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90-693: Imam Al-Shafi'i was once approached by an old man who asked for proof of Ijma from the Quran. Imam Al-Shafi'i went home and recited the whole Quran three times. On the third recitation, he found a verse in Sura An-Nisa ( 4:115 ) "And whoever defies the Messenger after guidance has become clear to them and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will let them pursue what they have chosen, then burn them in Hell—what an evil end!" which mentions

180-454: A Jahmite heretic , while his respect for 'Ali ibn Abi Talib , the fourth rightly guided caliph, exposed him to accusations of Shi'ite sympathies. At the same time, he incurred the wrath of the Shi'ites by defending the previous three caliphs. In Baghdad , three Hanbalites, who do not seem further identifiable, asked al-Tabari about his views on a tradition attributed to Mujahid , concerning

270-509: A collection of books on the history of Tabari with different titles. Al-Azdi was an extremely early witness to the reception of al-Tabari's text - indeed, much earlier than the sources that are customarily used to improve our understanding of the Tarikh al-rusul wa-l-muluk , e.g., Miskawayh, Ibn Asakir , Ibn al-Athir , and Ibn Khallikan . Second, since al-Azdi was writing in the decades following al-Tabari, his Tarikh can say something about

360-762: A form which was more likely to ever occur, Al-Ghazali expanding on al-Shafi'i's definition to define consensus as including all of the Muslim community in regard to religious principles and restricting the meaning to only the religiously learned in regard to finer details. Abu Hanifa , Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Dawud al-Zahiri , on the other hand, considered this consensus to only include the companions of Muhammad, excluding all generations which followed them, in Medina and elsewhere. Views within Sunni Islam branched off even further in later generations, with Abu Bakr Al Jassas,

450-427: A hanafi scholar, defining even a simple majority view as constituting consensus and Ibn Taymiyyah restricting consensus to the view of the religiously learned only. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari 's position was not entirely clear, as modern scholarship has attributed to him both the view that consensus means a simple majority, and that it means only the consensus of the companions of Muhammad. According to Ahmad Hasan,

540-580: A judge, but he declined the offer. In 814 CE, al-Shafi'i decided to leave Baghdad for Egypt. The precise reasons for his departure from Iraq are uncertain, but it was in Egypt that he would meet another tutor, al-Sayyidah Nafisah , who would also financially support his studies, and where he would dictate his life's works to students. Several of his leading disciples would write down what al-Shafi'i said, who would then have them read it back aloud so that corrections could be made. Al-Shafi'i biographers all agree

630-493: A meticulous and well-annotated translation of the sections from al-Tabari's chronicle, which constitute the most important primary source for the history of his reign. Anyone familiar with al-Tabari's chronicle knows what a formidable challenge it poses for a translator, especially for one attempting to make it accessible to an audience that includes non-specialists. There is first of all the obstacle of al-Tabari's Arabic prose, which varies greatly in style and complexity, according to

720-792: A new phase of the development of legal theory." Being born in Gaza , Palestine to the Banu Muttalib clan of the Quraysh tribe, he was relocated at the age of two and raised in Mecca . He later resided in Medina , Yemen , Baghdad in Iraq , and Egypt , and also served as a judge for some time in Najran . The biography of al-Shafi'i is difficult to trace. It was said Dawud al-Zahiri (d. 884 CE)

810-604: A pilgrimage prior to his first arrival in Baghdad. He left Baghdad probably in 242 AH (856/7 AD) to travel through the southern cities of Basra , Kufah and Wasit . There, he met a number of eminent and venerable scholars. In addition to his previous study of Hanafi law, Tabari also studied the Shafi'i , Maliki and Zahiri rites. Tabari's study of the latter school was with the founder, Dawud al-Zahiri , and Tabari hand-copied and transmitted many of his teacher's works. Tabari

900-520: A result, al-Shafi'i reportedly participated in a debate with al-Shaybani over their differences, though who won the debate is disputed. In Mecca, al-Shafi'i began to lecture at the Sacred Mosque , leaving a deep impression on many students of jurisprudence, including the founder of the Hanbali school , Ahmad ibn Hanbal . Al-Shafi'i's legal reasoning began to mature, as he started to appreciate

990-514: A social and historical phenomenon, Shafi'i sought to define a revealed Law." Al-Shāfi‘ī emphasised the final authority of a hadith of Muhammad so that even the Qur'an was "to be interpreted in the light of traditions (i.e. hadith), and not vice versa." While traditionally the Quran is considered above the Sunna in authority, Al-Shafi'i "forcefully argued" that the sunna stands "on equal footing with

