Stories of the Scholars
Ibnu Taimiyah
شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَام ابْنُ تَيْمِيَّةَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ
Mujaddid Akidah, Controversial and Influential Ulama (d. 728 AH)
Ahmad bin Abdul Halim, known as Ibnu Taimiyah, was a Hanbali school of thought scholar who was known for his courage in criticizing practices that he considered deviating from the understanding of the early generations of Islam (salaf), including some traditions of Sufism and kalam philosophy. His firm views made him repeatedly imprisoned by the authorities of his time, but he continued to write and preach even from prison until he died there. His thoughts were very influential on Islamic reform movements in the following periods and remain an important reference and subject of debate among ulama until now.
1Shaykhul Islam from Harran
Ahmad bin Abdul Halim Ibnu Taymiyah (661–728 H) was born in Harran, fled to Damascus because of the Mongol invasion. He is an encyclopedic scholar of the Hanbali school of thought with extraordinary memorization and mastery of knowledge in tafsir, hadith, fiqh and creed.
📖 QS Al-Mujadalah: 11
2Defending the Ummah from Mongol Invasion
Ibn Taimiyah not only fought jihad with the pen but also took to the field, raising the enthusiasm of the Muslims against the Mongols in the Shaqhab War, and encouraging the leaders to fight jihad to defend the Islamic land.
📖 QS Al-Anfal: 60
3A Reformer Who Adheres to the Postulates
He called for a return to the Qur'an and Sunnah with an understanding of the Salaf, refuted deviations from the faith and heresy, and wrote hundreds of volumes of works including Majmu' al-Fatawa. His views influenced the Islamic reform movement that followed.
📖 QS An-Nisa: 59
4Died in Prison for the Sake of Knowledge
Because of the steadfastness of his opinions, Ibn Taymiyah was imprisoned several times, and in Damascus prison he continued to write and worship until his pen was confiscated. He died in prison in 728 AH; His body was carried by tens of thousands of people.
📖 QS Al-Ankabut: 2