Ibn Taymiyyah

Biography

Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328 CE) was a Hanbali scholar, theologian, and reformer born in Harran (modern-day Turkey). His family fled to Damascus during the Mongol invasions, where he became one of the most prolific and controversial scholars in Islamic history.

Scholarship

Ibn Taymiyyah was a polymath who authored works on virtually every Islamic science: theology, jurisprudence, hadith, Quranic exegesis, philosophy, logic, and Sufism. His total written output is estimated at over 500 volumes. Among his most important works are: Majmu' al-Fatawa (a 37-volume collection of his rulings), Minhaj al-Sunnah (defense of Sunni theology), Dar' Ta'arud al-Aql wal-Naql (reconciling reason and revelation), and Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustaqim (following the straight path).

Theological Positions

Ibn Taymiyyah championed a return to the methodology of the Salaf (early generations) in matters of creed, criticizing what he saw as philosophical accretions in Ash'ari and Maturidi theology. He also critiqued practices he considered innovations, including certain Sufi practices, visiting graves for intercession, and the philosophical method in theology. His views generated significant scholarly debate, and he was imprisoned multiple times for his positions.

Legacy

Despite controversy during his lifetime, Ibn Taymiyyah's influence on later Islamic thought is enormous. His student Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah carried forward his methodology. His works continue to be studied and debated across the Muslim world.