Originally posted by Abu Sulayman
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Imam Ibn Rajab's praise for Imam Ibn Hamdan
Note that while Imam Ibn Rajab (d. 795 AH) praises the Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 AH), he also criticizes him for his abnormal views and regards the Hanbali judges who stopped him from giving Fatawa - containing some of these abnormal views - to be upright (or just)!
In the case of Imam Ibn Hamdan (d. 695 AH) he only praised him and did not criticize him in any way or form!
He (Imam Ibn Rajab) said in his Dhayl Tabaqat al-Hanabila (only highlighted parts are translated):
أحمد بن حمدان بن شبيب بن حمدان بن شبيب بن حمدان بن محمود بن شبيب بن غياث بن سابق بن وثاب النميري الحراني، الفقيه الأصولي، القاضي نجم الدين، أبو عبد الله بن أبي الثناء، نزيل القاهرة، وصاحب التصانيف: ولد سنة ثلاث وستمائة بحران. وسمع الكثير بحران من الحافظ عبد القادر الرهاوي. وهو آخر من روى عنه، ومن الخطيب أبي عبد الله ابن تيمية، وابن روزبة، وغيرهم. وسمع بحلب من الحافظ ابن خليل، وغيره، وبدمشق: من ابن غسان، وابن صباح، وبالقدس: من الأوتي، وغيرهم. وطلب بنفسه، وقرأ على الشيوخ. وتفقه على الناصحين الحرانيين: ابن أبىِ الفهم، وابن جميع. وأخذ عن الخطيب فخر الدين، وجالس ابن عمه الشيخ مجد الدين، وبحث معه كثيراً، وبرع في الفقه، وانتهت إليه معرفة المذهب، ودقائقه وغوامضه. وكان عارفاً بالأصلين والخلاف والأدب. وصنف تصانيف كثيرة. منها " الرعاية الصغرى " في الفقه، و " الرعاية الكبرى " وفيها نُقُول كثيرة جداً، لكنها غير محررة، وكتابي " الوافي " في أصول الفقه، ومقدمة أصول الدين، وقصيدة طويلة في السنة، وكتاب " صفة المفتي والمستفتي " . وولي نيابة القضاء بالقاهرة. وأظنه ولي فضاء المحلة أيضاً. وتفقه به وتخرج عليه جماعة، وحدث بالكثير. وعمر وأسن وأضر. وروى عنه الدمياطي، والحارثي، وابنه، والمزي، وأبو الفتح اليعمري، والبرزالي، وغيرهم. وحدثنا عنه محمد بن أبي القاسم الفارقي الشاهد بالقاهرة. وتوفي يوم الخميس سادس صفر سنة خمس وتسعين وستمائة بالقاهرة
Ahmad bin Hamdan... al-Numayri al-Harrani, the jurist (Faqih) [and] legal theorist (Usuli), the judge (Qadhi) Najm al-Din, Abu 'Abdillah bin Abil Thana`, [he stayed as] a resident in Cairo [later on] and was the author of [many] works.
He was born in 603 AH in Harran. ...
He was proficient in jurisprudence (Fiqh) and the knowledge of the [Hanbali] Madhhab, its details and [solving] its difficult issues ended to him. He was well-versed in the two foundations [of the religion] (Aslayn, i.e. Usul al-Din and Usul al-Fiqh), the differences (Khilaf) and literature (Adab). He authored a lot of works. ...
He was appointed as a judicial prosecutor in Cairo. ...
He passed away on Thursday, the 6th of Safar, in the year 695 AH in Cairo.
- end of quote -
What is interesting to know here is that several members of the respected Taymiyyan family were among his teachers and from among them (because he was from Harran just like them!):
- Imam Majd al-Din Ibn Taymiyya (d. 652 AH), the absolute top scholars of the Hanabila
- Imam Fakhr al-Din Ibn Taymiyya (d. 622 AH), the uncle of Majd al-Din and the Shaykh of Harran and their Khatib
These scholars of the Taymiyyan family were upon the same creed as in Nihayat al-Mubtadi`in by Imam Ibn Hamdan.
The Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 AH) - who was born in 661 AH in Harran - however left the way of his forefathers - who were major Hanbali scholars! - in the two foundations (Aslayn) of the religion (see Majmu' al-Fatawa):
ولكن هذه المسألة ومسألة الزيارة، وغيرهما حدث من المتأخرين فيها شبه. وأنا وغيري كنا على مذهب الآباء في ذلك! نقول في الأصلين بقول أهل البدع، فلما تبين لنا ما جاء به الرسول دار الأمر بين أن نتبع ما أنزل الله، أو نتبع ما وجدنا عليه آباءنا، فكان الواجب هو اتباع الرسول
But regarding this issue (Hulul al-Hawadith / al-Sifat al-Ikhtiyariyya, i.e. God being subject to changes) and the issue of visitation (Ziyara, of the Prophetic grave) and other [issues] there happened doubts [and confusion] between the later scholars.
Me and others used to be on the way of the forefathers regarding these [issues]; we would say in the two foundations (Aslayn, i.e. Usul al-Din (foundations of beliefs) and Usul al-Fiqh (foundations of jurisprudence)) [the same as] the statement of the people of innovation (Ahl al-Bida').
So when that which the Messenger had came with became clear to us, the issue became one between following that which was sent down by Allah or to follow that which we found our forefathers upon. So that which was obligatory [upon us] was to follow the Messenger.
- end of quote-
(Note that the issues he mentioned above where he left "the way of forefathers", are among those which Imam Ibn Rajab explicitly called as abnormal (Shadh).)
The Taymiyyan family however remained on the mainstream Hanbali creed even after the Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya such that the 'Allama 'Abd al-Baqi al-Ba'li [al-Mawahibi al-Azhari al-Hanbali] (d. 1071 AH) - whose lineage goes back to the Taymiyyan family and both his father and his son were also scholars! - authored the Hanbali creedal work al-'Ayn wal Athar and based it on the very wording of Nihayat al-Mubtadi`in of Imam Ibn Hamdan! (It should be stated here that there are "Salafis" who openly attack al-'Ayn wal Athar!)
Imagine: There is not a single commentary on the creedal works of Ibn Taymiyya by classical Hanabila, while there are at least three important Hanbali creedal works (al-'Ayn wal Athar, Qala`id al-'Iqyan, Najat al-Khalaf) - two of which the 'Allama al-Saffarini (d. 1188 AH) himself teached alongside Lum'at al-I'tiqad and regarded as reliable - which are based on Nihayat al-Mubtadi`in.
Add to that: Most Hanabila only quote Ibn Taymiyya in creed when he agrees with the mainstream direction or says something which is not abnormal, but they refer to Nihayat al-Mubtadi`in as representative of the creed of Imam Ahmad himself! Major Fuqaha` of the Hanabila - like Imam Ibn Muflih (d. 763 AH), Imam al-Mardawi (d. 885 AH), Imam Ibn al-Najjar al-Futuhi (d. 972 AH), Imam al-Buhuti (d. 1051 AH), etc. - do so!
Yet some "Salafis" dare to attack al-'Ayn wal Athar - which is based on Nihayat al-Mubtadi`in - and claim that it does not represent the Hanbali creed!
If this is not ignorance, then what is it? And if this is not cultist behavior towards IT, then what is it?
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