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1080-580: A speech at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies , founded the Tabari History Research Structure Institute. The Jarir Tabari first international commemoration in 1989, with a suggestion by Mohammad Ebrahim Bastani Parizi was held by Kayhan magazine at Mazandaran University . In 1987, The ERTU (Egyptian Radio and Television Union) produced the first TV series that presented the life of Jarir Tabari under

1170-530: A valid source of law, primarily due to their rationalist criticism of the first generation of Muslims, whom the Mu'tazila viewed as possessing defective personalities and intellects. Shi'ite theologians Al-Shaykh Al-Mufid and Sharif al-Murtaza held the Mu'tazilite theologian Nazzam 's book Kitab al-Nakth , in which his student Al-Jahiz reports that he denied the validity of consensus for this reason, in high esteem. Modern scholarship has suggested that this interest

1260-438: Is careful to give his reports of these conquests a religious frame (expressions such as "Nu'aym wrote to 'Umar about the victory that God had given him" [pp. 25–26] abound), though it is worth noting that Tabari describes the initiation of the campaign in pragmatic rather than ideological terms. He states that 'Umar's decision to invade came as a result of his realization Yazdegerd was making war on him every year, and when it

1350-470: Is known about al-Shafi'i's early life in Mecca, except that he was brought up in poor circumstances and that from his youth he was devoted to learning. An account states that his mother could not afford to buy his paper, so he would write his lessons on bones, particularly shoulder-bones. He studied under Muslim ibn Khalid al-Zanji , the then- judge of Mecca, who is thus considered to be his first teacher. By

1440-463: Is one of a number of narratives about him declining gifts or giving gifts of equal or greater amount in return. In his late twenties, he travelled to Syria , Palestine , India and Egypt . In Beirut , he made the highly significant connection of al-Abbas ibn al-Walid ibn Mazyad al-'Udhri al-Bayruti (c. 169–270/785–86 to 883–84). Al-Abbas instructed Tabari in the Syrian school's variant readings of

1530-614: Is primarily known as the author and author of history. Theodor Nöldeke , the German orientalist in 1878 has also translated the Sassanid section of Tabari's history into German, and has since been reprinted several times. Dutch orientalist Michael Jan de Goeje , in several volumes, translated Tabari's history book into Dutch, The book was later translated into English and republished in 1998 by State University of New York Press and Paris Diderot University . Hermann Zotenberg published

1620-591: The Hanafi school. Among other material, ibn Humayd taught Jarir Tabari the historical works of ibn Ishaq , especially al-Sirah , the life of Muhammad . Tabari was thus introduced in youth to pre-Islamic and early Islamic history. Tabari quotes ibn Humayd frequently, but little is known about Tabari's other teachers in Rayy. Tabari then travelled to study in Baghdad under Ahmad ibn Hanbal , who, however, had recently died (in late 855 or early 856). Tabari possibly made

1710-573: The Sasanian Empire came next. For the period of Muhammad's life, al-Ṭabarī drew upon the extensive researches of 8th-century Medinan scholars . Although pre-Islamic influences are evident in their works, the Medinan perspective of Muslim history evolved as a theocentric (god-centred) universal history of prophecy, culminating in the career of Muhammad and not as a continuum of tribal wars and values. The sources for al-Ṭabarī's History covering

1800-547: The Shafi'i madhhab. It was characterized by strong scripturalist tendencies. He appears, like Dawud al-Zahiri , to restrict consensus historically, defining it as the transmission by many authorities of reports on which the Sahaba agreed unanimously. Like Dawud al-Zahiri, he also held that consensus must be tied to a text and cannot be based on legal analogy . While we still lack a satisfactory scholarly biography of this remarkable scholar, interested readers now have access to

1890-444: The Shafi'i school for nearly a decade before he developed his own interpretation of Islamic jurisprudence . His understanding of it was both sophisticated and remarkably fluid, and, as such, he continued to develop his ideas and thoughts on juristic matters right until the end of his life. Al-Tabari's school of jurisprudence "flourished among Sunni ulama for two centuries after his death", before it eventually became extinct. It

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1980-417: The Shafi'i school of Sunni jurisprudence . He is known to be the first to write a book upon the principles of Islamic jurisprudence , having authored one of the earliest work on the subject: al-Risala . His legacy and teaching on the matter provided it with a systematic form, thereby "fundamentally influenc[ing] the succeeding generations which are under his direct and obvious impact," and "begin[ning]

2070-574: The Zahiris and some fanatic Hanbali followers. Though his conflict with the leaders of the Zahiri school was resolved, the Hanbalites literally besieged him in his own home. Apparently, al-Tabari did not think much of Ibn Hanbal as a jurist ( faqih ), but mainly saw him as a traditionist ( muhaddith ), and this was enough to incite the Hanbalites against him. Al-Tabari was suddenly accused of being

