Ibn Qudamah

Al-Imam Ibn Qudamah: He is Shaykh ul-Islam Muwaffaq ad-Din Abu Muhammad 'Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Qudamah ibn Miqdam ibn Nasr al-Maqdisi al-Jama'ili.

He was born in Nablis - Palestine in Sha'ban 541H.

He memorised the Qur'an at an early age, studied its sciences and was known to have a nice hand-writing.

He left with his cousin, Al-Hafidh 'Abdul-Gani, for Baghdad in 561H and caught up with Shaykh 'Abdul-Qadir in his final days (i.e. before he passed away). They stayed at his school, learning from him as well as from other scholars and student of knowledge of that time such as Ibn al-Jawzi, Hibatullah ibn al-Hasan ad-Daqaq, Abi'l-Fath ibn al-Batti, Abi Zur'ah ibn Tahir, Yahya ibn Thabit, Khadijah an-Nahrawaniyyah and others.

He also studied with the following scholars of his time:

• Damascus / Syria - Abi al-Makarim ibn Hilal
• Mowsil / Iraq - Abi'l-Fadl at-Tusi
• Makkah al-Mukarramah - Al-Mubarak ibn at-Tabbakh

Some of the Scholars that relayed his 'Ilm (knowledge) to us are:

• Al-Baha'
• 'Abdur-Rahman
• Al-Jamal Abu Musa ibn al-Hafidh
• Ibn Khalil
• Ibn an-Najjar
• Ash-Shams ibn Kamal
• Zaynab bint al-Wasiti and many others

He was known for his vast knowledge, wisdom and wit and renown as the Scholar of the people of Ash-Sham of his time. Ibn an-Najjar describes him as:

"The Imam of Al-Hanabilah in Damascus Mosque, he was a trust worthy, noble figure, extremely generous, of a clean character, a cautious worshipper, follower of the Salaf methodology, emitting light (of knowledge and piety) and repectful. One may benefit from his sighting before even hearing his speech!"

Some of his books:

• Al-Mughni - 10 volumes
• Al-Kafi - 4 volumes
• Ar-Rawdah - 1 volume
• Ar-Riqqah - 1 volume
• At-Tawwabin - 1 volume
• Al-I'tiqad - 1 volume
• Al-Mutahabbin - 1 volume

...and many others.

He died on Saturday, the Day of 'Eid-ul Fitr in 620H. May Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, accepts him in His vast mercy, benefit us from his knowledge and gather us with his likes on the Day of Judgement, amin.

(s) Extracted from Siyar A'lam an-Nubala'

ulama (the scholars)