Ibn Taymiyya

Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim ibn Abd al-Salam ibn Taymiyya al-Harrani al-Dimashqi (661–728 AH) was a Syrian Hanbali scholar considered one of the most influential Islamic thinkers of all time. Born in Harran, he moved to Damascus where he studied under the leading scholars and produced an astonishing volume of scholarship across every Islamic discipline. He engaged in theological debates with Ash'aris, Sufis, Shi'a, and philosophers from within a strict Athari/Hanbali framework, arguing for direct return to Quran, Sunnah, and the way of the Salaf. He led the Muslims of Damascus during the Mongol invasions. He was imprisoned multiple times for his views on theological matters. His student Ibn al-Qayyim spread and developed his teachings. His work on aqeedah, usul al-fiqh, politics, and refutation of deviations is foundational in Salafi and many Sunni traditions.