2160-556: The mujaddid of the 4th century was al-Hakim al-Nishapuri ." Helal M Abu Taher, Char Imam(Four Imams), Islamic Foundation, Dhaka,1980. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Yazīd al-Ṭabarī ( Arabic : أَبُو جَعْفَر مُحَمَّد بْن جَرِير بْن يَزِيد ٱلطَّبَرِيّ ; 839–923 CE / 224–310 AH), commonly known as al-Ṭabarī ( Arabic : ٱلطَّبَرِيّ ), was a Sunni Muslim scholar , polymath , traditionalist , historian , exegete , jurist , and theologian from Amol , Tabaristan , present-day Iran . Among

2250-455: The ummah about its inability to agree upon an error in itself certified the authenticity of this hadith. Sunni Muslims and Scholars regard ijmā' as one of the secondary sources of Sharia law , just after the divine revelation of the Qur'an , and the prophetic practice known as Sunnah . Thus so a position of Majority should always be taken into consideration, when a matter cannot be concluded from

2340-632: The "Teacher". At the age of thirty, al-Shafi'i was appointed as the Abbasid governor in the Yemeni city of Najran . He proved to be a just administrator but soon became entangled with factional jealousies. In 803 CE, al-Shafi'i was accused of aiding the Alids in a revolt, and was thus summoned in chains with a number of Alids to the caliph Harun al-Rashid at Raqqa . Whilst other conspirators were put to death, al-Shafi'i's own eloquent defence convinced

2430-558: The Columbia Center for Iranian Studies served as Editorial Coordinator. Ignác Goldziher Hungarian scholar, wrote in 1920 a book focusing on Tabari, titled in German as "Die Richtungen der islamischen Koranauslegung", and it was published by Brill Publishers . Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary also published the complete History of the Prophets and Kings in 17 volumes in his center. W. Montgomery Watt researched

2520-518: The Hanbalites, but these reports are uncertain, and other sources agree that he was buried in the morning after his death. Either way, he was buried in his home. Regardless, Tabari was remembered positively by contemporaries such as Ibn Duraid , and the Hanbalites were condemned by Abbasid authorities in their entirety for persecuting opponents, roughly a decade later. They even prevented people from meeting with him, and Ibn Jarir remained trapped in his home until he died. The period in which Tabari lived

2610-524: The Messenger or their authorities, those with sound judgment among them would have validated it. Had it not been for Allah’s grace and mercy, you would have followed Satan—except for a few." Some scholars have the opinion that Surah Al Fatihah verse 1:6 and 1:7 which Muslims read at least 17 times a day (in their 5 daily Salah ) is also an indirect support of Ijma. The hadith of Muhammad which states that "Allah will ensure my ummah will never collude en-masse upon error" have been mentioned in

2700-507: The Qur'an and transmitted through his father al-Walid the legal views of al-Awza'i , Beirut's prominent jurist from a century earlier. Tabari arrived in Egypt in 253 AH (867 AD), and some time after 256/870, he returned to Baghdad, possibly making a pilgrimage on the way. If so, he did not stay long in the Hijaz . Tabari had a private income from his father while he was still living, and then

2790-482: The Qur'an or Hadith. There are differing views over who is considered a part of this consensus, whether "the consensus is needed only among the scholars of a particular school, or legists, or legists of an early era, or the Companions, or scholars in general, or the entire Muslim community." Malik ibn Anas held the view that the religiously binding consensus was only the consensus of Muhammad's companions and

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2880-483: The Quran", (according to scholar Daniel Brown) for – as Al-Shafi'i put it – "the command of the Prophet is the command of Almighty Allah." The focus by the Muslim community on ahadith of Muhammad and disinterest in ahadith of Muhammad's companions (whose ahadith were commonly used before Al-Shāfi‘ī since most of whom survived him and spread his teachings after his death) is thought (by scholar Joseph Schacht) to reflect

2970-575: The United States, Albania and France. Planning for the translation of this great chronicle book into English in forty volumes began in 1971, led by Ehsan Yarshater as General Editor and assisted by an Editorial Board Ihsan Abbas , American University of Beirut , Clifford Edmund Bosworth University of Manchester , Jacob Lassner Wayne State University , as Supervising Editor, and Franz Rosenthal in Yale University . Estelle Whelan at

3060-654: The above verse is the most highest place in Paradise, which will be granted to the Muhammad and none else, and the position of intercession ( Shafa'a ) will be giving to him by permission of God on behalf of the believers on the Day of Judgment. Muhammad will intercede on their behalf, so that God will relieve them of the suffering of such a situation. However, the Hanbalites interpreted the Praiseworthy Station as

