Taqi al-Din al-Fasi (تقي الدين الفاسي) | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shaykh al-Islām MalikiQadi ofMecca Al-Ḥāfiẓ |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 8 September 1373 |
| Died | 6 July 1429 (aged 55) |
| Region | Hejaz |
| Notable work(s) | Al-ʻIqd al-thamīn fī tārīkh al-Balad al-Amīn |
| Occupation | Scholar,Jurist,Traditionist,Judge,Historian,Genealogist |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Maliki |
| Creed | Ash'ari |
| Muslim leader | |
Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Fasi (Arabic:تقي الدين أبي الطيب محمد بن أحمد الفاسي, 8 September 1373, inMecca,Hejaz – 6 July 1429, inMecca,Hejaz) was an ArabMuslim scholar,muhaddith (hadith scholar),faqih (jurist),historian,genealogist and aMalikiqadi (judge) inMecca.[1][2]
He is best known for his work on the history ofMecca entitledAl-ʻIqd al-thamīn fī tārīkh al-Balad al-Amīn which reached around 18 volumes.[3] He also wrote on the genealogies of some Arab tribes ofTihamah.
His family claimed descent from the Islamic prophetMuhammad through his grandson,Hasan ibn Ali.[4]
In the year 679 AH, Taqi al-Din al-Fasi's great grandfather, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Fassi leftMorocco, traveling to Mecca, which he entered in the year 686 AH. He took care of his three sons, Muhammad, Ahmed, and Ali (Al-Fassi’s grandfather) and raised them to love knowledge, so they became among the scholars of Mecca, and in turn they produced scholars. Among them was Ahmed bin Ali (father of Al-Fassi), one of the seniorMuftis in Mecca, in addition to his mandate as a representative judiciary.[5]
In the eighth century AH, the al-Fassi family became one of the largest families in Mecca, and it supported its scholarly influence through intermarriage with large families in Mecca. The sister of the historian Taqi al-Din al-Fassi, Umm Hani, married theEmir of Mecca, Sayyid Hassan Ibn Ajlan.[5]
He was born on Thursday, 8 September 1373 inMecca,Hejaz, nowSaudi Arabia, but spent part of his early life inMedina with his mother after her divorce from his father. He eventually returned to Mecca as a young man where he took knowledge from its scholars, and in the year 789 AH he completed memorizing the Holy Qur’an and led the people inTarawih prayers in theMasjid al-Haram.[6]
Starting in the year 796 AH, al-Fassi began his scientific journey, travelling betweenMedina,Jerusalem,Damascus,Cairo, andAlexandria. Two of the four trips he made toEgypt and theLevant lasted three years. His teachers were numerous and their specializations and countries varied as a result of his continuous travels. The number of his sheikhs reached more than 500 scholars, as stated in his index. Among his most famous teachers who were among the greatestulama of his era include:Zain al-Din al-Iraqi,Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani,Nur al-Din al-Haythami, andFiruzabadi.[5]
After completing his academic career, he became a teacher ofMalikifiqh at theGhiyathiyyah Madrasah in Mecca, which was considered one of the best Islamic institutions in the country and was funded by theSultan of BengalGhiyasuddin Azam Shah.[7][8] He would also teach in the Grand Mosque of Mecca in the year 800 AH. After seven years he assumed the position ofQadi of Malikiyah in Mecca for ten consecutive years until the year 817 AH, when he was dismissed as a result of competition and intrigued against him. This was the fate of his contemporaryIbn Khaldun when he was removed from the position of judge inCairo.[5]
He went blind four years before his death in 1425 AD. He died on Wednesday 6 July 1429 at the age of 55 inMecca,Hejaz,Arabian Peninsula, nowSaudi Arabia.[5]
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani described him at the time as: “The benefactor of the Hijaz country and its scholar.”[5]
As forAl-Maqrizi, the historian of Egypt said: “He is a sea of knowledge and a treasure trove of benefits... and he did not leave behind anyone like him in the Hijaz.”[5]
al-Fasi was a prolific writer who wrote numerous works on hadith, jurisprudence, history, genealogy, tasawwuf, etc. His famous works include:[5]
