| Specifications |
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Publisher: KITAB BHAVAN |
| Author: Sayyid Rizwan Ali | |
| Language: Arabic and English Text | |
| Pages: 144 | |
| Cover: Paperback | |
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8.5 inch x 5.5 inch |
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Weight 190 gm |
| Edition: 1898 | |
| ISBN: 8171512550 | |
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NAH181 |
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Preface
I have chosen
for my study a person who in spite of his rare personal and academic qualities has
greatly been neglected by authors.
‘IZZ AI-DIN
AL-SULAMI, my author, was among those very few who greatly influenced their
age. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the man of the seventh
century A.H. (l3th A.D.) as a religious reformer. His acute sense of
righteousness and extra ordinary moral courage in criticising and rebuffing the
absolute Sultans and powerful viziers of his time amazed and deeply impressed
the early authors.
In modern
times, two Arab essayists have introduced this particular aspect of ‘Izz al-Din’s life to the general reader in their two
essays. Nevertheless, his high academic qualities remained unknown or known
only to a very limited circle of specialised scholars.
By choosing
this author for my study I have trodden virgin soil. Excluding my own previous
work in Arabic, this study is the first of it! kind in
either a European or an Oriental language.
I had planned
to discuss my sources separately and in detail, but this plan I dropped later
because of the growing bulkness of the dissertation.
However, a few words seem necessary in this respect.
Those who are
familiar with the nature of the biographical dictionaries in Arabic know how
little information is supplied, generally in them; and how this insufficient
information is arranged in bits and pieces, so that to get a vivid and complete
portrait of a person is almost impossible. The later biographers tediously
repeat their predecessors, very seldom adding any new information.
However, I have
endeavoured to produce a complete and live image of the author, putting my
information in chronological order. My frequent recourse to the historical
sources - that is, the annals of the period - was of great help in this
achievement.
I have viewed
my sources in historical order and have referred, preferably, to the earliest
and most original of them. References to later authorities have only been made
to complete some gap or confirm controversial or important points.
Fortunately,
one of my author’s sons wrote a monograph on his father’s life. It is by no
means a full biography, nor was it meant to be so. However, it has preserved a
good deal of information on his relationship with the monarchs of his time.
Another original and perhaps detailed biography was written by Qadi ‘Abd al-’Aziz al-Hakkari (d. 727 A.H.). This is unfortunately not extant.
Al-Subki (d. 771 A.H.) has always been
considered
the earliest and most comprehensive source for my author. He is still the most
comprehensive source, since he incorporated the above-mentioned monograph by ‘Izz al-Din’s son in his Tabaqat. By his own account, al-Subki is no
longer the earliest authority. For I have discovered another earlier and
original source. He is Qutb al-Din al-Yunini (d. 726 A.H.), in his supplement to Mir’at al-Zaman of Sibt Ibn al-Jauzi. This author
provides us with some first-hand accounts of ‘Izz
al-Din’s life which are not found in any other biographical work.
I have also
kept a critical eye on my sources. Their statements have been accepted only after
careful scrutiny and comparison with the more scrupulous and reliable authors.
I had agreed
with my supervisor to translate my previous Arabic work on the author’s life
into English, my main research work at Cambridge being the edition of the text
and its annotation. But I did not feel content with a mere translation, and so
re-examined the whole subject material and consulted scores of MSS. as well as
printed works. I consequently reached some new conclusions and introduced a new
chapter, along with several new topics, such as, for instance, the mystical
life of the author, his relationship with The ‘Arabi,
a critical list of his work with
comments when necessary and a discussion of his two principal works.
I have referred
to Flugel’s edition (1893) for the Qur’anic verses both in the English section and in the
Arabic text. I have not always used diacritical marks on common words such as Ayyubid, Mamluk, Wazir (Vizier) qadi (Kadi) etc.
Finally, I hope
that I have made, with this study of mine, a further contribution to the
history of Islamic culture.
Contents
|
Foreword |
|
|
Preface |
|
|
CHAPTER-I |
|
|
LIFE-ACCOUNTS |
|
|
Socio-political
conditions of the time |
5 |
|
Social and
literary Environment |
7 |
|
Early life,
Education and Profession |
9 |
|
Death |
16 |
|
Descendants |
17 |
|
CHAPTER-II |
|
|
ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENTS |
|
|
A Mujtahid of the time |
22 |
|
His concept
of the Theory of Maslaha |
25 |
|
On the
question of blind Taqlid |
28 |
|
On
Scholastic Theology |
33 |
|
The impact of
his scholarship |
36 |
|
CHAPTER-III |
|
|
WORKS |
|
|
Subjects of
his interest and a list of his works |
41 |
|
A survey
note on his works |
45 |
|
Works
wrongly ascribed to the author |
47 |
|
A detailed
observation on his two outstanding works |
50 |
|
CHAPTER-IV |
|
|
AL-SULAMI
AND MYSTICISM |
|
|
A follower
of the Suhrawardi Order |
56 |
|
Some saintly
miracles (karamat) |
57 |
|
On mystic
assemblies and estatic dances |
60 |
|
The ideal of
mysticism in al-Sulami’s life |
64 |
|
Relation
with Ibn al-Arabi |
66 |
|
CHAPTER-V |
|
|
RELIGIO-POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES |
|
|
A social and
religious reformer |
78 |
|
Conflict
with the extreme Hanbalites |
81 |
|
Clash with
al-Salih Isma’il, the
ruler of Damascus, |
89 |
|
Auctioning
of the Mamluk Vasal
Princes |
91 |
|
A Decree
Against The Egyptian Wazir |
97 |
|
With Qutuz during the Tartar Invasion |
99 |
|
Relations
with al-Nasir of Palestine and Baybars
of Egypt |
101 |
|
CHAPTER-VI |
|
|
CHARECTER
AND PERSONALITY |
|
|
Traits and
demeanour |
107 |
|
Moral courage
and tenacity |
108 |
|
Truthfulness
and sincerity |
112 |
|
Piety and
abstinence |
114 |
|
Charity and generousity |
115 |
|
Will power
and self confidence |
116 |
|
Fine taste
and affability |
116 |
|
Epilogue |
116 |
|
Bibliography |
122 |
|
Index |
135 |
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