3150-553: The age of seven, al-Shafi'i had memorised the Quran . At ten, he had committed Malik ibn Anas 's Muwatta to heart, at which time his teacher would deputise him to teach in his absence. Al-Shafi'i was authorised to issue rulings at the age of fifteen. Al-Shafi'i moved to Medina in desire for further legal training, as was the tradition of acquiring knowledge. Accounts differ on the age in which he set out to Medina; an account placed his age at thirteen, while another stated that he

3240-524: The books of Tirmidhi , Ibn Majah , Musnah Ahmad , and Darimi . This is often quoted as the primary proof of Ijma from the Hadith from the Sunni View. Similar hadiths are often cited as a proof for the validity of ijma' as well. Sunni scholars argued that the nature of human society was such that a community could not mistakenly agree that a statement had been made, and further that the consensus of

3330-580: The caliph to dismiss the charge. Other accounts state that the famous Hanafi jurist, Muhammad al-Shaybani , was present at the court and defended al-Shafi'i as a well-known student of the sacred law. What was certain was that the incident brought al-Shafi'i in close contact with al-Shaybani, who would soon become his teacher. It was also postulated that this incident impelled him to devote the rest of his career to legal studies, never again to seek government service. Al-Shafi'i traveled to Baghdad to study with Abu Hanifah 's acolyte al-Shaybani and others. It

3420-427: The caliphs that unfortunately have come down only in the fragments preserved by al-Ṭabarī. Almost all of these accounts reflected an Iraqi perspective of the community; coupled with this is al-Ṭabarī’s scant attention to affairs in Egypt , North Africa , and Muslim Spain , so that his History does not have the secular “universal” outlook sometimes attributed to it. From the beginning of the Muslim era (dated from 622,

3510-407: The commentary of the entire Holy Quran?" They enquired as to how lengthy it would be. "30 000 pages"! he replied. They said: "This would take a long time and cannot be completed in one lifetime. He therefore made it concise and kept it to 3000 pages (note, this was in reference to the old days when they used ink and hard-paper which was a bit long format today). It took him seven years to finish it from

3600-436: The credibility of his sources from a theological rather than an historical standpoint, yet he opposed religious innovation. In one anecdote, Abu Kamil suggested him when he was near death, to forgive his enemies, which he agreed to, apart from one who called him an innovator. Tabari was generally conciliatory, moderate, and affable. Initially, Tabari belonged to the Shafi'ite madhhab (school) of fiqh (Islamic law), and

3690-655: The date of the hijrah—the Prophet Muhammad ’s migration from Mecca to Medina ), the History is arranged as a set of annals according to the years after the hijrah. It terminates in the year 915. His second great work was the commentary on the Qur'an , (Arabic Tafsir al-Tabari ), which was marked by the same fullness of detail as the Annals . Abul-Qaasim Ibn 'Aqil Al-Warraq says: " Imām Ibn Jarir once said to his students: “Are you all ready to write down my lesson on

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3780-449: The direct successors of those companions in the city of Medina . According to Iraqi academic Majid Khadduri , Al-Shafi'i held the view that religiously binding consensus had to include all of the Muslim community in every part of the world, both the religiously learned and the layman. Thus, if even one individual out of millions would hold a differing view, then consensus would not have been reached. In an attempt to define consensus in

3870-418: The explanation of the verse 79 from Surat al-Isra' in the Qur'an about the Praiseworthy Station of Muhammad , known as "al-Maqam al-Mahmud". The verse is: And rise at ˹the last˺ part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you to a station of praise. In the books of Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an), authors said that the Praiseworthy Station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud) said in

3960-534: The four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence , known as madhhabs , is named for Al-Shāfi'ī, who is also credited setting up the framework of Islamic jurisprudence by establishing the relative importance order of its different sources as follows: Scholar John Burton goes farther, crediting Al-Shafi'i not just with establishing the science of fiqh in Islam, but its importance to the religion. "Where his contemporaries and their predecessors had engaged in defining Islam as

4050-673: The history of Tabari in French Language in four volumes in Paris. His book on the nativities and history was translated into Latin by Giovanni da Siviglia and published in Venice in 1503. Franz Rosenthal translated in 1989 Tabari history book of three volumes, with title "History of the Middle East". Clifford Edmund Bosworth , published the book History of Tabari in three volumes with an introduction by Ehsan Yarshater in 1999 in

4140-668: The history of Tabari, and from 1987 to 1999 published the book History of Tabari entitled "Muhammad at Mecca". Also Manuscripts Tabari history, Tabari interpretation and translation of Tabari history stored in Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi . Moshe Pearlman , Ismail Poonawala , Fred Donner , Hugh N. Kennedy , Khalid Yahya Blankinship , R. Stephen Humphreys , Michael G. Morony , G. R. Hawting , Martin Hinds , Carole Hillenbrand , George Saliba , and Yohanan Friedmann authors and researchers were prominent, they published

