"A Man of Unshakable Faith, Endless Trials, and an Everlasting Legacy"
Full Name & Birth
Taqī ad-Dīn Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim ibn Abd as-Salām ibn Taymiyyah
Born: 22 January 1263 CE (10 Rabi' al-Awwal 661 AH)
Birthplace: Harran (Modern-day Turkey, then part of the Mamluk Sultanate)
Early Life & Education
Ibn Taymiyyah's family fled Harran when the Mongols invaded, seeking refuge in Damascus in 1269.
He came from a lineage of great Hanbali scholars, and his father, Shihab al-Din Abd al-Halim, was a prominent teacher.
By the age of 7, he had memorized the Quran!
He studied under over 200 scholars and mastered Hadith, Tafsir, Fiqh, Aqeedah, Arabic language, logic, and even secular sciences.
Teachers & Students
Teachers
His father, Shihab al-Din Abd al-Halim
Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi
Ibn al-Subki
Abu al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi
Famous Students
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (his most loyal student)
Ibn Kathir (author of "Tafsir Ibn Kathir")
Al-Dhahabi (renowned historian)
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
Struggles, Battles & Standing for Truth
Ibn Taymiyyah was a warrior scholar, leading the Muslims in Jihad against the Mongols who threatened Damascus.
He stood against innovations (Bid'ah) and refuted Sufi deviations, extreme Ash'arism, and Shia beliefs.
He challenged corrupt rulers, which led to conflicts with politicians and scholars who wanted to silence him.
Prison Life & Endless Trials
Ibn Taymiyyah spent several years in prison due to his fearless stance against Bid'ah and political corruption.
Imprisonments & Persecutions
1306 CE - Cairo: Imprisoned for 18 months for his fatwa on visiting graves.
1320 CE - Damascus: Arrested for his views on divorce laws, spent months in jail.
1326 CE - Final imprisonment in Damascus - Authorities banned him from writing, took away his ink and paper!
Despite suffering, his faith never wavered. His prison became his Madrasa, and he continued to teach and inspire even behind bars!
His Most Heartbreaking Moment
When authorities took away his books and ink, he said:
"What can my enemies do to me? My paradise is in my heart… If they imprison me, it is seclusion with my Lord. If they kill me, it is martyrdom. If they exile me, it is a journey for Allah."
Books & Contributions
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote over 350 books! Some of his most famous works:
Aqeedah & Theology
Majmu' al-Fatawa (Compilation of his Fatwas)
Kitab al-Iman (On Faith & Belief)
Al-Sarim al-Maslul (Refutation of
those who insult the Prophet ﷺ)
Refuting Deviations & Bid'ah
Ar-Radd 'ala al-Akhna'i (Refutation of extreme Sufi beliefs)
Iqtidā' as-Sirāt al-Mustaqīm (Against Innovations in Islam)
Fiqh & Fatwa
Al-Fatawa al-Kubra
Sharh 'Aqidat al-Wasitiyyah (Explaining Hanbali theology)
Miscellaneous
Arba'un Hadithan (A collection of 40 Hadiths)
Why He Was Feared & Hated by Some?
He challenged the corrupt scholars and rulers who mixed politics with Islam.
He exposed extreme Sufi practices that had no basis in the Quran & Sunnah.
He rejected blind following (Taqlid) of Madhhabs, advocating for direct adherence to the Quran & Hadith.
His Stance on Madhhabs & Bid'ah
He did not blindly follow any single Madhhab, instead choosing the strongest evidence from the Salaf (early Muslims).
He believed that any innovation in religion (Bid'ah) is misguidance.
He was a true reviver of Salafi thought, calling people back to pure Islam.
His Death in Prison (1328 CE)
After years of suffering in jail, Ibn Taymiyyah fell sick.
On 22 Dhul-Qa'dah 728 AH (26 September 1328 CE), he passed away in Damascus prison.
His funeral was one of the largest in Islamic history!
Over 200,000 people attended, including scholars, rulers, and common people.
He was buried in Bab al-Saghir cemetery, Damascus.
Last Words Before Death
"I forgive those who imprisoned me, harmed me, and spoke against me. I only seek the mercy of Allah."
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