THE IDEAL MUSLIMAH

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:

1- Tahthib Sunan Abi Dawud (Emendation of Sunan Abu Dawud);

2- Al-Kalam al-Tayyib wa-al-'Amal al-Salih (The Essence of Good Words and Deeds);

3- Commentaries on the book of Shaikh Abdullah al-Ansari: Manazil-u Sa'ireen (Stations of the Seekers), which is considered the epitome of knowledge of tasawwuf books; and, Zad al-Ma'ad (Provisions of the Hereafter), from which this book on the medicine of the Prophet is extracted, besides other manuscripts copied with his own handwriting, and which are preserved in the Central Library in Damascus, Syria.

He compiled a large number of studies besides his own books, including:

1. Tahth Sunan Abi Dud (Emendation of Sunan Abu Dud);
2. Kitab Aqd Muhkam Al-Ahbaa banal Al-Kala'l-Tayyib wal 'Amal al-S?h (The Essence of Good Words and Deeds);
3. Madaarij Saalikeen which is a Commentary on the book of Shaikh Abdullal-Ans, Manazil-u Sa’ireen (Stations of the Seekers);
4. Zad Al-Ma'ad (Provisions of the Hereafter), from which the famous book Natural Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet is extracted.
5. Tafsir Mu'awwadhatain (Tafsir of Surah Falaq and Nas);
6. Fawa'id
7. Ad-Da wa Dawa
8. Ar-Rooh
9. Al-Waabil Sayyib minal kalim tayyib
10. Haadi Arwah ila biladil Afrah
11. Uddatu Sabirin wa Dhakhiratu Shakirin
12. Ighadatu lahfan fi masayid shaytan
13. Rawdhatul Muhibbeen

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 buried in al-Bab us-Saghir cemetary.

He was highly praised by the Scholars after him, such as al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab, al-Hafidh adh-Dhahabi, ibn Nasir ad-Dimashqi, Al Hafidh ibn Hajar and many others.