4230-459: The inheritance. He took money for teaching. Among Tabari's students was Ibn al-Mughallis , who was also a student of Tabari's own teacher Muhammad bin Dawud al-Zahiri ; Ibn al-Mughallis lavished Tabari with almost excessive praise. He never took a government or a judicial position. Tabari was some fifty years old when al-Mu'tadid became caliph. He was well past seventy in the year his History

4320-525: The later years of his life. Thus, the precise cause of his death is unknown. Al-Shafi'i died at the age of 54 on 20 January 820 CE/30 Rajab 204 AH, in al-Fustat , Egypt. He was buried in the vault of the Banu Abd al-Hakam, near Mokattam . The dome was built in 1212 CE/608 AH by the Ayyubid sultan al-Kamil . Al-Shafi'i's mausoleum remains an important site today. The Shafi'i school, one of

4410-524: The legacy of works under his name are the result of those sessions with his disciples. Through Muhammad's grandson Hasan ibn Ali , Nafisah was a descendant of Muhammad, and she married another descendant of Muhammad, Ishaq al-Mu'tamin. Ishaq was the son of Ja'far al-Sadiq , a teacher of al-Shafi'i's teachers Malik ibn Anas, as well as Abu Hanifah. Thus, all of the four major imams of Sunni jurisprudence—Abu Hanifah, Malik, his student al-Shafi'i, and his student Ahmad—are connected to Ja'far al-Sadiq, who

4500-477: The majority view is split between two possibilities: that religiously binding consensus is the consensus of the entire Muslim community, or that religiously binding consensus is just the consensus of the religiously learned. The names of two kinds of consensus are: Initially, for Shia the authority of the Imams rendered the consensus as irrelevant. With the development of sectarian communities of Imami Shīa Islam ,

4590-649: The most prominent figures of the Islamic Golden Age , al-Tabari is widely known for his historical works and expertise in Quranic exegesis, and has been described as "an impressively prolific polymath". He authored works on a diverse range of subjects, including world history , poetry , lexicography , grammar , ethics , mathematics , and medicine . Among his most famous and influential works are his Quranic commentary, Tafsir al-Tabari , and historical chronicle, Tarikh al-Tabari . Al-Tabari followed

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4680-430: The opportunity to debate the matter with the Hanbalites in his residence. Al-Tabari agreed, but the Hanbalites did not show up. However, shortly before his death, Hanbalite rioters supposedly pelted his house with stones so numerous that they formed a large wall in front of it. According to Franz Rosenthal , "The role of Hanbalite hostility, though real, seems to have been exaggerated in connection with his death as it

4770-565: The persecution to the point where Abbasid authorities had to subdue them by force. The Baghdad chief of police tried to organize a debate between Tabari and the Hanbalites to settle their differences. While Tabari accepted, the Hanbalites did not show up, but instead came later to pelt his house with stones again. The constant threat of violence from the Hanbalites hung over Tabari's head for the rest of his life. Tabari died on 17 February 923. Some sources suggest that Abbasid authorities buried Tabari at night in secret as they feared mob violence by

4860-455: The question of guidance and interpretation between different ulama became an issue, however the importance of ijmā never reached the level and certainty it had in Sunni Islam . Later, since Safavid and with the establishment of Usuli school at the turn the 19th century the authority of living mujtahid is accepted, however it dies with him. For Shia, the status of ijmā is ambiguous. The Mu'tazilite sect does not consider consensus to be

4950-616: The reception of al-Tabari Tarikh among those who immediately followed the great master. That al-Tabari's history was immensely significant we can all agree; but as to precisely how he became so significant there is no clear consensus. Returning to Forand's insight, al-Azdi frequently drew on the same authorities tapped by al-Tabari, but whose works are for the most part now lost, such as Abu Ma'shar (170/786), Abu Mikhnaf (157/774), al-Haytham ibn 'Adi (207/822), al-Madaini (around 228/843), and 'Umar ibn Shabba (262/878). Realistic depictions alternate with formalized and archetypal narrative. Tabari

5040-434: The school's founder, became decidedly negative later in life. Tabari did not give Ibn Hanbal's dissenting opinion any weight at all when considering the various views of jurists, stating that Ibn Hanbal had not even been a jurist at all but merely a recorder of Hadith . On his return to Baghdad , he took a tutoring position from the vizier, Ubaydallah ibn Yahya ibn Khaqan . This would have been before A.H. 244 (858), since

