EXTOLMENTS WRITTEN REGARDING SHAYKH’UL ISLÂM IBNU TAYMIYYAH

[Muferridûn]

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Extolments Written Regarding Shaykh’ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah
Ibnu Nâsir’id Dîn ad-Dimashqî, ar-Radd’ul Wâfir

All praise is due to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allâh from the evil within ourselves and our evil deeds. Whoever Allâh guides, there is no one who can led him astray, and whoever Allâh leads astray, then there is no one who can guide him. I bear witness there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh, He is One and He has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Rasûl (Messenger).

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ.﴾ [آل عمران: 102]

“O you who believe! Fear Allâh as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.”[1]

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا.﴾ [النساء: 1]

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and beware of severing the ties of kinship. Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you.”[2]

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلاً سَدِيدًا۞ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا.﴾[الأحزاب: 71-70]

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak the truth. He will set your deeds right and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger, has truly achieved a great triumph.”[3]

Ammâ Ba’d (to Proceed):

Verily, the most truthful speech is the Kalâmullâh (Speech of Allâh), the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam. The worst of affairs are the newly invented matters. Every newly invented matter is a Bid’ah (religious innovation), and every Bid’ah is a Dalâlah (misguidance), and every misguidance is in the Nâr (Hellfire).[4]

Umar Ibn’ul Khattâb Radiyallâhu Anh once said in a Khutbah,

“All praise is due to Allâh, who has bestowed favours upon his slaves in the times of Fatrah (times when no prophet is around) remainders of people of knowledge who call the misguided to guidance, show patience towards their harms, and revive the blind with the Book of Allâh. How many people killed by Iblîs did the people of knowledge revive, and how many misguided lost people have they guided. They sacrificed their blood and wealth so that the servants (of Allâh) do not perish. How good is the influence of the people of knowledge on people, and how evil is the impact of people upon them! From the past onwards, these people have been slaughtering the people of knowledge by means of penalties and the likes. However, your Lord did not forget them…

﴿وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيًّا.﴾ [مريم: ٦٤]

“And never is your Lord forgetful.”[5]

Your Lord has made their stories guidance and has informed about the beauty of their speech. Therefore, do not fail to reach them. For they are in a high rank, even if they are prone to the most heinous of attacks.”[6]

Shaykh’ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh is amongst these great scholars. We can sum the trials of Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh and the book “ar-Radd’ul Wâfir” authored by Ibnu Nâsir’id Dîn ad-Dimashqî as follows:

Shaykh’ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh lived in an era wherein the strangeness of Islâm had increased, ignorance had prevailed, lying, tricking, and betrayal was the norm, and thus, the people of his era could not tolerate, or as the phrase goes, could not stomach a person representing the knowledge, pure beliefs, and pure Akhlâq (morals) of the Salaf. The Muhaddithûn and scholars who lived in the very end of the era of the Salaf, particularly Imâm Ahmad bin Hanbal, were accused with the same things Ibnu Taymiyyah was accused with; they were accused with Tajsîm and Tashbîh, went through trials, and were accused with Kufr and Riddah (apostasy) by the rulers and judges of their era. Therefore, it should be of no surprise that Ibnu Taymiyyah was accused with similar things by similar people.

When the “Imâms of Islâm” is mentioned nearly all the names that come to mind, namely, the Imâms of Fiqh, Hadîth, and Tafsîr, went through various trials and accusations by the rulers and judges of their eras, thus it should also be of no surprise Ibnu Taymiyyah went through similar trials. The situation is just how the Hanafî Jurist and Muhaddith, Badr’ud Dîn al-Aynî (d. 855H) described it,

“He (the defamer) is nothing other than the like of the dung beetle that dies right after smelling roses and the bat who is annoyed by the rays of light because of its bad and weak sight. Those who defame him do not have the right to criticize, nor do they have an opinion that is radiant (significant). These are only Salqa, Balqa, and Selqa. Those amongst them who declare Takfîr upon him are Salma’ah bin Qalma’ah, Hayyân bin Bayyân, Hay bin Bay, Sal bin Dhal, and Dhalâl bin Talâl (they are unknown people).”[7]

“Therefore, whoever says that he is a Kâfir, he himself is the actual Kâfir. Whoever accuses him of heresy, he himself is a heretic. How is this possible while his books are widespread and there is no reference of him being deviant and departing (from the right course) therein?”

