned and renowned scholar of his era.

Relationship with the rulers

Shortly after Ibn Asakir returned from his extensive travels to settle in his hometown of Damascus, Nur al Din conquered the city in (529/1154). Nur al-Din's political and religious plans had two ideas first, to unite both Syria and Egypt under the banner of Sunni Islam and to eradicate the Fatamid Shi'i dynasty; second on organizing an effective military campaign against the crusaders. Nur al-Din found Ibn Asakir as the perfect scholar who could help him achieve his plans: an ardent defender of Sunni Islam, in particular the Ash'ari school. Under the patronage of Nur ad-Din Zangi, Ibn Asakir wrote the ''Tarikh Dimashq''. In 1170, Nur al-Din built the Madrasa ''Dar al-Hadith'' (School of Hadith) for Ibn Asakir.

Teaching

As he was world famous, he also lectured in many famous learning centers.

* Adh-Dhuhriyyu
* Al-Jaami' fi-l-Haththi 'alaa Hifzwi-l-'Ilm
* Dhammu-l-Malaahee
* Maddhu-t-Tawaadwu'i Wadhammu-l-Kibbr
* Majjlisaan minn Majaalis fee Masjidi-Dimashqq
* Majjmoo'a Feehi Khawmsi
* Sa'ati Rawhmatullaah
* Nafee Tashbiyah
* Swiffati-Allaah Ta'alaa

Creed

In his book called Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari, a defence of Imam Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari and his school.

He concluded the book with the following lines of poetry:

:I have chosen a doctrine that in no way resembles innovation But which successors faithfully took from predecessors. Those who are impartial declare my doctrine sound While those who criticize it have abandoned impartiality.

Death

Ibn Asakir, the Imam of the Muhaddithin and one of the major Islamic historian died in 24 January 571/1176 at the age of 71 and was buried at the Bab al-Saghir cemetery, next to his father and near to the grave of the Caliph Mu`awiya.

Legacy

His was a tumultuous time: centuries of Shia reign had not long ended in central Syria, rival warlords sought dominate the capital Damascus, and Crusaders had conquered Jerusalem. Seeking the unification of Syria and Egypt, and the revival of Sunni Islam in both regions, Ibn ‘Asakir served successive Muslim rulers, including Nur al-Din and Saladin, and produced propaganda against both the Christian invaders and the Shia's. This, together with his influential writings and his advocacy of major texts, helped to lay the foundations for the eventual Sunni domination of the Levant – a domination which continues to this day.

During Ibn Asakir's first intense journey for education to the east. It is said that he was the first scholar in Damascus to bring many copies of books that have never reached Damascus before in history. Due to so much knowledge and information he gathered, he manage to share them new pieces of valuable information in Umayyad Mosque which was only for the elite scholars and began teaching there. His contribution would later spread all over the west impacting further Islamic knowledge in the west.

Reception

He was praised by renowned muhaddithuns.

Ibn Sasra narrated: "I used to rehearse with him the names of the masters he had met. One day I said to him: 'I believe that our master never saw anyone like himself?' He replied: 'Do not say that. Allah said: (53:32).' I replied: 'He also said: (93:11).' He replied: 'In that case yes, if someone were to say that my eyes never saw my like, he would be correct.'" Al-Khatib Abu al-Fadl ibn Abi Nasr al-Tusi said: "We do not know anyone who truly deserves the title of hadith master in our time other than him." Al-Dhahabi said: "I do not believe that Ibn `Asakir ever met anyone of his level in his entire life." Ibn al-Subki added: "Nor anyone near his level."

Ibn Najjar says: “He was the Imam (leader) of all the Muhadditheen of his time.

Al-Nawawi describes him as:

:“The Hafiz (great hadith scholar) of Syria, nay! the Hafiz of the entire world!!!”

Works

#''History of Damascus'' (Arabic: ''Tarikh Dimashq'') is one of the most important books about the Islamic history of Syria, covering the life of important figures who resided in or visited Damascus. That is not limited to the assessment of narrators of hadith, Ilm ar-Rijal, but also includes historical and political figures. When it comes to Islamic figures, Ibn Asakir tried to collect everything that has been said about that figure, true or false, with full chain of narration. It also contains a huge collection of Arabic poems. It was printed recently in 74 volumes plus six volumes containing indices only.
#Al-Muwaafaqaat `alaa Shuyukhu-l-A'immati-th-Thiqaawt (72 volumes).
#`Awali Malik ibn Anas wa Dhayl 'alaa `Awali Malik ibn Anas (50 volumes).
#Manaaqib ash-Shubbaan (15 volumes).
#Al-Mu`jam (12 volumes) listing only the names of his shaykhs.
#Fadaa'il Ashaabi-l-Hadeeth (11 volumes): Fadl al-Jumu`a, Fadl Quraysh, Fada'il al-Siddiq, Fada'il Makka, Fada'il al-Madina, Fada'il Bayt al-Muqaddas, Fada'il `Ashura', Fada'il al-Muharram, Fada'il Sha`ban.
#Ghawraaw'ibb Malik (10 volumes).
#Al-Suba`iyyat (7 volumes), listing narrations with chains containing only seven narrators up to the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him --.
#Yawmi-l-Mazeed (3 volumes).
#Al-Ishraf `ala Ma`rifatu-l-Atraf.
#Akhbar al-Awza`i.
#Al-Musalsalat.
#Bayan al-Wahm wa al-Takhlit fi Hadith al-Atit ("The Exposition of Error and Confusion in the Narration of the hrone'sGroaning")
#''At-Tawbah wa Sa'atu-r-Rawhmatullaah (Repentance and the Intensity of the Mercy of Allaah)
#''Al-Arba'oon fee Manaaqib Ummahaati-l-Mu'mineen (R)'' (including ''Fadlu Ummu-l-Mu'mineen Aa'ishah (R)'')
#Arba`un Hadithan fi al-Jihad.
#Arba`un Hadithan `an Arba`ina Shaykhan min Arba`ina Madeenah.
#'' Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari fima Nusiba ila al-Imam Abi al-Hasan al-Ash'ari'' is a biography of Al-Ash'ari, relaying his ancestry, his conversion from Mu'tazilism and his subsequent "middle position" creed, i.e. Orthodox Sunni Islam. In it, Ibn Asakir lays out Ash'ari's "middle position" in 13 points, highlighting two opposing and extreme views in each and discussing the middle position Ash'ari took. For example, he writes:

"Likewise, The Najjariyya held that the Creator is in every place without localisation or direction. And the Hashwiyya and Mujassima held that God is localised on the Throne, and that Throne is a place for him, and that He is sitting on it. But al-Ash'ari followed a middle course between them and held that God was when no place was, and then He created the Throne and the ursiyywithout His needing a place, and He was just the same after creating place as He had been before He created it."

See also

* List of Ash'aris and Maturidis
* List of Islamic scholars
* Al-Zahiriyah Library
* Ibn 'Abd as-Salam

References

External links

''Arabic Books Collection''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ibn Asakir

Asharis
Shafi'i fiqh scholars
Hadith scholars
12th-century Syrian historians
Biographical evaluation scholars
12th-century Arabs
12th-century jurists
1105 births
1175 deaths