5130-465: The seat of Muhammad by God on the Throne, despite the overall weakness of the narrations supporting it. Al-Tabari is said to have declared bluntly that it was absurd. Moreover, he recited: Upon hearing this, the fanatic Hanbali followers attacked him fiercely, and stoned his residence and caused a serious disturbance which had to be subdued by force. Trouble with the Hanbalites that took a similar form

5220-465: The source he is using (and apparently quoting verbatim). The sections in the McAuliffe translation, drawn mostly from al-Mada'ini and 'Umar ibn Shabba, do not represent the most obscure passages to be found in al-Tabari, but they are nonetheless full of linguistic ambiguities and difficulties for the translator. He wrote extensively; his voluminous corpus containing three main titles: The first of

5310-667: The speculative theologians for abandoning the Qur'an and sunna through their adoption of Greek philosophy in metaphysics. Saladin built a madrasa and a shrine on the site of his tomb. Saladin 's brother Afdal built a mausoleum for him in 1211 after the defeat of the Fatimids . It remains a site where people petition for justice. Among the followers of Imam al-Shāfi‘ī's school were: He authored more than 100 books, but few survived to this day. The extant works of his which are accessible today are: In addition to this, al-Shafi'i

5400-478: The streets of the city carrying a plank and stating the reason for his punishment. Fityan's supporters were enraged by this treatment and attacked al-Shafi'i in retaliation after one of his lectures, causing him to die a few days later. However, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani casts doubt on this story, claiming it is not "from a reliable source". Al-Shafi'i was also known to have suffered from a painful intestinal illness and hemorrhoids, which kept him frail and ailing during

5490-516: The strength in the legal reasoning of the Hanafi jurists, and became aware of the weaknesses inherent in both the Maliki and Hanafi schools of thought. Al-Shafi'i eventually returned to Baghdad in 810 CE. By this time, his stature as a jurist had grown sufficiently to permit him to establish an independent line of legal speculation. The caliph al-Ma'mun is said to have offered al-Shafi'i a position as

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5580-520: The success of Al-Shāfi‘ī's doctrine. Al-Shāfi‘ī influence was such that he changed the use of the term Sunnah, "until it invariably meant only the Sunnah of the Prophet" (according to John Burton this was his "principle achievement"). While earlier, sunnah had been used to refer to tribal manners and customs, (and while Al-Shāfi‘ī distinguished between the non-authoritative "sunnah of the Muslims" that

5670-406: The sunnah of the Prophet than al-Shafi'i." Shah Waliullah Dehlawi , an 18th century Sunni Islamic scholar stated: "A mujaddid appears at the end of every century: the mujaddid of the 1st century was the imam of ahl al-sunna , Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ; the mujaddid of the 2nd century was Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i; the mujaddid of the 3rd century was Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari ;

5760-541: The time the reported events took place. His accounts are as authentic as one can expect from that period. Tabari final years were marked by conflict with the Hanbalite followers of Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Barbahari , a student of the students of Ibn Hanbal. Tabari was known for his view that Hanbalism was not a legitimate school of thought, as Ibn Hanbal was a compiler of traditions and not a proper jurist. The Hanbalites of Baghdad would often stone Tabari's house, escalating

5850-417: The time. In recounting his history, Tabari used numerous channels to give accounts. These are both channels that are given by the same author in a work, such as for example three different accounts that start with the isnad al-Harita. Although no subject in history, recitation of the Quran and its interpretation, poetry, grammar and vocabulary, ethics, mathematics, and theology remained untouched by Tabari, he

5940-612: The tribe of Muhammad, and his great-grandfather's kinship to him. However, he grew up in poverty, in spite of his connections to the highest social circles. Born near the town of Ashkelon in 767/768 CE/150 AH. His father died in Sham while he was still a child. Fearing the waste of his sharif lineage, his mother decided to move to Mecca when he was about two years old. Furthermore, his maternal family roots were from Yemen , and there were more members of his family in Mecca, where his mother believed he would better be taken care of. Little

6030-510: The two large works, generally known as the Annals (Arabic Tarikh al-Tabari ). This is a universal history from the time of Qur'anic Creation to 915, and is renowned for its detail and accuracy concerning Muslim and Middle Eastern history. Tabari's work is one of the major primary sources for historians. The History commenced with the Creation, followed by accounts regarding the patriarchs, prophets, and rulers of antiquity. The history of

6120-438: The vizier was out of office and in exile from 244 to 248 (858–9 to 862). There is an anecdote telling that Tabari had agreed to tutor for ten dinars a month, but his teaching was so effective and the boy's writing so impressive that the teacher was offered a tray of dinars and dirhams. The ever-ethical Tabari declined the offer, saying he had undertaken to do his work at the specified amount, and could not honorably take more. That

