Biographical Entries

 He is the scholar of Quranic exegesis (tafsir), the master of Hadith, the Usuli, the Grammarian and poet, the Imam of the Shāfi’is and the Mujahid Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Isma’il Ash-Shāshī, well known as “Al-Qaffāl Al-Kabīr”. He is known as “Al-Qaffal Al-Kabīr - or the older Qaffāl” because of Al-Qaffāl As-Saghīr (the younger) who is Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Ahmad Al-Marwazi, also a Shāfi’i jurist and born some 400 years after our Qaffāl.

Al-Qaffāl Ash-Shāshī was born in the year 291 A.H corresponding with 904 CE in the city of Ash-Shāsh. Ash-Shāsh is what is currently known as Tashkent Uzbekistan.  

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I have for some time utilized the labeling “Neo-Muqaatiliyyah” for the Mujassim pseudo-salafis of our tried era. They have embodied the same beliefs as Muqatil ibn Sulayman as we have shown elsewhere. Some claim, may Allah guide them and bless them with good, that I have innovated this term. Here I shall present the quote from Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalani from his Tahthib At-Tahthib for all Muslims to see for themselves. Click the following scan to see for yourself:

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Research Compiled by Abul Layth

Nearly one year ago I accidently stumbled upon a narration found in Imam Ahmad’s Musnad that reads:

 

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا عبد الملك بن عمرو ثنا كثير بن زيد عن داود بن أبي صالح قال : أَقْبَلَ ‏ ‏مَرْوَانُ ‏ ‏يَوْمًا فَوَجَدَ رَجُلًا وَاضِعًا وَجْهَهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ فَقَالَ أَتَدْرِي مَا تَصْنَعُ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ ‏ ‏أَبُو أَيُّوبَ ‏ ‏فَقَالَ نَعَمْ جِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏وَلَمْ آتِ الْحَجَرَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏يَقُولُ ‏ ‏لَا تَبْكُوا عَلَى الدِّينِ إِذَا وَلِيَهُ أَهْلُهُ وَلَكِنْ ابْكُوا عَلَيْهِ إِذَا وَلِيَهُ غَيْرُ أَهْلِهِ

Abdul-Maalik ibn ‘Amru>>Kathir ibn Zayd>>from Daawud ibn Abi Saalih who said:

“Marwan [ibn al-Hakam] one day saw a man placing his face on top of the grave of the Prophet . He said: “Do you know what you are doing?” When he came near him, he realized it was Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. The latter said: “Yes; I came to the Prophet , not to a stone. I heard the Prophet say: “Do not weep on religion if its people assume its leadership (walyahu), but weep on it if other than its people assume it.”

Upon first stumbling upon this narration I was reading Shaykh Shu’ayb Al-Arna’ut’s edition of the Musnad of Imam Ahmad. After this narration he stated, “Its chain is weak due to the Jahaalah (unknownness) of Dawud ibn Abi Salih.”

When I posted this text, seeking further clarification, on the old Seekingilm forums the brother known as ‘Faqir’ posted a refutation by Shaykh Abul Hasan on two individuals who had weakened this narration. Their argument was based upon the following points:

1) Kathir ibn Zayd is weak.

2) Dawud ibn Abi Saalih is unknown.

The brother Abul Hasan sufficiently squelched these individuals, may Allah guide them and us. It is here that I will abridge his research without delving into the polemical distractions that occurred in the article. I shall be producing my own research as well. I ask Allah ta’alaa to bless Shaykh Abul Hasan for his endeavor as well as those who seek the truth sincerely.

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By Ibn Saad

(Special Thanks to Tilmeedh of Sunniforum)

The Sheikh (Ibn Taymiyyah) - Rahimahullah - was asked:
“Was Khidr (as) a Prophet or a Wali? And is he alive to the present day? And if he is alive, then what do you say about what has been narrated about the Prophet saying “Had he been alive, he would surely have visited me”? Is this hadith sahih or not?”

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 by Abul Layth

 Allah Allah ! Our Shaykh Nuh, May Allah bless him and his family Amin, encouraged the travellers on the path to read the Adhkaar of Imam An-Nawawi (rahimahullah). So, I bought it, and must say that I have benefitted immensly within the last few weeks. I even got to sit down with Umm Layth at the lake and go over some beneficial Shafi’i opinions from it. At times I wish I could share everything I read the readers of SeekingIlm, but time and other things are far more important. I am, insha’allah, going to start sharing more of the benefits I experience in the Adhkaar with those who care to better themselves.

I came across a beautiful hadith that goes (here is the scan),

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By Abul Layth 

I thought of translating a biography of Shaykh-ul-Islaam Abu Haamid Al-Ghazzaali and then I realized that there is plenty of literature on his magnificent life. There is not, however, much information in the way of Imam Al-Ghazzaali’s influence on Muslim Western thought. What I mean by “Muslim Western” thought is Andalusia and West Africa. What lead me to this issue was some personal readings and research that I have been doing on Al-Ghawth Abu Madyan Shu’ayb Al-Ansaari(d. 594 A.H), a famous Sufi scholar of the western Muslim world that studied beneath Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir Al-Jilaani and whom the Shadhili Silsilah goes through. He has been dubbed, atleast by some orientalists, “The Junayd of the West”.  Before I mention the details of this issue, I want you to close your eyes and picture the globe. Mark in your pictured mine “Fes, Morocco” and then draw a line to Iran. According to Shaykh GoogleEarth it is nearly 3,300 miles (approx. 5,300 kilometers). Let us take into consideration a few of the following facts:

