Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Abu `Abdillah, Shamsuddin Muhammad, son of Abu Bakr, son of Ayyub, son of Sa`d, son of Hurayz, of Damascus. He is best known as Ibn ul-Qayyim (Son of the Custodian), named so after al-Jawziyyah school in Damascus which was under custody of his father. His family was one of honor and knowledge.

He was born on Safar 7, 691 AH (1292 CE), in the village of Zar`, to the south-east of Damascus.

Teachers

He moved to Damascus and learned the Islamic knowledge under a number of prominent scholars.

His most notable teacher was Ahmad bin `Abdil Halim Ibn Taymiyyah. He valued him most and he stayed with him continuously in his years of youth: from 712 AH (1312 CE) until Ibn Taymiyyah’s death in 728 AH (1328 CE). He loved him dearly, he comprehended his thought, and he worked on clarifying and spreading his knowledge after his death.

Writings

Ibn ul Qayyim wrote more than sixty books in various areas of Islam. Some of these are:

• `Uddat us-Saabirin wa Thakhirat ush-Shakirin
• Al-Fawa’id
• Ar-Ruh
• Badaa`I ul-Fawaa’id
• Haadil-Arwahi ila Bilad il-Afrah
• I`lam al-Muwaqqi`een `an Rabb il-`Aalamin
• Ighathatul Lahfan Min Masaa`id ash-Shaytan
• Madarij us-Salikeen fi Manazili Iyyaka Na`budu wa Iyyaka Nasta`in
• Zad ul Ma`adi fi Hadyi Khayr il-`Ibad

Students

Ibn ul Qayyim had numerous students. Some of the more reputable among them are the following:

Al Hafidh Abul Faraj ibn Rajab
Al Hafidh Ismail ibn Kathir
Al Hafidh Muhammad bin Abdul Hadi

Death

He died on the evening of Thursday, Rajab 23, 751 AH (1350 CE). People prayed on him (the Janazah prayer) on the following day in the Great Masjid in Damascus. He was burined in al-Bab us-Saghir cemetary.

He was highly praised by the `ulama’ after him, such as al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab, al-Hafidh adh-Dhahabi, ibn Nasir ad-Dimashqi, Al Hafidh ibn Hajar and Muhammad