6210-610: The word 'Sabeelil Mu'mineen' (the way of those of faith). Imam Al-Shafi'i told the old man this verse was a proof for Ijma from the Quran and he was satisfied. Another proof of Ijma from the Quran is in Sura Lukman ( 31:15 ) in which Allah mentions "and follow the way of those who turn to Me in devotion" Another proof of Ijma in the Quran is in Sura an-Nisa ( 4:83 ) in which Allah mentions "And when they hear news of security or fear, they publicize it. Had they referred it to

6300-452: The year 283 until 290. A perusal of Tabari shows that he in fact relied on a variety of historians and other authors, such as Abu Mihnaf, Sayf b. 'Umar, Ibn al-Kalbi, ' Awana ibn al-Hakam , Nasr b. Muzahim, al-Mada'ini, 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr, al-Zuhri, Ibn Ishaq, Waqidi, Wahb b. Munabbih, Ka'b al-Ahbar, Ibn al-Matni, al Haggag b. al-Minhal, Hisham b. 'Urwa, al-Zubayr b. Bakkar and so forth, in addition to oral accounts that were circulating at

6390-521: The years from the Prophet ’s death to the fall of the Umayyad dynasty (661–750 CE) were short monographs, each treating a major event or the circumstances attending the death of an important person. Al-Ṭabarī supplemented this material with historical reports embodied in works on genealogy, poetry, and tribal affairs. Further, details of the early ʿAbbāsid period were available to him in a few histories of

6480-413: Was also reported at the time of al-Tabari's death. In connection with it, Nazuk is mentioned as chief of police. He was appointed to this position only in 310/922, the year al-Tabari died, but he appears to have held high positions in the police before, and may already have been in charge of al-Tabari's protection against potential Hanbalite violence. In 309/921, the wazir 'Ali b. 'Isa had offered al-Tabari

6570-431: Was an eloquent poet, who composed many short poems aimed at addressing morals and behaviour. The most famous of which is his Al-Diwan. Ahmad ibn Hanbal considered al-Shafi'i to be the "imam most faithful to tradition" who led the people of tradition to victory against the exponents of ra'y . In the words of Ibn Hanbal, "at no time was there anyone of importance in learning who erred less, and who followed more closely

6660-573: Was commonly designated as the Jariri school . Tabari was born in Amol , Tabaristan (some 20 km south of the Caspian Sea ) in the winter of 838–39. He has been described as either of Persian or Arab origin. He memorized the Qur'an at seven, was a qualified prayer leader at eight, and began to study the prophetic traditions at nine. He left home to study in 236 AH (850/1 AD), when he

6750-579: Was followed in practice, and the "sunnah of the Prophet" that Muslims should follow), sunnah came to mean the Sunnah of Muhammad. In the Islamic sciences, Burton credits him with "the imposition of a formal theoretical distinction" between ‘the Sunnah of the Prophet’ and the Quran, "especially where the two fundamental sources appeared to clash". Al-Shafi'i was part of those early traditionalist theologians who strongly opposed i'tizal and criticised

6840-457: Was from the household of Muhammad, whether directly or indirectly. At least one authority states that al-Shafi'i died as a result of injuries sustained from an attack by supporters of a Maliki follower named Fityan. The story goes that al-Shafi'i triumphed in the argument over Fityan, who, being intemperate, resorted to abuse. The then-governor of Egypt, with whom al-Shafi'i had good relations, ordered Fityan punished by having him paraded through

6930-483: Was full of religious differences and political unrest, which was characterized by the stigmatization and accusation of individuals. He is described as having a dark complexion, large eyes and a long beard. He was tall and slender and his hair and beard remained black until he was very old. He was attentive to his health, avoiding red meat, fats, and other foods he deemed unhealthy. He was seldom sick before his last decade, when he suffered from bouts of pleurisy . When he

7020-720: Was here that he developed his first school, influenced by the teachings of both Abu Hanifah and Malik. His work thus became known as " al-madhhab al-qadim li-l-imam al-shafi'i ", or the "old school of al-Shafi'i". It was here that al-Shafi'i actively participated in legal arguments with the Hanafi jurists, strenuously defending the Maliki school of thought. Some authorities stress the difficulties encountered by him in his arguments. Al-Shafi'i eventually left Baghdad for Mecca in 804 CE, possibly because of complaints by Hanafi followers to al-Shaybani that al-Shafi'i had become somewhat critical of al-Shaybani's position during their disputes. As

7110-466: Was ill, he treated himself (to the approval of physicians). He had a sense of humor, though serious subjects he treated seriously. He had studied poetry when young and enjoyed writing, reciting and participating in poetic exchanges. It is said that he was asked in Egypt about al-Tirimmah, and was able to recite this 7th century poet's work for Egyptians who had merely heard al-Tirimmah's name. Ali ibn al-Athir , in his memoirs, he confirmed these features. He

