Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd ابن دقيق العيد | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shaykh al-Islam Qadi al-Qudat Taqi al-Din Al-Ḥāfiẓ |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1228 |
| Died | 1302 (aged 73–74) |
| Era | LateAyyubid and earlyMamluk periods |
| Region | Egypt |
| Main interest(s) | Hadith,Islamic jurisprudence,Principles of Islamic jurisprudence,Islamic theology |
| Notable work(s) | Al-Ilma` al-Jami` fi Hadith al-Ahkam Ihkam al-Ahkam sharh Umdat al-Ahkam Al-Iqtirah fi Ma'rifat Al-Istilah |
| Occupation | Scholar,Traditionist,Jurist,Legal Theoretician,Theologian |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Shafi'i[1] |
| Creed | Ash'ari[2][3] |
| Muslim leader | |
Taḳī al-Dīn Abū ’l-Fatḥ Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. Wahb b. Muṭīʿ b. Abi ’l-Ṭāʿa, (Arabic:تقي الدين أبو الفتح محمد بن علي بن وهب بن مطيع بن أبي الطاع); commonly known asIbn Daqīq al-ʿĪd (Arabic:ابن دقيق العيد; 625-702 AH/ 1228–1302CE), was aSunniEgyptian scholar.[4] He is widely accounted as one of Islam's great scholars in the fundamentals ofIslamic law and belief, and was the leading authority in theShafi'i legal school.[5][6] He was a prominentjurist with several major works of law to his credit.[7] He was also equally proficient inhadith. He was a highly acclaimedmuhaddith and a prolific writer on hadith andilm al-rijal.[5] He was known as the leading traditionist in his time and it is reported he was “the most respected scholar of hadith in the thirteenth century.”[8][9] Although Ibn Daqiq al-'Id mastered Shafi'i jurisprudence underIbn 'Abd al-Salam, he was also well-versed inMaliki fiqh. He served as chiefjudge of the Shafi'i school inEgypt.[5] He was regarded as a highly esteemed and pious judge in his own day.[7] He excelled in numerous Islamic sciences and was an authority inArabic language andscholastic theology. He was also noted for his great skills inpoetry,oratory, andliterature.[10] According toTaqi al-Din al-Subki, there was anconsensus among Muslims that Ibn Daqiq al-'Id "was amujtahid mutlaq [ar] (absolute/autonomousmujtahid) with complete knowledge of legal sciences" as well as themujaddid in the 8th Islamic century.[11]
He inherited the name "Ibn Daqiq al-'Id" from his grandfather, who was said to have enjoyed wearing a bright white turban—one that was as white as the flour used to bake pastries—during theEid holiday. Subsequently, the name was transferred to his son and then to Imam Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn Wahb, who was frequently referred to as Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id.[10]
Ibn Daqiq birth was inYanbu in the Ḥidjaz (not in Lower Egypt as indicated by Brockelmann) in Shaʿban 625 AH/July 1228 AD and was born into theArab tribe ofBanu Qushayr.[4][12]
He attended several halaqahs in the city ofQus after learning the Quran by heart as a young kid, and his father led him into theMaliki school of jurisprudence. Eventually on, nevertheless, his pursuit of knowledge led him to Sheikh Al-Baha 'Al-Qifti, a father's pupil. Alongside Sheikh Mohammad Abu Al-Fadl Al-Mursi, he also studied Arabic. In order to further pursue his education, he later moved toCairo and studied under ImamIzz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam, who was known as the "Sultanul Ulama." From the latter, he studied the laws and foundations ofShafi'ijurisprudence, and Imam Izz al-Din 'Ibn 'Abd al-Salam mentored him till the day of his death in AH 660 (1262 AD).[13] In addition to this, he studiedhadith extensively under the luminary hadith scholar,al-Mundhiri and mastered the science under him. After that, he travelled toDamascus to further study Hadith from experts there before eventually making his way back to Egypt and relocating to Qus, the city of his youth.
