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Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari | |
|---|---|
| Personal life | |
| Born | 658 AH / 1259 CE |
| Died | 709 AH / 1310 CE[1] |
| Era | Medieval |
| Region | Alexandria |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Maliki[2] |
| Tariqa | Shadhili |
| Creed | Ashari[2] |
'Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī, oral-Sakandarī (in full, Tāj al-Dīn Abū'l-Faḍl Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Karīm ibn ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn ʿĪsā ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāhal-Judhāmī al-Iskandarī,Arabic:تاج الدين أبو الفضل أحمد بن محمد بن عبد الكريم بن عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله بن أحمد بن عيسى بن الحسين بن عطاء الله الجذامي السكندري) was an EgyptianMaliki jurist,muhaddith and the thirdmurshid (spiritual "guide" or "master") of theShadhiliyyaSufi order after his teacherAbu al-Abbas al-Mursi.
He was born inAlexandria and taught at both theal-Azhar Mosque and the Mansuriyyahmadrasa inCairo. He was responsible for systematizingShadhili doctrines and recording the biographies of the order's founder,Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, and his successor,Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi. He is credited with having authored the first systematic treatise on the invocation of God (dhikr),The Key to Salvation (Miftāḥ al-Falāḥ), but he is mostly known for his compilation ofaphorisms,al-Ḥikam al-ʿAṭāʾiyya [ar], known asThe Book of Wisdom.
Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari was among the prominent scholars who confronted the controversial Hanbali theologianIbn Taymiyya, who had been imprisoned multiple times for his views on various religious matters, including his severe criticism of Sufism. Their encounters became part of one of the most significant theological debates in Islamic intellectual history, centering around Sufism, the legitimacy of Prophetic intercession (tawassul), and the doctrines ofIbn Arabi.
One of the most notable moments between the two scholars occurred at the Al-Ḥusayn Mosque in Cairo. Ibn Ata Allah was leading the prayer there whenIbn Taymiyya, recently released from prison, joined the congregation and prayed behind him. After the prayer, the two exchanged respectful greetings. Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari, in a gesture of humility, apologized if he had played any role inIbn Taymiyya's imprisonment.Ibn Taymiyya responded with remarkable grace, saying,
"If you know anyone who believes they have hurt me, tell them Ibn Taymiyya holds no grudges. I am not affected by such matters; I only do what I believe to be right."
In their ensuing discussion, they revisited points of deep theological contention, among them, the permissibility and nature of seeking the Prophet's intercession, and the authenticity of the writings attributed toIbn Arabi. Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari argued that many ofIbn Arabi's ideas had been distorted or misrepresented, a view not uncommon among Sufi defenders. Despite their differences,Ibn Taymiyya is reported to have said of his opponent,
"I have never seen anyone who loves God more than Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh. He is among the most truthful people I have ever met."
Their exchange, though rooted in disagreement, remained dignified and sincere, whereIbn Taymiyya acknowledged some points but remained skeptical. This reflects the adab (etiquette) that once governed scholarly debate in the Islamic tradition.
Ibn 'Ata' Allah's works include:
He died in 1309 while inCairo.
The wide circulation of Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh's written works led to the spread of the Shādhilī order inNorth Africa, where the order's founder had been rejected in earlier attempts.[10]
Commentaries on theḤikam have been made by some of the most famous masters of theShadhili order, such asIbn Abbad al-Rundi,Ahmad Zarruq, andAhmad ibn Ajiba, as well as non-Shadhilis like the Syrian Islamic law ProfessorSa'id Ramadan al-Bouti. A modern English translation ofḤikam by Muhammed Nafih Wafy was published under the title "The Book of Aphorisms" by Islamic Book Trust in Malaysia in 2010.[11]