7200-499: Was in his life." He further adds that "Those who knew Tabari best always played down the inconveniences he suffered from the Hanbalites." Al-Tabari wrote history , theology and Qur'anic commentary. His principal and most influential works were: His legal texts, commentaries and Qur'anic exegesis, and history, produced respectively, were published throughout his lifetime. Biographers stress his reverence for scholarship, objectivity, and independent judgement ( ijtihad ). He rates

7290-418: Was in his twenties. There, he was taught for many years by the famous Malik ibn Anas , who was impressed with his memory, knowledge, and intelligence. By the time of Malik's death in 179 AH (795 CE), al-Shafi'i had already gained a reputation as a brilliant jurist. Even though he would later disagree with some of the views of Malik, al-Shafi'i accorded the deepest respect to him by always referring to him as

7380-551: Was motivated by the desire of Shi'ite theologians to impugn the character of the first three leaders of the Rashidun Caliphate , Abu Bakr , Umar and Uthman . Political Militant [REDACTED] Islam portal Al-Shafi%27i Al-Shafi'i ( Arabic : ٱلشَّافِعِيّ , romanized :  al-Shāfiʿī ; IPA: [a(l) ʃaːfiʕiː] ;767–820 CE) was a Muslim scholar , jurist , traditionist , theologian , ascetic , and eponym of

7470-429: Was published. During the intervening years, he was a famous (if somewhat controversial) personality. Among the figures of his age, he had access to sources of information equal to anyone, except, perhaps, those who were directly connected with decision making within the government. Most, if not all, the materials for the histories of al-Mu'tadid, al-Muktafi , and the early years of al-Muqtadir , were collected by him about

7560-839: Was suggested to him that he would continue to do this until he was driven out of his kingdom" (p. 2). The religious frame in Tabari's account is therefore not inflexible or exclusive. In 2015, a statue of Jarir Tabari, along with another Iranian scientist, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi , was erected in the courtyard of the National Library of Tajikistan. There are streets and schools named after him in Riyadh , Doha , Amol , Qazvin , Khobar , Aqaba , Madaba , Beirut , Dhahran , Heliopolis , Kuwait , Homs , Hama and Baghdad . Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob and Lefebvre Lucidio in

7650-420: Was the first to write one, but the work has been lost. The oldest surviving biography goes back to Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi (d. 938/939 CE), but is only a collection of anecdotes, some of them fantastical. Similarly, a biographical sketch written by Zakariyya ibn Yahya al-Saji was later reproduced, but even then, a great deal of legend had already crept into the story of al-Shafi'i's life. The first real biography

7740-473: Was then well-versed in four of the five remaining Sunni legal schools, before founding his own independent, yet eventually extinct, school. His debates with his former teachers and classmates were known, and served as a demonstration of said independence. Notably missing from this list is the Hanbali school, the fourth largest legal school within Sunni Islam in the present era. Tabari's view of Ibn Hanbal,

7830-519: Was twelve. He retained close ties to his hometown. He returned at least twice, the second time in 290 AH (903 AD), when his outspokenness caused some uneasiness and led to his quick departure. He first went to Ray (Rhages) , where he remained for some five years. A major teacher in Rayy was Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Humayd al-Razi, who had earlier taught in Baghdad, but was now in his seventies While in Ray, he also studied Muslim jurisprudence according to

7920-522: Was welcomed by them. He established his own madhhab, usually designated the Jariri madhhab after his patronymic . His school failed to endure in the competitive atmosphere of the times. As a youth in Baghdad , he had applied to the Hanbalite 's but received a hostile rejection. Al-Tabari's jurisprudence belongs to a type which Christopher Melchert has called " Rationalism ", largely associated with

8010-522: Was witty and urbane, clean, and well mannered. He avoided coarse speech, instead displaying refined eloquence. He had a good grounding in grammar, lexicography , and philology. Such were considered essential for Qur'anic commentary. He knew Persian and was acquainted with the origins of various foreign loan words in Arabic from a number of other languages. He died in Baghdad on 17 February 923. His ijtihad (independent judgement) led to criticism from

8100-577: Was written by al-Bayhaqi (d. 1065/1066 CE), but is filled with what a modernist eye would qualify as pious legends. The following is what seems to be a sensible reading, according to a modern reductionist perspective. Al-Shafi'i belonged to the Qurayshi clan of Banu Muttalib , which was the sister clan of the Banu Hashim , to which Muhammad and the Abbasid caliphs belonged. This lineage may have given him prestige, arising from his belonging to

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