According to the Maliki school, he was appointed as a judge upon his 37-year-old return toQus. But his position was only temporary since he didn't feel comfortable with the fame that came with his newfound position. Soon after, he found himself returning to Cairo and teaching Prophetic traditions at Darul Hadith Al-Kamiliyyah, a school established in A.H. 621 (1224 AD) by SultanAl-Kamil.[13]
His proficiency in Hadith was quickly acknowledged, and he was given the title of "Shaykh of Darul Hadith," which is the highest honour in this special institution. He was renowned for his meticulousness and rigour, continuously investigating on the chains between hadiths.[13]
Later on, he became a law teacher atSalahuddin al-Ayubi's Nasiriyyah School, which was constructed nearImam al-Shafi'i's grave and mostly served the Shafi'i school. Owing to his proficiency in both Shafi'i and Maliki law schools, he was invited to teach at Madrasah Fadiliyyah, a distinguished establishment that was also housingal-Qurtubi.[13]
Keeping this posture in mind, he did not give in to pressure to show favouritism. In one occasion, he disregarded the testimony of the Sultanate's Secretary, Monkutmar, stating that he was an untrustworthy man in an inheritance lawsuit. In response, Montkumar despatched a number of emissaries to persuade Ibn Daqiq to believe his account. Ibn Daqiq eventually resigned at Monkutmar's urging, unfazed by the move.[13]
Additionally, he established a centre that would oversee the administration and care of orphans' belongings until they were adults. In Egypt, this was an unusual step and thus was considered a pioneer. He established a mechanism to monitor the welfare and general well-being of orphans.[13]
Following the death of Judge Ibn Bint al-'Aziz, Imam Ibn Daqiq was approached to assume the post of chief justice in 695 A. H. (1296 CE). Though he was initially hesitant, he finally relented to the request, exposing himself to influential individuals within Egypt. Under his leadership, he maintained the need for Islamic law to be applied scrupulously and fairly.[13]
In 695 A.H. (1296 CE), Imam Ibn Daqiq was asked to take over as chief justice after Judge Ibn Bint al-'Aziz died. He was reluctant at first, but in the end he complied with the request, putting himself in front of powerful people in Egypt. He upheld the necessity of applying Islamic law with precision and fairness while serving as leader.[13]
Ibn Daqiq al-'Id taughthadith andfiqh to the next leading generation of scholars:[5][14][15][16]
He died on Friday, the eleventh of Ṣafar in the year 702 AH, and was buried on Saturday at the foot of theMuqattam Hills, east ofCairo. It was considered a tragic day, and prayers were performed over him. His funeral was attended by the royal members of the Sultanate, and a large gathering of the nation. Ibn Daqiq al-'Id left behind many works in hadith and the sciences of jurisprudence, which the Arabic library continues to cherish to this day.[10]
The reputableZahiri hadith scholar,Ibn Sayyid al-Nas said: “I have not seen anyone like him among those I met, nor have I received knowledge from anyone more esteemed than him among those from whom I have narrated. He was well-versed in the sciences and excelled in their various disciplines. He was foremost among his peers in understanding the hidden defects (‘ilal) ofhadith and was unique in mastering this precious discipline in his time. He had deep insight and a sharp eye in navigating its intricate paths.
He had a remarkable ability to derive legal rulings and meanings from theQur'an andSunnah, and he excelled in both the transmitted and rational sciences. He was raised in silence and absorbed in the pursuit of knowledge.”[10]
Ibn Sayyid al-Nas further describes the rank of his teacher Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id in this field, saying: “He was well-versed in the sciences and excelled in their various disciplines. He was foremost in understanding the hidden defects (‘ilal) of hadith among his peers and was unmatched in this precious discipline during his era.”[10]
Al-Adfuwī says: “There is no doubt that he was among the people ofijtihād (independent legal reasoning), and none would dispute that except one given to obstinate denial. Whoever reflects on his words will realize that they demonstrate greater precision, strength, and knowledge than some of the earlier mujtahids, and are more refined.”[10]
The great hadith master of the 18th century,Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, stated that no one since the time of theSahabah had engaged in such deep, profound, and remarkable discussions in their commentary on Hadith as Imam Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id.[17]
In his lifetime, Ibn Daqiq wrote many books on various religious sciences, and among the most famous of these books are:[10]
Ibn Daqiq al-'Id, a Shafi'i