Badr’ud Dîn al-Aynî mentioned this in his extolment to Ibnu Nâsir’id Dîn ad-Dimashqî (d. 842H)’s book “ar-Radd’ul Wâfir”.[8] This book was written in refutation to Alâ’ud Dîn al-Bukhârî (d. 841H)[9], who declared Takfîr upon Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh and alleged that the one who entitled him “Shaykh’ul Islâm” is a Kâfir, listing around 90 scholars who praised and exalted Ibnu Taymiyyah.

Whilst this is the testimony for Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh from the prominent people whom the Ummah of Islâm raised, the negative statements of a few people who ascribe themselves to knowledge will not defame him. Likewise, the attack of some fanatics who do not have any share of knowledge, because he did not concur with their Madhhab will not be taken into consideration.

Therefore, due to the significance of this issue, we chose to present to the readers, the translation of various praises and compliments by scholars from different Madhâhib found in the extolments regarding Ibnu Taymiyyah, in “ar-Radd’ul Wâfir”, written by Ibnu Nâsir’ud Dîn ad-Dimashqî.

The endeavour is from us, and success is from Allâh…

1.	Âl-i Imrân 3/102.
2.	An-Nisâ 4/1.
3.	Al-Ahzâb 33/70-71.
4.	This Du'â (prayer) which Shaykh’ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh accounted as “a knot between the Islâmic system and Îmân” (Ibnu Taymiyyah, Majmû’ul Fatâwâ, 14/223) which is known as “Khutbat’ul Hâjah (The Sermon of Necessity)” was recited by Rasûlullah Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam during the beginning of his Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday Sermon). Various portions of this renown Khutbah has been narrated with different wordings in an-Nasâ’î, Hadîth no: 3278; Muslim, Hadîth no: 868; Abû Dâwûd, Hadîth no: 2118; at-Tirmidhî, Hadîth no: 1105, and in other compilations of Hadîth.
5.	Maryam 19/64.
6.	Ibn’ul Qayyim, Jilâ’ul Afhâm, p. 415-416; Ibnu Waddâh, al-Bida, p. 26-27 Hadîth no. 3.
7.	As mentioned by Ibnu Mandhûr, these are names given to people whose name and father’s name is unknown. (Lisân’ul Arab, 8/206) These resemble the “Joe Shmoe/John Doe” of the English language.
8.	Ibnu Nâsir’id Dîn ad-Dimashqî, ar-Radd’ul Wâfir, p. 260-262.
9.	According to what the verifier of ar-Radd’ul Wâfir mentioned in the introduction, this man Alâ’ud Dîn al-Bukhârî (d. 841H) was a student of Sa’d’ud Dîn at-Taftazânî and a fanatic Hanafî.

[Muferridûn]

Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalânî[1]

The extolment of the Amîr’ul Mu’minîn in Hadîth, Allâmah, Ibnu Hajar ash-Shâfi’î is as follows:

All praise is due to Allâh. May peace be upon His slaves whom He has chosen.

I came across this beneficial book, a compilation which encompasses the reasons behind its compilation. Thereby, I realized the scholarship of the Imâm who authored it and his mastery in the beneficial knowledge which exalts and honours him among the scholars.

The eminence of Shaykh Taqiyy’ud Dîn’s Imâmate is more prominent than the sun. His given title “Shaykh’ul Islâm” in his era still flows upon the pure tongues today, and it will continue tomorrow as it did yesterday. No one can deny this except for the one who is ignorant of his status or refrains from justice. How rude is he who engages in this and increases his own errors! Allâhu Taâlâ is the one who is sought, with His bounty and His virtue, to secure us from the evils within ourselves and the labour of our tongues.

What the renowned Hâfidh Alam’ud Dîn al-Birzâlî indicated in his “Târîkh” about the lack of any other Janâzah (funeral prayer) in Islâm greater in the amount of people gathered for the Janâzah of Shaykh Taqiyy’ud Dîn, would suffice as evidence if there had not been any other evidence to the Imâmate of this man. He pointed out that the Janâzah of Imâm Ahmad was jam-packed; hundreds of thousands of people witnessed it. However, if there was the same amount of people living in Baghdad found in Damascus, or a few more times as much, not even one of them would delay witnessing his Janâzah. Also in contrast to the state of Ibnu Taymiyyah, all of the people of Baghdad -except for a minority- believed in the Imâmate of Imâm Ahmad, the governor of Baghdad and the Caliph of his time were in the pinnacle of love and respect for him. When Ibnu Taymiyyah died, the governor of the land was absent; most of the Fuqahâ of the land were opposing him, so-much-so that he died as a prisoner in the citadel. But with this, no one except for three people -who hindered due to fearing for themselves from the laymen- stayed behind from attending his Janâzah, asking mercy for him, and feeling sorrow for his death.

