Ibn Taimiyah – A Brief Biography

His full name was Taqi al-Din Ahmad bin Abd al Halim and he was born in Harran on the 22 nd of
January, 1263 AD (10 Rabi al Awwal, 661 AH). Being brought up in a family renowned for its scholarly
learning; his forefathers were great Hanbalite scholars of jurisprudence and the authors of many
books. At the age of seven Ibn Taimiyah and his family were forced to leave for Damascus in order to
seek safety from the approaching Mongols. 1 At a very young age Ibn Taimiyah studied all the
disciplines of jurisprudences, Hadeeth, commentaries of the Qur’an, mathematics and philosophy
wherein he excelled his contemporaries. Extraordinary was the fact that at the age of seventeen the
Qadi al-Maqasidi had given him the authority to issue fatwa (legal ruling) and Ibn Taimiyah
commenced delivering lectures at this very age.

Ibn Taimiyah remained a confirmed bachelor where it had been written that he was free from the
passions of food, clothing and sex. His interest only rested in spreading knowledge and inspiring
action according to this knowledge. He had a selfless attitude and concerned himself with the
interests of others. He was very much loved by all classes of people and he was very generous and
kind hearted, in particular, towards the poor and needy. To enjoin good and forbid evil was his
vocation.2

As is evident from the books Ibn Taimiyah wrote, he possessed extensive knowledge of Greek and
Islamic history along religious books of others. The important distinguishing feature of the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries AD in Islamic history was that knowledge was seen to be expanding rather
than deepening. In other words, there was a want of original thinking (ijtihad) which Ibn Taimiyah
duly supplied by examining existing branches of learning critically and laying down new foundations
for research.

Ibn Taimiyah transcended the boundaries of books and words and when the circumstances required
it, participated in political and public affairs where he distinguished himself with the sword and as a
brave warrior. Once such instance was when he participated in the jihad against the Mongols during
the 1300.

On 7th April 1306 Ibn Taimiyah was summoned to the Sultans court in Cairo where certain baseless
charges had been levelled against him. Having been prevented from clarifying his position he was
placed in prison on the accusation of anthropomorphism 3 where he remained for a year and a half. 4
After being released from jail, he decided to stay in Cairo to try and reform the creed of people and
their way of life.5 He criticised the un-Islamic ideas of Sufism and denounced all such innovations
(bid’at) which were regarded as heretical. During this time a pro-Sufi sultan, Baibars al-Jashankir had
taken power in Egypt where he exiled Ibn Taimiyah to Alexandria and placed him under house arrest
for several months. It was only until Nasir Muhammad bin Qalawun was restored to the throne that
1
Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa’l Nihayah (Beirut: Maktabah al-Ma’arif, 1966), Vol. 14, pp 136-7; Ibn Abd al-Hadi,
Al-‘Uqud al-Duriyyah (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al ‘Ilmiyah, 1938), p. 2.
2
Ibn Kathir, op. Cit., Vol. 14, p. 37.
3
If you are being anthropomorphic about an animal or object, you think of it as having human qualities and
feelings (Collins Dictionary)
4
Ibn Kathir, op. Cit., Vol. 14 p. 38.
5
Ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi, op. Cit., p. 257
Ibn Taimiyah was released and received in an audience at Cairo. 6 Ibn Taimiyah was frequently
consulted by the Sultan where he advised him privately. 7

Ibn Taimiyah now concentrated his attention on academic and social problems where he organised
his teaching since demand for his guidance started to grow. In addition to this, his knowledge and
thinking became broader and concrete. Occasionally, he would even issue a fatwa against the ruling
of the four famous schools of jurisprudence. 8 One exemplar was on divorce when in 1318, in a letter,
the Sultan forbade him to issue any fatwa which contradicted any prevailing Hanbalite doctrine. In
essence, Ibn Taimiyah was of the view that a triple utterance of the repudiation formula at one
instance is to be considered as only one utterance, and that any repudiation obtained under
compulsion was invalid. As a result of disobeying the Sultan Ibn Taimiyah was placed in prison in
Damascus for five months and eighteen days. 9