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Name: محمد بن سيرين الانصاري

Muhammad ibn Seereen Al-Ansaari, the Mawlaa of Abu Bakr ibn Abi ‘Amrah Al-Basri, the Imam of his time. Ibn Hajr states,

“He reported from his Mawlaa Anas ibn Maalik, Zayd ibn Thaabit, Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Jundub ibn Abdullah Al-Bajali, Ibn Umar, Ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Uthmaan ibn Abil ‘Aas, ‘Imran ibn Husayn, Ka’ab ibn ‘Ajrah, Mu’aawiyah, Abid-Dardaa’, Abi Sa’id, Abi Qataadah, Abu Hurayrah, Abi Bakr Ath-Thaqafi, ‘Aa’ishah - The mother of the believers, Umm ‘Atiyyah…and a group from the Kibaar (major scholars) of the taabi’een.”

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His name: عبيدة بن عمرو السلماني

‘Abidah ibn ‘Amru, and it is said ibn Al-Qays, As-Salmaani. He was nicknamed Abu ‘Amru Al-Kufi. According to Imam Al-Ijli and Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalaani he accepted Islam two years before the death of the beloved Messenger Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). According to them however, he was unable and thus did not get the blessing of meeting our beloved Nabi Muhammad (’alayhis salam).

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 By Abul Layth ibn ‘Ataa’

His Youth

On a beautiful Fajr morning on the 22nd of Muharram in the year 846 A.H (June 7th 1442 CE), in the village of Tiliwaan, was born a man the ‘Aarifeen would forever praise and look to for spiritual growth. His name was Ahmad ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isaa Al Barnoosi Al-Faasi, known as Az-Zarruq. His parents died while he was one week of age due to a horrible outbreak known as ‘Azzunah. His maternal grandmother Umm Al-Baneen, a woman he would always express absolute love and gratitude for, raised him. Umm Al-Baneen had memorized the Qur’aan and studied Islaam. She was a Zaahida and raised her beloved grandson as one as well. Imaam Az-Zarruq describes his grandmother as such,

“She instructed me how to make Salaah and ordered me to do so at the age of five. At the same age she sent me to the kuttaab (Qur’anic School) and started teaching me about tawheed, tawakkul, eemaan, and deen in a curious method. One day she prepared food for me. When I came back from the Kuttaab for luch she said, ‘I have got nothing for you to eat. However, provision is in the treasure of the Almighty! Sit down and let us ask from Him!’ We stretched out our hands to the heavens and began praying to Allah. Then she said: ‘Go and look, aybe Allah has put something in the corner of the house.’ We began to search and how glad I was when I found the food! She said: ‘Come and let us thank Allah before we eat, so that our Lord may give us more from his Mercy!’ We thanked Allah and praised Him for an hour then we commenced eating. She used to do many times till I grew up.”

 He tells of another occasion,

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Al-Qadhi (The Judge) Muhammad ibn Abdur-Rahmaan As-Safadi Ash-Shaafi’i (died in 749 A.H.) once stated after examining the affair of Ibn ‘Arabi,

“I have observed that Ibn ‘Arabi’s ‘Aqidah, is from beginning to end, the ‘Aqidah of the Shaykh Abul Hasan Al-Asha’ri without the least difference.”¹

Ibn ‘Arabi is probably one of the most controversial scholars of Islamic History. Many scholars have declared outright takfir of him and have thus damned him to Hell eternally. Imam ‘Alaa’ud-deen Al-Bukhaari Al Hanafi and Imam Ibn Al-Muqri’ declared him a kaafir. In fact ‘Alaa-ud-Deen went so far as to say, “Whoever does not declare Ibn ‘Arabi a Kaafir, is himself a Kaafir.” For those pseudo-salafis who like to run with ‘Alaa-ud-deen’s words, let them also run with his words, “Ibn Taymiyyah is a kaafir!” Indeed, he also made takfeer of Ibn Taymiyyah! Let us not get off topic however. Many other great A’immah did consider him a heretic or Zindiq (which is in fact borderline takfir). The famous Sa’ad-Ad-Din At-Taftazaani wrote a whole treatise in response to “Wahdatul-Wujud” demeaning Ibn ‘Arabi. Others, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Abu Hayyan Al-Andalusi, Adh-Dhahabi also deemed him deviant. I have also read Ibn Hajr criticising him as well.

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Footnotes (Click ↩ at the end of the note to Go Back to Original Place in the article) :

1. Al-Wafi bil Wafayat also In Imam As-Suyuti’s Tanbih Al-Ghabi [↩]

Compiled by Abul Layth

Born 1320 A.H. and died 1380 A.H. He was born into the Qabeelah of Bani Sa’eed, and it is the kinsfolk of the Qabeelah of Ghimaarah. Two years after he was born his family moved to Tanjah (طنجة) and there, as a child he memorized the Qur’aan beneath Sidi Al Arabi ibn Ahmad Budrah. After memorizing the Qur’aan and reciting it, he memorized Al-Aajrumiyyah, Al Murshid Al-Ma’een, Buloogh Al Maraam, As-Sanoosiyyah, Alfiyyah ibn Maalik, Al Jawharah, Al Bayqooniyyah, and Mukhtasar Al Khaleel and many other works.

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