Khayr al-DIn | |
|---|---|
| Title | al-Ramli |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1585 |
| Died | 1671 (aged 85–86) |
| Nationality |  Ottoman Empire |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
Khayr al-Din ibn Ahmad ibn Nur al-Din Ali ibn Zayn al-Din ibn Abd al-Wahab al-Ayubi al-Farooqui (1585–1671), better known asKhayr al-Din al-Ramli (Arabic:خير الدين الرملي), was a 17th-centuryIslamic jurist, teacher and writer in thenOttoman-ruledPalestine. He is well known for issuing a collection offatwas that became highly influential inHanafi (one of fourmajor schools of thought inSunni Islam) jurisprudence in the 18th and 19th centuries.[1][2]
Khayr al-Din al-Ramli was born inal-Ramla in Ottoman Palestine. At that time, al-Ramla was a major garrison town (and in the early years ofIslamic rule it had been the administrative capital of theJund Filastin, or military district of Palestine). Al-Ramli receives his name from the town;al-Ramli translates as "from Ramla." Not much is known about al-Ramli's early life other than he began reading theQur'an as young child.[3]
In 1598-99 CE, al-Ramli traveled toEgypt with his elder brothers to study inal-Azhar, the highest scholarly authority in Sunni Islam. There he befriended Sheikh Fayed, a well-knownsage in Egypt. Fayed taught him lessons on Islam as well as how to cut hair. At the time, al-Ramli was interested in studying theShafi'i school of Sunni Muslim thought (madhab), but was discouraged by his older brother, Taj al-Din, who preferred he focus on the Hanafimadhab. According to his biographerMuhammad al-Muhibbi, al-Ramli had a dream in which the founder of the Shafi'imadhab,Imam Shafi'i, stated to him "We are all on the straight path." A senior figure in the 'ulema (council of scholars) of al-Azhar told al-Ramli that the dream signaled he should follow his brother's advice and study the Hanafimadhab.[3]
Muhibbi states that al-Ramli "worked hard" and "outdid" Taj al-Din, eventually gaining the attention of the lead scholar of al-Azhar, Sheikh Abdullah al-Nahiri. Al-Nahiri regularly invited al-Ramli and Taj al-Din to his home and gave them private lessons on the Hanafi thought. In 1603, al-Ramli graduated from al-Azhar and received honorary certificates from al-Nahiri as well as from another senior scholar, Sheikh Abd Allah. Prior to his return to al-Ramla, al-Ramli stopped inGaza where he met the local 'ulema and the governor of theGaza Sanjak,Ahmad ibn Ridwan. Ibn Ridwan was impressed by al-Ramli's new credentials and encouraged him to remain in Gaza which he did for a few months.[3]
Upon returning to al-Ramla in 1604, he began teaching the Hanafimadhab to the residents of the area. He rapidly began to acquire estates in and around the city which he used to plant thousands of orchards including olives, figs and other fruits. Although he did not receive funds from the Ottoman state nor from thewaqf, al-Ramli ordered the rehabilitation of a number ofmosques and shrines in the surrounding area. He also funded religious personnel and his students who came from various parts of the Ottoman Empire. It is understood that al-Ramli used the revenues of his agricultural pursuits to bankroll most of his financial activities, allowing him to become a philanthropist in his community. According to biographer Ibrahim al-Janini, he collected roughly 1,200 books with multiple copies which he provided to provincial officials, 'ulema, andsheikhs who requested them.[4]
Al-Ramli immediately issued numerousfatawa once he settled in al-Ramla, although he was not officially appointed the position ofmufti by the state. Nonetheless, his rulings—which apparently were able to overridefatawa issued by official muftis—reportedly reachedJerusalem,Damascus,Mecca,Istanbul and theMaghreb (northwesternAfrica). He awarded legal certificates of approval to severalMuslim scholars from these places. According to Muhibbi, "anyone who asked received one, either orally or in written form." Muhammad al-Ashari, theGrand Mufti of Jerusalem who adhered to the Shafi'imadhab, was one of many high-ranking Muslim jurists who requested a certificate from him.[4] The muftis (Shafi'i and Hanafi) of Damascus and other major cities inDamascus Province would consult al-Ramli whenever problems arose regarding religious rulings. It was noted that even theBedouin of the region who generally disregardedsharia law respected anyfatwa issued by him due to cordial relations between them and al-Ramli.[5] During this time period, al-Ramli also began importing various seeds from Egypt, and introduced them to Ramla.[6]
Al-Ramli died in his hometown in 1671 at the age of 86. Al-Muhibbi described him as "the last of the great 'ulema."[7] Al-Ramli'sfatawa ("multiple edicts") were compiled into final form in 1670, in a collection entitledal-Fatawa al-Khayriyah.[6] Thesefatawa are a contemporary record of the time, and also give a complex view of agrarian relations.[6] Modern scholars are using his works to trace the path of embryonic territorial awareness, specifically that of Palestine.[8] Hisfatawa reference the Roman province of Palaestina Prima, or as it was known in the early Islamic period,Jund Filastin. It was originally thought that term died out during the Mamluk and Ottoman states, as they did not use this concept, however, the way that al-Ramli used the term suggests otherwise.[9] When it is brought up, he never defines the term, and uses it only in passing, suggesting that his audience would have an understanding of what he meant.[10]
Khayr al-Din al-Ramli is a descendant ofUmar ibn al-Khattāb (Through his sonAbdullah ibn Umar), the second Muslim Caliph after the prophet Muhammad's death. Today the Palestinian family,El Khairi-Farouki, trace back their ancestry to Khayr al-Din al Ramli.[citation needed]
