Abu Shamah al-Maqdisi

Shihab ad-Din Abu Shamah Abd ar-Rahman ibn Isma'il ibn Ibrahim al-Maqdisi (599-665 AH / 1203-1267 CE) was a distinguished Shafi'i scholar, historian, and teacher at the Dar al-Hadith al-Ashrafiyyah in Damascus. Born in Damascus, he studied in Egypt, Mecca, and Syria under major scholars including his compatriots in the Damascene scholarly tradition.

Abu Shamah is best known for his historical works on the period of the Crusades and the Ayyubid sultanate. His most important work is ar-Rawdatayn fi Akhbar ad-Dawlatayn (The Two Gardens concerning the News of the Two Dynasties), a history of the reigns of Nur ad-Din Zangi and Salah ad-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin), which is one of the most important primary sources for this pivotal period in Islamic history. He also authored Dhayl ar-Rawdatayn (The Supplement to the Two Gardens), continuing the historical record into the early Mamluk period. His works draw on primary sources and firsthand accounts, giving them particular historical value.

Beyond history, Abu Shamah authored works on Quranic sciences including al-Murshid al-Wajiz ila Ulum Tata'allaq bil-Quran al-Aziz (A Concise Guide to the Sciences relating to the Noble Quran) and Ibrazu al-Ma'ani min Hirz al-Amani (Bringing Out the Meanings from the Hirz al-Amani), a commentary on ash-Shatibi's poem on Quranic recitations.

He also wrote Kitab al-Ba'ith ala Inkar al-Bida' wal-Hawadith, an important early work on bid'ah. He passed away in Damascus in 665 AH, leaving a legacy as both a historian and a Quranic scholar.