Biography: Ibn al-Jawzee (d.597H)

Ibn al-Jawzee (d.597H)

His lineage: He is ‘Abdurrahmaan bin ‘Alee bin Muhammad bin ‘Alee bin ‘Abeedullaah bin ‘Abdillaah bin Hamaadee bin Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ja’far bin ‘Abdillaah bin al-Qaasim bin an-Nasr bin al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad bin ‘Abdillaah bin ‘Abdirrahmaan bin al-Qaasim bin Muhammad bin Abee Bakr as-Siddeeq al-Qurashee at-Taymee al-Bakree al-Baghdaadee.


His birth: He was born in the city of Baghdad in 510H.


His seeking of knowledge and efforts in Da’wah: At the age of three, his father died and his mother and uncle began to take him to the mosque and listen to hadeeth from his uncle, the great Shaykh Abul-Fadhl Muhammad bin Naasir al-Baghdaadee. He also learnt from the reciters there. It is mentioned that he had over eighty Shaykhs, of them: al-Qaadhee Aboo Bakr al-Ansaaree, Aboo Bakr al-Mazrafee, Abul-Qaasim al-Hareeree, ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Waahid ad-Deinooree.


Ibn al Jawzee became an outstanding scholar of the twelfth century especially in the Hadeeth sciences for which he was titled “al Haafidh”. He was also noted for his scholarship in the fields of history, linguistics, tafseer and fiqh. In fact, he became the leading scholar of the Hanbalee Madhab of his time and played an important role in reviving and spreading it.


The Scholars’ praise for him:


Adh-Dhahabee said about him: The Imaam, the ‘Allaamah, the Haafidh, the great scholar of ‘Iraaq and admonisher.


Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee said : The Haafidh, the Mufassir (exegist of the Qur’aan), the Faqeeh (Jurist), the admonisher, Shaykh of his time and the Imaam of his generation.


Abul-Mudhaffar, the one dear to him, said: He was a zaahid (ascetic) in this world, distant from it, he did not ever joke with anyone, nor did he play with youth, and he did not eat from something of which its permissibility is uncertain, and he did not slack in these matters until Allaah, the Most High, caused him to die.


Ibn Katheer says about him: One of the few Scholars who excelled in many sciences and was singled out (in his excellence) amongst the rest. He produced many books, large and small, (the number of which is about) three hundred and he wrote with his hands about two hundred volumes. He was singled out in the field of admonishing, in which there was none before nor none (after who) reached his level in it, nor in his method and (perceptual) form, or in his eloquence, purity, sweetness and beauty….He would combine many meanings in simple, easy words. (In fact) He has extended his hand in all fields including tafseer, hadeeth, history, mathematics, astrology, medicine, jurisprudence and other than that from sciences of the (Arabic) language.


The last part of his life: He died on the night of Jumu’ah, the 12th of Ramadhaan 597H, in Baghdaad. May Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) have Mercy upon his soul, aameen.


Source : Madeenah University Magazine (http://www.iu.edu.sa/Magazine/30/2.htm),
Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad, http://www.almuflihoon.com/