Despite the attendance of this large crowd, nothing motivated them to do this, not a sultan nor any other assembling them, but their belief in the Imâmate of Ibnu Taymiyyah and his blessing. It is authentic that the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said the following,

«أَنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءُ اللّٰهِ فِي الأَرْضِ.»

“You are the witnesses of Allâh upon the earth.”[2]

A group of scholars turned against Shaykh Taqiyy’ud Dîn a few times because of some things they did not accept from the Usûl and Furû. Because of this, a few gatherings were convoked in Cairo and Damascus. But still, a Fatwâ (religious verdict) regarding him being a heretic was not recorded to be issued by any one of them, nor was it recorded that they ruled his blood to be shed (killed); despite increase of the fanatics in that time frame rising from the officials of that country against him, to the extent that he was imprisoned in Cairo, then in Alexandria. But with this, all of them acknowledged his scholarship and the abundance of his devoutness and asceticism. They described him with generosity, courage, and other than this from him undertaking help to Islâm and calling to Allâhu Taâlâ in public and in private.

Therefore, how can a person not rebuke the one who claims Ibnu Taymiyyah is a Kâfir? Even, those who name the ones who call him “Shaykh’ul Islâm” Kâfir… Whereas, labelling him with this name does not necessitate Kufr. For verily, he is undoubtedly a Shaykh in Islâm. He did not state the issues he was criticized of were due to desires, nor did he insist upon his statement after the evidences were preached out of stubbornness. These are his books, filled with refutations to those who profess Tajsîm and freeing himself from it. But with this, he is a human being; he errs and hits the mark. The matters which he hits the mark which is more (than the issues he erred in) will be benefited from and because of it, forgiveness will be asked for him. And in the matters he erred, he will not be blind followed. Rather, Ibnu Taymiyyah is excused. For, the Imâm’s of his era testified for him that the materials required for Ijtihâd was gathered in him. Even the most fanatic against him and the one most prone to harm him who is Shaykh Kamâl’ud Dîn az-Zamlakânî gave testimony in his favour with this. Likewise, Shaykh Sadr’ud Dîn Ibn’ul Wakîl, whom is the only one affirmed to have debated with Ibnu Taymiyyah, gave testimony in his favour with this.

From amongst the most astonishing of astonishing affairs is that Ibnu Taymiyyah was from the harshest amongst the people to rise against the people of Bid’ah from the Rawâfidh, Hulûliyyah, and Ittihâdiyyah. His books regarding this are renowned plenty. His Fatâwâ regarding them are innumerable. Oh, what a pity to their pleasure when they hear Ibnu Taymiyyah’s Kufr! Oh, what a pity to their happiness when they see those who declare Takfîr upon those who do not declare Takfîr upon Ibnu Taymiyyah!

What is obligatory upon those who are involved in knowledge and possess a sane mind is to ponder upon Ibnu Taymiyyah through his renowned books, or through the sayings of those who are trustworthy from the people of transmission. This way, what is rejected will be distinguished. Therefore, with the intention of admonition, people will be warned from it. As with other scholars, he will be complimented with his virtues in what he hit the mark with pertaining to these issues.

If Shaykh Taqiyy’ud Dîn did not have any outstanding virtue other than his renowned student, the owner of diverse beneficial books which both those who agree and those who disagree benefit from, Shaykh Shams’ud Dîn Ibnu Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, this would be a pinnacle in alluding to the greatness of his status.

How can this not be whilst he being in the forefront in knowledge and his distinction in understanding what is spoken and what is comprehended was witnessed by the Imâm’s of his era from amongst the Shâfi’iyyah and others, let alone the Hanâbilah.

Alongside all of these, attention will not be paid to those who discharge Kufr onto him or those who call him “Shaykh’ul Islâm”. Nor will Ibnu Taymiyyah be dislocated from his status due to this. On the contrary, such person must be prevented from this until he turns to the truth and submits to the accurate statement.

Allâh is the one who says the truth and guides to the correct path. Allâh is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs!

[May Allâh extend his stay in this world, the description of Ibnu Hajar’s script:]

Ahmad bin Alî bin Muhammad bin Hajar ash-Shâfi’î, may Allâh pardon him, said and wrote this -whilst praising Allâh and sending salutations and peace upon his Messenger Muhammad and his family- on the day of Jumu’ah (Friday), the ninth of the Month of Rabî’ul Awwal, in the year 835H.

1.	Ar-Radd’ul Wâfir, p. 246-248.
2.	Al-Bukhârî, Hadîth no. 1367; Muslim, Hadîth no. 949.