Ibn Ata'illah as-Sakandari

Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ata'illah as-Sakandari al-Maliki (c. 648-709 AH / c. 1250-1309 CE) was a Maliki jurist, Ash'ari theologian, and the third grand master (qutb) of the Shadhiliyyah Sufi order. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, he initially opposed the Shadhili path, but after a pivotal encounter with Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, the second master of the order, he became a devoted disciple and eventually the primary transmitter of the order's teachings.

Ibn Ata'illah's most celebrated work is al-Hikam al-Ata'iyyah (The Wisdoms of Ibn Ata'illah), a collection of aphorisms on the spiritual life that has been commented upon by scholars for centuries and remains one of the most read texts in Islamic spirituality. He also wrote al-Tanwir fi Isqat at-Tadbir (Illumination in the Dropping of Self-Management), Miftah al-Falah wal-Misbah al-Arwah (The Key to Success and the Light of Spirits) on dhikr and prayer, and al-Qasd al-Mujarrad fi Ma'rifat al-Ism al-Mufrad on the divine name Allah.

He taught at al-Azhar and al-Mansuriyyah mosque in Cairo, drawing students of jurisprudence and spirituality alike. His writings are notable for their eloquence and their ability to express subtle spiritual insights in concise, memorable language. His Lata'if al-Minan (The Subtle Gifts), a biography of his two spiritual masters Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhili and Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, is an important source for the early history of the Shadhiliyyah order. He passed away in Cairo in 709 AH, having established the Shadhiliyyah as one of the most enduring Sufi traditions.