Ibn Taimiyah’s last imprisonment was a result of his opponents digging up an old fatwa relating to
tomb visits given by him seventeen years previous which could be provocatively interpreted. In his
treatise on the subject (Risalah Ziyarah al-Qubur) Ibn Taimiyah questioned the legality of visiting
tombs, even the tomb of the Prophet. 10 His opponents distorted the sense and context of this fatwa
to make it objectionable in the eyes of the public and Sultan. A dispute broke out and Ibn Taimiyah
was imprisoned in the Citadel of Damascus from 13 July 1326 and lasted until his death.

Many of Ibn Taimiyah’s work was produced during his time in prison and he never complained to
anybody about his persecution. It was only when all reading and writing materials were taken away
from him, did he say: ‘now they really have put me in prison’. He breathed his last on 26 September,
1328 (20 Dhu’l-Qa’dah 728 AH). The whole country mourned and a great number of Damascan’s
attended the funeral including those who had been against him. 11 This is a testimony of his place
among the people, of their appreciation of his sacrifices for public purposes and just cause.

According to ‘Allamah Shibli Nu’mani, the highest reformer is one who revolutionises religion or
politics; who does not merely follows others, but expounds his own thoughts, bears hardships,
makes sacrifices and does not hesitate to lay down his life for the cause. 12 Each of these qualities is
found in Ibn Taimiyah. The most important elements of his reform were:

a) Bring about a revolution against un-Islamic practices (Bid’at) that had crept into Islam and
emphasize the concept of Tawhid.
b) Return to fundamental priorities of Islam and its original spirit, instead of disputing over
secondary and non-fundamental problems; and
c) Serving the public good through such state intervention in economic life such as promoting
justice and security and preventing exploitation and selfishness. 13

6
Laoust, op. Cit., p. 952; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah, Vol.14, pp. 53-4.
7
Laoust, op. Cit., p. 952.
8
Ibn Kathir, op. Cit., Vol. 14 p. 67; Ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi, op. Cit., p. 322.
9
Ibn Kathir, op. Cit., Vol. 14 p. 97.
10
Cf. Ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi, op. Cit., pp. 335-6.
11
Ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi, pp. 11-12, 362, 371; Ibn Kathir, op. Cit., Vol 14, p. 136.
12
Nu’mani, Shibli, maqalat (A’zamgarh: Dar al-Musannifin, 1955) Vol. 5 p. 62.
13
Al-Mubarak, Muhammad, ‘al-Dawlah ‘ind Ibn Taimiyah’. Usbu’ al-fiqh al-Islami wa Miharajan Ibn Taimiyah
(Cairo: al-Majlis al-A’la li Ri’ayah al-Funun wa’l Adab, 1963), p.847.
It is inconceivable that economic matters could have escaped the attention of a genius the like of Ibn
Taimiyah. He was inspired with the understanding of Islam as a religion does concern itself with
economic problems and hold certain fundamental principles in regard to them. According to him,
every person must be assured a minimum standard of living sufficient for him to fulfil his obligations
to the Almighty and to his brethren. 14 Equally justice was emphasised and is a value recognised by
all nations. He mentions ‘all people agreed that the consequences of injustice are gloomy, and the
fruit of justice is admirable’. 15

Ibn Taimiyah discussed economic problems principally in two books; Al-Hisbah fi’l Islam (The
institution of Hisbah in Islam) and al-Siyasah al-Shar’iyah fi Islah al-Ra’i wa’l Ra’iyha (Public and
Private laws in Islam). In the first book he discusses the market, and government intervention in
economic life, in the second book he deals with public income and expenditure.

His economic views will be our primary concern.

14
Ibn Taimiyah, MFS, vol. 24, p. 280.
15
Ibn Taimiyah, MFS, vol. 24, p. 9.